8. Wendy
“Look at her, Blair,” I said, gazing at Sadie’s gorgeous big green eyes with baby blonde ringlets sprouting from her round head. Her cheeks sported a rosy hue, and her chubby rubber band-effect legs stayed crossed at the ankles as she perched on my knee, sucking her thumb. She was a living doll and a perfectly balanced mix of her parents.
“I can’t believe she’s one.” Blair pouted, squeezing the not-so-little baby’s hand, eliciting a squeaky giggle from Sadie. We sat around the kitchen table in Blair’s sprawling chef’s kitchen, which she deserved since she was one of the best chefs in the city. Instead of building Blair a dream closet, he built her a dream kitchen with the finest finishings and stainless steel appliances.
“And I can’t believe this is my first time meeting her.” I grimaced but couldn’t dwell on the lost time because if I did, I’d go crazy.
I arrived in my old stomping grounds, Manhattan, yesterday afternoon. Despite Blair and Zachary’s protests that I stayed with them, my heart needed to breathe some city decadence, so I checked into a hotel on the Upper West Side overlooking Central Park. The yellow cabs zipping through the streets, people rushing around with purpose, the dazzling lights that never dimmed- all of it starkly contrasted my new secluded life.
“There are my girls,” said Zachary’s booming voice, holding a bouquet of pink and white balloons in one hand. At the same time, the other gripped a silver shimmering number one for the tiny guest of honor. “We have one hour until the guests arrive. Is the clown here yet?” Zachary placed his hands on his hips.
“You ordered a clown?” I asked, laughing while bouncing Sadie on my knee. They had transformed their penthouse into a child’s fairytale play-land.
“Of course, what's a birthday party without a clown?” Zachary gave a mock, stern look. “And it's not just any clown, but the best clown in New York.”
“I hate clowns,” Blair sneered, but her face melted when she glanced at Sadie, who practiced clapping her hands. “Where’s Amanda, babe?” Blair stretched her neck to Zachary.
“Ever since she got this boyfriend, her concept of time has gone out the window.” Zachary checked his watch, clicking his jaw. “She’ll be back any minute. She promised.”
“Oh wow. Amanda is dating?” My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. When did everyone grow up? My heart twisted when I realized just how much I missed being away.
“Yep,” Blair confirmed, absently twirling Sadie’s ringlets around her finger. “Been seeing this guy for a few months now. She’s head over heels.”
“Good for her,” I mused, the corners of my mouth twitching in a small smile.
“He’s not a guy, Blair.” Zachary crossed his arms, flexing his biceps through his white button-down. “He’s a boy and has no idea what he’s doing. No one does at sixteen.”
“Oh, so you didn’t know what you were doing?” Blair raised a wicked eyebrow.
“I was the exception.” Zachary held up his index finger in the air. “I always knew what to do.”
Blair rolled her eyes at me.
“I saw that,” said Zachary with his back turned to us and opened one of the standalone freezers that blended in with the rest of the cabinets. “Crap. We don’t have ice?”
“I didn’t think to get. Whoops.” Blair shrugged.
“I can go grab it at the supermarket,” I offered.
“You don’t need to do that, Wendy,” Blair said, reaching for Sadie.
I handed the birthday girl to Blair, standing and already making up my mind. “Seriously, I’ll go.”
“Are you sure?” Zachary pivoted toward me and shut the freezer door with a solid thud.
“Yeah, it’s just ice. I don’t mind.” I grabbed my bag off one of the free chairs, tossing it across my body.
“Here, let me give you some money.” Zachary reached into his pocket for his wallet.
I waved his offer away. “I’ll be back in a few with the ice. Two bags, okay?” I held up the right number of fingers.
“Thanks, Wendy,” said Blair, offering a weak smile. “I’ll meet you down there, in what? Twenty minutes?”
“I’ll see you then.” I gave a mock salute and headed out their door to the elevator.
Walking to the supermarket was like stepping into a different world. Taxis honked, street vendors barked sales pitches, and pedestrians chatted animatedly on their phones. It was chaotic, noisy, and utterly normal—an atmosphere I realized I'd been sorely missing.
The air inside the supermarket was cool and crisp. The lights gently flickered above me; an announcement came over the speakers about a buy one, get one free offer on baked beans. I stood there for a moment, reflecting. I was Wendy. Not Wendy-the-brokenhearted or Wendy-the victim. Just Wendy. And it felt good.
I picked up two bags of ice from the freezer, their cold exterior seeping through my thin blouse and making me shiver. After purchasing two jumbo bags, I walked back slowly, taking in the city I had missed so much. As the penthouse building came into view, I saw a figure diagonally across the street, leaning against the glass entrance of another ritzy building designed for the elite.
My eyes squinted against the sun beating down on the streets, but there was no mistaking who I saw.
It was Vincent.
He stood there, coat collar turned up and hands buried in his pockets, as he stared at the entrance of the building. His dark hair fluttered gently in the breeze, just as unruly as I remember. He hadn't noticed me yet, too engrossed in his silent vigil. He looked older, lines of worry etched into his face that hadn't been there before. Yet, he was still strikingly handsome, my heart fluttering and betraying the hate pooling in my mind.
My heart jolted in my chest, and the world stood still momentarily. Every part of my body failed me. Blood rushed to my face, my feet forgot how to move, and my mouth refused to form a single word. The bags of ice became unbearably heavy in my hands, the chill seeping into my bones mirroring the sudden freeze that had taken over my body. I should have moved, crossed the street, or returned the way I came. But all I could do was stand there, a statue on the sidewalk, my gaze locked on Vincent.
His eyes finally lifted from the entrance and flickered my way. It took a moment before they settled on me, widening in recognition. His posture stiffened before he took a few steps toward me, and then he stopped. I could see the Adam's apple bob in his throat as he swallowed hard.
I wanted to scream, stop . But my throat grew incredibly tight. Soon, my muscles turned to jelly, and the sweating plastic holding the ice began to slip between my fingers. Before I could retrieve them, the bags slipped from my grasp, crashing onto the pavement and sending hundreds of clear chunks scattering across the cracked sidewalks. The sharp sound echoed in the silence that had befallen Vincent and me.
“Oh no, what happened?” asked Blair’s voice over my shoulder. I spun around, locking eyes with my friend standing a few feet behind me in the revolving door to her building. Her eyes stayed glued to the frigid mess while I froze. Blair’s eyes lifted from the accident to me, and her face fell. “Are you okay?”
I opened my mouth, but no sound exited. Instead, a single hot tear trailed down my face. Blair’s eyes darkened as she stepped closer, ice crunching under her boots when she saw the source of my torment.
“What the hell?” Blair’s eyes bulged, and she lunged at the sidewalk's edge, almost falling into the avenue’s oncoming traffic. “What the hell are you doing here?” she screamed.
My arm shot forward, grabbing Blair, fearing she would fall head-first into the unforgiving traffic. “Blair, don’t.” I forced the words out. My eyes shot back to Vincent’s figure across the street, retreating in the building’s shadow.
“No!” Blair yelled, her voice echoing off the glass panels of the surrounding buildings. She yanked her arm free from my grasp and made another attempt to run forward, but I was quicker this time. I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back roughly.
“I mean it, Blair,” I said through gritted teeth. My heart pounded in my chest like a wild drum, the adrenaline and shock making me lightheaded. “He’s not worth it.”
“He’s a monster.” Blair’s eyes darted back to Vincent’s shadowed form, and her chest heaved. “What is he doing here? Are you okay? Did he come near you?”
I shook my head, swallowing the sandpaper lump in my throat and wiping another rogue tear off my cheek. Vincent remained just in sight, his body being swallowed by shade while the sun cascaded across his face. He wasn’t trying to approach us but wasn’t leaving, either. My bones quaked from the uncertainty of what he was doing here, staring at me like a precarious beast.
“I don't know, Blair,” I admitted. My voice was barely a whisper as I continued to watch Vincent. He was partially obscured by the building's shadow, but I could see the familiar ruggedness of his face, the haunted shadows flickering in his eyes. “I have no idea why he's here.”
“It’s pretty fucking obvious.” Blair scowled. “He’s an awful person. How did he know about today?”
I frowned, fighting not to say the obvious answer. There was only one way Vincent knew, and Blair’s rage blinded her from the answer.
“Zachary,” Blair said, glaring over my shoulder. I spun around, seeing Zachary exiting through the tinted revolving doors, his eyes shooting to the destroyed ice.
“I came down to help with the ice. What happened?” He gestured to the melted mess.
Blair clenched her jaw, fuming at her husband while my fingers stayed gripped to Blair’s arm like it was my lifeline. “What did you do, Zachary?” Blair asked through gritted teeth.
The slight grin from Zachary’s face faded as Blair’s daggers threatened to gouge his soul from his body. “What did I do?”
My eyes shifted from Zachary to Vincent. Except, he vanished. Vincent was gone just as quickly as he appeared. “Blair,” I uttered, tapping her forearm. “He’s gone.” I nodded across the avenue to the empty space.
Blair spun around, her dark eyes narrowed and her nostrils flaring as she scanned the empty sidewalk. Zachary looked between us, his confusion evident. “What the hell are you talking about?” He finally moved from the entrance of the building, trudging over to us, crushing pieces of abandoned ice under his loafers.
“What did you do, Zach?” Blair repeated slowly.
“Can someone please tell me what’s going on?” Zachary’s deep timbre shook my bones as a violent shiver wracked my body.
“We saw Vincent,” I said.
Zachary was about to say something, his eyes darting between me and Blair. “You’re joking.”
“No, we’re not.” Blair twisted from my grip and stormed over to Zachary until their faces were inches apart. “Did you tell him about today?” She shot her pointer finger half a centimeter from his eye. “Don’t you dare lie to me.”
Zachary didn't flinch. He met Blair's murderous gaze with quiet defiance. But his armor didn’t last long, and it crumbled. First, his shoulders sagged, and then he dropped his gaze, gluing it to the pavement. “I’m sorry. He promised me he wouldn’t come near here.”
Something in me snapped, but it rendered me speechless. The betrayal surging through my body punished every warm muscle.
“Wendy, I’m so sorry. I should have never said anything to Vincent. Are you all right?” Zachary’s eyes pleaded with mine to forgive him, but I had nothing to offer anyone. I was depleted of anything extra, and my knees wobbling didn’t help my stance.
“How could you?” Blair asked, acting as my voice.
“Let me explain,” Zachary began.
But before another word escaped his lips, the crack of Blair’s hand met Zachary’s face.