CHAPTER 14
Becky
“What the hell, Nia?” Becky asked when she saw Nia in the hallway.
“Okay. Calm down. Let’s go to my room if you’re going to be upset with me.”
“Your room? You set me up!” she said loudly.
Nia took her by the hand and pulled her into an unoccupied room. Closing the door behind them, she motioned for Becky to sit at the small table with two chairs tucked into the bay window.
“You got the best room, huh?” Becky asked.
“This way, I don’t play favorites,” Nia returned and sat down in the chair. “Sit.”
“You invited her,” Becky stated, going right back to it when she sat down opposite her.
“I did.”
“Why?”
“Because you love her.”
“And yet, you paired me up with Carrie, and Helena with Jennifer.”
“Yes, I did.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted you to get somewhat upset, and Carrie seemed like someone who would understand and be a good person to talk to. Last you and I spoke about Helena, you’d convinced yourself that it wouldn’t go anywhere.
Helena, it turned out, had applied for my services.
When I found that out, and you were still single and clearly into her, I decided to invite you here.
Technically, Carrie is someone you could possibly be with, and Jennifer is someone Helena could possibly be with. That’s how this works.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Well, for starters, I knew you wouldn’t come. The other reason is that it’s a confidentiality thing. I couldn’t tell you that someone applied or that I’d selected that someone for this event.”
“So, you just invited me here to do what, embarrass me? Make me hurt, for some reason?”
“No, I brought you here because I know you still have feelings for her and because I knew that there was a chance you could leave with Helena or you could leave with someone else here, too. Carrie is nice. She’s sweet.”
“She’s young.”
“She’s not that young. There’s maybe ten years between the two of you. That’s nothing.”
“If you actually thought there was a chance that Carrie and I would leave together, you wouldn’t have invited Helena.”
“That’s not true,” Nia replied. “Sometimes, we have to face losing what we want before we’re willing to admit that we want it.
In your case, that would mean admitting it to Helena, who is with Jennifer right now, in the room right next door.
” Nia pointed to the wall behind the dresser.
“Helena could also leave with Jennifer. She could make a match with Sharon or Debra. When I make these events, I keep in mind all the possibilities. You could leave with Sharon or Debra. Not all of those relationships would last forever, perhaps, but some of them could. They all have potential.” Nia shrugged an elegant shoulder.
“I don’t want anyone else.”
“Well, you don’t want to be in a relationship with anyone else, but we both know that one of the reasons you and your ex broke up was that you wanted to try things she didn’t in the bedroom.”
“You can’t use your insider information against me.”
“I’m not. You put it on your form, Becky.” Nia laughed a little. “Give this a try, okay? You know I’m usually right.”
“What if she’s…”
“Then, that was what she needed. You have to keep in mind that just because you’ve been in love with her, it doesn’t mean that she’s been in love with you or that she’s yours to get jealous over.
And sex can just be a physical act, Becky.
It doesn’t have to have emotions tied to it.
It’s better when it does, in my opinion, but it can also be two people relieving tension or exploring something within themselves with no strings. ”
“I know,” she said. “I’ve had no-strings sex before.”
“So, if that’s what they’re doing tonight, let them do it. You don’t want no strings with Helena. You want more.”
“But you could’ve put us together tonight. Why didn’t you?”
“Because I am basically working with a massive jigsaw puzzle at every single one of these events. There are eight of you here, and to make it all work like an orchestra playing the best symphony of their lives, I need to put pieces in the right place. It could be that Sharon and Gage needed to be together tonight, which meant you couldn’t be with either of them, or that I thought Kristina and Debra would make a good first-night match, so you couldn’t be with either of them, and so on.
I’m always searching for the best possible outcome for everyone here, and Becky, I am very good at what I do. ”
“I know you are,” Becky admitted on a sigh.
“Then, you should go back to Carrie’s room and at least go over the cards I gave you.”
“She went for a walk when I disappointed her.”
“Oh, I doubt that,” Nia said and stood up. “I’m sure she’s in her room, wondering why she spent so much damn money on this event. Just be honest with her. And, hey, if both of you are interested in a little stress or tension relief, go for it.” Nia winked.
Becky stood and sighed, feeling a little embarrassed and still somewhat upset.
Talking to Nia did make her feel a little bit better about the whole thing, so when she left her room, she knocked on Carrie’s door and waited, expecting Nia to be wrong, which wasn’t all that bright on her part because, of course, Nia was right.
Nia was always right somehow, and Becky hadn’t ever understood her friend’s gift.
They didn’t spend all that much time together, with Nia traveling all the time, but Becky was always impressed with how Nia could see into the souls of people and connect them together.
“Hi,” Carrie said when she opened the door.
“I was rude to you earlier, and I am very sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
“It’s not. And I’m not up for anything physical because I’m still a little in shock here, but I would love to get to know you better, even if it’s just for us to be friends when we leave here. Want to go through some lame questions with me?”
Carrie laughed and replied, “Sure. Come on in.”