Page 5 of Yours, Truly

“You're also my something blue if you hadn’t guessed” she chimed, looking down at the set in the box between us. “This means more wine nights,” she sang, tilting her glass towards mine and we toasted. “I honestly can't do this without you," she stated.

We did everything together and I was so excited to be by her side at this moment in her life. I couldn’t wait to see howbeautiful she was going to look in her gown and to watch her marry the love of her life. After crying it out like two adult babies, we composed ourselves to order dinner before the emotions took over again and we forgot to eat.

Dinner arrived; we’d ordered the usual Chinese feast, chicken noodles, spring rolls and spicy beef. We dished up the meal and poured more wine as we sat on the sofa ready to put on a chick flick. I let Ivy choose the movie, with no surprise she happened to pick ‘Bridesmaids’.

“Don’t you be an Annie on me!” Ivy laughed.

“Only if you don’t replace me with a Helen,” I chuckled as we watched the maid of honour and one of the bridesmaids fight over the bride’s best interest. We laughed at how ridiculous the movie was and were thankful our friendship was strong and that we didn't need to worry about falling out like that.

“I promise,” she smiled, “no one would ever replace you. And if they try to overthrow you, they are out!” We clinked our glasses together.

After the movie, I updated her on Brie’s party, the spa day and work, which got me confessing to her about the stranger. I saved most of the dirty details despite Ivy pressuring me to spill. I wasn’t prude about my sex life but I also didn't need to share the intimate details. He made me feel good and the sex was the best of my life, that was all she needed to know.It had been a year since Kyle so to her this was super exciting, she wanted to know everything. The shock on her face was clear as she learned about my one-night stand, the gentleman experience,the fact this wasn’t my usual behaviour. This stoked the fire of the conversation, making her nosier, it was a milestone in my life.

“So, you don't know his name?” she asked, getting emotional again, the wine was now in control of us at this point as we were on our third bottle.

“No, at the time I didn't want to know,” I said, staring into the pink liquid before me.

“And now?” she asked, her eyes widening as she waited for my answer; she was invested. I pulled my thoughts together in one place before meeting her eyes.

“And now, I kind of wished I did. He was different... It was just sex but we clicked. He seemed a little disappointed when he left without my name,” I said, remembering, “he made me feel a way I never knew I could.” This was true. I felt beautiful, empowered, and not just that, the intimacy was there, in the way he looked at me. A one-night stand wouldn’t have been so intimate.

“Do you know anything about him?” she asked, her doe-eyes focused on my emotions.

“No, not really we talked a little, but it's foggy. We were playful, very flirty, the attraction was definitely there. We fucked a couple of times that night and then he left after I coldly said goodbye.” I shrugged, trying to brush this guilty feeling off.

“What happens in Barcelona stays in Barcelona I guess.” I took the last sip of my wine. “Come on let's go to bed, I'll text Jude you're staying tonight,” I said, guiding her to my room. Itwas time to call it a night, it had been an intense and overwhelming evening with Ivy’s news and then this conversation. She was drunk spinning around my spacious room when she noticed his watch.

“Ooooh is this his?” she teased, making her way over to my bedside cabinet, she picked it up and quickly admired it before I took it out her hand and popped it back in its temporary place.

“You've got good, but expensive, taste, Gi,” she slurred as she climbed onto the other side of the bed.

“That's true, that's why I have you,” I smiled, bopping her nose playfully as I pulled the duvet over her. I retrieved a bucket to place beside the bed, ready for if she was sick. I knew how Ivy handled her drinks, that’s what sharing a dorm at uni does.

Finally, I texted Jude to let him know Ivy was staying and would be home in the morning; she fell asleep fast. My brain was currently in a whirlwind from the past half an hour’s conversation. I knew sleep wouldn’t come so I wandered back into my living room to clean up our mess before trying to settle into bed myself. The apartment was immaculate and ready for a new day.

Exhausted, I climbed in next to Ivy, rolling over to get the light, when I caught a glimpse of the watch on my nightstand. I paused for a moment, replaying my confession to Ivy before sighing and shoving it in the drawer, until I figured out what to do with it. But for now, I needed it out of sight out of mind.

5

BACK TO REALITY

For work, October was when the company clientele always picked up drastically, with meetings for new products launching in the new year. Both new and existing clients, as well as campaigns for Christmas, were being finished ready for advertising at the end of October. This was the time to make the most money, and commission, so everything had to be perfect; it became an all-hands-on-deck situation which included very late nights and extra weekends in the office. I was drowning in both work and home life. It was a good busy as time passed in a blur, it didn’t give me any time to think or have a moment to myself.

Plus, we now had Christmas slowly approaching and my Mum wanted to plan ahead, making sure we were all coming. She always needed an RSVP by November. Kind of explains where my own organisation skills come from. A Henley Christmas was a major tradition in my family. It was a mandatory event unless you were dying or had a good excuse. Ivy had invited me toChristmas Day at hers as it was Ivy and Jude’s first Christmas in the new home. They’d spent a couple years building it from the ground up and now it was finally finished, they wanted to host. My mother understood and accepted my reasoning, that she arranged to move our Christmas to Boxing day instead as Brie couldn’t make it on Christmas Day either. My head was all over the place, so focussed on everyone else that in a way my anxiety had taken a back seat for once.

My maid of honour position had kept me busy in my personal life, it entailed a lot of duties to attend to; even more than work demanded at the moment. In my downtime I helped Ivy to research venues, colours, themes. She was sending me lots of pictures and ideas; some simple and elegant and some over the top like an A-list celebrity wedding, despite her having her dream wedding folder planned since she was twelve.

She had more inspiration overshadowing the folder of things she’d already narrowed down. Pinterest boards exploding with every possible scenario, every venue she thought of and every colour scheme she liked. It was my role to contain it a little, to make sure she didn’t get too overwhelmed and to narrow in on ideas, convincing her she would know more when they pick the venue. All I knew was Ivy wanted a gigantic wedding.

However chaotic the organisation had become, Ivy and Jude agreed they wanted a summer wedding, specifically beginning of June, giving us only eight months, meaning we were already falling behind.

After all the madness of work and weddings, my favourite partof the day was coming home to my apartment, pouring myself a cup of tea and grabbing my book off the bedside cabinet. I alternated between romance fiction and business books to work towards my five-year plan. I knew these next couple of months were going to be busy but I wasn’t going to sacrifice my dreams, I could juggle it all. I snuggled under the covers reading before bed; whether it was an hour or only ten minutes, it was the only thing I had to myself at the moment. I was so busy I hadn't spared a thought about the stranger in weeks. Not since the night Ivy announced her engagement.

On Wednesday, it was a normal day in the office; I went in a bit later than usual due to the stupid train delays. The public transport this morning had gone against me as I decided not to drive into the city. I straightened out my baby pink blazer and headed to the break room to refill my coffee and grab a blueberry muffin before making my way to my desk to complete my final design on the 'Wild' perfume. The launch was New Year's Eve.

Slogan:'Unleash your Wild self this New Year'

I was lucky enough to be sent a full-size sample bottle by the client to help to really sell this pitch, a tall black glass bottle with a gold leopard print on the bottom corner, the wordWildwritten in a metallic gold -The W looked like teeth in a 3D metal. The fragrance itself gave a beautiful but edgy, OUD wood fragrance seeping in attitude but giving a cheeky andsubtly sweet ‘Honeysuckle Amber’ afterscent once it settled. It was a seductive, alluring fragrance, made to turn heads and I knew I would be wearing this on New Year’s Eve to test out that theory. I was allowed to wear and try products but not disclose any information about it until marketing promotions had been released by the brand.

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