Page 19 of What If We Do

“Stop right there.” Scarlett lifts a finger, her jaw clenched tight as she stares at the man. With marinara sauce now dripping down the front of her dress, she turns her head around as far as she can to try and see the back of her dress. Finally, she spins so the back of her dress is facing the frightened staff member and angles her head back beaming at him. “Can you do the back as well?”

The couples around us look on, a bit shocked, but I throw my head back in laughter.

That’s my girl.

The crew member shakes his head, confounded. “Ma’am I…I don’t unders—”

“Oh, my apologies. Allow me to explain,” she tells everyone around us because yep, she’s that girl. “My fiancé left me at the altar last week.”

Looks of sympathy and concern all around.

“And I know, I should probably be crying in my bedroom surrounded by cartons of ice cream and alcohol, but I’m not, because if I’m being honest with myself, he didn’t love me the way I deserve to be loved. He never supported the life I wanted to have for myself. It was always about his career. His money. His life. So, it’s all good. I’m here celebrating the honeymoon we should’ve had and it’s on his dime because he already paid for it.”

Our new friends laugh with her, some even giving her a high five.

“So, I’m trashing this dress! The perfect dress that at one point meant so much to me. The dress I was supposed to wear when I became a wife. The dress I’ll take off at the end of the night and burn because who would want to keep this memory?So go on,” she tells the crew members. “Please, you’re going to get a new bowl of sauce anyway. Drip the rest of that on the back for me.”

“You’re sure?” he asks.

“Absofuckinlutely.”

We all stand by watching the crew member artfully drip the rest of his sauce down the back of Scarlett’s dress before he scurries back to the kitchen for another bowl.

The girl in the butterfly masquerade costume nods her approval. “For what it’s worth, I think what you’re doing is amazing.”

“Thank you very much.”

“I’m Polly, by the way.” She offers her hand. “I would hug you but…” She gestures to the sauce and Scarlett laughs, returning her handshake.

“No problem. Totally understand. Scarlett Dayne.”

“I’ve seen you a few times in my Insta feed. I really love your energy. Your always such a bright and positive person.”

“Doesn’t do us any good to spread hate, right?” Scarlett answers. “Anything but love and kindness is exhausting if you ask me.”

Polly nods. “So right.”

As we move up in the line, and grab a plate for our food, Scarlett asks Polly, “Hey have you tried these pot stickers? Are they good?”

“Oh my, gosh, yes! This is our second time through. They’re pork-filled and you must try them in this Szechwan sauce. It’s to die for!”

“Sold!” Scarlett laughs. “Thank you for the recommendation. It was lovely to meet you.”

“Pleasure to meet you. Hope you guys have fun tonight.” Polly and Robin Hood take their filled plates and head outside. After grabbing a few appetizers, we find a spot where we can eatand watch the rest of the action going on at the party. The DJ announces a costume contest and several people have lined up to participate.

I gesture to the group. “Who do you think will win.”

Scarlett studies the group of participants. “Hmm, my money is on either Medusa, or that guy dressed as Edward Scissorhands.”

“Mmm.” I nod. “I would have to agree. But that mime is definitely a crowd pleaser.”

“For sure.”

When we finish our light snack, I take Scarlett’s plate and throw away our trash and then take her hand back in mine. Quite frankly any reason to be touching her, to have my hands on her, is perfectly okay with me. “Where to next?”

She looks around and spots a sign at the bottom of the stairs with an arrow pointing to the second floor for VIPs to receive a special palm reading. Her eyes light up. “Ooh let’s do it! Our passes are VIP! You in?”

“You believe in that kind of stuff?” I ask, having never been into the whole cosmic-fortune-telling-zodiac kind of thing.

---