Page 3 of I See Red

“I can’t even with you. I swear your mind is always in the gutter.”

I wish just one year we could do a pajama-themed event so I could actually be comfortable at it for once instead of fighting for my life through the entire night.

“Where else would it be? Think about it. Hot men, dressed in the finest suits, with big wallets and unfulfilling marriages. Events like theseare thegutter, glazed over with fine dining, charity toppings, and egotistical conversations, but a cake is still a cake no matter how you slice it.”

She’s not wrong. No matter how many times I attend these events with her, it’s like a breeding ground for bad decisions, which is exactly why I am her plus one. Red can’t let go of situation-ships long enough to actually even attempt a real relationship. Well, that and I’m required to be there as the Co-CEO.I, on the other hand, have been in a meaningful relationship for almost six years now.

“You do realize everything tonight is about us? We areliterallythe reason for the event. That means every eye in that room will be on us, and hopefully, I will have a pair on just me later.”

“Redddd, seriously, don’t remind me. I’m going to throw up; youknowI hate people staring at me.”

“Yes, I know, but it’s part of your world. Just remember who you are. Come here—stand in front of the mirror and repeat after me.”

Not again. Lord, if she drags me to this mirror for one more afforma—yup, here we go.

“I am successful, I am bold, I am beautiful, I am kind, I am unstoppable. Most of all, I am worthy. Oh, and a boss bitch, I might add, even if you do prefer the shadows.”

I really wish I could quit selling myself short. I wish sometimes I could see all my amazing qualities like she sees, but that’s me always second-guessing myself. Living in the shadows is not as bad as she thinks it is. It brings me peace and, most importantly, stability, especially here these last few years.

“Thanks Red. You always do have the right words at the right moment, yin to my yang.”

Her way with words is one of the things I love most about her, hell it’s brought us success this far, but I’m not going to tell her that. Her ego is the last thing that needs sprucing.

“For life, ever and ever, Amen,” she replies, her words fluttering to my heart at the reminder of him.

“Don’t stress out, don’t think about tonight as a whole, just breathe and remember I’ll be right there with you.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me, always second fiddle.” We both start laughing in unison. Enjoying the moment together, as we continue getting ready for the chaos of the evening.

Looking up at myself, I admire my beauty in this dress, and for the first time, I do not see her staring back at me, judging me, reminding me of that sad, broken girl I once was. No, I see me, I see Ivy Sage Reed. Heading into the bathroom, I open the drawer, pulling out my favorite shade of lipstick, refreshing it before it is time to go. Catching a glance at the clock out of the corner of my eye, my heart begins to flutter. Fantastic, it’s a quarter past seven, and once again, we are officially forty-five minutes late.At this point, I’m sure you are already aware of her lipstick choice, as for mine, well, it’s not important, because when we are together, she always steals the show. She is like a disco ball illuminating a dark room with the flip of a switch. I am aware I sound salty and unsupportive right now, but the truth is I envy her at times. She is probably the most striking woman one could have the pleasure to lay eyes on. I am truly blessed to have her by my side as I navigate life. She’s just a bit much at times, although I’m sure she feels the same about me, too. I am not a walk in the park myself. I think it’s why we get along so well.

“Ivy, phone.” Honestly, if Iwasn’t late for the event, I normally wouldn’t race to it, but us being the CEOs and it being our event, not answering would be so unprofessional. My phonehas been going off non-stop. Picking it up, I look to see what’s wrong.

“Fuck, six missed messages from Antonio,” I shout.

I’m a little annoyed because he knows we are always late, but I do appreciate his punctuality and concern. That is certainly hard to come by in Boston.

“Alright, it’s time to go.”

“Phone?”

“Check”

“Bag?”

“Check”

“Reeeed?”

“Double check.”

“Alright, let’s go schmooze our way to more donations, shall we?”

Red, on behalf of our brokerage firm, hosts a Charity Gala every year to help underprivileged kids through various outreach programs to help them have a better sense of normalization in their lives. We raise money for many different local charities. Tonight is this year’s Gala, with a little twist. She is also being honored with an award for giving back to our community throughout the years. Foster Care is certainly something near and dear to both of our hearts, so to say tonight is a big night would be an understatement. I’ve never been one for big spectacles or public speaking, but that is Red’s comfort zone, so I know her speech will be flawless. Luckily, I get to sit back and watch her do what she does best and just smile. It’s one of the many benefits of a co-partnership, especially since I am the silent partner as far as the world is concerned.

We produced this arrangement so I could help her but not have the spotlight she so graciously yearns for. I get ill at the thought of standing in front of five people, let alone a few hundred; I can’t imagine it being my full-time job and lifestyle.

The event is certainly a spectacle every year, to say the least. It’s one of the most looked forward to events by anyone who is someone. We are talking about politicians, CEOs, celebrities, world-renowned architects, realtors, and obviously, Boston’s local elite. People come from all over the country every year to attend our Gala, and it truly is something to be proud of. Proud of it, we are. Proud of us, I am.

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