Page 120 of Don't Leave Me

While Emily distracted my parents and Michael greeted some friends of his that had showed up, Jess pulled me aside.

“I won’t mention Jack, I promise,” she whispered to me, close enough so that I could smell the champagne on her breath.

I gave her an apologetic look.

“I’m sorry. I will tell him, just not tonight. I wanted you here tonight,” I smiled at her.

She gave me a slow smile and then hugged me from the side, apparently appreciative of my comment.

Only 20 minutes later, our condo had about 20 people mingling around with drinks in their hands, Emily already loudly playing Beyoncé through our Bluetooth speakers. Several of Michael’s acquaintances showed up, most that I had never heard of but apparently were very well-educated and wealthy and snobby by the way they scoffed at my friends: the hipsters from Brooklyn with their thrift store clothes and PBR’s in their hands. I was shocked that Michael had even invited Evan and Cassie, who seemed happy to be there and like they didn’t gossip about us at work just a week earlier. Adam had showed up and stayed close to Emily, the two of them practically making out; Billie and John were being recluses near the kitchen bar. I wondered what they were arguing about.

Jess stayed close to me and Michael, even chatting up my mother for a lengthy amount of time, talking about Broadway. I grew nervous as the minutes crept by, but Michael handed me another glass of champagne, which eased my anxiety a little bit. He knew that I was nervous about revealing our engagement; as excited as I was to marry him, announcing it to everyone we knew as they were right in front of us made me a little uneasy. All of their eyes on us, the attention, the stares…it made my stomach drop and my palms sweaty. But Michael was excited about it: he was excited to tell everyone that he was marrying me! So of course I had to oblige.

“Michael is really very lovely, Hana,” Jess smiled at me, sipping on another glass of champagne.

Michael was greeting his fashionably late aunt and uncle, about to bring them over to me as I stood near the glass windows in the living room.

“I’m glad you don’t feel weird about being here. You know, since Jack and I have a history,” I stated the obvious before taking a gulp of champagne.

Jess laughed sweetly. “No. I’m used to Jacky’s behavior. I should be thanking you. I wouldn’t have any friends if everyone whom Jack mistreated cut me out of their lives,” she raised her eyebrows at me, then glanced over at John and Billie.

“Yeah, what is going on with you guys?” I interrogated, my eyes widened.

Jess sighed and grunted, simultaneously rolling her eyes.

“I dated John very briefly. We were friends until Jack and Adam quit the band. Now he apparently won’t even be civil with me,” she hissed.

I prodded further, the journalist in me showing.

“Why did they quit?”

I was so engrossed in our conversation that I hadn’t noticed Michael bringing his aunt and uncle over.

“Hana,” his voice caught my attention.

His aunt and uncle were probably in their late sixties, their faces friendly and smiling at me.

“Hi!” I said enthusiastically, eager to finally meet his family - his dad and sister would be in town the day before Christmas.

“Hana, this is my uncle Peter and my aunt Susanne,” he pointed his head to the side, then continued.

“And this is Hana,” he finished with a smile.

“It’s so nice to finally meet you, dear,” Aunt Susanne said with a smile, her accent matching Michael’s.

“What a beautiful young lady. It’s so nice to meet you,” Uncle Pete smiled; his eyes were similar to Michael’s.

I could feel myself blushing. Compliments always did that to me. Flattery must run in Michael’s family, I thought to myself.

I could see Jess slowly slipping away in my peripheral vision; her champagne glass was empty, so I figured she was off to the kitchen.

“Everyone’s here,” Michael whispered in my ear.

I knew he wanted to announce it now. I nodded and smiled.

“Let me just freshen up. I’ll meet you at the top of the stairs in 5 minutes,” I said quietly in his ear, even though the speakers were blaring Drake now.

“Excuse me,” I smiled to Michael’s aunt and uncle and slipped away quickly.

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