Page 83 of Forty, Flirty & Fired

MARIA R:Katie's so excited about the shower! Such fresh enthusiasm. Everything's a wonderful new adventure at that age.

A table of women executives catches my eye – all around my age, power-suited and polished, discussing Q1 projectionsover wine. None of them are hiding from their feelings behind a host stand while their ex's young wife plans the World's Most Enthusiastic Baby Shower.

"You know what's worse than watching Katie's Stories?" Sofia asks as she efficiently manages the growing lunch line. "Watching you watch them while ignoring the man who actually appreciates your experience."

My phone lights up with another Instagram notification: Katie's posted a poll about shower games, her face glowing with that particular mix of youth and excitement that makes me feel approximately one thousand years old.

"Table eight needs more bread," Lucia announces. "And you need to stop comparing yourself to someone who thinks TikTok dances are an acceptable business strategy."

"I'm not?—"

A group of tech workers comes in for lunch, their lanyards marking them as tech employees. Their casual chatter about corporate culture makes my laptop feel heavy with unwritten exposé words.

"The DiNapoli party has a wine question," Sofia calls over the growing lunch rush noise. "And Alex is here again."

My head snaps up. "What?"

"Made you look." She grins, expertly balancing three plates. "But that reaction says everything about who you're really hiding from."

I retreat to an empty booth in the back, but the holiday lunch rush follows. Another group of young tech workers settles nearby, their conversation about startup culture making my exposé document feel like it's burning through my laptop.

"The private dining room is prepped for the Emerging Marketers’ holiday party," Lucia updates as she passes. "And your phone just lit up again. Katie's doing a live unboxing of baby shower decorations."

Sure enough, my Instagram notifications show Katie'sfresh-faced enthusiasm as she reveals yet another perfect, Pinterest-worthy decoration. The stream of heart emojis from her equally young friends makes my own heart twist.

"More breadsticks for table twelve," Sofia announces, sliding past with practiced efficiency. "And Alex sent flowers. Again. I put them in the kitchen with the other three arrangements."

My phone buzzes – this time it's Alex:

ALEX:The gala planning team says you're "working remotely." Considering you wrote a blog post calling me a wolf in designer clothing, I'm guessing that's not the whole story.

Before I can process that, Katie's next Story pops up: her trying on maternity dresses for the shower, spinning in front of a mirror with the boundless energy of someone who's never had to rebuild their life at forty.

"The Johnson anniversary party needs their wine," Lucia calls out. "And you need to stop comparing your life timeline to someone who thinks a juice cleanse counts as a midlife crisis."

I move to the bar area, where the lunch crowd's chaos might drown out my thoughts. A group of women my age discusses their latest board meeting over martinis, all sharp suits and earned confidence. None of them are hiding from the man who loves them while obsessing over their ex's younger replacement.

"Just got another shower invite response," Sofia updates as she efficiently manages drink orders. "Katie's college roommate is 'literally dying' to meet you. Apparently, you're her 'career goals.'"

Lovely. Because being someone's cautionary tale about choosing career over traditional happiness definitely improves this day.

My phone lights up with a group chat notification:

KATIE:OMG everyone! Found the perfect shower theme! "New Beginnings"! Everything's so exciting when it's your first time experiencing it all!!!

Twenty enthusiastic responses immediately flood in, all containing multiple exclamation points and emojis I'm too old to understand.

"The Romano party needs their check," Lucia announces, then pauses. "And Alex is actually here this time."

My head snaps up so fast I nearly knock over someone's wine.

"Still made you look." She grins, expertly averting the wine crisis. "But that panic face of yours is just too hilarious to pass up.”

"I'm not panicking,” I protest, but my voice lacks conviction. "I'm planning…and navigating emotional complications while?—"

"While watching your ex's twenty-eight-year-old wife live her faux ‘best social media life’?” Sofia raises an eyebrow as she passes with more wine. "Or while ignoring the CEO who actually gives a damn about you.”

A young couple at the bar giggles over their shared pasta, all fresh love and uncomplicated happiness. The kind I couldn't give Roberto. The kind I might be destroying with Alex.

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