Page 4 of Little Gray Dress

Lily shrugs her shoulders as an ok.

Lily didn’t have the big formal wedding. She decided to bring a few of her closest friends and family to Mexico where she eloped in a flowing dress on the beach. It was gorgeous, quick, and very Lily. No wedding planner needed.

“What are you doing the rest of the day, Lil?” I ask through the curtain as Glenda helps me get out of the dress without poking a needle through my skin. A bloodstain is the last thing I need on a wedding dress right now.

“I’ll probably go home and watch talk shows all day.”

“Perfect,” I say sarcastically, knowing Lily lives for talk shows. Not that they are anything like they were when we were in high school. Sally Jesse Raphael, Jenny Jones, and Montel were all the rage back then. Nothing like a little night-time news murder coverage to go with a storyline you saw on the daytime talk shows. Now it’s so boring, you have The View, The Talk and not as much family drama makes it to the shows. It’s all about celebrities and politics. I’d rather have a day job than watch today’s daytime TV.

I give Glenda Hannah’s number and hop on the Max train to Jack’s office downtown. His office makes me wish I’d become a lawyer. I guess all those years of student loans make for a great office space. Granted it’s only on the third-floor level of a building right downtown, but he got a corner office facing a busy street and it’s great for peoplewatching. The best part, though, is that I helped him decorate it Mad Men style, so it’s got a retro cool feel to it.

“Hey Andy,” I greet the head of the firm as I walk past his office and he waves me in. Andy Morgan is top dog at Morgan, Steller & Cabot. He’s been in the business longer than I’ve been alive and according to Jack he’s the best of the best. He’s won cases that nobody thought possible, and he’s taken Jack in like the son he’s never had. He may be a little creepy at times but I think it’s mostly because he’s been married four times and just can’t seem to keep his hands to himself when it comes to the women.

“So, you’re stealing our boy away for three weeks after today, huh?”

“That’s right, and if I need to I’ll throw his phone into the ocean too.”

We both laugh, even though I know it might actually happen. I swear I never knew lawyers were on the clock 24/7 until I got involved with one. He seems to always be needed to answer a question or update someone on a case they are looking into.

“I suppose that’ll be OK. Hey, I wanted to give you this before the wedding.” He grabs an envelope off his desk and walks over to me, dropping it into my opened hand. “I truly hope this wedding will be the only marriage you’ll ever need.” He winks at me before walking back to his desk and getting comfortable in his chair. “Go on, open it.”

I hate opening gifts in front of people. What if what they gave you is embarrassing or horrible? How do you keep your face from going with your feelings as opposed to the thank you coming out of your mouth? Normally that’s what gives me away. Despite my best efforts, my face doesn’t always match my words.

When I open the card a check glides to the floor, landing at my feet. I grab it and stare, stunned for a moment over the amount it’s made out for.

“Five – Thousand – Dollars? What? Andy…we can’t—”

“Yes, you can,” he demands from his desk with a stern look on his face. “Now, I never had kids and you two are special to me. I want to make sure you get the best start.”

“Wow, well… Thank you.” What do you say to a five-thousand-dollar check from your almost-husband’s boss? Thank you seems nowhere near enough, but it’s all I know to do.

“Now go, find that fiancé of yours.”

“Thank you, again, Andy.” I back out of his office safely shoving the card and check into my purse before heading down the hall towards Jack’s office.

“Hey Mad—” I start to say hello to Jack’s assistant Madison when I realize she’s not sitting at her desk. She was hired about a month ago, so I don’t know her well, but she always seems like the sweetest girl whenever I’m here. She’s just out of school as a legal assistant and she really has helped Jack with organizing his cases and information.

“Are you ready?” I open Jack’s office door and hear a startled squeal to my left. When I turn to look, I feel like I’m suddenly having an out-of-body experience.

Madison is straddling Jack, face to face, on the couch. She’s almost completely naked, with a haughty look on her face as she tries to nonchalantly grab a piece of clothing from the couch arm.

“Emi!” Jack pushes her aside and jumps up while trying to straighten his rumpled shirt. “It’s not what you think.”

For a moment, I can’t say anything. The whole room is spinning and my feet are suddenly giant cement blocks attached to the floor. If it’s not what I think it is, then what the hell is it?

“Ems,” Jack is grabbing my purse off the floor and picking up the things that have rolled across the ground. “I was not having sex with her. I know it looked bad but that’s not what happened.”

“Why are you even in here?” I yell at Madison, who is slowly walking the room picking up her stray pieces of clothing.

“What does it look like I was doing?” She smirks at me before disappearing into Jack’s private bathroom.

“Let me explain,” Jack begs again, his face pale as a ghost and his dark hair disheveled and unruly.

“What. The. Fuck. Jack? How could you do this to me?”

“I didn’t. I… uh… I…” He stumbles over his words, fidgets with his tie and kicks Madison's shoes out of his way to get to me.

“Give me that!” I grab my purse from his hands and turn to the hallway to make my escape.

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