I couldn't believe it when I found myself agreeing to marry my best friend that night.
**a ForthBeam short story**
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author...
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"I couldn't believe it when I heard that you were going to be late to Rancho's. I mean, when did you start having after-work meetings? "I voiced my protest.
"Since today. The government job is halfway done, and I want to ensure that we're on track with the timeline and quality control. This account is significant for us. If we excel here, it will pave the way for more opportunities for Kalayaan to take on similar projects."
His explanation made perfect sense, but I still didn't care for it. My entire body was buzzing with anxious energy, and I knew that if I could just lay eyes on Forth, it would all fade away. He was like my personal lightning rod, or something equally absurd. The bottom line was, I needed him to anchor me.
I couldn't understand why I was so damn nervous. It was just another Friday night at Rancho's, like always. Except it wasn't. This was the end of our fake marriage. The mere thought of it made my stomach churn, and even the idea of seeing Foei in a ridiculous pink mankini couldn't calm the rising nausea.
"Fine," I mumbled, sounding just like a little kid. "How much longer will you stay there?"
"Not too late. Twenty minutes. Thirty tops," he assured me. I wasn't very fucking assured.
"Fine," I said again. "I'll meet you there. I can't believe you're going to be late for our divorce, though. Doesn't look good for you. The judge will almost certainly rule in my favor, and I'll be getting custody of the waffle iron for sure."
The thought of our upcoming pretend divorce made my stomach twist even more. The past month had completely changed my life, and I wasn't prepared to say goodbye. I believed Forth felt the same way, but I couldn't be sure. Not being able to read his mind was frustrating, and I almost asked him what he was thinking at that moment.
"You don't even know how to make waffles," Forth reminded me that I had no clue about making waffles, interrupting my thoughts about the impending situation.
"I'll figure it out. Please hurry up and come to Rancho's. I don't want to confront the challenges alone."
"Don't worry. Just because you shared almost every aspect of our intimate life with Niev and Foei last weekend doesn't mean Nahm and Kana are aware of it."
I gave a disbelieving snort. Those two were the least of my worries.
"Alright, just because everyone is aware that we were in a relationship doesn't mean they will start teasing you as soon as you enter the room."
"It's as if you haven't met our friends before."
I could hear someone speaking to Forth in the background. The voice was a bit unclear, but it seemed like Jeed. "I have to go now, Beam. I'll catch up with you later."
I muttered my farewell and ended the call. I returned to my work, but my thoughts were scattered and I couldn't focus on the task at hand that afternoon. There were countless things to ponder, with so much at stake in the upcoming hours. I couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed that we didn't get the chance to visit New York the previous weekend.
