The Intern (wattys2014)

Chapter 7: The Meltdown and the Trickster

Sometimes being an event planner was a lot like being Santa Claus. Unlike St. Nick, I didn't care about the scruples of my clients, but I did make lots and lots of lists. I checked all of mists a hundred times, instead of just once or twice. That Wednesday morning I booked two new brides for the following year, one for a spring wedding and one for a summer wedding. They both requested me, since I was the one who planned the "Blake-Mcnarie" wedding. Apparently planning a celebrity wedding was big deal, I suppose. Mostly, I was just trying to focus on planning the Calvin-Jensen affairs without getting distracted by the upcoming party. I was one o'clock, which mean in two hours I'd see Andrew. I'd also do a solo event, meet his entire family, and try not to be too painfully obvious that I liked him. No big deal, right?

But when I got a text from Suzy, I broke from being focused work girl and called her back. Her text had read:

Robert Emergency, I need your help. Call me ASAP!

I wasn't interested in getting back with Robert, I didn't think, but my chest did certainly tighten at the sight of the words "Robert" and "Emergency" in the same sentence. As her phone rand, I silently prayed he was ok. I mean, sure he'd been a jerk to me lately, but Robert didn't deserve to get hurt. Not that anyone ever did, but I was hoping for the best.

"Suzy, what is going on? Are you at a hospital?"

"No, we're at Robert's Tailor," she said. "He locked himself in the dressing room, and he won't come out."

"What? I thought he was dying? What are you talking about?"

"Robert was getting his tux fitted, and I came to make sure it was everything crazy Lucy wants," Suzy said. Definitely glad I'm not planning that wedding, I thought idly. Two days in, and Suzy had already deemed Lucy as a psychopath. And Suzy was painfully patient.

"Ok, so how did Robert end up in the dressing room?"

"I don't know! He was all perfect looking, and I asked him if he was excited. He got all pale and freaked out. I swear to God he had a panic attack, right there in the store. Then he bolted for the dressing room, locked the door, and he says he's needs some time to think. He's been in there twenty minutes."

"He has cold feet," I said, a bit too gleefully, if I'm being honest. "You need to talk him through it."

"I can't, I mean, I've tried. He says he wants to talk to you."

"Fine," I said. "Give him your phone. I am not going down all the way there to deal with my ex-boyfriend's temper tantrum." I heard some shuffling, along with a door clicking, and I heard a deep breath on the other line. I stood up, walking towards the conference room. I didn't want others to hear our conversation, not if Robert was going to be acting out of sorts on the other line.

"Hey Ann," Robert said, with a sadness in his voice. "I guess you heard the truth. I am a man, and I freaking terrified to get married."

"I heard you scared the tar out of little Suzy. What is happening at that shop? Robert, this isn't like you. You're unemotional and rational, and I know you love Lucy."

"I do, but Ann, I don't want to get married to her.... I'm not ready."

"Ok, do you mind me asking why you proposed? I mean, usually you need certainty before you do that sort of thing."

"Do you remember our conversation after the wedding?"

Did I remember the conversation where Robert offered to stand up to his mother and dump his girlfriend to win me back for good? Yes I did, and I also remember his decision to propose to that girlfriend the next day, crushing my heart again. Luckily for me that finally rejection had given me some closure, so now I could move on to better things, like dating Andrew.