The Make-Up Artist: Part 2

Chapter Fourteen: Good Luck Charm

"Richard, what do you mean?" Your heart is thudding in your chest at his admission and you're not sure why.

"He would kill me if he knew I was telling you this", Richard says with a heavy exhale.

"Well you've already told me so what does that mean exactly, that it was all Taron?" Had he orchestrated the entire thing? And if so, why?

"Well, when he found out that you had agreed to go with me, he insisted on making all the arrangements", he explains as if this is no big deal.

"What do you mean?" You repeat. You know you already asked this but you are so confused right now that you really need him to spell it all out for you.

"When I told him you had agreed to go and that I was going to make all the arrangements, he asked if he could be the one to take care of everything. I didn't see any reason for him not to and it was one less thing I had to worry about, so I let him. He made the arrangements and then I just passed the info along to you", Richard explains further but you are still confused.

"So... you lied to me? You already admitted that he got the jewelry. I thought you took care of everything else?" You're not sure whether to be hurt, flattered or humiliated.

"I know. That's what I wanted you to believe. I'm not proud of it and I'm sorry. He made me promise not to tell you and now here I am breaking that promise." Putting your own discomfort aside, the fact that you could be coming between their friendship once again makes you feel sick to your stomach so you decide to let him off the hook.

"Rich, why would he do all that...for me?" You ask more to yourself than to him. "Why would he go to all that trouble when I had turned him down?" There is a pause on the other end of the line.

"Why do you think?" He finally says quietly, and you remember Taron's declaration that night in your hotel room.

"Oh God", you sigh.

"Yeah...he just really wanted to make sure you didn't know. I was hoping he would tell you himself, but I guess he didn't."

"No, he didn't", you confirm, wishing more than anything that he had. "Wait. Is that why you asked me? Did he tell you to ask me so I would go and he could plan everything?" Your mind is spinning out of control and you can't imagine either one of them being that deceptive.

"No, not at all. I asked you of my own accord, I promise. He just wanted to take care of everything once he found out you were going. I suppose he was going to do that all along if you had agreed to go with him."

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense", you agree. Richard waits to see if you're going to say anything else about it, but you don't. What else is there to say?

"Well, I'm glad you know anyway. I was tired of taking credit for something I didn't do", he says with a little chuckle. "I guess I better get going. You going to be ok?" He asks.

"Yeah, sure. Thanks Rich, and good luck again", you say, feeling over emotional at the moment.

"No problem kid. Wish you were going to be there, but I get it. Talk to you soon, ok?"

"Ok, bye."

"Goodnight", he says, then the line disconnects. You pull the phone away from your face and stare down at it. You are shocked, to say the least, and you don't know how to react to this newest revelation. Regardless of his feelings for you, why had Taron gone to all that trouble? And why hadn't he told you? On the one hand, you are flattered and amazed at everything he did for you that night. On the other, you are irritated that he didn't tell you, but you suppose you can understand why. Not to mention the fact that he unwittingly made Richard lie to you in the process, although you can hardly blame Rich for that. It was a white lie after all. But you are growing tired of all the deception that is happening between the three of you, whether it comes from a place of affection or not. The thing that breaks your heart the most is knowing how truly devastated Taron must have been after doing everything to make sure you had a wonderful evening, only to find you mugging down with Richard in the back of a car at the end of the night. The memory of the look on his face makes you shudder.