Subtle [slow updates]

03

Nate
"Douglas 'Duckie' Craig", I said jokingly, "It's an honor for me to work for your company."
"C'mon man", he replied with his typical southern accent, "It's an honor to have you."
I knew him since we started playing golf together. About a month ago he made me move to Chicago, because he offered me a well paid job in his company as a commercial illustrator. I felt like fortune had once again smiled on me. He made me quit my old job and start over, forget what Mildred did to me, but I had messed it up and hurt her instead. I took a tequila shot and looked at Duckie:
"I'm serious. The change was necessary."
We took two more shots, until he suggested to stop, so that we wouldn't be drunk at dinner.
"A man can take more than that.", I convinced him to drink more.

We sat in his office. It wasn't even 2 p.m. yet.
"I'll head back to work now. Still got some things to do.", I slurred my speech. Duckie nodded and turned back to his typewriter.
I went back to my office and took the tequila with me. After I took a sip, I started working on a slogan I'd be presenting to the company in about two hours. While trying to figure out the advantages and presentation of my idea, I kept taking more and more sips and after some time I started feeling a little dizzy. One could probably tell I had been drinking. I knew it was wrong, but I also felt like I could forget about what Mildred did. Sometimes it felt like I could remember nothing but what she did.
Time certainly flew, it was already 4 p.m., when I realized I had to attend the consultation.
"Please apologize the delay, gentlemen.", I inserted my drafts into the slide projector while I was speaking, "But I promise those drafts are worth the wait."
Many of the men agreed as they listened to me, some asked questions, that I could mostly answer. Duckie was visibly proud of me and for a brief second I had to think of Mildred and wished she'd ever looked at me like that. I tried my best not to drift off and focus on the consultation. There were more presentations, which we listened to for about three more hours. I felt sober, as the consultation was over.
Duckie invited me to his office once again.
"So we're having dinner in about an hour. I hope I can manage to get home in the meantime.", he handed me a cigar as he spoke and I nodded, "I'd like you to wear a suit just like the one you wear now. Mildred is coming with you, right?"
"I'm sure Mildred is ironing my coat and tie right now.", I assured him, "Also, yes, she's coming with me. She went and got a new dress today. You know, women."
He laughed and took leave as our paths separated.

I was in a hurry when I opened the door to our apartment.
"Mildred?", I shouted after I had closed the door behind me.
She walked over into the living room, with two neat ties in her hand:
"I wasn't sure whether you'd want a black or the dark green tie."
"That depends on what I'm going to wear.", I said and pushed her aside, so that I could enter my bedroom.
"I picked your brown suit up from the laundry. There should also be a black one somewhere in your closet.", she explained while following me.
"Why don't you show me your dress and then we decide what fits best?", I suggested and she nodded, just before she went to get changed.
She came back in a emerald green cocktail dress with a clover neckline, creme-colored satin gloves and matching high heels. Her outfit was similar to when I first met her.
"You look amazing, Mildred.", I was being absolutely honest, but her expression was blank.
"I think you should wear the brown one. The green tie goes with it very well."
"I'll trust your sense of fashion then", I smiled at her, "I'd recommend you get your hair and makeup done. We have to be there in fourty minutes."
Both, her and I, finished getting ready and got in the car. I drove to a restaurant downtown and we arrived in time. Recognizing Duckies car immediately, I assumed he was already waiting inside.
"Look, there's Douglas' car. What a coincidence.", Mildred said after getting out of our car.
"Coincidence?", I was confused, "He's eating with us. So are his wife and some workmates of the company."
"You didn't tell me this was going to be a business dinner!", she complained.
"I thought it wouldn't matter.", I said and raised my hand apologetically. Her expression went back to blank again, "Put on a smile."
We entered the restaurant and walked over to the large table, where Duckie was already sitting.
"Am I late again?", I was honestly afraid.
"But no, just in time!", Duckie assured me.
"Nathan, Mildred, it's lovely to see you.", his wife, Diane, immediately stood up to greet us.
After a short welcoming, I dropped into the lounge chair.
"What a nice dress, Mildred. It matches the seats.", Diane said, clearly trying to provoke her.
"What lovely compliments you give.", Mildred answered sarcastically.
"Watch your mouth, Mildred. I don't like you being sarcastic like that.", I admonished her, after which she stayed silent most of the time.
"So, Nathan, right?", James, one of my co-workers started after we had ordered our food.
"I prefer Nate.", I answered.
"Alright then, Nate", he started again, "Your presentation really impressed me today. I'm confident about it. If we advertise them like that, the salary of the typewriters will increase massively."
"Thank you, James. I'm glad to hear that.", I replied.
I could understand that Mildred didn't want to attend a business dinner now. The conversations were boring and there was no other topic than work. But still, I needed her to make a good impression. James and Scott didn't know me as long as Duckie did, so I had to make sure to get along with them. Otherwise work would have been horrifying. Back in the days, I would oftenly get in trouble with my co-workers.
I heard Mildred yawning slightly causing me to give her a stern look.

Mildred
"May I be excused, gentlemen?", I asked while standing up already, "I need to touch up my lipstick."
"Sure.", Nate said and squeezed my arm softly. But I could hear in his voice, that he wasn't really happy about me leaving for a bit.
"I'll come with you, Mildred. Let's leave our men alone for a bit.", Diane said and I rolled my eyes slightly.
She didn't expect an answer, so I went ahead.
"I don't know how about you, but I'm not enjoying this dinner.", Diane said, as we entered the bathroom. "It's proper boring."
"I'm surprised we actually agree on something.", I responded while adjusting my hair, looking at her through the mirror.
"You should know, that I hope, that we don't exactly have to see each other very often, like today.", she said, straightforward.
"I'd rather we didn't either. It was not my choice to come with him.", I was a little offended by what she said, even though I felt the same way. We already knew we weren't gonna be friend, back to the day our husband met.
"Well, why don't you just go back to Naperville then?", she asked with no shame.
"You're being ridiculous.", I blew a raspberry at her and walked back to the table.
Just minutes after our food arrived. The servings were ridiculously small and compared to what I had eaten at Terri's, this was not even that good, causing me to only eat little.
The rest of the evening passed by in a blur. I didn't really bother listening to the coversation, as nobody would have included me anyway.
I spent the night in my bed again, but found myself waking up to the slightest noises. I was afraid Nate would flip his lid again.