IT'S COMPLICATED

FIND ME.

'No. We didn't. Why would we in the first place?' I tell James. My voice doesn't quiver. 

'Yes! I am so silly!' He smacks his own head and chuckles. He places a gentle kiss on my lips. For a moment, I imagine Will kissing me. I shut my eyes close and shake the image away.

'Anyway, mom called me. You were sleeping so I did not want to wake you. You had a long day yesterday.' James tells me.

'Why did she call? Is there any problem?' I ask.

'No, no problem! She was asking when you would be free this week.' James has a sheepish smile on his face.

'Why ?' 

'She wanted to go dress shopping with you!' 

'Dress?'

'The wedding dress Ann!' James exclaims with happiness.

THE WEDDING DRESS? OH NO. WILL IS NOT GONNA LIKE THIS! OH FUCK!

'Oh the wedding dress? But the wedding is not soon.' I tell James.

'Darling! Today is thirteenth! Our wedding is on twenty-first of this month!'

'What? No. That's not possible!' I dig my phone out of the comforter. The phone clicks open and there it is! Today is thirteenth. I stare at the phone lockscreen with horror in my eyes. I cannot tell Will about this. He will be mad.

'Honey, you don't look so great.' James tells me.

'What? No! I am fine! I am okay! A little surprised that's all.' I smile.

'Okay, well do text mum when you will be free this week.'

I don't say anything. I just nod. I don't think I have it in me to even utter a word right now.

'You don't have to worry about the venue, I booked it weeks ago. It's being decorated as we speak.' James announces proudly.

The rest of the day, James is extra giddy. I, on the other hand am so tensed I cannot even eat.

           ...

Its seven a.m. and I am out the door. I headed out a little early today so that I could have a little quiet time to myself at a café.

'One choco-mocha please.'

The cash machine rings and the cashier hands me a small bill.

I wait at a small table next to the counter. I really have no idea what I am going to do today. We did not have a nice conversation last time. What if he is still mad?

The cafè doorbell jingles and a lady wearing a blue formal pantsuit enters. She wears a pair of dark sun glasses and her hair is pulled back in a french braid. Rhinestone earrings dangle from her earlobe. Her heels click onto the marble floor as the moves around. It takes me a moment to realize that she is walking towards me.
I already know who this is. God no!

'Hey Anna!'

'Hi Linda!' I greet her with my best smile.

'My usual please.' She orders at the cash counter.

Then she turns to me and continues, ' Early start eh?'

'Yeah, woke up early and thought of heading out to catch up on my work at the office.' I tell her.

'Oh, yeah! I forgot that you missed two working days!'

'Yeah I did!' I give her a sad smile. It's kinda my thing. I don't even know what an actual sad smile looks like!

'You are interning at Will's?' She asks and for a moment I felt her question wasn't purely out of curiosity.

'Yes, I am.'

'Will told me you have been working for one day there. Wow! I can't imagine taking two days off after my first day at a job!' I knew it! Her words reek of ulterior motive!

'Well, you see I needed that day off. I had some important work to take care of.' I tell her politely.

'Oh, well my Billionare brother does believe in independence. Especially for girls. He wants them to take care of themselves.' Malice is woven through her voice.

'He does believe in independence and I think that is a quality you won't get in any other man you meet in your life. I guarantee you.' I defend James.

The cashcounter bell rings and the cashier hands her a to-go coffee. She doesn't bother to thank him. She doesn't even bid goodbye to me.

She opens the door to the cafe. 'I bet you would say the same thing about Will too.' She tells me before stepping out of the shop.

What does she mean by that? Well I can't possibly hate her more so its fruitless of me to go about brooding over what she means by that.

I check my watch. Shit! Its eight thirty already! I need to be at the office by nine! The cashier finally hands me my mocha at eight forty. I pay and tip the cashier of course. With a quick 'thank you' and a 'goodbye' I am out the door.

I enter the office building at eight-fifty-five. Amelia greets me with a bear hug at the lobby.

'Anna! I am so happy you are all well again! This has been two dreadful days for me without our lunches and fun conversations!'

I smile. 'Same here! I missed you a lot!'

She gives me a shy smile and leads me up the stairs to the office space. I drop my bag onto my chair and arrange my table. I am slightly OCD if you haven't noticed.

Halfway through the day, I realize I haven't seen Will today at all! I ring him up. He isn't picking up! I call Amelia who is talking to Camila by the coffee machine. She notices me waving my hand and calling her.

'I am coming, one minute.' She mouths. I nod.

Minutes later she stands at my desk. 'So? Any problem? Any gossip?' She lightly chuckles and clasps her hands together.

'No, unfortunately not.' I laugh and continue, 'But have you seen Will today? I actually needed to run some paper work by him.' I tell her. More like lie to her.

'No, sweetie. He didn't come in today. But if you need some paper work done by him you can give it to me. I'll put it in his file.'

'Oh, um okay. I'll give them to you before leaving.'

'Okay sure!' She smiles.

The rest of the day couldn't get any longer. I called him nearly 25 times. He didn't answer.
I leave the paper work on Amelia's desk before exiting the building. I reach home by nine. The rest of the night I keep on thinking about Will. Where is he? He isn't picking up his phone. Linda seemed extra vicious today. Did something happen between them? Well its not my place to think about their personal matters. I, for one have a lot on my plate right now. MY BIG FAT WEDDING! Its in a week! I have no idea what I should break to whom. Should I tell James about Will and me or should I tell Will about my wedding with James! Ugh! This a true Gordian Knot!
           ...

Ring. Ring. I open my eyes with great difficulty. I am so sleepy! I don't even know what time of the night it is!

Amelia's name pops up on my screen. Why is Amelia calling me so late at night?

'Hello?'

'Anna. You need to come here fast! Will, he is here at my house. He isn't doing well.' Amelia nearly yells through the phone.

I hear sounds of retching in the back.

'Is that Will?' I whisper into the phone. In order to not wake James who is sleeping beside me.

'Yes it is! Not on my rug! No no no! Anna I am hanging up! Hurry!'