The Other Woman

“I think you should come.” Lara tried to persuade me to accept the invitation to the Sentebale christmas gala.
“I just know that it’s a bad idea.” I felt sick to my stomach at the thought of seeing Harry again, and being in the presence of his wife.
“Well what else are you going to do?” She countered, I could almost see her eyebrows raised.
“Well I suppose…” I mumbled, still not 100% convinced.
“You only have a week to find a dress and a plus one!” Lara loved organising things from coffee meetings to fifteen course dinner parties.
“I was going to go on my own.” I curled my knees under the blanket, feeling the chilly wood floor.
“Now that’s a bad idea.” I heard Lara slurp her hot chocolate. No doubt Skippy was sat near her, trying to listen in.
“Why’s it so bad?” I asked, reaching for my hot chocolate. The cold hitting my arm where it was used to the warm under the blanket.
“You’re not exactly the ideal person to have there anyway, so for you to turn up on your own make it even worse.”
“But I’m single, without any romantic prospects.” Cue the self-pity.
“What about that nice Australian man.” I sighed and rolled my eyes.
“I’ve only just got rid of him!” I sat back in my chair thinking of who I could invite. I drew a blank.
“Maybe you could get one of those escorts?” I burst into laughter. “Not a sexy one, just someone to take as your date.” For a second I thought it was a good idea, but then decided against it.
“I have no option but to go on my own.” I thought out loud.
“Either way, you need a dress. And I could do with a girly shopping trip!” I inwardly groaned. There wasn't much more I hated than being paraded around a shop with a gaggle of friends cooing ‘ooh you look lovely’ when really you feel like an 80s bridesmaid gone wrong.
“I’m sure I can find something in my wardrobe.”
“Wrong answer.” I could almost hear the plan forming in her head, “We can go for a glass of something fizzy first,” I let her ramble on about her plans. “And you need to look absolutely drop-dead.” So there wasn’t any pressure… “But not slutty.”
“When have I ever looked slutty?!”
…
“So, what is the deal with Skippy’s birthday?”
“Well the plan so far is: tarts and vicars tonight, meal out tomorrow, then we go on holiday on Monday.” Lara explained from her place at my dressing table. I kept pulling up my fishnet tights.
“But why tarts and vicars?” She shrugged.
“The best excuse I can think of the dress like a slag and get away with it.”
….
“So obviously single, but not slutty.” I muttered to myself, flicking through the rails. I don't think I could ever work it out. Lara had pulled out numerous dresses in different colours and cuts. Then I saw it; floor length, black, not at all slutty. “I think I’ve got it!” I shouted at Lara, pulling the dress off the rail.

….
“Don’t get me wrong, I love you dressing like this but I don’t like all these guys looking at you like this.” Harry had his hands resting on my hips while I stood between his legs.
“Well it doesn’t matter about them.” I bent down to kiss him. “Because I only have eyes for you.” His phone buzzed in his pocket for the umpteenth time.
“Why don’t you just answer it?” He nodded, grabbing my hand and pulling me out into the back courtyard of the club.
“It’s daddy.” He looked concerned. I sat on a wooden bench in the secluded space, feeling the last of the warm sun fade away. I watched as Harry paced backwards and forwards chewing his lip and mumbling. He stopped dead as he hung up the phone. “Granny isn’t well.” He looked straight in my eyes from the opposite side of the yard to me. He looked scared. In two steps I was there, my arms holding around his shoulders tight. As he clung onto me for dear life.
….
“Look, you could just call him?”
“If I invite him, I would have to put up with him being all clingy and needy.” I moaned as I stabbed at my bowl of salad.
“Just invite him as a friend. No strings attached.”
“He doesn't understand ‘no strings attached’” I played with a piece of chicken that no matter what I did, just wouldn’t stay on my fork, “I went on one date with him and he was practically picking out our wedding stationary!”
“So what happened when you told him you weren’t an item?” Lara was suddenly interested in the tale of me and Max.
“He read the article about me and Harry and beloved every word.” I looked down at my glass of water, watching the bubbles rise to the top.
“And he just didn't talk to you after?!” Her eyes went wide.
“Nope.” I sipped my water, readying myself for the retelling, “He turned up on my doorstep calling me all the names under the sun until I snapped at him.”
“And he hasn’t tried to talk to you?” I shook my head.
“Not a word.” I shrugged
“Then you have some serious making up to do.”
“What?!”
“The male ego is a very fragile thing,” Lara said matter-of-factly, “And I suspect he has a very bruised ego right now.”
….
We both sat on the little bench in the small courtyard, the electric security light shone bright over us. I gipped his hand as tight as I could. I considered that I had cut off circulation to him hand long ago.
“It’s been hours.” He mumbled, his lips barely moving. “Surely they should know something by now.” The night had turned dark and cold and we had sat out on that bench single long before the sun went down. I cursed Skippy’s birthday party theme; playboy bunny costumes are not in the slightest bit warm.
“Maybe ring them?” I offered. He shook his head. I could see exactly what he was doing. He didn’t want to find out any news. He didn’t want it to be bad news so he didn’t want to know anything at all. “How about we go home? We’re closer to them fi anything were wrong and we’re not very good guests sitting out here.” He stayed still for a while, then slowly nodded his head.
“And you can get out of that ridiculous costume.” He stood and walked all at once through the bar and straight out of the doors of the club.
…
I lit the fire and considered what Lara had said; I needed to make it up to Max. I picked up my mobile, finding Max’s number from an old email. I hovered over it for a while considering wether or not to call. I chewed my lip as I pressed call. I begged for him not to pick up. I tried praying to every god, deity and idol I could think of, but he picked up.
“What do you want?” He grumbled. I had thought out every single word I would say, but in that instant, I was that nervous that I even forgot to speak. “Hello?”
“Hi Max. I know the was I treated you was utterly appalling.”
“Too right.” He mumbled.
“But to make up for it I would like to invite you to something as my plus one.”
“What do you mean ‘something’?” He sounded furious.
“It’s a charity Christmas ball.” I was losing my patience. I knew it was a bad idea.
“And I’d be your plus one?” It sounded as if he was coming around.
“Of course, unless you’d like to be someone else’s plus one?”
“So this would be our second date?” I cringed. I knew exactly what he would be like.
“Of course.”
“This seems like a pretty good apology.” I could have killed Lara for convincing me to ask Max to the Sentebale ball. I predicted he would be clingier than a mollusc on the bottom of a ship.