We started heading to the party. I had on my tuxedo. Unlike for Matt's wedding, my cummerbund and tie were black. My neighbor was dressed in a black evening dress. She took the time to put her hair the right way as well as put on her collar necklace for me. On her left hand was the turquoise ring that I gave her to wear that afternoon. The words we spoke before we got dressed were still in my head as I drove. It was not a difficult decision to me at all. It was more about how to present it without being cheesy.
We arrived at the office about fifteen minutes before the rest of the employees attending would be there. Matt's wife, Shannon saw us and walked forward. She hugged my neighbor and hugged me as well.
"I am so glad to see you two," she said. "Last time I saw you, we were at the football game. I don't know why, but I more nervous about this."
"I think we have it all under control. The big thing is I'm not drinking, and we'll have security here in case it gets out of control. I already helped make the arrangements next door for rooms in case folks get too inebriated and can't drive home. Where's Matt?"
"He said something about being in his room. He said you'd know what that meant."
I looked for Aubrey. She walked over.
"Red," I whispered.
I looked at my neighbor.
"Can you hang out with Shannon for a while so I can find Matt? Everything should be alright."
She looked me in the eye and saw what I was thinking. Both girls stood with Shannon and nodded their heads while I ran to the elevator. I took it to the security floor where Mike was waiting.
"Looking for Mr. Masters?" he asked me.
"I think I know where's he's at. Can you run the cameras in the basement?"
He went to those cameras. There was no sign of him. I tried to think logically before I figured it out.
"Mike, was he in the elevator within the last half hour?"
He started to look at the footage and saw him in the private elevator.
"He got off one floor above his office. Why would he do that?"
I smiled.
"Every time he gets nervous, he always pulls a Batman."
Mike looked at me funny before he figured it out.
"You need backup?"
'I got it. Thanks, Mike. You're the man."
I got in our elevator and took it to the same floor. It opened to the entrance to the roof. When we first bought the building. Matt and I made sure that no one had access to the storage room in the basement for me. We also made sure no one had access to the roof but him. Where I needed the comfort of a punching bag to relieve my anger, Matt needed the view of the city to remind him where he was at to calm him down. We always referred to it as "pulling a Batman" because the Caped Crusader was his favorite superhero. I saw him in his chair as I walked towards him.
"Took you long enough, man."
