She arrived at 7:30, appropriately late she figured, and found the house overflowing with people. The living room was completely lit up, couples chatting, a woman serving hors d'oeurves, the sound of the conversations drifting out to her as she walked to the door.
He greeted her and introduced her to several couples, names flew past, faces she would have difficulty remembering. Through the rooms, out to the back where more couples chatted. They were very interested in this new person in Monty's life. It was apparent his friendships were intimate; the faces were bright and open, inquisitive about her.
He left her alone with the crowd, making his way to freshen their drinks and she looked around. Across the grass she thought she recognized someone and panicked for a moment, thinking it might be a guy from work. She strained to see him without being seen, and then the light hit his face and she silently screamed.
Jack Wilson?
No way. Shit. No way. I've got to get out of here!
A friend of her roommate's from college; someone who knew her from a lifetime ago halfway across the country. What were the chances? It wasn't possible! She felt like a rat in a maze. He couldn't possibly be here. Not now. As she turned to find a way back into the house, he looked up, caught her eye and froze in disbelief, a smile eventually broadening across his face.
It wasn't necessarily a friendly smile and she felt like a rabbit in the presence of a coyote.
Best defense is a strong offense...
She painted a smile on her face and walked up to him, forcing as hearty a greeting as she could.
"Jack? What the fuck are you doing here?" She came up to him and gave him a hug, disengaging after a couple of heartbeats.
"Marcie. Wow. How weird. Yeah...my partner...Joel? Joel! I want you to meet someone." He waved his hand at a gorgeous young man across the lawn. "Joel works for NightSense."
"Hi. Joel Stevens." He offered his hand.
"Hi. Marcie Adams. I'm a friend of Monty's."
NightSense...oh yeah, one of Monty's companies.
"Monty's?" Jack said it with enough emphasis to indicate that only very close friends called him that. He sized her up. "How. Have. You. Been?"
"Great! How long has it been? Nine years? 10? Been working as an accountant for the past few years. Not what I had expected when I started school, but it's been working out okay. What about you?" She was nervous and tried to find a subject that didn't get too personal.
They made small talk for a few more minutes and she knew he would start to press her. As expected the questions turned more intimate.
"Now weren't you married just out of school?"
Jack had always been a weird guy. She didn't know he was gay during school, and maybe he hadn't figured it out back then. Whatever it was, he had always behaved weirdly around her, no doubt her reputation had preceded her, but of all the guys she had gone out with, Jack definitely never made the cut. He continually brushed Joel's arm, petting him, even as he stared at her breasts and crotch. As much as he weirded her out in school, he terrified her here.
"Uh...yeah.
That
didn't work out."
"But you seemed so
open
around him. Of all the couples back then, I would have thought you two would have worked out your difficulties."
She knew exactly what he was referring to and she blushed, trying to find a way to end the conversation without calling any more attention to herself. She couldn't afford him exposing her to Monty or his friends.
Shit!
"Do you come at these...I mean
to these
parties often? I'm surprised we haven't
seen
you recently..."
He thought he was being funny, but Joel wasn't getting the jokes, and she was only feeling more trapped. She could feel the sweat beginning to bead up under her arms and in the crease between her breasts and ribs. She had to leave. Now.
"Hey Jack," she said with as much lightness as she could muster. "It's been great seeing you again. Joel. Nice to make your acquaintance."
She turned quickly and left before Jack reached out and grabbed her, or did something else horribly wrong. She moved quickly, but not so as to attract undue attention, hoping to find Monty before he ran into Jack.
I'll tell him on my terms; he can't hear it from him!
She moved as quietly and unobtrusively as she could towards the back stairs. Seeing the elevator service door she knew she had to hide, to collect her thoughts and not be where anyone might find her.
Thankfully the door opened at the turn of the handle and she rushed down the hall to the elevator.
In moments she had found her way down the longer rocky hallway, the warmth and security of the enclosed space embracing her. The constant feeling of being watched evaporated; she hadn't even been aware of the pressure of the eyes on her until the feeling was suddenly absent.