Eric and I had booked a room at the hotel where my high school reunion was being held. We wanted to be able to enjoy ourselves and not have to worry about driving.
I finished applying my make-up and walked out of the bathroom. ‘What do you think?’ I turned in a circle showing off the black dress and strappy black heels he’d bought.
‘You look fabulous. Almost as great as you looked in the lingerie you wore last night.’ He winked.
This past week, Eric had surprised me with more sexy lingerie. I was more comfortable sleeping in sweatpants and a T-shirt, but wearing the lingerie made him happy so I did. I noticed when I opened our suitcase that he’d packed a leopard print set I hadn’t worn yet.
He walked over and kissed me. ‘You’re going to be the most beautiful woman in the room.’ He stepped back. ‘But there’s something missing.’
He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a long white box with a lavender bow on top. ‘I think this will do the trick.’ He handed me the box.
‘Eric, you’re impossible.’ I unwrapped the box and my jaw dropped. ‘It’s absolutely beautiful.’ I carefully removed the heart-shaped pendant with a diamond in the middle.
‘I looked all over the place for just the right necklace that captures what I feel for you,’ he said.
He looked like he was about to cry.
‘When I saw this, I knew I’d found it. The diamond in the middle represents you and the heart is my heart. I will forever keep you in my heart.’
I took a deep breath. I didn’t want to cry and ruin my make-up. I’d just spent an hour putting it on. ‘That’s the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to me, Eric.’ I hugged him and we kissed.
‘Well, I mean it. Here, let me put it on.’
I turned around and he draped the necklace around my neck and clasped it in the back. ‘There.’ He planted kisses down my neck and warmth spread throughout my body. ‘A beautiful necklace for a beautiful woman.’
I turned around and we kissed – again. He wanted to take it further but I’d told Jackie we’d meet her at six and we were already ten minutes late.
When we walked into the ballroom, Jackie ran over and threw her arms around me. ‘You look gorgeous, Shel.’ She stepped back and scanned me from head to toe. ‘Seriously, girlfriend. You look amazing. Your hair, your dress, your…hey, is that a new necklace?’ She leaned in to get a closer look.
I touched my necklace and lifted it slightly so Jackie could see it better. ‘Eric just gave it to me. Isn’t it gorgeous?’
‘The diamond hanging around your neck is twice the size of the one on my finger.’ Jackie turned to Eric. ‘It’s beautiful, Eric.’
‘Not as beautiful as the woman wearing it.’
Jackie’s hand flew to her heart. ‘Ahh! That’s so sweet, I think I’m going to cry.’
‘Don’t you dare,’ I said. ‘If you start crying then I will.’
Bruce walked over with a beer in each hand. ‘Who’s going to cry?’
Jackie waved her hand. ‘You missed it, honey. Look at the beautiful necklace Eric gave Shelly.’
Bruce glanced at the necklace. ‘Looks like one I got once in a box of Cracker Jack.’
We laughed.
Jackie pointed to Bruce’s hands. ‘Did you bring me a beer?’
Bruce grimaced. ‘Uh, did you want one?’
‘I just thought that since you had two, you might have brought one for me, seeing that you’re such a thoughtful husband.’
‘Got two so I wouldn’t have to make a second trip for a while, but if you want one you can have it.’ He handed Jackie a beer.
I scanned the room. ‘Where’s the bar?’
Bruce pointed to the far end of the ballroom and Eric and I headed in that direction.
As soon as I heard his voice, I knew Tommy Fitzgerald was behind me. I turned around and was met with a big bear hug that nearly knocked me over.
‘You’re still the prettiest girl in the class,’ Tommy said.
I was sure my face was radish red. ‘Thanks, Tommy.’
Eric cleared his throat.
‘Oh, Tommy. This is my fiancé, Eric. Eric, this is Tommy Fitzgerald.’
They shook hands.
‘Always wanted to take Shelly out,’ Tommy said. ‘But every time I tried to get up the nerve to ask her, another guy had beaten me to it.’
I laughed but couldn’t help but notice that Eric’s laughter seemed forced. We talked a few more minutes before walking away. Boy, I needed a drink. Bringing Eric to my high school reunion was nerve-racking. I was sure it was just my imagination, but it felt like all eyes were on us.
I wondered if I’d see Matt. After the welcome I received from Tommy, I was a little nervous about seeing Matt. I hadn’t told Eric about my high school sweetheart.
Eric and I finally made it to the bar. Jeff and Alice were in line in front of us and I introduced them.
‘Nice to meet you,’ Eric said. He turned to me. ‘Is this the couple that passed the note and were caught by your teacher?’
‘Yes.’ I laughed and explained to Jeff and Alice that I’d shared that story with Eric.
‘Good old Mr Billet,’ Jeff said. ‘I swear he had eyes in the back of his head.’
They laughed and we made some more small talk.
I took a sip of my gin and tonic and surveyed the room while Eric paid the bartender. Jackie had told me we were sitting at Table 30 in front of the stage.
‘Want to head to our table?’ I asked Eric.
Eric made a motion with his arm. ‘You lead, I’ll follow.’
We were halfway across the room when I heard Tommy’s voice again. ‘Matt!’ I stopped abruptly and Eric bumped into me, spilling a little of his drink on his shirt.
I turned around. ‘Oh, so sorry, Eric.’
I pulled a tissue out of my purse and handed it to him. I closed my purse and looked in the direction of Tommy’s voice just in time to see him hug Matt like he had hugged me. Other than his salt and pepper hair, Matt looked just like he had in high school. Tall, lean and a killer smile that took up the bottom half of his chiseled face.
‘Shelly?’ Eric sounded perturbed. ‘I thought we were going to our table.’
Eric had caught me looking at Matt. I had a feeling he was more upset about that than me making him spill some of his drink on his shirt.
‘Uh, sorry. I just saw someone I haven’t seen in a long time.’ I led the way and we walked towards the stage and found our table. I slid in to the seat next to Jackie. She leaned over and whispered, ‘Have you seen David?’
‘Not yet.’
‘He’s even better looking than he was in high school.’
David was Jackie’s steady and she was crushed when he broke it off to date someone he’d met in college.
I hadn’t seen Tommy Fitzgerald approach the table, so his booming voice startled me.
I looked up and smiled. ‘It’s all yours!’
Tommy’s wife had passed away a few years ago from uterine cancer. She was as loud and as lovable as him.
‘So, Eric, did Shelly tell you about the time a bunch of us went to the mountains and got drunk? It was senior skip day.’
Eric glanced at me. ‘No, I don’t believe she has.’
I playfully tapped Tommy’s arm. ‘I’m sure Eric doesn’t want to hear about that.’
‘Well, it was pretty damn funny. Watching you drunk off your ass, throwing up all over Matt.’
I shook my head, realizing that Tommy was already tipsy.
‘No funnier than you making out with a tree you thought was your girlfriend,’ Jackie chimed in. ‘Remember that?’
We all laughed – except Eric. He didn’t seem to find it funny.
We chatted throughout dinner, reliving our glory days when our biggest concern was waking up with a zit on prom day. I tried to include Eric in the conversations, but he seemed distant.
‘I’ll be right back.’ I pushed out my chair. ‘I’m going to the restroom.’
After using the restroom, I ran into Matt in the hallway.
‘Shelly!’ He smiled. ‘You look great!’ He hugged me.
‘Thanks. You, too.’
He glanced at my ring finger. ‘I hear you’re engaged.’
I held up my hand.
‘That’s some rock,’ he said.
‘Well, I have some man.’
‘And he’s a lucky man.’
About five minutes into catching up, I heard Eric’s voice.
‘There you are! I was looking all over for you.’ Eric kissed me on the cheek and put his arm around me as if to say: She’s mine. Back off, buddy!
‘I was just telling Shelly what a lucky man you are,’ Matt said. ‘Don’t be the fool I was and let this one get away.’
I felt my face heat up.
‘Never!’ Eric said, putting his arm around me. ‘She’s mine. Forever.’
Eric stressed ‘forever.’
Matt smiled. ‘It was great seeing you, Shel. And it was nice meeting you, Eric.’
I was glad when the reunion ended. My mouth hurt from smiling so much. My feet hurt from wearing strappy heels that added three inches to my five-foot-four frame and felt like stilts. And my head hurt from drinking too much alcohol and not enough water.
Eric was quiet as we walked back to our hotel room.
‘You okay?’ I asked.
He didn’t answer and I could tell he was upset.
When we got back to the room, he undressed and went to bed. I showered and put on the sexy lingerie he’d packed, but when I crawled into bed, he turned away.
‘Eric, what’s wrong? What did I do?’
‘Do I really have to tell you?’
I was dumbfounded. ‘Yes. I can tell you’re upset but I have no idea why.’
He sat up and leaned towards me so his face was only inches from mine. ‘You flirted with every single guy in that ballroom tonight.’
‘Oh, come on. I didn’t. I didn’t even talk to every guy in the ballroom. Only the ones…’
He interrupted me. ‘Only the ones you slept with.’
‘I never slept with Tommy or Matt. Matt and I came close, but we never did it. Besides, that was thirty years ago.’
‘But I bet you’d like to fuck him, wouldn’t you?’
I never heard Eric say the F-word so hearing him say it now startled me. For a second I was thirteen again, and on the receiving end of one of Mom’s drunken rages, when every other word was ‘fuck.’ And, just like I did when I was a child, I apologized for something I didn’t do. Anything to keep the peace and avoid a fight. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I won’t do it again.’
‘Promise?’
‘Yes.’
‘Good. From now on whenever we’re at public gatherings I’m going to rate your attentiveness. Tonight, you got a F. I hope your grade improves.’
‘What? You’re not serious, are you?’
‘What if I am? You said you’d do anything for me.’ He lay back down and turned away.
I sighed. I was tired of fighting over something so stupid. I tried changing the subject. ‘I’m wearing the lingerie you bought me. Don’t you want to see?’
‘I did see,’ Eric muttered.
I touched his back and leaned in so my mouth touched his ear lobe. ‘Did you like what you saw?’ I teased.
‘It was okay.’
I kissed his neck. ‘Just okay?’
He looked over his shoulder at me. ‘Look, Shelly. I’m tired. All I want to do is go to sleep.’
‘But…’
‘No, I said. Please just leave me alone.’
I felt like a cheap whore begging for sex. I ran into the bathroom, took off the sexy lingerie and threw up in the toilet. I spent the night naked on the bathroom floor.