Page 21 of Love is So Mean
I cannot answer that because it’s a sound possibility right now. I’m mad enough to make Emily go home but I doubt she’d forgive me. She did start this after all.
“Is that the only reason?” I try to ask the question as innocently as possible.
“Should there be another?”
“Just checking.”
“Okay, plus it’s better that only spouses are there. They’re better equipped to not ask personal questions such as if I have bad blood with my Baba or why I didn’t go see him when he was in the hospital. Exclusive interview types of questions that I’d need to pass through everyone including the CFO and my lawyers for approval.”
I simply sigh because I trusted Emily to separate her job from this function. I give an indignant Emily a hard stare as I ask Yasmeena the next question.
“Effective when?”
“I’ll be courteous and say next year.”
I let out an unamused laugh. “Of course. That’d be hard to implement in the middle of an event.”
“It’s possible but I’ll leave thefrigid bitchfor Monday, I just got a facial. It’s relaxing and it melted some ice away. You should try it.”
I want to be amused but I don’t know if that means I have to hear about this in full detail on Monday. I don’t feel like listening to any speeches about privacy.
Emily mouths on the other end. “Did she just call me a bitch?”
I shake my head and put my finger over my lips to tell her to shut up.
“Okay. I’ll set a reminder to update the policy Monday morning. It saves on the event budget since we’re now only covering a select few, but you might inspire more marriages.”
“Imagine how many more marriages I’ll inspire if I said I was getting married? Kidding, it’ll be a secret. See you at the gala, Mr Souza.”
Luckily, I have a great poker face. The last thing I needed was to be reminded that seeing Yasmeena’s illness in effect has me reconsidering my refusal. This is like a fucked up version of the bachelor.
I drop the phone back on the charger and focus all of my irritation on Emily. “You really asked my boss about her family and challenged her policy in a few hours at the spa?”
Emily waves her hand like it isn’t a big deal and I’m not on the verge of blowing up in a way she’s never seen before. I happen to notice that her nails aren’t red like they usually are as if she suddenly woke up wanting a neutral color. I make a note to ask her about that later, right now she has a lot of fucking explaining to do.
“Answer me, Emily. What would possess you to play with my career like that?”
She stomps her foot like I’m the unreasonable one. “I wasn’t playing with your career. I was trying to find the truth. That woman is cold and calculating and I want to expose her.”
My left eye is twitching. Forget the heart attack, I’m going to be an alcoholic before this is over.
“Expose her of what? Possible family issues like I don’t know…the rest of the world! Why in the hell would that be a thought now? You are playing with my career. She’s been my boss longer than you’ve been my….anything. ”
Emily places her hand on her hips, pissed that I pointed out that I’ve known Yasmeena longer. “Do you forget who I was? I’m your fucking fiancée. That’s my title.”
“I didn’t forget a damn thing. You have. I said ‘anything’ because you haven’t been my fiancée for three years. This is why she changed the policy. Wives wouldn’t challenge their husband’s bosses because they’re a little jealous or suspicious. They know hurting the spouse’s career hurts their livelihood as well.”
“Are you calling me stupid? I know what’s at stake.”
“Then fucking act like it, Emily! Yasmeena and I have enough disagreements at work. We don’t need to add personal disagreements at work events. You can’t cause drama and then make it all about me. I haven’t done anything.”
“But stare at her most of the day, worry about what fucking shoes she’s wearing, and run after her and disappear for about an hour.”
“Okay, I concede to all of that. Tell me what in THE FUCK does her family have to do with that? You can’t interrogate someone like Yasmeena out of jealousy. I’ve been nothing but loyal to you. I deserve a little fucking trust.”
“You’re trying to gaslight me, Enrique and I don’t like it.”
I fold my arms and stare at Emily for a moment. “Okay, in your head, what was I doing? When I was worried about hershoes as you put it or staring at her like you suggested, what was I doing? Better question, what was I doing when I disappeared for an hour?”