Chapter 1
Why, oh why did I agree to this? It's all Jennifer's fault really. If she hadn't picked up the phone, mum wouldn't have had the chance to coerce us into going to the Yule Ball at her precious country club. So here I am in a boutique shop being harassed by evil, delusional bimbos called sales assistants, instead of watching children playing in Central Park during my lunch break. Aaargh… Does that girl really expect me to wear that orange thing? No! No! No!
"Don't say you love me, you don't even know me…" rang my mobile. Yes! Dropping that horrible orange concoction onto the floor, I went rummaging through my bag for my blue tooth. Putting it in my ear, I look at my phone which says private number. Hmmm… pressing the talk button I say "Eleanor Gardiner speaking."
"Eleanor Margaret Gardiner! Do you know how many times I've called you? I tried home and I got your answering machine. I tried your work and I got your answering machine and I've tried your mobile but have been directed to your voicemail. Are you too important, too busy for your dear mama?" screeched a high shrill voice on the other end of the phone.
Cringing; and planning the assassination of the person who gave my mother access to another phone line in my head; I reply with "Sorry mom, it's just that I've had a doctor's appointment for my hay fever, aikido sessions and a new girl at work who needed to be shown the ropes".
That reply would have stemmed off the lecture that was about to come if my mother was any other woman in New York; but she wasn't. "And what do you think your sister Jennifer or brother Michael does? Both of them have time for their mother. I mean why can't you make it to one of my dinner parties? There are successful and handsome businessmen that attend and I'm sure if you actually did what I told you, you could be married by mid next year."
Rolling my eyes, I reply with "I'm sorry mom, but as I've said before I'm quite busy and besides I'm not really ready to settle down and get married."
After I said that I realised my stupid mistake. Stupid Evans! Stupid Evans! I mentally chastised myself. My mother's voice reached higher decibels as she screamed "Not ready to settle down? Not ready to get married? Eleanor Margaret Gardiner you're twenty-four with no boyfriend and your cousin Lindsay's only twenty-two, married and expecting her second child!"
Sighing, I knew that if I kept having this conversation, I'd be admitted into the hospital for paracetamol poisoning. So, I cut my mother off and told her I was really busy and hung up. Looking down at the orange dress, I picked it up and hung it back on the coat hanger before giving it to the sales assistant and then making a mad dash to exit the boutique.
Free! Taking deep breaths I walked to the nearest Starbucks to get coffee. I'm a caffeine addict and plus I really needed a pick-me-up after dealing with those sales assistants and my mother. I don't know why, but I really hate being compared to my cousin. I mean she married her high school sweetheart and just stays at home to look after her two year old son. Who in the right mind would want to aspire to such a life?
Shaking my head; and walking out of Starbucks with my delicious mocha latte, I walked into something hard. "Ouch!" I exclaimed as I lost my balance and fell smack down onto the concrete ground. My coffee flew out of my hand and landed with a terrific splash on the floor; and then I began to laugh.
"You should look where you're going," muttered a cold voice with tinges of anger and disapproval.
Shocked; and feeling the anger boiling up inside of me, I looked up with an evil glare into a pair of piercing green eyes. The piercing green eyes belonged to a tall, dark haired gentleman. He was in an Armani suit and would have been handsome if he wasn't such a jerk.
Narrowing my eyes; and ignoring his proffered hand, I got up with as much dignity and grace that I could muster at that moment. With equal coldness, I said "I was going to apologise but considering you're going to be such a jerk about an accident, I think maybe you should take your own advice and watch where you're going" stressing the words 'jerk', 'accident' 'own' and 'where'.
After that exchange, I lifted my head up and stalked away leaving an open-mouthed man in my wake. After I had made a turn, I checked my watch. Damn! I thought; I was going to be 15 minutes late.
Chapter 2
"There you are Evans" laughed a cheerful voice as I made my spectacular entrance into my office. I had managed to trip over the wet floor sign, before getting caught in a telephone line trap and then getting stuck into an awkward conversation with Colin Bennet, my cousin twice removed.
Flashing my perfect teeth smile, I dramatically sat down and joked "Kirsten, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you've been sitting in my office, pining away for me."
Laughing, Kirsten replies with "How'd you know? I was trying really hard to hide it." Then in her serious voice Kirsten says "Actually I wanted to ask you something." Kirsten is actually the editor in chief of Sparkle magazine. Her father, Mr Kenneth Lalor is the majority shareholder in Lalor Media.
Not ready to give up teasing, I said "Well, I can lend you a piece of paper and pen; if you've become one out of the one hundred and seventy nine people in New York who write to an advice columnist." Then that little voice in my head, the thing most people call your conscience started getting louder, so sighing I say "Ok, shoot."
With a wry smile, Kirsten launches into a fast, nervous monologue "Well… do you know how Alicia's getting married and going on a 4 week honeymoon and how we need someone to replace her; daddy thinks that maybe you and I could take up her section. Of course we get paid extra and all. What do you think?"
Looking up and staring at my brown-eyed, blonde haired friend in utter confusion, I hear the sound 'huh?' pass my lips. I'm a lawyer at Anderson's Law firm; who is in charge of a team of 3 lawyers and an intern. I also am employed by Kirsten as she managed to coerce me into being her advice columnist for Sparkle as I minored in psychology at Columbia. Gathering my thoughts together I look Kirsten in the eye and say "Kirsten, I'm a lawyer. I know close to nothing about fashion and trends and that other stuff."
Damn! I thought, as Kirsten gave me those hurt, puppy dog eyes. "I'm sorry Kirsten, but I'm really busy here; and I just can't." She gives me a wry smile and says "I know Evans, but I was just kind of hoping you could. Do you think you could attend some events with me though? There just like these social things where people dress up, talk and drink loads of alcohol. Please?"
Before I was able to answer, Kate my intern rushes into my office and breathlessly says "Taylor and Conroy are about to kill each other!" Rolling my eyes, I say to Kirsten "Maybe, but give me a call before one of these events are on and if I'm free; I'll go with you. Bye" Then, I ran out of my office, down into the hallway and into the office where all the noise is coming from.
As I entered the office, I was welcomed with the sight of Adam Taylor and Brett Conroy about to get into a fist fight and another manager, Richard Fitzwilliam trying to break it up. Shaking my head at this display of crazed testosterone moods, I did what anyone else would do; I put my fingers in my mouth and made an ear piercing whistle.
"Aaarrgh…" they groaned collectively as their eyes swivelled to me. "What's the problem?" I asked with my false cheery voice.
Adam and Brett continued to glare at each other as Richard started talking. "Evans, we just landed the Darcy Technologies Ltd. vs. Wickham Electronics Inc. case. Wickham Electronics Inc wants us to be their lawyers and those two morons (points to Adam and Brett) are fighting over whose team gets the case."
Laughing, I said "Why don't you just wait for the meeting on Monday? I'm sure Anderson will be assigning it anyway. Just don't suck up" then accusatively "And I've got loads of work to do; I'm surprised you guys don't."
Adam and Brett bow their heads in shame and Richard looks like he's about to crack up laughing. Taking pity on him, I said "Hey Rick, I need to talk to you. Let's go to my office." With that we both left Taylor and Conroy.
Chapter 3
"Hey Rick, are you going to the Yule Ball tomorrow?" I asked once we were seated in my office.
"No, Evans I won't go with you…" he says smiling.
Rolling my eyes, I replied with a shaky voice "But I… but I needed a date and I really wanted you."
Rick burst out laughing and then turned his eyes back to me, eyes sparkling. "When was the last time you went? Do you at least have a dress?"
"When I was stupid enough to go home early for the Christmas holidays, 8 years ago and no, because I'm not sure what you wear at those things" I replied cheerfully.
"Sweet!" Rick said as he gave an appreciative whistle. "I've been trying to wriggle my way out of it for years but my mother has different ideas. Oh and considering it's a ball I would suppose it suggests, that you being a lady and all, wear a ball gown."
Giving him the evil eye, I asked him "Do you want to come shopping with me for one, Mr Expert?"
If you had seen the look of pure horror that crossed his face or the fact that his whole body cringed; you would have been on the ground laughing. Laughing, I enthusiastically blabbered "I'm taking that as a yes! We could try all those boutiques on Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales, Saks. You and me are going to have such fun. Have you got your clothing yet?"
Recovering, Rick says with a straight face "I've already got clothes, not everyone leaves these things to the last minute and I wouldn't want to ruin the delightful surprise in seeing you so beautifully dressed up in a ball gown; so I'm afraid as you just said am going to decline your most generous offer."
And with that, we both crack up laughing. Rick then leaves to get back to work and then I go searching for my team to discuss whether or not Macquarie bank could acquire Frantelle & Sons Consultancy under American jurisdiction. It's really boring but somehow I was lucky enough to get it. I know; I should really cut the sarcasm.
It's 7 p.m. before I can finally leave my office. All my work has been done for the week which means I'm free for the weekend and to check the lovely emails from the sad 10 of New York who writes into advice columnists. Knowing that I needed a dress for the stupid ball tomorrow, I decided that I would just go to Fifth Avenue and hailed a cab.
I went into Emma Knightley (EK) and found this lovely silvery blue gown in my size and shoes and bag to go with it. I tried the gown on; and thought I looked great in it; so I got the sales assistant to ring up my purchases. I tried not to cringe as $1198.97 was charged to my credit card, that's about how much I make a day and left the shop, jumping into a cab.
Mission accomplished! I thought as I was sitting in the cab on my way home. I got to my apartment building at 8 p.m. and I clicked my heels before saying hi to Ben my doormen and then running into the elevator. Once inside my apartment, I dropped my bags unceremoniously on the floor and collapsed on the couch to see what was on the TV.
Chapter 4
Dear Abigail,
I just came back from Los Angeles after two months and I see my boyfriend making out with this other girl on our couch. I feel so angry and hurt but I don't want to lose him. I decided to drop by later on and pretended I wasn't there before and he seemed so happy to see me. Should I confront him about the other girl or should I just let it pass?
From,
Very Hurt and Confused
After reading ten other emails similar to that I was beginning to get very bored. Why is it that guys have a trouble staying faithful? Or why is it that girls are such airheads to forgive the morons? I decided that for next month's issue of Sparkle, my advice column would be about how to deal with an unfaithful partner. Basically dump them. Though in a way it is kind of ironic considering Christmas is in about a week's time, but I suppose one could argue that the New Year is coming about and one should start with a clean slate. Hmmm…..
"Elle, don't tell me that's your dress for the ball tomorrow! Please!" exclaim Jennifer, my dear older sister who I share this four bedroom apartment with.
"Welcome home Jen! It's great to see you. How was your day? Mine was nearing dreadful" I said in a false bright cheery voice like those ones in Pleasantville. "What's wrong with the dress anyway?" I asked in a normal tone.
Rolling her eyes, Jen takes my abandoned shopping bags at the door way and strides towards me. Uh oh I thought. "I'm sorry for not greeting you properly, but your dress is really nice but it's getting wrinkled in that bag. C'mon lets go and see how it looks." And with that I found myself abandoning the living room and being ushered into my bedroom.
"Have you got your dress yet Jen? Are you ready for the great Yule Ball where we'll meet our prospective handsome, rich husbands?" I asked, struggling to keep the sarcasm out of my voice as I plunked myself onto my comfy queen sized bed.
Laughing, Jen replies "Amazingly, I have and no I'm not ready and what husband?" Then in a whine "How come mama doesn't tell me anything?" That was too much; and I fell off my bed in a laughing fit. Jen laughs before taking the dress out of the bag, smoothing it out on the bed and adjourning to her room to get her dress.
Jen comes back a few minutes later carrying this lovely rose pink silk dress on a hanger. I made a wolf whistle and then asked "When did you go shopping and why didn't you drag me along with you?" Blushing, Jen replies with a wry smile "I did try but I believe some tennis match was on."
"Touché" I exclaimed before we changed into our dresses or as Rick said before gowns. Jen looked completely gorgeous, stunning, breath taking…. Man… why couldn't they make up a stronger word than beautiful in the English dictionary? "You look lovely Elle" Jen exclaimed, breaking my train of thought. "And to think tomorrow, we're going to the spa, getting our nails and hair done"
"What?" I yelped as Jen started cracking up at my facial expression. "Mom's already arranged it so you're going to have to go with me or face her wrath," said Jen trying to reclaim composure but failing miserably. "Isn't Mike coming too?" I asked hopefully. My hopes were dashed at the sight of Jen's head shaking. Damn. How does my dear little brother miss out on these things? I know I'm horrible and spiteful but I always feel better knowing that Mike's facing the same amount of pain as me. "Great!" I thought "I'm going to have to deal with plastic, superficial people; and not get paid for it. Just great!" Groaning, I jumped onto my bed. Tomorrow's going to be a long, long, trying day.