Karen was sitting on her living room sofa, staring out the window. The air had begun to turn cold and the leaves were soon to fall. The colors of the trees were vibrant, even though her home was in the city and they were barely visible.
She finally sighed and finished off her martini. It was just another day in the seemingly perfect life of Karen Walker. Her life had never been perfect, but it had also never really been bad. She had been married too many times, in the eyes of society, but other than that she had a very good life. There were a few secrets in her past, many random one night stands, and her marriage was a wreck, but she had learned to live with it. She learned that drinking and taking prescription pills was the perfect way to feel perfect. It was, after all, what was expected of her.
Stan had left earlier that morning for a business trip in the Philippines. She wanted to go with him, but he had found another excuse for her to stay behind, once again. Every year they sponsored an Autumn Dance for all of their high society friends at Shelter Island and he needed her to stay and lead it. It was a ridiculous tradition that Karen hated. What was the point in having a dance just because the seasons changed? Isn't that what's supposed to happen?
She pushed her shoulder length hair away from her face and stood from her seat. She refilled her drink and walked upstairs to get dressed for her day. It was ten o'clock in the morning and she was already buzzed. She didn't have a problem with alcohol; she just loved who she was when she was intoxicated. She was sexual, outgoing, and completely tactless. When she was sober she tended to be shy and her sex appeal vanished. It was strange that two very different people could live within one body. She wasn't sure if she was crazy or just ungrateful, maybe a little bit of both.
She walked into Grace's office around eleven thirty. The interior designer was sitting with Will at her overcrowded desk in the center of the room. She braced herself and slapped on a fake smile before nonchalantly bursting through the door.
"Sorry I'm late, honey. Driver hit another pedestrian." She lied as she put her coat on the back of her chair and sat at her desk.
"Oh my gosh, is he okay?" Grace asked.
"Yeah, I guess." She replied with a shrug. That was just another part of her façade. She couldn't let people know that she had feelings. She wasn't weak by any means.
"Well, hey, I have to go to a meeting with this guy who wants to look at my book. Karen, could you answer the phone?"
"Sure, honey." She replied as she continued to file her nails. Will and Grace both began to make their way out the door. "Wilma, can I talk to you for a minute? It's about some legal stuff."
"Okay. I'll see you at home Gracie." He said, watching Grace walk into the elevator. "What is it this time Karen?"
"Its not so much lawyer stuff as it is friend stuff." She replied, not looking into his eyes. She was embarrassed and didn't want him to see.
"Oh." He pulled over a stool and sat next to her desk. They had only truly spoken as friends a few times so neither of them was sure of how to react.
"Stan left this morning for a business trip. He won't be back for a few months and we're supposed to sponsor some Autumn Dance on Shelter Island. I can't go alone, honey, and I was wondering if you would like to go with me." She said in a rush as if she weren't sure that she could ever get it out. After a moment of silence she finally looked up and met his eyes, a timid smile playing on her lips.
"Why do you want it to be me?"
"Because I know that I can trust you with my life." She replied. He was taken aback by the sincerity in her voice and knew that he couldn't say no. He and Karen had never gotten along very well, but he knew that when the cards were on the table they were friends.
"When is it?"
"We would leave on Friday morning and get home late on Sunday."
"I wouldn't miss it." he watched her face light up when he finally agreed to accompany her. He knew that she couldn't be seen as alone in front of her rich friends and he was more than happy to take the time to spend with her. Without paying much attention to his gesture, he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
"Thanks honey. I appreciate it."
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Will was given a list of all of the things that he would need for his weekend with Karen. She wrote out every single change of clothes that he would need and what to bring, just in case he wasn't sure. He looked at the note once again when he returned home, admiring her handwriting. He had only ever seen her sign her name to documents and he took note that her handwriting was sloppier than he would have imagined. He just always assumed that it would be something else that was perfect about her.
Jack and Karen went shopping for clothes that she would be taking with her to Shelter Island. She always felt the need to look better than every other person at the party and the future gathering was no exception. That was why she took her Poodle shopping with her. He would know exactly what worked and what didn't.
"I like that one, Karebear. You could wear it for your spotlight dance." He said as she continued to examine the deep red dress that she had tried on. It hugged her in all of the right places and gave her an excessive amount of cleavage.
"Are you sure it doesn't make me look like a whore, honey?"
"No, you look really pretty. I just wish I was the one who got to see you in it." He replied as he turned his head away, feigning a hurt demeanor.
"Poodle, you know that I would love for you to come with me, but I need someone a little less…flamboyant. They aren't really too fond of gays."
"Will's gay. What makes you think they will accept him?"
"You can't tell he's gay when you first meet him. It takes a little while to come to that conclusion. I'm just trying to stay out of the line of gossip, honey."
"I understand." He said as he rolled his eyes. "Let's go and get lunch."
"Okay, honey. I'll go and change."
