Here is another chapter for your perusal, fellow Projects :) Please leave a comment, criticism, suggestion, etc. This is my first story, so I would love feedback. :)

CHAPTER 7

Mindy had chosen to wear her favorite black, fitted skirt with a light blue silk blouse. It was exactly 8 o'clock and she regretted having accepted this inconvenient dinner invitation. She had better things to do with her time, like wash her hair or watch her leg hair grow back.

"Right on time, as usual," Mindy dully said to the tall man standing opposite her once she opened her door. She took a moment and looked over his attire: black fitted slacks and a blue button down shirt. Her defenses crumbled and she smiled at how they had unintentionally matched.

God, we were kind of great together weren't we? she thought briefly. Wait, what?! Stop thinking, just stop thinking, Min. She forced her brain off for just a few seconds and almost did not hear Casey speaking to her.

"This is a surprise, you are on time for the first time! Got to be honest, I am a bit disappointed. I really wanted to finish reading this chapter." Casey familiarly responded, showing her a large book which he had brought along for the wait. He happily added, "How you doin' girl? Your hair is growing out nicely and you look amay-za-zing!" Casey's words always appeared sung. Mindy flinched, that sing-song way that Casey talked was always slightly irritating to her but she put up with it because he was her very serious Pastor boyfriend turned fiancé. Now, however, the words seemed annoying.

"Why, thank you. You look pretty dapper as well" Mindy did think he looked pretty good. Mindy was pleasantly surprised at how quickly they fell into conversation. Her earlier reservations about tonight dissipated. She was still very curious to know why he was suddenly interested in seeing her. Casey was not a person known for persistence, but today he had called her at least six times on her cell phone before he dialed the office line. He said that he needed to see her in person because he there was something important she needed to know. She had two scenarios drawn up in her head: 1. He was gay and coming out of the closet (not her doing, of course) 2. He still loved her and wanted to marry her. The first option left her nothing to work with. The latter, not much. She almost felt bad having to refuse him in person.

Her mind jumped from graciously declining his renewed vow of love... to their break up not too long ago. Although it had been somewhat mutual, she did feel her life fall to pieces when it happened. It took a full three days to get out of bed and that was only because Gwen showed up without warning and rolled her out of her bed and shoved her into the shower. It was another two days before she could get herself to go to work. Morgan made her go home that day because she was scaring the patients.

Through that emotional devastation, there were two constants in her life: Gwen and Danny. Gwen was always just a phone call away but Danny was with her every day. He showed up like clockwork after work, with a bag of take-out so she would not starve to death. She wasn't really even sure how he found out about the breakup, he had just shown up at her apartment the day after Casey left. She suspected Gwen told him but never approached her on that subject. She sighed at the thought of Danny.

"Yo, Mindy? Mindy?" Casey waved his hands slowly across her face trying to get her attention. She had stopped listening to him for some time.

"Oh, yeah, sorry. I was thinking about a patient at work, her pregnancy is just super delicate and she could go into labor at any second"…. Please forgive me for lying to Casey, she thought as she looked up to the sky. She composed herself. "Let's go."

They walked to the restaurant located only two blocks from Mindy's apartment. Once they arrived, Mindy felt strangely relaxed as they received their appetizers and glasses of wine. Casey looks so good, she thought to herself, I wonder how he looked after we broke up. Was he as disgusting as me? Her face winced at the memory of how horrible she looked…and smelled.

"So, you may be wondering why I asked you to dinner tonight," Casey's face suddenly turned somber.

"Um, yeah, ok. We're doing this now" she mumbled as she awkwardly lowered the cracker bite of the delicious spinach dip that was being shoved in her mouth.

"So, I just got back from Texas last night. It turns out my passion is not event planning. You called it!" he shot an imaginary gun at Mindy who stared blankly in return. "Yeah, well... I didn't discover my career path, but that trip changed my life, Mindy!" his face became animated and he began fidgeting with his napkin holder. "I want you to not say anything until I am done, ok?" he asked slowly waiting for her to say something. When she didn't, he continued "Mindy, I know that we didn't work out as a couple, but I consider you one of my best friends. I know you care for me and I care about you, too. That's why I need you to give me your blessing." he looked over to Mindy, lowered his voice and looked at her earnestly, "Mindy, I got married last week..." He stopped and braced himself for what was coming.

"You WHAT?!" she immediately yelled as she stood up from her chair, almost knocking it over. "Are you kidding me? We broke up like…a second ago!" She shook her head trying to shake such a ridiculous notion out of her head, "Are you out of your mind?! What's in that Texas air? I mean, listen to yourself, Casey!" She was panting, she couldn't find her breath. She glared down at him, confused.

Casey stood up slowly and placed a very comforting hand on Mindy's forearm, "Please, Mindy. Just sit down, you're getting upset. Just relax and sit down, please" He spoke as smoothly as possibly, trying to help her stay calm. She slid back into her seat as Casey continued "I know this has to sound crazy to you. This is why I had to do this in person and didn't want you to find out from someone else. I really want you to be happy for me, Mindy. Anne is an amazing woman and I would really like for you to meet her before we leave the day after tomorrow…." his words picking up pace as his eyes fixed on Mindy with sincere affection in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, what? You want me to what? Casey, you and I were just engaged. You just left for Texas! There is no way that you are married! I still stab your voodoo doll! Obviously I was stabbing the wrong body part..." She grabbed her fork and jabbed at the space in front of her. She stopped when she caught a glimpse of the wedding band on Casey's finger for the first time. Suddenly, she felt like the wind was knocked out of her.

Casey stared at Mindy for a moment and continued, "When I left for Texas, I was heartbroken. But I went and poured my heart and soul into event planning. That's when I met Anne, she is a teacher at one of the local middle schools there, down the block from where I studied. She is a good person, Mindy, please be happy for me. Please? I know that I didn't do anything that wrong, but I can't stand the thought of you hating me for this." Casey's eyes were soft and piercing her heart. She felt angry, she felt helpless and she felt like vomiting.

Keep it together, Mindy. Just take deep breaths in and out and get through this. They each sat in silence for two full minutes.

Mindy took a small sip of her wine and weighed her options. She just wanted to get home. Now.

She stood from her seat once again, and calmly spoke, "Casey, I know you want me to be okay with this. I will be, it's not like I have a choice. But, please give me some time to process this. Give me time. Just don't bother calling me or looking for me tomorrow, ok?" She extended her hand to show good will and Casey cupped her hand with both of his, gently squeezed it as he looked at her face.

"You got it, girl" he said. His voice dropped into flatness as he stared after her when she walked away.

"What the hell is going on with my life?!" She screamed to the night air, causing passers-by to look at her with a look of surprise. She felt broken…again.

She walked those two blocks back to her apartment in reverie of her life and all the mistakes which had led her to this moment. She walked lazily, dragging her feet along the concrete ground with her high heels dangling in her hands to each side of her.

She eventually reached her apartment and mindlessly went through the motions of changing into pajamas, brushing her teeth, and sitting on her couch to watch TV. Oddly enough, she had not stress barfed. She was more angry at the outcome of the dinner than stressed about anything in particular. How can he be married?! She thought as tears began to collect in the corners of her eyes. How did he move on so fast?! She stopped fighting back the tears and released her emotions. What began as whimpering fully progressed to wailing. She felt herself totally absorbed by the emotions of shock, disappointed love and hurt. She grieved for their relationship all over again with renewed vigor.

When it seemed like there was possibly no way that her body could produce more tears, she allowed her mind to wander. So, he moved on, I obviously was not good enough to marry. Why do I even care?! Her self-pity drastically turned to anger. I should be the one happily married! I should be the one finding my prince charming or my Mr. Darcy! She once again began to whimper.

She found solace in her pink blanket. When she wrapped the fuzzy material around her body, she remembered Danny. She sighed and cursed herself for allowing her mind to stray from the pain of Casey telling her he had gotten married. Damn you, Danny, let me wallow in my sadness for a while, will you? She cursed herself again. In fact, the more she tried not to think of her Italian friend, the more she remembered his face, his awkwardness at times, his gentle yet smoldering eyes, everything about him.

This is shitty, absolutely shitty! Casey gets married to some girl he's only just met and I have feelings for Danny?! Seriously, universe?! What's next? Kardashian's getting cancelled?! Mindy mumbled angrily to the emptiness around her.

With that, she pulled the blanket over her head wishing that somehow in doing so, she would be able to stop her mind from running circles around the chaotic mess that was her life. She wanted to tune out Casey's voice from repeating over and over to her "I'm married…" She hoped that she could somehow smother the feelings that made her want to scream from the heartache and disappointment. More than anything, she wished that she could simply fall asleep and wake up to a tomorrow that didn't include a pregnant Christina or a married Casey. Her world just didn't seem normal. How could just a few days change everything?

The blanket over her head didn't magically change her reality. When she was finally done crying, done hoping that her life were different, she got up from the couch and headed towards the kitchen still wrapped in the blanket. Damn it, nothing but wine and stale crackers. I am not fit to be seen, she strained to see her reflection on the microwave. Chinese take out, it is! The thought of food immediately made her feel better.

Just as she grabbed her phone to dial for Chinese, it buzzed in her hand. One new text from Danny. She sighed and swiped her screen.

'Grabbing some Chinese, you in?'

"Ugh, what the hell? Does he have surveillance on me or something?!" she said to no one in particular but glanced around her kitchen. She was about to reply in the affirmative, but felt that she would not be good company in the state that she was in.

'Rain check. Thanks. See you tomorrow"

TO BE CONTINUED