"Didn't I swear there would be no complications?
Didn't you want someone who's seen it all before?
Now that you're here it's not the same situation.
Suddenly I don't remember the rules anymore."

When Velma told him that he would be required to escort her daughter to the wedding, his mouth dropped open. He had seen Amber crying and stamping her foot at Link only moments before. She screamed a final "We're over!" in that not so endearing way she had of drawing all attention to herself whenever she felt herself falling into a crisis, real or imagined. It was something he had learned to shut out. While Amber threw her tantrum, he studied his notes, when she stormed over to Velma he shrugged. Just another day. Just another outburst. He heard her wail and whine. Only a few words made it through to his consciousness.

"…doesn't understand."

"No, he won't."

"…why can't he just…."

Then the clicking heels, the dreaded coo of his name and Velma stood in front of him.

By the time his mind focused on her words, he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"….So you need to pick her up promptly at six. She will be ready so don't be late. You need to have her home at ten. I will be back from the ceremony around the same time so I expect……"

He gave her a blank stare. He had totally missed the entire concept of what she was speaking about. He squinted and shook his head.

"Corny, don't look at me like that. We have already RSVPed. You need to take her. There isn't an option to this. One of us has to be there. He's our sponsor for pity sake and their first child getting married. The Von Tussle family has to be represented, you're going anyway so you WILL take her." She said with her head tilted back, viewing him down her nose.

She was telling him that he was taking her daughter to the Spritzer wedding. The wedding he had planned on attending alone. The first big event since Elaine sent him the letter. That letter that told him she really cared about him (ha!) but there was someone else in her life. Someone with much more cash than he had. He needed the time to get over her. He wanted to hit the bar, drink until the hall closed, totally stag and take a cab home. Driving himself, and taking the spoiled brat daughter of his boss was not in the plan. Yet, here stood the battleaxe telling him that this was the way it was going to be.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand." Was all he could seem to get out.

Velma spied him with gall. "Right. She'll be waiting for you. Don't be late." She said as she turned, "and you are her escort, nothing more. Try anything with her Collins and you'll be opening a can of worms you don't want to. I'll make your life hell." She said over her shoulder as she walked away.

He tried to get his mind around the concept. Whether he liked it or not he would be taking Amber to the Spitzer wedding. Velma controlled this. He was stuck. He looked over to Velma talking to her daughter. He was surprised to see Amber stamping her foot in the same way she had with Link. Velma would have none of it. She grabbed her daughter by the arm and yanked her away.

As his mind drifted to the show ahead, he heard the click of heels again. His eyes closed and he shook his head knowing that Velma was coming back to demand some other unreasonable request. He sighed and looked up. Amber stood in front of him. Without malice, without privilege, without a tantrum, she looked at him.

"I'm so sorry." She said as her eyes swept down, "I didn't want her to do that. I can get a cab there, Corny. She'll never know the difference."

Now, he stared at her with the same confusion he had with her mother. Wasn't this the girl who made everyone's life miserable? Wasn't this the little control freak who mirrored her mother step by step? Why wasn't she just as happy to be making his life miserable? He opened his mouth to speak, but looked at her face. She seemed to genuinely feel bad about the situation. Maybe she was just as unhappy as he was.

"Amber look…." He began.

"No I'm serious." She said without looking up, "She's leaving for the Awards before she expects you to get me. I won't say anything if you don't." And then she smiled at him.

If she hadn't done that, he would have taken her up on the offer. But at the moment, she looked positively sweet. Nearly innocent. He puzzled why she was willing to walk into a room full of strangers, unescorted to represent her family. Why, when given a way out of the situation, was she was willing to go alone? He wordlessly stared at her. She blushed.

"I, uh." She began, "I think that it would be safer….no, I mean it would be better if…"

He smiled as she stammered. She was tremendously uncomfortable with this, but it wasn't a discomfort connected with inconveniencing him, it was more. She seemed wary, hesitant. He wanted to snicker, but she was deadly serious.

"Amber, I don't bite." He assured as he leaned in.

She stepped back. She WAS afraid of him. It amused him all the more.

"Oh I know!" she exclaimed, "I just don't think it's right, you know…I mean, people know me and they know you. I'm with Link and you're with…..um, I don't know. Sorry. Well YOU know. What will people think?" She still didn't look at him.

He grinned. Always what people will think. She had to be perfect. She had to be the Princess. Without her Prince on her arm, what will they say? And what of this older man walking in behind her? What rumors will fly? But she always seemed to let the cattiness of the kids around her slide right off her back. What was this really about? He was intrigued.

He leaned back and grinned, "People will think that your mother is getting her Peabody and you needed an escort so a friend stepped in. That's what people will think"

"People know we are not friends." She whispered.

"We will be. For that day, we will be. How about that?" He extended a hand to her, "It's not hard…."

She looked at his hand but did not take it, "I'm not sure." Her apprehension showed.

He continued to stare as he dropped his hand. There was more to this than what people may think, "Your mother wants me to pick you up at six. That's when I'll be there. You can put up with me for a few hours, can't you?" He snickered.

She still didn't look up. "I don't know. I just don't know…."

"Come on Amber," he tilted his head and leaned down, trying to catch her eye, "We'll be the best of pals." Then his mind went off in a different direction, "Besides, all the kids will be there." He reminded her, "Your mother will find out if you walk in alone."

Her eyes snapped up. Some of the council members were her friends, some were not. Those that were not wouldn't hesitate to cause trouble for her. She knew her plan would not work.

"I guess you're right." She sighed.

"Good girl! We'll get through this." He exclaimed. "I promise, I'll be your bestest friend."

She was still flushed as she silently walked away. He couldn't help but laugh. This was going to be fun. Not too many people got to see her sweat. He suddenly couldn't wait until Saturday.