Perfect Imperfections (10 page)

CHAPTER 19

“You think we should let Kim know that Dave would be there and probably with a female friend?” Beth fiddled with her phone in the elevator of Le Méridien hotel.

“I don’t see the need and anyway it’s too late now. Moreover, Kim is a smart person. I am sure she knows I would invite Dave, no matter what their relationship is. Kim will have to just deal with it.”

Bill had made that conclusion every time they talked about the possibility of Dave and Kim being in close proximity of each other. And here they were. Kim was already here with Cheryl and Sam when they walked in, followed by Dave with a pleasant-looking woman.

The group of immediate friends greeted one another and settled into their seats, making it appear as normal as possible. Kim and Dave were also seated at the same table, but the silent looks that were being exchanged were enough to put everyone at unease. Sam got up, deciding that someone needed to acknowledge that he was here and moved towards Dave to greet him.

“Dave!” Sam spurted across the room and gave him a quick hug, “It has been forever since I saw you.” Sam said as though nothing had ever happened, but Dave and Kim knew Sam too well. They both knew she was being loud and casual so that it would make everyone else behave normally around them, and that would put both Kim and Dave at ease and not feel like they are being judged by their friends.

And it worked like a charm. Everyone came about talking normally to Dave as they had done before. Everyone steered clear of anything that could be uncomfortable. Kim stayed at one end of the lounge and Dave on the other end.

Finally Beth arrived and when she did, Bill asked the bartender to have a glass of champagne for everyone. They were already at the dinner table, and Bill got up. Clearing his throat, he began, “I am so happy that all of you are here. I have not seen any of you since over two weeks, except Dave, and that’s because he happens to be my boss too. Okay, so getting back on to the point… Each one of you has been our close friend, and we have seen each other through good and bad times.” He paused and looked at Beth, holding her hand and clasping her palms into his, he kissed her hand. “So it is only right that you all are here for this special moment of ours.” He held up Beth’s hand. “Last night I asked my love to marry me and she said yes!”

The room was all of a sudden filled with a deafening noise and utter confusion. They all got up to congratulate the two beaming newly-engaged couple. Yet, there was very little that had changed, so as to say, other than the rock around Beth’s finger.

Finally, when everyone had calmed down and dinner had been served, Beth told everyone how Bill had proposed. It may not have been exotic but it was intimate, which, given how overtly expressive they were of their feelings for each other, was quite a surprise to everyone. The night came to a close for everyone and they went home. But the night had been very difficult for Dave and Kim.

***

Dave had felt the urge to walk up to Kim and demand answers to the many questions he had asked himself for the past several months. He had not allowed himself enough time to deal with the hurt. He had plunged himself into a sea of work, which had worked exceptionally well for his work, as it had grown considerably. But it had also taken a toll on him.

And amidst all this, he had found someone he was getting comfortable with. Dave was 13 years older than Kim and never before had it been so obvious than today. It looked like they belonged from different eras. He was calm and polished, and currently with a woman with whom he shared a lot more things in common.

What was I thinking? — Dave asked himself. He just wanted to go home. Being here was not the best idea after all. But a part of him wanted to know how Kim was doing. What had she been up to these past months? He had made sure that he never asked Bill how Kim was doing. So there was no way he had any clue of how she had been.

Kim was shocked when she saw Dave walk in behind Bill. She felt anger and guilt all at the same time. She was seeing Dave for the first time since that night. He looked so tired, she thought, like he has not been getting enough sleep.
Have I had enough sleep? —
she asked herself.
If you haven’t had enough sleep, then how do you expect Dave to have?
What closure does he have for what you have done to him? If you struggled to find answers for yourself, how do you expect him to have any answer why you choose to humiliate him in front of these very people who were in this room tonight?

Kim wanted to talk to Dave, but she didn’t know what she would say to him.
Does he expect me to apologize to him?
— she pondered at that thought. She didn’t feel sorry. She felt bad that things went the way they did, but she wasn’t sorry that she was not ready to get married. It was not that she had planned to hurt him. If only Dave had thought it through. If only he would have spoken to her first. But was that necessary? Hadn’t they been in a relationship for over four years? Was it not clear that an engagement would be the next step?

She looked across the room and saw Dave looking at her. They held each other’s gaze for a bit, and then they both looked away.
It was too soon
— Kim thought. There would be no good from facing Dave tonight and she sought to distract herself in the various conversations people were having around her.

The night felt long and even though Kim was more than happy for Bill and Beth, but she couldn’t help feel a little sad and hollow inside. It was not that she was not excited for the new chapter in Beth’s life, but it just made her realize that while people around her were moving forward, and she was moving in the exact opposite direction. She wanted to run away and hide; she wanted to be alone but she couldn’t do that. Where could she go and from whom could she hide? She had to sit there that night. She would have to deal with this like a grownup.
You cannot keep running and hiding all your life, Kim!

Kim was lost in her own thoughts when Sam came and jolted her back to her senses. “Kim, let’s go. Jake and Cheryl are waiting for us,” she said. Kim got up, almost as if she was on autopilot. She went and congratulated Bill and Beth and they bid their goodbyes.

“Jake?” she asked, when she realized what Sam had said. “When did he get here?”

“Have you been at the same dinner as the rest of us?”

Kim shot Sam a look at her sarcasm.

“Well,” Sam said raising her hands in surrender. “He came in a while back and now we have to go if we want a lift home.”

“I told you I should have got the car.”

“Yes, and I told you that we’ll get a ride back home.”

The way back was a quiet ride. No one spoke. They all knew it had been a hard night for Kim, seeing Dave so unexpectedly, and happy at least on the outside. Though they knew it was a little harsh that Bill had invited Dave, no one held it against him. There was no reason good enough not to invite him. And they knew it was time that Kim dealt with whatever her feelings were on her own, and sooner than later. Kim and Sam sat there in the rear seat while Cheryl sat in front with Jake. He looked at Kim in the rear view mirror occasionally and saw her deep in thought, almost lost somewhere else. But he didn’t say anything.
Sometimes you have to work things out on your own,
he thought.

CHAPTER 20

Seeing Dave after so many months should have stirred more guilt within Kim, but it just propelled her to start fixing her life back.

“What have you done to yourself?” Olivia, Kim’s hairdresser, said raising her hands skywards, “Jesus, have mercy!” she exhaled.

“Hey Oli! Yeah, I am in need of your miraculous touch to fix my hair,” Kim said sheepishly.

“Hair?” Olivia exclaimed. “I hope you have nowhere else to go, and if you do, you can cancel all of that. I am keeping you here till I have fixed you, and I mean all of you.” she motioned a circle to cover Kim’s entire frame.

It took a little over three hours when Kim finally got home, and she felt so much better already. Kim walked into the room to find Sam in the kitchen.

“Ah! Finally I see you went to the salon to fix yourself. I must say Olivia has outdone herself,” said Sam, coming up to Kim and circling around her to get a good look. “Kim, you look gorgeous! Please don’t waste it sitting at home.” she made herself comfortable in the living room by the window.

“Why don’t we go out partying tonight?” She sat up in the couch as the brilliant idea dawned upon her, and she started preparing a long list of things she would say to Kim to convince her to go out, but just as she had opened her mouth to start bombarding Kim with those, Kim simply said, “Okay!” and went into her room.

***

It was Wednesday Ladies’ Night at the local pub the girls had decided to go. Ladies’ Night meant a lot of free booze, and Kim could do well with some booze and good music. Cheryl, Beth, Suzanne and Jacqueline were already there when Sam and Kim walked in. They all greeted each other, making it as normal and comfortable for Kim as possible. Sam had warned everyone to behave as normally as they could, with no special treatment towards Kim, but Kim noticed that quite well. She silently thanked Sam for that.

They all went to the bar to fire up the night with a round of shots and then off to the dance floor. Kim didn’t feel like going to the dance floor and so she sat back with Beth, who hated dancing anyway. They started chit-chatting and Beth began to catch up Kim with all that had been happening with her and Bill. They kept ordering martinis and didn’t even realize they were down four, until Beth started dancing in her couch and Kim was moving too, swaying to the music.

Sam knew this was the time to get them to the dance floor and, without any hesitation, the two joined the rest on the dance floor. Kim had not been out in a long time. At times, she felt she had outgrown this when she was with Dave, but today Dave was not here and she danced like she always enjoyed dancing. It was a little over half hour when the girls realized that they were starving and came back to the bar and ordered some starters for themselves, and another round of martinis for Kim and Beth, and Corona beer for the rest.

Kim couldn’t remember when, if at all, she had been so carefree. She was glad she had done this. The girls enjoyed the attention they were getting from the group of guys from across the bar on the other side. And since all other than Beth were single, they thoroughly enjoyed it.

Cheryl turned to the girls, “If these guys come up to us to ask for a dance, remember the one in the beige jacket is mine.”

Just then the guys were joined in by two more and, to Sam’s surprise, she knew one of them. It was Jake!

Jake didn’t notice them at first but then one of the guys from the group gestured towards the girls and that’s when he noticed them. He noticed Kim. Since Jake knew the girls, it got easier for the guys to come up to them. It was surprisingly fun once they were over. The conversation flowed and Kim too began to enjoy it. The night went on and soon Bill joined them as he had come to pick up Beth. They left soon after, and as the rest of the girls were not particularly in the condition to drive on their cars they decided to call a cab and crash at Cheryl’s place.

Jake who had not has any drinks, offered to drive them to Cheryl’s place as it was on his way home. Bill felt comfortable to let him take the girls, and a little relieved too as he confessed, “Thanks, bro! These girls have done this to me for the longest of time.”

Sam sat in the front with Jake, while Suzanne, Cheryl, and Kim sat in the rear. Kim sat right behind Jake that he could see her in the rear view mirror. The drive was not too long, or at least, that is how it felt to Kim.

“You girls have these crazy nights often?” Jake asked, taking a quick look at his rear view mirror looking at Kim. Kim was staring out of the window, though she could not have seen anything outside for it was almost completely dark. She was clearly not there with the rest of them, but she looked at peace. Sam continued talking to the rest. And before they knew, they were below Cheryl’s apartment.

“Here you are, ladies,” Jake announced.

They all got out and Jake bid his good night to them all.

“Cheryl, that’s my apartment. Three blocks down,” Jake said, pointing towards a pale orange building.

“That’s nice; we can meet up more often then,” Cheryl said with a hint of flirtation in her voice.

“Sam, you okay with me flirting with Jake right?” Cheryl asked Sam casually as they got into the lift.

“Why are you asking me this?” Sam replied with a smile. “I have nothing to do with him anymore than with Kim or Suzanne. Flirt away!”

It didn’t take them long to fall asleep and, knowing that the next day they would all have to call in sick, they could all sleep a little longer.

***

It wasn’t until noon the next day that Sam and Kim got home. They decided to drop in at Judith’s and take her out for lunch. It had been forever since the three had been out together.

“Ma, what are you doing?” Sam called Judith.

“Hi Sammy, I was just wondering what to order for lunch? Did you girls have a fun night? Have you had your lunch?” Judith asked as she fidgeted with the takeout menus.

“That’s why I called you. Come down, we are below your office. We’ll go to the bistro around the corner for a family lunch,” Sam shrieked in excitement.

Kim wondered why they had never done something like this before.