“Are you leaving already?” Ms. Sky Raymond, Zera’s colleague at the university, asked as she saw her walking towards the car.
They have never been very close since she started working here over five years ago. She was a few years older, with brown eyes and black hair, and always wore a bright smile on her face. They weren’t enemies, either. They exchanged hellos and good mornings whenever they saw each other. At first, she thought her smile was a friendly gesture towards her, but she soon found out that Sky was friendly. It was nice to know. Still, that didn’t change the nature of their relationship. The longest conversation they have had these past years has been under ten minutes, and that was during the university’s anniversary. It was expected to mingle and socialise at those events.
Zera’s circle was always small, and after she returned to the university, it became smaller. Just as Gordon pointed out many weeks back, she didn’t have friends at the university. Daniel was her only friend, and since him, she hadn’t made another.
“Ms Raymond,” she said, turning to her, and a big smile came on her face. “My day is over, and the next best thing is to leave.”
She giggled and nodded. “I understand. The plight of being a married working woman.”
Ah! She tried to laugh, but it didn’t work. “I guess you can say that.”
“I won’t waste your time, but the staff and professor are organising a meet and mingle night this Friday, and I think you should come.”
“The name tells me I shouldn’t.” Zera replied blankly.
She laughs, “It’s a name. We just hope to get to know each other better as staff at Stanford. Come with your husband if you like; there will be no objection to that.”
“Okay, thank you, Ms. Raymond. I will reach out to you for the rest of the details if I decide to come.” She nodded, smiled, and took her leave.
…
“Is there a special thing happening that I don’t know of?” Aaron asked, sitting up in bed. He had been silent as he watched her pick out her grey silk dress, as that was the meet and mingle dress code, and put it on the bed. Her choice of clothes must have told him it was an important outing.
Zera got up from before the mirror, picked up the dress, and slowly helped herself into it.
She put it on, tied her hair up in a neat bun, and then proceeded to sit on the bed and put on her shoe. “It depends; are you ready to give your answer or are you going to still think about it?”
He frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“I told you about the meet and mingle event at the university two days ago, and you said it was a great idea. So I called up my colleague and asked for more information about the event. When I told you, you said you’d think about it, but I haven’t heard a thing from you since then.” She put the shoe on her left leg and set it down.
“I can’t remember.”
She turned and glared at him, saying, “I am not asking you to remember. I figured you weren’t interested, and so I am prepared to go alone.” She finished and rose to her feet.
“So you want to go alone?”
She didn’t want to go. She was friends with no one at the university and wouldn’t have company to be around throughout the night. But not showing up after she’d made Sky send the details of the event to her wouldn’t seem nice, and so she had to go.
If he read her mind, he’d know the answer for himself. He wasn’t reading her mind; he wanted her to answer his question.
“I don’t, but I will not help you decide.”
“I would have made up my mind if I hadn’t forgotten. I remember now, though,” he mumbled.
“Do you want to go, then?” she asked.
“Aren’t you already late or something?”
She didn’t want to go alone, and if going late meant she wouldn’t, then she’d take it. “I am, but I can wait.”
He got up from the bed and moved over to the wardrobe. “The dress code for men is black,” she told him, and he nodded.
“Oh, I think I have that,” he said, turning to her and winking.
Fifteen minutes later, Aaron was standing in his black three-piece suit, ready to go. The transformation was amazing, and though it all happened before her, she still couldn’t wrap her head around how he went from handsome to gorgeous. The extra effort was the bare minimum, yet he looked dreamy, and he was all hers.
“What?”
“Oh, we’re going to make a lot of people jealous,” she revealed.
“Isn’t that the goal?” He raised a brow.
She grinned.
The theme of the meet and mingle was black and grey, and Zera and Aaron were on point with their dresses. And not just that, they looked gorgeous.
They left the house a little after six o’clock and arrived an hour later at the venue, the Grand Square Hall. The organisation of the event was much better than she thought it would be. For a staff and professor-only gathering, a lot went into making it outstanding! She was swept away, and Aaron could see that in her eyes; however, he said nothing.
She spotted a few faces in the crowd of people present. It’s a good thing she came with Aaron because she had not formed any meaningful relationships with any of the staff, and it would have been an awkward night for her. There was a need to connect; she knew that, but it wasn’t easy. Gordon Cook pointed out the need then, but he did it in a patriotic tone, which she didn’t like.
“Mrs Hart!” She heard Sky call, and she snapped out of her thoughts to see her approaching. She immediately plastered a smile on her face and awaited her arrival.
Sky hugged her warmly and took her hands into hers, her eyes radiant and happy. “I am so happy you made it; you have no idea how much.”
She shook her head and said, “Oh, coming is the least I can do.” She answered. “You all did an amazing job.”
Sky places her hand on her mouth as if to whisper, “Tell no one, but it’s on the university’s tight budget.”
That cracked Zera up, and she shook her head. Of course it was, but it was excellent regardless. “I won’t, but I’ve got to say it is impressive.”
“Thank you; that’s very kind.” Her eyes strayed from Zera’s and over to Aaron, who stood behind her and had probably listened in on all their discussions already. It dawned on her, and she realised her error.
“Oh, I’m sorry I haven’t introduced you two.” She rambled off, but she cut her off.
“I remember Mr. Hart from the fundraiser three years ago.” She answered, her friendly tone already tamed and under control. She wondered why she was no longer as jovial as she was a minute ago.
She pressed her lips together and nodded. “Yes, true; that’s him.”
Sky stretched out her hand to him for a formal shake and said, “It’s nice to meet you again, Mr. Hart.”
He accepted her hand in his for a formal shake. “The pleasure is mine, Ms. Raymond.”
He knew her name, and that meant they had already met and didn’t need any formal introduction. Why didn’t she remember that?
They pulled away from their awkward handshake, and she turned to Zera. “Do enjoy the rest of the evening.” With that said, she walked away from them.
She stood awkwardly for a while before turning her attention to Aaron, who stood behind her in silence.
“You have any idea what that was about?” she asked with a curious gaze at him.