Wedding Planning

The next few days seemed to go on perfectly for John. He and Mandy barely fought, they managed to agree on which brand of apples to go for and were also agreeing with everything regarding the wedding planning. All in all, John found himself feeling foolish for his suspicions and envious feelings. They were clearly nothing and with the way he and Mandy were getting along, he also finally started feeling like he did in fact deserve her. An added bonus was that sex was better than ever.

“So, I want my bachelorette party in Vegas,” she said over the table. John had taken her out to her favourite Greek restaurant.

“Vegas, huh?” he asked.

“Yeah, it’s a classic!” she said. “Don’t you want it there?”

“I was thinking Miami,” said John.

“But if you have yours in Miami, then who’ll spend the night with me in Vegas?” she asked.

“How about that Asian friend of yours? Cindy?” grinned John and she playfully punched his shoulder.

“Oh, stop!” she said.

“Johnny?” came a familiar voice from behind Mandy. John looked up and he wasn’t sure what to feel when he saw Eric approaching. He had a beautiful blonde with him. He’d seen her around the office sometimes, she was an executive… Ms. Topaz. Yeah, Topaz. Irina Topaz.

“Mr. Stoltz, Ms. Topaz,” said John, getting out of his seat, shaking both of their hands.

“And Mandy!” said Eric, giving her a tight hug. John wondered if his sigh of relief was noticeable - the hug that Eric gave her was just cordial. “Meet Irina Topaz, my dear.” The two women shook hands and John couldn’t help but notice how similar Irina actually looked to Mandy.

“What’re you two doing here?” asked John.

“Well we came to discuss business,” said Eric. “Actually, part of it was to draw up the management contract for you Mandy, my dear. Another was to discuss a special promotion I had in mind for you, Johnny. But we’ll get to that in the office?”

“A special promotion?” asked John.

“What?” laughed Eric. “You thought I’d give the promotion I promised you to your wife and leave you high and dry? You’re like a son to me, my boy.” He paused for a second and looked around the restaurant. “You know, I used to bring your mother here.”

“My mother?” stammered John.

“Yes,” nodded Eric. “We came all the time in 1991, I believe. It was different then, a meeting place for Cypriots mostly so I drew eyes the first few times I came in with an Italian girl.”

“Wow, I’d love to hear more,” confessed Mandy.

“We’ll have plenty of time for that in the office,” smiled Eric and he moved on with Irina to their table in the VIP section of the restaurant. John noticed that Mandy watched Eric as he and Irina disappeared behind the tinted doors. Only then did her attention return to him.

“He’s incredible,” she told him.

“Yeah, he’s something else,” said John. His relationship with Eric had never been father and son, or at least, he’d never thought of it like that until now. But Eric looked at him like a son? He supposed it made sense. Eric always seemed to try to push him to be better. Still, though, he couldn’t help but feel something was off about that conversation.

“What’s wrong?” asked Mandy, seeing the puzzled expression slowly grow on his face.

“1991,” he muttered. “He knew my mom before she met my dad. I mean, I knew they used to be friends but I didn’t know when.”

“How did he know your mom?” she asked.

“He used to date my aunt,” he said. “He and my mom became good friends because she was an ant. They’d go out more than he and my aunt just crunching numbers through the night.” John shook his head. “Whatever. Ancient history. So… Vegas?”