Chapter #3

" Well, SURPRISE! SURPRISE I AM IN NEW YORK! Where are you? I want to meet you."

There is a feeling of disbelief that comes over me, that takes over, and I kind of go through the motions. I do what I am supposed to do, but I am not there at all. I was sweating like a fat woman in a sauna, I was talking about myself and my heart was beating so fast.

Robin pointed to me to speak, and I just shook my head in no. Robin glared at me.

" Hello?"

Robin removed the call from the speaker. And she rose from the seat to go out to talk to him. I am having a panic attack, feel like I'm collapsing, like my organs are rebelling against me, and that I will throw them up. It's like I am on a swing ride in an amusement park.

" Why don't you tell us? He is in New York."

" I don't know. He is in New York. And I am equally shocked as you. I am not lying to you, Swear to God!"

Heather wasn't going to believe me, but I didn't want to think about her. All I want to know is what Ed is doing in New York. And where has Robin gone?

Robin returned to the table and announced to us," C'mon, ladies, what are you waiting for? Do we need to go?"

" Go? Where to go?" Heather asked her and I wanted to ask her the same question.

" We are going to meet Ed. He is staying in Park Lane Hotel, and he told me he is going to leave in an hour, so, we need to get there before he leaves."

" You must be joking! I asked her.

" Do you see a smile on my face?"

" Nope! I don't see any smile."

" So, that means I am not joking."

" Did you say the Park Lane Hotel? He is staying over there." Heather asked Robin and I wondered why he was so curious.

" Yeah, you heard me right."

" I am surprised that he is staying in a seven-star hotel."

" Why are you so shocked? Maybe he is staying at his company's expense, and we should leave. We don't have time," Robin added. And Heather grabbed her purse. Nobody is asking me whether I want to go or not.

" C'mon, let's go, do you not hear us? We don't have time," Robin said to me.

"I can't go with you guys... because...because I want to finish the cake, and I am not planning on losing my job."

" Eloise will do that, and you will not get fired. I know you were making excuses for it. But you're going with us to meet Ed and you will tell him the truth."

" I am not making excuses, I want to tell him the truth, but not today, because I am not mentally prepared for it. I need time to regroup."

" When you mentally prepare yourself in 2035 when you are laid in the coffin... stop playing with us and get up," Robin said.

" We don't have time, Stassie!" Heather added, and I got up from the seat.

"Girls, I am not feeling good. I have headaches and my legs are hurting."

Heather and Robin didn't listen to me and gave me a nudge to move. I can't think of any better excuses. They will not going to believe me... please God helps me... All I can do is follow along behind them like a well-trained puppy.

We strode out of the bakery from the back door. Where Robins Puff: The Magic Wagon was parked. It's an old Volkswagen which Robin named Puff.

She unlocked the wagon and Heather and I slid on the back and Robin held the steering wheel.

My heart was sinking as we drove, and I didn't want to go there. I was just praying that something would happen, like an earthquake or storm, to make us stop going there, but it was an impossible request by God.

We drove about 45 minutes, and we arrived at the Park Lane Hotel, an impressive architectural building Robin pulled the wagon into the driveway where the valet sign was hanging.

Heather slid through the door, and we climbed out of the wagon. Robin tossed the keys towards a valet worker and our trio made our way through the automatic doors.

Immediately, we were greeted by the smell of fresh flowers. And a lavish, sprawling area able to hold hundreds of people is gleaming marble tile with patterned decorative inserts that complement the lobby's upscale theme.

Multi-tiered chandeliers and lighting decor with suspended globes and wall sconces. The tasteful water features water walls. Gleaming marble wall panels back-lighting along the floor line in the prominent area's reception.

A long front desk for reception, staffed with uniformed employees accessing computers. The hotel's name is in a prominent wall position, in silver or gold lettering. And massive windows that run floor to ceiling. High ceilings, intricately designed coffered ceilings.

Heather's jaw dropped when she saw the hotel.

" Robin, give me my phone back. I'll text him."

" Do you think so? I am that stupid to give you your phone back, so you could text him and tell him that we aren't coming."

" You are just blaming me and I won't text him that."

" I don't trust you. And I can text him."

She smirked and took the phone out and texted Ed and Heather and I stood next to each other.

" I need to use the restroom," I said and tried to run away, but Heather held me by my arms.

" Where are you running? I know, you're tricking... just stay here with me."

" Nature is calling on me. I am not running." I replied.

" Tell nature to come later. We are in the middle of something important." Heather scoffed and Robin told us that he was coming in two minutes. I want to cry so badly. I can't escape from him. And nothing is working for me. Heather was holding me by my arm, so I couldn't run away. I yanked my arm out of her grip and spun on the heel to face both of them.

" Heather and Robin, I am feeling sick. I need to go see a doctor please... just let me go. I will meet him, but not today."

" Stop acting like a child! He is not going to kill you. We are with you. Don't worry."

" You are not understanding... the elevator door slid open, and my heart stopped for a moment and the only word left in my mouth was, " Fuck me! Ed is here."

Heather and Robin turned to see him. He smiled understandingly-much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced–or seemed to face–the whole eternal world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. My belly seems to want to say something, but my brain doesn’t speak in the stomach and, since the stomach itself doesn’t have vocal cords, it can’t make sense of the butterflies flying around inside. Or were they spiders?

He was gleaming, smoldering, like a pure medieval knight or a young King Arthur stepping off the pages of a painting. That animated, Hellenistic sculpture with the green eyes... Refusing to meet his eyes, I looked at his mouth instead. It was a beautiful mouth for a man, I have to admit. Full and sensual, yet masculine. I have to admit he is far more handsome in person than in pictures. He was holding a beautiful flower banquet in his hand.

" Go! Talk to him! Robin said and pushed me forward, using her hand, and they stood behind me. Ed was walking in slow motion as he was approaching.

"Girl, is he walking in slow motion?"

" Yeah! Heather replied.

He was walking towards me, everything felt like a dream, but it wasn't. I can't tell him that, I have been catfishing you for two months. As the distance between us got smaller and smaller. My heart was racing in the marathon. I squeezed my eyes shut. My heart skipped a beat and my palms started to sweat. I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was like a dream come true. I walked up to him and he smiled at me. We hugged each other tightly, and it felt like time stood still. I could feel his warmth and the beating of his heart. Then, we looked into each other’s eyes and shared a passionate kiss. Our lips met and it was like fireworks went off in my head. It was a moment filled with passion and love, a moment I would never forget.

We pulled away from each other, both breathless from the intensity of the kiss. We looked into each other’s eyes and smiled, knowing that this was just the beginning of something special. We held hands and walked down the street together, talking and laughing like we had known each other for years. It was like we were meant to be together.

A moment passed and nothing happened, so I opened my eyes, only to find that he just disappeared but where did he go?

As I turned my face towards Robin and Heather I was shocked like stone-shocked. I froze when I saw him give Heather a quick, casual kiss on the cheek first. Then he pulled her in and hugged her.

As suddenly as they had reached for each other, I broke apart. Tears were rolling down my face. For one moment of madness, my heart shattered into a million pieces. He didn't even look at me, who will look at this fat ugly girl? No one. I felt humiliated.