CHAPTER FOUR

Black and white!” Ruby was firm, “It will give you a stylish and elegant atmosphere.”

“But our company colours are green and yellow,” Suhaira protested, already anticipating Mr Vance’s objections to the decor at their launch. For all she knew, he could use that as an excuse to sack her. 

Their stylish Corporate Party Planner shuddered dramatically. “I’ll just pretend I didn’t hear that,” she said, “Now let’s talk about food. I’m thinking canapes with a Tanzanian twist.”

Ruby kept Suhaira on her toes the whole morning as they went through each detail for the Bazaar Abodes launch. Somehow, Suhaira had found herself landed with the entire responsibility of running and organizing the launch party, which had meant an overload of work. Suhaira welcomed the distraction as it kept her mind off David and Jack. 

It was almost lunchtime when Ruby finally closed her striped file with a bang. “I think we have made good progress,” she said, “Now let’s go and reward ourselves with an expensive lunch.” She laughed at Suhaira’s hesitation. “Don’t worry, I have a client expense account, lunch is on me.”

Suhaira sighed in relief. Despite the impressive budget David had allowed for marketing, convincing Mr Vance to let her hire an event planner had been an incredibly tough task to begin with and he had only relented when she had told him if she had to single-handedly organise the event, she would not be able to come into the office for two weeks.

“So tell me about yourself,” Ruby munched on a bread stick as she studied Suhaira intently through her funky purple glasses, “Married, single, kids?” 

“Ummm … I’m still single,” she said.

“So how did a small firm like yours land a client with such a huge advertising account?” Ruby’s directness was disconcerting. 

Suhaira self-consciously fiddled with the heavy silver cutlery on the table. “Ummm I don’t know; my boss set up everything with the client.”

“I thought it was strange that Bazaar Abodes hired you guys for this project; usually they use Masons and Nightingales.” 

Suhaira could feel the warmth rising in her face. “We are actually quite good,” she said. 

Ruby looked sceptical as she opened her menu. “Well, the inside story is that David Perry, recently took over the real estate business from his father. I suppose he decided to give you guys a chance.”

Suhaira placed her order without giving it much thought, she was more preoccupied with what Ruby had just said. Could it really be possible that David chose our firm because of me? Zafeera had also thought that it seemed strange. Suhaira wondered how he knew where she was working. 

And what does he want? Is this his way of making up with me? She also wondered what his motive was. Her heart told her he meant no harm, but Suhaira had long since learnt that her heart wasn’t the best judge of character.

Just then, the waiter poured them each a glass of red wine.

“To Bazaar Abodes!” Ruby toasted, as they clinked their huge crystal balloon glasses together. The meal was delicious and Ruby was great company. She had a witty sense of humour and Suhaira found herself laughing more than she had in a long time. 

“So, why is a girl like you still single Suhaira?” Ruby asked, as they enjoyed their tiramisu, “Haven’t you found Mr Right yet?”

Suhaira took a large gulp of the last of her wine as she considered the question. Had she found Mr Right and lost him? Do I still have a chance with him? Do I want another chance?

Ruby looked at her with understanding. “Long story, huh? Well, just remember, you’re looking for Mr Right not Mr Perfect.” 

  Suhaira was still thinking about her answer and Ruby’s words, when Ruby glanced at her watch.

“Oh my!” she exclaimed, “It’s almost three thirty, I have to fly!” She got up and pecked Suhaira three times on the cheek. 

“I really enjoyed our lunch,” she said as she signed the credit card receipt. “We should really do this again.” She blew her yet another kiss as she swooped out of the restaurant.

As Suhaira made her way back to the office, she thought about David yet again. Maybe David is just playing games with my emotions again.   

 “Ah Suhaira, welcome back,” Mr Vance glanced at his watch pointedly as she walked into the office, “I need the sales figures from the Project Elysium we did last year. Please consolidate them and email them to me right now. Also, please email me this database of clients you have been talking about.”

Suhaira cursed under her breath as she searched all her Excel files for the elusive figures Mr Vance was waiting for. Then she remembered she had emailed the file to Jack when they were working on the project together. She smiled as she remembered that the Project Elysium was the one over which she and Jack had first bonded. They had spent hours making the project a success and had come to know each other closely in the process. 

But now was not the time to get lost in romantic thoughts. She could see Mr Vance looking at her through the glass panels of his office. Suhaira quickly located the file her boss was waiting for and began to work on it. 

***

Jack cornered Suhaira as she was leaving the office. He placed a firm hand on her shoulder and his other hand at her back. “Drinks today, and this time I won’t let you escape.”

Suhaira was surprised by her reluctance to go out with Jack. She wondered if it was because David had come into her life again, or whether she was psyched out by the competition between them. Her jumbled emotions were really confusing her.

 “No thanks, not today, I am really tired.”

Jack frowned. “You’ve been acting distant lately, Suhaira. What’s wrong? I thought we were …” He looked at her closely. “Is it this whole competition thing?” he accused her, “Don’t tell me you’re avoiding me because of that? I thought we knew each other better than that!”  

He looked wounded and Suhaira felt a bit guilty. She had been avoiding him lately, and she didn’t want to hurt him. “Okay. I guess a quick drink downstairs won’t do any harm,” she said.

Jack flashed a disarming smile, “You won’t regret it.”

Suhaira certainly didn’t. With his witty impersonations of their colleagues at the office and wicked jokes, he kept her laughing and their quick drink lasted over an hour. 

“I have to go,” Suhaira said at last, quite reluctantly. It had been a fun evening and Jack was definitely good company. Despite her earlier confusion, Suhaira could not help enjoying herself around him. 

“Why?” he asked, “I thought maybe we could go to my place … have dinner or something …” 

Suhaira was tempted, but decided against it. She knew where dinner at his place could end, but she wasn’t ready for that step yet.

“I’m really tired tonight Jack,” she said, trying to keep her tone light. “Maybe next time. For sure,” she added, before grabbing her jacket. 

“I’ll walk you out,” he said, taking her jacket from her hands and helping her into it. He didn’t let go once she had worn it though, and let his hands rest on her shoulders as they jostled past the crowd.

As they stepped out of the Inn onto the lawns, Suhaira turned to say goodnight again. “Thanks Jack,” she said, “I had a lovely evening. I feel so much more relaxed now.” She reached up to hug him and he responded with avidity, before pulling her into a deep kiss. She let herself relax in his arms, getting lost in his kiss and enjoying the moment.

***

The next day, after work, she waited on the corner for Zafeera to pick her up. Her husband, Irfan, travelled all the time so she hardly saw him; it was often Suhaira who kept her company. Suhaira often wondered if Irfan really appreciated his wife’s kind and gentle nature. For Suhaira, no amount of luxury could compensate for loneliness and her idea of marriage was one where there was companionship and time spent together. 

Suhaira leant back on the leather seats and looked at her best friend. “So where are we off to? Who is the mysterious dress lady?”

Zafeera smiled. “We can’t have you going to your big launch in your old clothes. And you know I have nothing spectacular enough to lend you.” They both looked down at her black buibui and sighed in unison. “So I have found this lady, Maria. She has the most amazing designer dresses. Dresses that cost thousands of dollars!”

Suhaira rolled her eyes. “And where am I supposed to get ‘thousands of dollars’ from?”

Zafeera giggled, “This is the beauty of it. You don’t buy the dress, you just rent it for the evening.”

Suhaira wasn’t sure how she felt about renting a dress. It didn’t seem like a very classy thing to do. But when she saw the array of evening gowns on display at Maria’s home, Suhaira let out a gasp. They were simply fabulous. Suhaira could already picture her slim figure enveloped in one of the gorgeous gowns. She was almost convinced that Zafeera was right after all. What girl doesn’t want to feel like a princess once in a while? She thought as her eyes scanned the room, reminding her of all those movies she had watched, of women who owned huge closets full of magical gowns.

Maria looked at Suhaira critically. “I wish you were a little taller, but let’s see what we can do.” She disappeared through a connecting door, leaving Zafeera and Suhaira to browse through racks of dresses that filled a spare room in her townhouse.

Together, Zafeera and Suhaira selected some slinky black evening dresses for her to try on. Suhaira felt a surge of pleasure at the feel of the silky fabrics as she took them off the rack. 

“I’m sure you will wow Jack with any one of these. Didn’t I tell you she would sort you out?” Zafeera seemed more excited than Suhaira was. 

“Jack!” she exclaimed, “Actually, Zafeera, I am really confused about him. I do like him, a lot, but it’s all too much for me, especially with this job issue hanging over our heads.”  

“What’s happened?” Zafeera frowned, “He’s so good looking and charming! And I thought you agreed not to let the job interfere with your relationship!”

“Let me try on these dresses first,” Suhaira said, making her way to a curtained off kiosk in the corner to the room. Despite the fabulous evening she had with Jack the previous night, she felt more ambivalent about their relationship. It was as if the kiss had left her drained instead of energized. This competition was messing her more than she imagined it would.

“No, no, no!” Maria came back into the room and took all the dresses Suhaira had chosen out of her hands. “Too mundane and ordinary. Look what I have found for you.” She dumped the entire selection unceremoniously onto a chair and brandished a hanger with a shimmering dress in front of Suhaira.

The dress was ivory satin encrusted with tiny crystals. Suhaira snickered. “You must be joking. That’s not my style at all!”

Maria hung the dress from a hook in the kiosk and turned to look at her. “It’s an original Vera Wang,” she said, “You must try it on.” 

Suhaira glanced at Zafeera who was also looking a little sceptical.

“All right,” she said, more out of politeness than anything else, “Although I do think that one of those black dresses would be more suitable.”

Maria drew the curtain around the kiosk. “Show me how it looks.”

The dress rustled as Suhaira pulled it over her head, the fabric slipping over her shoulders easily. She knew even before she turned to look in the mirror that it would be a perfect fit. She turned and gave a gasp. There was no other word for it: it looked stunning. 

Zafeera wasn’t nearly so restrained. “Oh my god!” she exclaimed, as Suhaira stepped out of the changing kiosk, “You look amazing Suhaira!”

She smiled self-consciously, “It is a beautiful dress.”  

Within a few minutes Maria had fixed her up with a pair of matching heels and the look was complete. Suhaira felt a surge of excitement at the thought of wearing this dress at the launch. And perhaps by then, she and Jack would finally be together …