Almost

I am sitting on a brown fake leather couch with my fiancé in a room that smells like lavender and Febreze. Our counselor is a friend of my fiancé, much younger than me and too pretty for me to trust her. When this started 6 months ago I thought I could win her over. I felt like I gave all the right answers, that was until our appointments started to be separate. Kelly, our counselor said it would be easier for her to focus on us as individuals and then she could see how we work together – whatever that means.

For me it makes it harder. How am I supposed to know if what I am saying is right if I can’t see Henry’s face? The slight nod of his head to indicate I am right, the raised eye brow when I am not, or the tap of his foot when I talk too much and he is getting annoyed. I am so close this is the last hurdle before my wedding then I can sail into forever without ever having to worry about anything again. Henry is rich. Not just rich but stupid rich. He has more money than even I could spend in a life time and I plan on trying. I do like him of course I do, but I am not attracted to him. Who would be? He is over 20 years older than me, over weight and has a slight lisp. I mean he is nice, never would be violent, but he also doesn’t do anything for me if you know what I mean.

Part of the marriage agreement is to complete a 6-month session with a counselor that Henry chooses. He wanted to pick to make sure no one tricks him. That is a thing with Henry he is always worried someone is going to pull a fast one on him. He wants a professional to make sure I am in it for the right reasons, which I kind of am. I mean I don’t plan on cheating on him or taking his money in a divorce. I can live with Henry he is funny and he likes to have a good time. I just don’t want to have sex with him. If he wanted to live like friends it would be great, but he doesn’t. That is also part of the marriage contract. We are supposed to have sex or as he has it in the agreement “have relations” at least twice a month.

Kelly looks at me and it is my turn to follow her to the “other room”. I call it the interrogation room, but really it is a fine room. It’s actually nicer than the one we left Henry in. This is the last of our meetings. I feel nervous I notice I am sweating a little bit. It’s all going to come down to this last appointment then Kelly is supposed to provide us with her final report and we’ll either send out invites or not. I can’t believe my whole future depends on this one person and a total of 24 hours spent analyzing us. Our conversation doesn’t seem special to me. We talk about my week, things Henry and I did together, I tell her a story about us picking out a couple things for the wedding and she asks if I have any concerns. I say no because I don’t, nothing that I want her to know about anyway. She nods and says that we are done. We walk back into the room and I go back and take my place next to Henry. I take a breath of relief. When I am back with Henry I really do feel better, I feel safe, like I passed the test. Kelly tells us she will send her report by next week and that is that.

I try not to think about it all week. There is nothing more I can do. Henry and I don’t talk about it at all, not a word since we left her office that day. We had sex that night, thanks to me, I was so relieved I felt like I would get one of the two over early this month. Soon we would be busy planning a wedding anyway and who has time for romance when your wedding planning?

I come home from a day of shopping, spending too much money that is not yet mine, to an envelope on the counter with my name on it and a slice of chocolate cake. It looks fantastic I take out a fork and take a large bite, licking the chocolate frosting off of the fork as I open the envelope. As I start to read the card inside I realize all too late my mistake. Slowly I lick the remaining frosting off of the fork put it down take my purse and walk away.

Anna,

You almost had me. The sad part is I loved you and I would have given it all to you but you lied one too many times. The day we went to pick our wedding cake I told you to pick out whatever you wanted. You picked a chocolate cake with chocolate icing. You said it was for me because I love chocolate. I don’t. You told Kelly about this at your last appointment. She knows me Anna she knows I don’t like chocolate. Kelly followed up on a few more things, she found out you lie pretty much about everything. Things that don’t really matter, but while she was digging she found out you’re not who you say you are. Your name isn’t even Anna. I can’t trust you, I don’t even know who you are.

Leave my house and don’t contact me or you’ll hear from my lawyers.

- Henry