"Julie just turned three," she beams, then leans in to swipe the screen, changing the picture on the phone in Luke's hand. "She's so smart. She loves books and robots." She laughs. "We have no idea why, but the kid loves robots."
"You might have a future scientist or astronaut on your hands," Luke says, handing the phone back.
"Another satisfied customer," I say as the couple departs and the waiters arrive with the main course.
Luke glances at me before responding. "Does that bother you?"
I shrug. "You sure get a lot of business in house."
"And?" Luke's voice has a warning to it that I don't appreciate. At all.
"And I was your patient once too."
"Sophie, enough." Luke shuts down the conversation with those two words.
I look at the meal in front of me and suddenly I'm not interested in eating. This room feels too hot and too loud and I just want out.
"Excuse me." I push back from the table and Luke stands to assist me. "I'm going to the restroom."
Luke’s jaw ticks in annoyance. That's fine, I'm annoyed with him too. I make my way past waiters and fellow guests milling about and exit the ballroom space into a hotel corridor. I sigh in relief. I was starting to feel a little queasy in that room, but I feel fine now that I'm not surrounded by a crowd. There's a women's restroom across the hall and I make a beeline for it. I just want a place to hide out for a few minutes and collect myself.
There's a pregnant woman washing her hands when I enter. I duck past her into a stall before I'm tempted to ask her if her bump is courtesy of Luke as well. I know I am behaving like a little bitch right now. I'm disgusted with myself, yet I'm still feeling just bitchy enough to refuse to go out there and apologize.
I hear the woman finish up at the sink and exit the bathroom. I'm alone now, so I figure hiding in a stall is more pathetic than necessary. I leave the safety of the stall while digging around in my clutch for the lipstick I brought with. I'm in the middle of reapplying when the bathroom door swings open and Gina breezes in.
I have to admit I'm slightly surprised to see her here. Specifically in this bathroom. I'd have thought she'd prefer to slip into my empty chair and keep Luke company while she has the chance.
"Sophie, darling!" She does a scan of the bathroom, confirming that we're alone. "You look breathtaking in that dress."
I'm confused. Is this woman bipolar? She looks stunning herself, her long red hair curled to perfection and trailing over one shoulder. She's in a platinum-colored gown, floor-length with a scoop neckline and a pear-shaped diamond pendant hanging from her throat.
"Gina." I nod in greeting.
She turns to the mirror and fingers the diamond pendant, centering it on her chest.
"That's a beautiful necklace," I compliment her. If she's being nice, I can be nice. Being catty isn't in my nature anyway. Maybe she's found someone new and I won't have to deal with her jealous behavior at these events. Assuming Luke brings me to more of them.
"Luke bought it for me," she replies and opens her own clutch.
I guess we're not done being catty. "Okay," I say and roll my eyes. This woman is something else.
She smirks at me in the mirror. "Luke bought me the nicest jewelry when we were together. I’m looking forward to seeing what he comes up with for my second engagement ring.”
I look at her for a moment. "So you're crazy then?"
She arranges her face into a pout and examines her reflection in the mirror. "That's not kind, Sophie. I don't think Luke would want you calling his patients crazy."
"I'm not. I'm calling you crazy," I say. And as I do, as the word leaves my mouth, I realize she's his patient.
Why in the ever-loving hell would he agree to treat her? I'm almost blind with rage, that's how angry I am.
"Your plan is to win him back by having him treat you for infertility?" I'm dumbfounded. How does this make sense?
I can't think straight, I'm so pissed about Luke touching her. I know he's a doctor, I know this. Encountering women at events that he's treated is weird enough, but his ex-fiancée?
"Something like that," she replies with a smug smirk.
I want to strangle this bitch with my bare hands. What's involved with fertility treatment? He's probably inseminated her. I wonder who her donor is. I'm picturing her flat on her back with her feet in stirrups and Luke between her legs.
Can I kill her with a lipstick tube? What else do I have in my clutch?
"Why is he helping you?" I'm incredulous. I know they're colleagues, but she's his ex-fiancée. Why wouldn't he refer her to another doctor?
"You don't know anything, do you?"
What don't I know? "I know Luke is leaving here with me and I know you're crazy."
"Wrong and wrong," she laughs. "I'm very fragile, Sophie, from all the fertility drugs." She actually sniffs. "And Luke will be leaving with me. In the next ten minutes."
I'm so worked up I feel queasy again. "Get out," I tell her. "Get the hell out of my sight, you crazy bitch."
"Tsk, tsk. Language, Sophie." Gina breezes out the door. She's not gone a second too soon, because tears fall down my cheeks a second later.
What is going on? What is he doing with her? I feel stupid. Left out and stupid. I've spent my limited adult life dating a man who was attracted to men, a man who wanted to film me without my consent, and Luke. Clearly my character-judging skills are off.
I grab some tissue and clean myself up. I will not have a breakdown in this bathroom. Gina's probably lying, yet things are starting to fall into place. I remember her stopping by Luke's condo the weekend after Thanksgiving in tears and Luke telling her to call his office the following week.
Forget it, I tell myself. I am not thinking of this right now. I am going back out there with a smile on my face and I'll talk to Luke about all this later.
I exit the bathroom and cross the corridor to the ballroom space and swing open the door.
I'm so disheartened with Luke right now. I don't think I know him at all. I feel… misled somehow.
I enter the ballroom while taking a deep breath. Maybe he has some social disorder that prevents him from realizing that he's wrong about Gina.
Two steps into the room I almost trip over my stilettos. Luke's seat is empty, because he's walking away, with his hand on Gina's back.
I turn around and exit the door I just came through and start walking. I'm not sure where I'm going except in the opposite direction of Luke and Gina. I have to get out of here. We arrived through an event entrance, that's the direction that Luke and Gina are walking. I'm sure I can catch a cab at the main entrance so I won't have to bump into them. I check my clutch to reassure myself that my ID and credit card are still there. I can get home with that.
I keep walking until I find my way to the main lobby of the Ritz Carlton and head straight outside for a cab, only then realizing I don't have Meredith's shawl. Luckily there's a line of cabs out front waiting for fares and the bellhop has me in one in moments.
I feel like I should cry, but I'm numb.
"Where to, miss?" the cab driver wants to know as he pulls into traffic and my cell phone starts ringing.
"Spruce and 38th," I tell him, giving him the directions to my dorm while glancing at my phone, the screen indicating a call from Luke. I hit ignore and then turn the phone off and toss it back in my bag.