EXPOSED

“Honey, I can’t come to the launch party with you as I have to make an appearance at a function. It is a book launch as well. Our company is hosting it. If I get a chance I might drop in for  half an hour but don’t depend on it”

“No problems, Rob, I can go by myself. There will be people I know there. I probably won’t stay long.  Annie, Sue and Jen  are going so I will have company”.

Victoria, had a shower and changed into a suitable dress for a book launch party. She looked elegant and she was looking forward to  having a few drinks at the party after her hectic week at work. She did not know the author or the people from the publishing company. She was only going as her friends who worked at this particular company had asked her. 

She caught a taxi as she intended on having more than one or two drinks over the evening. 

When she arrived she was fashionably late the way she intended as she did not want to be the first person there. As she walked through the crowd, she realized that she did not know anyone there and it did not look like her  friends had arrived at this point. She felt a little ill at ease as everyone seemed to be in groups chatting with each other. She decided to go to the bar and get a drink which were compliments of the publishing company. Rather than sit at the bar, she found a comfortable looking couch and sat down with her drink. She had a good vantage point to observe the crowd so she thought she would be able to see her friends arrive. She sat there alone for about half an hour before a woman who looked around her own age came and sat beside her with a drink. She looked friendly and introduced herself as Miranda. “Nice to meet you, I’m Victoria.”

“Are you here alone Victoria?” “Well I am at present because my friends have not arrived yet and my husband had a work function that he had to attend but he said he would possibly drop in if he can get away.” “Hopefully your friends will turn up soon” said Miranda. “Yes I hope so but I am actually enjoying just sitting here having a drink and watching the crowd. I love people watching as I dabble in writing so I can get ideas for characters by observing people.”

“I know a few people here”  commented Miranda. “My boyfriend is coming later.” 

They drank a couple more glasses of wine and they chatted. Miranda was quite amusing as she made observations about different people. Victoria told her that her friends worked at this publishing company but Miranda did not know them. 

Annie, Sue and Jen, Victoria’s friends headed off to the party but when they got there they could not find Victoria. “She must have got held up. I hope she got the address right.” said Annie.

Eventually, they saw the familiar face of Rob, Victoria’s husband. “Hi Rob! Where is Victoria?  “Isn’t she here? She left before me. She must have gone somewhere first. She did not mention it but I am sure she will turn up soon enough” replied Rob. He stayed for about thirty minutes and then said he had to get back to his work function. “Get Victoria to text me when she arrives so that I don’t worry about her all evening” “OK, Rob, we will” the three women said in unison.

Jen commented when he left that she was a little concerned about Victoria as she was definitely coming to this party. “If she does not come soon, I will call her” she said.

Rob left and headed off to his function  After he left, Jen decided to call Victoria. “Hello, Victoria speaking.”  “Where are you Victoria? We are all here waiting for you and Rob just called in and was a little concerned.” “Well I have been here for at least an hour looking for you guys. Luckily I found someone to talk to otherwise I would be feeling rather awkward on my own.” You are at the The Grand Chancellor Hotel aren’t you?” asked Jen.” Of course I am”  “We are in the Albert Room which is the function room where it is being held.” What?  Oh no, I am in the  Kingsley Room” “Are there two book launches on at the same venue? How strange!” commented Victoria feeling very confused. “Well we are upstairs on the fifth floor” Jen said. 

Victoria turned to Miranda and confessed that she had got confused and was at the wrong launch party. “ No wonder you did not know my friends. There is another one upstairs on the fifth floor. I feel so stupid as my friends are all waiting for me up there and my husband called in but he had to leave and go back to his work function which is also a launch. So I won’t get to meet your boyfriend Miranda, but thanks for your company.  It has been very entertaining.” 

Miranda looked up and glanced across the room. “Oh here comes my boyfriend now you can still meet him after all. You will like him.”

He walked over and stopped in his tracks when he saw Victoria. He looked aghast. “ Hi Rob” Miranda greeted him. “Is something wrong, you look like you have seen a ghost!”

“Miranda, you can introduce me to your boyfriend but let me introduce him as my husband first. This is Rob, my husband.” Miranda sat down again, looking stunned.  “Rob what is going on?

Is this true that you are Victoria’s husband?” “Let’s go somewhere and talk about this rather than making a scene here” suggested Rob looking very uneasy.

“How long have you been seeing Miranda?” “ About six months but I still love you Victoria. I did not mean this to happen. I’m sorry Miranda. I have just been confused.” “You are only sorry because you got caught Rob. You can’t love someone if you are capable of deceiving them to this degree” Victoria spat the words at him.

“Well it is lucky that I ended up at the wrong party tonight Rob, otherwise I would still be the wife being made to look like a fool. Now I understand all the late nights and the excuses that you could not accompany me to social outings. Obviously MIranda is in the same situation as me because she was unaware that she was dating a married man. Miranda, I do not blame you for any of this. You are the innocent party. You seem like a lovely person and I am glad I met you.” said Victoria. “ I would run a mile though if I was in your shoes.

“ I am leaving this party and I am leaving your life Rob!” 

Victoria, walked out with her head held high, belying the tumultuous emotions she was feeling. She walked upstairs to find her friends who she needed so much at this moment. She walked in and when she saw her friends, she joked that she was being fashionably late. If she had not joked she knew she would break down and cry. But that was for later when she lay in her bed all alone with her thoughts.