The First Dance

Adam and I arrived at the restaurant about 30 minutes before our reservation so we could have a drink at the bar. I had worn the dress Adam had given me and swept my hair back with a silver and crystal (totally fake ones) barette. I wore the necklace Anna had given me and a pair of silver pumps, too.

“This place is the nicest restaurant I have ever been in. I feel like I should take my shoes off so I don’t get the floor dirty.” I said.

Adam laughed and handed me a crystal flute of champagne and then clinked his to mine.

“Congratulations on closing your first show for the Glass Penny, Faith.”

He leaned forward and gave me a sweet kiss but we were interrupted in the middle of it by a woman in an elegant black dress.

“Adam?”

I looked up and a beautiful blonde woman with sea foam green eyes was standing there. She had long, wavy hair and looked like a super model. A diamond choker sat across her neck and her black dress went down to the floor but the neckline was a low v-neck in the front and also in the back. I felt ugly and fat in my green cocktail dress sitting on a bar stool next to her.

Adam looked uncomfortable but put his champagne flute down and stood up.

“Faith, this is Heather Montgomery. Heather, this is my girlfriend, Faith.”

“That’s it?” She asked nudging him and giving him a beaming smile.

She sat down in his seat next to me like we were old friends.

“Adam and I were high school sweethearts. We popped each other’s cherries.”

I almost spit out my champagne.

“Sorry, I might be a little drunk right now.” She laughed.

“You almost never come into the city.” Adam said tensely.

“I live here now. I took a job at my dad’s bank. He’s right over there, actually,” She waved to an older man standing among several other men dressed in suits and holding brandy snifters, “we’re celebrating my new job and move.”

“That’s awesome.” I said trying to be polite.

An awkward silence fell over the three of us when Heather suddenly stared at Adam as if she’d only just realized he was there.

“God, I haven’t seen you since…since that date our parents set us up over the holidays, right?” She said.

I felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on me and I raised my eyebrow and stared at Adam angrily.

He nodded at her.

“Your mom told me you were able to get your reversal done. All recovered?” She winked at him and he blushed.

“Yes.” He said his jaw was set.

“Oh, I guess our table is ready. Have a great night guys! Faith.” She smiled and sauntered away towards the group of men in suits.

I looked at Adam with angry expectation.

“She’s the one you slept with. How lovely.”

Adam took my champagne flute, put it down on the bar, and took my hand. He lead me out to a large dance floor with soft lighting. The song “Collide” was playing softly as he pulled me in to dance with him.

“You lied to me.” I looked up at him seriously.

“I didn’t lie to you. I told you it was a girl I knew from high school. I told you that my parents set us up. I also told you that it meant nothing. To either one of us, obviously.”

“You didn’t tell me about all the other stuff. Like that she was your high school sweetheart. Or the person you lost your virginity to.”

Adam let his shoulders drop and he let out a frustrated sigh.

“I didn’t think it mattered. AND we weren’t even dating then, Faith. I don’t understand why this is even an issue. I don’t hold the people you’ve slept with before me against you. Like Brad.”

I blinked back tears.

“Wow.” I said angrily stepping away from him, “Nice.”

Adam grabbed my hand and pulled me back to him, I looked away as we swayed to the music.

“I’m sorry, Faith. That was uncalled for but I can’t keep having this same fight.”

He put his hand on my face so I’d look at him.

“Listen, I’m sorry that I didn’t go into detail about who she was but I did nothing wrong by sleeping with her when I did. We were not together and I love YOU. I’ve chosen YOU. I want to be with YOU.”

I thought about my last therapy session with Dr. Sheehan and how I needed to allow myself to be happy and I realized that I was not letting myself get past this because it was connected to that. So I decided to let it go for good.

“I’m sorry. You’re right. It’s not fair to you to keep dragging this up and it really isn’t that big of a deal. It doesn’t matter when it comes to our relationship. I’m sorry for ruining tonight.”

“You haven’t ruined it.” He smiled and pulled me closer while we danced, “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now.”

After a few more songs, our table was ready and our waitress led us back to a beautiful table with a candle in the middle. The water glasses sparkled against the black table cloth. She handed us the menus and we started to peruse them.

“I’m not sure what I want to get to eat for dinner, but that crème brulee sounds amazing for dessert. What do you think you’re going to get?” I asked him.

“Adam?....Ad-”

I looked up from my menu and Adam’s face was ashen and had a look of horror on it. He looked like he was going to be sick.

“What’s wrong?” I asked with concern.

He snapped out of it and looked at me very directly.

“Faith. I am so sorry.”