After our plates arrived, the conversation easily drifted from sports to politics and then to each other's businesses. The men seemed very interested in Rowan's flourishing insurance company.
Lucille jabbered on about flowers, wedding gown styles and her honeymoon plans. I wanted to suggest Monaco since Rowan and I had gone there, but that would be putting our personal business out, and I was sure Rowan would not approve of that.
Everyone seemed so in their element, talking, laughing and catching up on past years— years that I could not and would never relate with because part of the agreement between Rowan and I was to not ask about each other's past.
I soon noticed that Camille had zoned out of the conversation and was now silent.
"Are you alright?" I asked her.
She sniffed at that moment and everyone turned to her.
"Are you okay?" Rowan asked. His voice was gentle, the same tone he used on me during the early months of our marriage when I couldn't sleep due to period cramps. Now, I spent those moments crying on the cold tiles of the bathroom floor.
"I'm sorry, I just..." Camille put a hand to her mouth and began to cry.
Rowan placed one arm over Camille's shoulder and handed her another tissue from his breast pocket.
Seriously, why the hell did he keep tissues in his pocket?
She leaned into his embrace and I quickly looked away, his earlier warning still ringing in my ears.
No side eyes, no drama. And I didn't trust myself not to show any reaction.
Don't embarrass him, Maya.
Camille began speaking again. "Seeing you all here just makes me wanna cry," she sniffled. "If my husband was here as well..." She trailed off and burst into tears again.
"Awwn, don't cry, Camille," the group cooed her but it only seemed to make her more emotional.
I couldn't imagine losing someone to death, but I knew the ache of being cut off from someone very dear to me.
I held her hands in mine and squeezed a little.
"I'm sorry for your loss, Camille. Not many people are strong enough to go through what you're going through," I said softly and Camille nodded, wiping her eyes.
Thankfully, Rowan's hand then dropped from her shoulder.
"I'm happy with how well you've received me too, Mary– the name's Mary, right?" Her gaze flicked up at me with wet lashes and I shook my head.
"It's Maya," I corrected.
Staring at her, I understood why Rowan couldn't refuse her every time. The way she stared at me was so innocent, but somehow I felt uncomfortable.
"Oh, Maya, sorry," Camille apologized with a look of remorse.
"You've been so kind to me and I really wish we had known each other three years ago, you know, before you got married to Rowan and all that. We might have even wedded at the same time, it'll be so cute!"
My eyes reflexively narrowed. Was she married three years ago too? How coincidental.
"Please help me open this water, my nails are…"
"Let me," Rowan offered before I could respond and took the bottled water from her.
"Thank you," she said and smiled, her eyes lingering on his face for a little too long, or was it just me who thought so?
As I sat there, I began to ponder over the past three years of my life. Rowan had never loved me, he had never respected my opinions or ideas, and despite knowing our relationship was purely transactional I had still fallen in love with him, making excuses for him and believing that one day, I would no longer be a stranger to him anymore.
"Mmm, this tuna is good isn't it, guys?" Lucille asked and I was brought back to the present yet again. The others nodded in agreement.
"Let's make a toast to Lucille and Chris!" Rowan said and as he did so, some food particles fell off from his mouth to his beard and shirt.
"I'll get it," Camille said with a playful chuckle and quickly moved her hands to his face, cupping his chin with one hand and picking the particles from his beards with the other.
My mouth dropped open without warning and my eyes went wide in shock. I was sure the irritation on my face must have been very obvious because the others were exchanging uneasy glances between me and each other.
"Er, Camille," the younger man called out with a nervous laughter. "I know you and Rowan have always been close friends but you should also consider the presence of his, ah, wife."
Camille let her hands fall from Rowan's beard and she turned to me, blinking rapidly with that remorseful look again.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Mary. I tend to be very clingy, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that," Camille's apology tumbled out. She looked up at me through her lashes, the look of innocence on her face like that of a child who knows he'll be scolded.
"Rowan always told me how kind and considerate his wife is. You…you forgive me, don't you?"
I almost laughed at the absurdity of it all but I remembered Rowan's words. Act according to the script.
I forced a smile, "First, my name is Maya. And second, thank you for the lovely dinner but I'm done with this," I pushed the plate in front of me, causing it to clank against the marble surface, and then stood.
However, Rowan had already stood as well and caught my arm before I could take two steps away. It was a grip that looked gentle but held me like a vise and sent my heartbeat skyrocketing.
"Love, you're probably drunk. Take the key, go up to our hotel room and have some rest. I'll see you later."
Drunk? I scoffed within myself. I didn't even take a sip of wine.
I pulled my hand from his grasp, my chest heaving with restrained anger. I didn't care much that we were in public now. He couldn't continue to make me feel disrespected just because our marriage meant nothing to him anymore.
Saying nothing, I snatched the keys from him and drowned the scared voice telling me he would make me pay for my disrespect later.
As I walked away from the table, I could hear Camille's small voice.
"Did I... I didn't say anything disrespectful, did I?"
And I fought the urge to snatch a flower vase and hurl it in her direction.