Page 29 of No Such Thing as Serendipity

The waiter delivered our salads. I picked up my fork and stabbed a piece of lettuce, so I wouldn’t have to continue looking at her.

“What do you think it takes to fit in here?” Robyn’s smile showed her amusement without a trace of offense.

Still, I felt as if I’d been offensive. “I’m coming off like a real jerk, aren’t I?”

Robyn patted my leg. “No. I arrived with the same preconceived notion. But you’d be surprised. Madison is a rather progressive city with the college and all.”

“How long have you been here?”

“Just shy of eight years. Right after my fortieth birthday.”

That made her forty-eight. I’d figured she was a few years older than me, but this put her six years older.

“What brought you here?”

“That story’s too long to tell over a salad.” She speared a tomato and put it into her mouth.

“How about over an entire dinner?”

She shook her head. “I don’t want to monopolize the conversation. Besides, I talked to Vera this morning, and she told me about your talk.”

My face fell. I’d thought my confession to Vera had been private.

“What’s wrong?” Robyn asked.

“I just didn’t think Vera would go around blabbing about Terrence.”

Robyn’s eyes narrowed. “Who’s Terrence?”

From her response, I recognized my mistake. Vera hadn’t betrayed my confidence. “Uh, just my former employer.”

“Ah, like I’ve suspected, there’s more to that story.”

To my surprise, for the second time today, I found myself telling about Terrence’s betrayal. When I finished, the waiter had removed our salad plates. “Now you know of my humiliation, too.”

“No. There’s no cause for humiliation. You were done wrong, which isn’t so unusual, is it?”

I sighed. “I suppose not, but I thought I was bulletproof.”

“Don’t we all?” Robyn’s voice was full of sadness. “Did you enjoy Mary Lou’s talk?”

“Ugh, I walked into that, didn’t I? That’s such a loaded question.”

“It’s okay to tell me if you didn’t.”

“It’s not that simple.” I frowned. “Did I enjoy it? No. Would Emma tell you I needed to hear it? Yes.”

“I’m not interested in whether Emma thought you needed to hear it.” Her intense gaze bore into me. “I want to know what you think.”

I scowled. “Oh, man, you’re making it hard.”

“It’s my job.”

My scowl deepened. “I thought you were off duty tonight.”

“I am. It’s my job as your friend.”

I hoped Robyn didn’t notice my eyes widening. I supposed we were becoming friends. I didn’t make friends easily since I worried they had an ulterior motive, but here we were just people getting to know each other.

“Fair enough,” I finally responded. “Yeah, I needed to hear it, too. You know that’s why I’m here. I mean, it’s why Emma is calling all the shots. She believes I need to stop trying to control everything.”

“There you go telling me what Emma thinks.” Robyn put her hand on top of mine. “I want to know what you think.”

My chest tightened, and it felt warm in the restaurant. I wasn’t used to someone pressing me to talk about my feelings.

I shrugged. “Things haven’t worked out for me. I’m forty-two, with my career turned upside down and no relationship. It wasn’t where I thought I’d be at this age.”

“That could describe many of us.”

“That’s the funny thing.” I glanced at Emma. “She has it together, but I was always the one everyone thought would be the success. While Emma was timid and mild, I was a tiger. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a pauper, but money has never been how I gauge my success.”

“How do you measure it?”

Robyn’s eyes held so much compassion; I had to look down at my silverware before I spoke. “I’m not sure anymore.” It wasn’t true, but I hoped Robyn would let me get away with it.

By her expression, she wasn’t going to. “It’s all right to tell me you don’t want to answer. I’d rather you do that than, um—”

“Lie?” The word fell out of my mouth before I could stop it. What was it about Robyn and this place that made me express thoughts I wouldn’t anywhere else?

Robyn pursed her lips and nodded. “While technically it’s a lie, I’m okay in calling it avoidance.”

“Thanks.” I looked into her eyes and smiled. “It’s just I thought I’d have a prestigious career and long-term relationship. But here I am.” I motioned toward the room. “Not knowing what the hell comes next.”

“At the intersection of confusion comes some of our greatest moments.”

“Did you just make that up?”

Robyn smirked. “I think I might have. I believe the saying is lies our greatest freedom or something like that.”

“Hey, Robyn,” Annie said from across the table. “We need you to settle an argument.”

Robyn gave my hand a squeeze before she let it go. She smiled at Annie. “I’ll do my best.”

“Did you ever read The Second Sex ?” Annie asked.

“Simone de Beauvoir,” Robyn said.

“How about Sexual Politics?” Katlynn, who was sitting next to Annie, said.

“Kate Millett,” Robyn responded.

“We’ll take that as a yes,” Annie said. “So which do you think is better?”

“No, no, no.” Robyn waved her hand. “Best is such a subjective term. Both works are formative texts in the feminist movement, but they focus on such different aspects.”

Thus, our personal conversation ended, as Robyn shared her knowledge with those of us in earshot. I sat back and marveled at her understanding of the feminist movement.

Duh. She owned Lift Our Voices Bookstore. So what did I expect?

After dinner, several women from another villa complained we were being teacher’s pets and dominating Robyn’s time. I thought dominating was overdramatic, but Robyn acquiesced and reluctantly walked with them to the Overture Center.

I supposed it was my interpretation that she was reluctant, but since we’d been having such a stimulating conversation, I couldn’t imagine her being happy with the interruption.

Once we’d switched to the topic of feminist theory, the discussion had heated up.

It had been a long time since I’d enjoyed such a lively debate.

The waiter had told us it would be a ten-minute walk to the theater, but with our meandering pace, I figured it might take double the time.

“Penny for your thoughts,” Emma said as she walked beside me.

I glanced at the cars driving past. “Do you think we look like a vicious gang wandering the streets of Madison?” Twenty-six of us dawdling down the sidewalk had to be turning heads.

“Yep, I doubt they’ll let all our dresses fool them,” Emma said with a chuckle. “But I’m not buying it. I doubt that’s what you were thinking about.”

Damn. She missed nothing when it came to me. “It’s been an interesting day. Lots of things to think about.”

“And you’re mad because they snagged Robyn from us.” Emma pointed to the group at the front of the pack. Their animated gestures indicated they were having a spirited discussion, but Robyn’s demeanor held its normal calm.

“It’s just been a while since I’ve made a friend.”

Emma smirked. “Yeah, a friend. That’s nice.”

“Hey, hot stuff,” I heard Dana before I felt her hand on my ass.

I jumped and let out a slight squeal.

“Hey, watch yourself,” Emma said.

Emma’s fiery gaze prompted Dana to raise both hands. “Sorry. I was just teasing.”

“Well, keep your hands to yourself,” Emma said.

I didn’t need Emma to defend me, but I wouldn’t undermine her in front of the others, so I remained silent.

“Okay. Okay. Point taken.” Dana turned to me. “I’ve been trying to catch up with you, but it seems you’ve got your nose shoved up the teacher’s ass.” Dana wriggled her eyebrows. “Although she’s looking hot tonight, so I guess I can’t blame you for wanting a piece of that. Who knew?” Dana shrugged.

I bristled at her crudeness. Weeks before, I would’ve said the same; nevertheless, it irked me. “Cut the shit.”

“Wow. I guess it’s true that twins’ periods sync up.”

“We’re not twins,” Emma and I said at the same time.

“Well, that’s my cue.” Dana winked at me. “I’ll catch you later.”

As soon as she faded back into the crowd, Emma sighed. “You know, as long as you keep turning her down, she’s going to pursue you.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Does that mean you’re giving me the go-ahead?”

“Absolutely not!”

The women walking in front of us glanced over their shoulders. Emma gave them an innocent smile.

“I just mean, she seems to like the hunt,” Emma said.

“Yeah, I’m very familiar with women like her, Em. I’m not a shrinking violet that needs taken care of.”

“Well, she’s pissing me off.” Despite her ire, Emma still sported a smile.

I put my arm over her shoulders. “Let’s forget about her and enjoy tonight.”

“Holy shit,” Emma said as we neared the theater.

I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but this wasn’t it. Earlier, we’d walked past the Orpheum, which was the epitome of a theater from the 1920s or ’30s. I’d expected the Overture to be the same. I was wrong.

“It’s like the antithesis of the Orpheum,” I said as I gaped at the modern building featuring clean architectural lines, white panels with silver accents, and an abundance of glass panels that spanned several stories.

“I wonder what the inside looks like,” Emma said.

“It’s gorgeous,” Helena said from behind us.

I looked over my shoulder at Helena and Katlynn. “Definitely not what I was expecting.”

Katlynn spread her multicolored shawl out like wings and mimicked flying. “Imagine how it will look seeing Elphaba defying gravity.”

The meandering pace of those in front of us picked up. Apparently, everyone had the same reaction to the stunning building in front of us.

Once inside, we were greeted with more spectacular architecture in the lobby. Our villa mates gathered around as we gaped at the enormous space filled with people.

“Damn, we’re forty-five minutes early, and it looks like everyone is already here for the show,” Annie said.

“I don’t think they’re all here for Wicked ,” I said. “Robyn told me they have, like, five or six entertainment spaces.”

As we were gawking like tourists, Robyn sidled up between me and Emma. “Were you hoping to be rid of me?”

“Absolutely not,” Emma said, linking her arm through Robyn’s. “But we are miffed at you.”

“Sorry, I thought it would be rude not to talk to the others.”

Emma laughed. “No, not about that. About this place. You didn’t tell us how amazing it is.”

Robyn grinned. “I didn’t think me describing it would do it justice.” Robyn looked at me and smirked. “Besides, I doubted Blake would believe me if I told her we had a place like this in Madison, so I let her see for herself.”

“Hey, now. Are you disparaging me?” I gave her a playful scowl.

Robyn waved her hand toward the massive ceiling. “Would you have believed me if I’d described it to you?”

“That’s beside the point.”

Everyone laughed.

“Are you with us for good now?” I asked.

“I’m yours for the rest of the evening.”

“Good. Because we never finished our conversation from dinner.”

“Which one?” Robyn chuckled. “We covered quite a bit of ground.”

“You’d mentioned Vera filled you in on the talk you had with her,” I answered.

“Oh, right, but you thought it was about, uh…” Robyn glanced around, noticing everyone from our villa was listening. “The other thing.”

I wanted to laugh at her poor attempt at changing gears but didn’t care to alert the others, in case they missed it. I felt Emma’s eyes on me. Of course, she’d caught it, but the rest didn’t seem to.

“Yeah, Vera took me on a tour of Blissful Breeze and filled me in on the challenges she’s facing.”

“It surprised me. She’s tight-lipped about Blissful Breeze, at least to strangers.” Robyn’s face dropped. “Um, I didn’t mean it that way.”

“It’s okay,” Emma said. “She’s as strange as they come.”

I snorted at Emma’s juvenile joke. “Really? That’s the best you’ve got?”

“I’m just parched, so I can’t think witty.”

“Is that my cue?” I reached into my pocket and pulled out my credit card.

Emma snatched it from my hand. “Come on, girls, drinks are on Blake. We’ll leave her and Robyn to talk business. What would you like to drink, Robyn?”

“It’s a festive night. I think I’d like a glass of chardonnay.”

“One chardonnay coming up.” Emma turned to walk away.

“Um, don’t I get anything with my credit card?”

Emma glanced over her shoulder. “Yeah.” She continued walking away.

“Don’t you want my order?” I called.

“Nope.”

I groaned as Emma strutted away. “She’s impossible,” I said to Robyn.

“I’d say you’re lucky to have her,” Robyn said.

“I am.” I raised my finger and pointed at Robyn. “But don’t you dare tell her I said that.”

Robyn laughed. Then she motioned to an empty bench. “Let’s sit, and you can tell me all about your talk with Vera.”