Congratulations And...

Congratulations And...
word count: 1638       
Note: This story won honorable mention in the "Twisted Tales" contest.     


                Angela made her way through the sea of what she liked to call, "the beautiful people"; you know the type, the doctors, judges, lawyers and such. Her neighbors Mike and Carol had just stepped into that world. Mike landed a job with a big law firm recently.

             Angela spotted table thirteen and, of course, it was all the way to the back of the room, in the corner. Where else would she be seated in a crowd like this one?

              "Is this seat taken?" she asked a pretty red head sitting alone.

              "Well, it is now." she answered with a smile as she motioned for her to sit down.

             "Hi, I'm Angela. I live next door to Mike and Carol," she said, as she extended her hand.

             "I thought you looked familiar. I think we met at their last Christmas party. I'm Val. I work with Carol down at the Post Office. We've worked together for about three years now, we’ve become pretty close friends," she said as she shook Angela's hand.

             Angela pulled the chair out and sat down. "I used to think we were pretty close, too, but I was only told this was a party to celebrate Mike's passing the bar exam and landing the new job. To my surprise, it is an engagement party."

             "Don't feel bad, that's what I was told too. Mike probably knew that I would tell Carol and spoil the surprise." Taking a sip of wine Val continued, "You see, Carol has been after Mike to get married for years but he always had excuses...'Not until I finish law school, not until I pass the bar, not until I get a good job with a law firm.'"

              "She must be so happy that he proposed tonight, in front of all these people," Angela said, leaning back as the waiter placed a salad in front of her and another glass of wine. "Thank You."

             "I don't know...she seemed very overwhelmed and there was such a long pause, that I wasn't quite sure she was going to say yes. Now that is a great looking salad," Val said, as the waiter placed her salad on the table before her with another glass of wine. "Hey Garcione, are you trying to get me drunk and take advantage of me?" she said, through nasal laughter. "Just kidding! You can keep them coming, honey," Val said, with a wink of her eye.
 
            "You didn't think she was going to say yes? Why the heck not? You just said that she was pressing him to get married." Angela placed a bite of her salad into her mouth.

              "I really shouldn't tell you this...," Val glanced over to see that three more couples had joined them at lucky table number thirteen. She leaned in close to Angela and spoke a little softer, but not much. "Carol thought that Mike was cheating on her with some young blonde, diamond-draped, air-headed, office bimbo." Val gulped the last of the wine from her glass.

              "What? Is she losing her mind? There is no way Mike would be having an affair! What on earth would make her think that?" Angela asked, as the waiter removed her salad plate and replaced it with her dinner and another glass of wine.

             "Well, she told me that there were a lot of whispered phone calls lately, and he has been working late almost every night. Then, her sister spotted Mike having lunch with a young pretty blonde three weeks ago. Carol decided to sneak a peek in his day planner, but, the only thing she found was the name  Hansen's Jewelry jotted in the margin with a phone number. Mike never buys her jewelry."

             Ting, ting, ting. Mike was tapping a spoon on a glass of champagne he was holding up in front of him. Angela and Val looked up to see Mike standing at the front of the room with a nervous looking Carol at his side.
   
              "I would like to take a moment; first to thank everyone for coming tonight and sharing in, what I have to say, has turned out to be one of the best nights of my life. I would like to give a special thanks to my secretary Beverly, who helped me plan this whole extravaganza, including booking the honeymoon suite here at the Buckingham tonight for Carol and myself. You did an incredible job Bev, thanks for everything." A round of applause followed.

              "And last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank my fiancée Carol. Hey, I really like how that sounds!" A round of clapping and laughter faded as Mike finished his toast by saying,” Carol you have always been there for me. You believed in me, trusted me, you stood by me and helped me to achieve success, and now you have made me the happiest man in the world by saying you will be my wife. I love you sweetheart," Mike exclaimed while staring into Carol's eyes for a few moments. Then he raised his glass and clinked it against Carol's glass that she held clutched in both hands. Another round of applause followed and everyone went back to their conversations and dinner.

              "OK, now I see what you mean. That was a beautiful toast Mike just gave, and Carol looked like a deer caught in headlights. She is acting very strange. So go on with what you were saying," Angela said, as she took another sip of wine.

              "Well, let’s see...there were the whispered phone calls, the lunch with a blonde and the jewelry store notation in his day planner.  Then yesterday, on their answering machine, Carol listened to a message for Mike. It was from a hotel confirming a reservation for the honeymoon suite. She called me last night crying begging me to tell her what she should do."

             Angela's eyes widened. "What did you tell her?"

             "I didn't know what to tell her! I suggested that she confront him and give him a chance to explain."

              "What did she decide to do?" Angel asked.

              "I don't know. Mike came home and she had to get off the phone," Val said. "I haven't had a chance to talk to her, since she wasn't at work today. Oh, speaking of work, I need to check my phone messages. Do you mind?"

              "No, not at all. You go ahead; I'm going to the ladies room. I'll be right back," Angela said, as she stood and excused herself.

             "Angela, you're forgetting your purse," Val said. As she lifted the suede clutch bag from the table, a small hand gun slid out. There was a gasp and everyone at the table stared in silence at the weapon. Finally, Val said, "Why do you have a gun?"

              "It's not my gun! That's actually not my purse!"

             "That is the purse you sat down with at the start of the night Angela." Val stated, with eye brows raised.

              Angela sat back down. "When I arrived here tonight, Carol was in the lobby. She looked a little shaken and she asked me to do her a big favor. She gave me her purse and asked me to keep it with me until the party is over."

             A man at the table said, "Oh give me a break, you want us to believe that Carol came to her engagement party with a gun?"

             "Actually, she didn't know about the party at all. Haven't you been paying attention?" another guest at the table said.

              Val had her cell phone up to her ear and was holding up one hand, "Shhh, wait! This message is from Carol earlier tonight, listen!" She said, as she put the cell phone on speaker.

              Carol's voice came from the speaker on Val's cell phone, "Val, you were right! I'm not only going to confront him, I am on my way to the Buckingham Hotel to catch him in the act. If cheating is what he is doing...after tonight he will never be cheating on anyone ever again!" 

             "Hello everyone, I am Hal the videographer for this evening. So here is how it's going to go. I am going to start here and work my way around the table. Each of you will say your name and how you know Mike or Carol and end with Congratulations. OK! Do you got it? Here we go!" As he pointed the video camera to a balding man in a navy blue suite.

              "Reverend Mathews, from Mike and Carol’s church. Congratulations and... I don't think I will be able to marry you in June. If you have any questions you may call the church office on Monday." The Reverend stood and took his wife by the arm, "Come on Martha we are leaving!" 

             Hal didn't even hit the pause button. He just swung the camera to the next person at the table. "Janis Montgomery, I'm Carols therapist. Congratulations and…I’ll expect to see you in my office first thing on Monday morning.” She stood and grabbed up her purse, then turned and walked away as the camera panned to the next guest seated at the table.

              “Beverly Wilson, I’m Mike’s secretary and the blonde bimbo who helped him plan this party! Congratulations and…Mike you better re-think this whole wedding thing or invest in a bullet-proof vest. I’m going to ask to be transferred on Monday. I hope you understand.” The camera moved to the next person without hesitation.

             “James O’Donnell, Officer James O’Donnell, I’m Beverly’s date. I don’t really know Mike or Carol but, I’ve got a feeling we will be getting acquainted down at the station. Congratulations and…Carol, you’re under arrest!”