[Event to Remember 01.0] An Event to Remember...or Forget

by Melissa Baldwin

  “Sienna, I want you to meet some of my co-workers. Ladies, this is Sienna Harris. She’s the genius behind all of this,” Abby says as she walks toward me.

  “This is such a beautiful event.”

  “I love how you incorporated her profession into the décor.”

  “Thank you, all. I actually had a lot of fun planning this night,” I say proudly.

  “Who made those adorable cookies?”

  “That would be our friend Madison Wales. She has a small designer cookie business.” I look around and spot her talking to DJ Tyrone. “She’s over there by the DJ. The one in the coral and mint maxi dress.”

  “Do you have any business cards?” asks the first woman.

  “Yes, I do! I work for Carrie’s Classic Events and More, but I’m launching my own company very soon,” I say as I hand out a few cards.

  They all start talking at once, questions fly at me from every direction, and I feel like I’m being chased by the paparazzi.

  “You work for the Carrie Anderstone?”

  “Is it true what they say about her?”

  “Does she still run the company?”

  “I have heard some crazy stories.”

  “I heard she had an affair with the mayor at his son’s graduation party. Were you at that event? Did you see anything?”

  “How much plastic surgery has she really had?”

  “Do you get along with her?”

  “Where does she travel to so much?”

  I’m not sure how to answer their questions. This is not the first time I’ve been asked about the sordid details of Carrie’s life, but I quickly decide to handle it in the best way I know how. I lie and change the subject.

  “Sorry, ladies, I have a very professional relationship with Carrie. Her life is private, and I make an effort to stay out of it. Have you all had a chance to leave a birthday message for Abby on a chalkboard yet? Remember, this night is all about her.” I can tell they’re not satisfied with my response, but at least they back off.

  With the exception of the pseudo-paparazzi attack, the party is a hit. I give out quite a few business cards, and Madison not only has people interested in her cookies, but also some possible clients for the salon.

  Abby comes up numerous times throughout the night to thank me and leaves crying every time. The DJ plays on, and the guests are having a great time. As I look around, I’m reminded why I chose this profession. I love seeing people have fun and share these moments with loved ones. I always feel so good knowing I can make this happen. Near the end of the party, I watch Abby go to DJ Tyrone’s booth.

  “Excuse me, everyone,” Abby whispers softly into the microphone, and the crowd gets quiet. “I just want to say a few things. To my awesome husband, Matt, thank you so much for the most memorable birthday. I’m so grateful to all of you for coming. Again, the most heartfelt thanks to Sienna Harris for planning and organizing the most creative and perfect party. Where are you Sienna?” she yells into the microphone.

  I raise my hand from the back of the room, and everyone turns in my direction. Applause and cheers break out, and I feel so exhilarated.

  “Happy Birthday, Abby!” I yell.

  Everyone in the crowd cheers ‘Happy Birthday!’

  Abby raises her hand, and everyone gets quiet. “I want to say one more thing because you’re all such an important part of our lives. We would like to announce that we’re expecting our first child later this year!”

  More cheers ring out.

  OMG, this is so exciting!

  Everyone is going up to congratulate her, so I wait until the excitement dies down.

  “Can you believe it?” Madison asks, running up to me. “Our first friend to become a mom. How awesome is this?”

  “I know, I want to all get the details, but let’s wait until things calm down,” I say.

  Not long after Abby’s announcement, the guests start to leave, so I stand near the exit and thank everyone. I watch Abby closely, and for the first time tonight, I can tell that she’s glowing. I stroll outside and look up into the sky. It’s a beautiful night, and the event turned out just as I had planned.

  It would have been even more perfect if Luke had shown up. I got a text from him about an hour ago that he was held up with the investors at the restaurant. He went on and on begging me to forgive him. I responded with a simple ‘I understand.’

  But I don’t understand, and I’m mad. He failed to follow through once again. For as long as I can remember, I’ve concentrated on building my career, my reputation, and now my company. Things are turning out like I’ve always wanted, and I want someone to share that with.

  “Sienna, are you okay?” I turn to see Abby standing next to me.

  “What? Oh, yes, of course. AHHHH!” I scream as I give her a hug. “I’m so excited for you. Now I know why you couldn’t stop crying tonight,” I say, laughing.

  “Yes, the hormones are a bit crazy, but what you did tonight was so perfect. I really don’t know how to thank you.” She gives me another hug. “I did want to ask you, though, where’s Luke? Is everything okay?”

  “Yes, everything’s fine. He just had a schedule conflict and wasn’t able to make it tonight. He said to wish you ‘Happy Birthday.’”

  A few other people interrupt us when they come up to Abby, screaming and hugging her.

  I excuse myself to check on the cleanup, happy to not have to answer any more questions about Luke.

  Luke comes running in as I’m taking the linens off the tables. “Sienna, I’m so sorry. I really tried to get here sooner. I just saw Abby outside.”

  I’m not sure what to say to him, so I keep folding linens.

  “Well, you tried to get here, right?” I say sarcastically.

  “Yes! Of course.” He walks over and leans in to hug me.

  I can’t really bring myself to hug him back.

  “I’m going to make it up to you, I promise. We will have the perfect anniversary,” he whispers as he hugs me.

  “Did Abby tell you her news?” I ask as I pull away. “She’s expecting a baby later this year. Can you believe it?”

  “She didn’t. Wow! Very exciting,” he says looking around. “Do you need some help with the cleanup?”

  “Sure.”

  As he helps, he tells me all about the restaurant and his night.

  Honestly, I only half-listen. I’m not sure what’s happening. This relationship was going so well, and now something feels different. I’m sure I’m just mad that he didn’t make it tonight. I try to put my doubts out of my head and focus on the week to come.

  I notice Madison looking over, giving Luke dirty looks. Thankfully, she remains on her best behavior as there are still other guests milling around. Luke says ‘hi’ to her, and her response is short. I can tell it’s killing her not to rip his head off, but she keeps her cool. Luke seems to be going out of his way to be nice to Madison. He even pulls her aside to talk. Her body language starts to change as he goes on, and I can see her face soften just a little bit. I even see her crack a tiny smile—very tiny. A few minutes go by, then he turns around and walks toward me. I quickly turn away because I don’t want him to think I was watching the whole time.

  “I think I smoothed things over with Madison. She’s tough, but I know I deserve it. I really am sorry. I should’ve been here with you tonight.”

  “Yes, you should have, but hopefully, with the number of cards I gave out tonight, you’ll be attending many more events with me.” I give him a tiny smile.

  “I’m really proud of you.” He leans in and kisses me. I feel my body melt the second his lips touch mine. His meaningful kiss makes my frustration fade away.

  The rest of the night is really fun. Madison and Cole help finish the cleanup, and then the four of us order pizza. It really ends up being a wonderful night—not exactly how I planned, but better than I expected.

  The next morning, I’m up bright and early and in a great mood. I’m meeting Craig at the hotel
to make sure everything is ready for the Samson engagement party.

  “Someone is happy today.” He teases then gives me a kiss on the cheek. “How was the party?”

  “The party was a huge success. I met a lot of people, and I have a feeling we’re going to be very busy.”

  “Fabulous!” Craig says, giving me a high five. “Now tell me, did Mr. Perfect show up?”

  “Well, I don’t know about Mr. Perfect, but Luke arrived at the end of the event,” I reply, laughing. “Before you say anything, it’s okay. We discussed it, and he even talked to Madison. Things are better. I don’t plan on bringing it up again, and I want to enjoy our anniversary this week.”

  “Oh, yeah, the hot date at Venice. He does score some brownie points for that one,” Craig says, giving me a wink. “Any idea what else he has planned? Just dinner?” He raises his eyebrows.

  “Not sure.” I look at my checklist as we head into the ballroom. “That’s enough of the third degree. How did set-up go last night?” When we walk through the double doors, I immediately get excited. One of my favorite parts of my job is seeing all of our creativity and planning put into action. The ballroom has been transformed into a perfect beach scene, and I’m so pleased with all of the extra details. The linens are yellow and turquoise. Glass bowls filled with sand and seashells rest in the center of each table. And beautiful Adirondack chairs are strategically placed around the room.

  “Craig, everything looks perfect! This makes me want to take a trip to the islands.”

  “Let’s go. We can have Nicole book it on Carrie’s credit card, and she’ll never know,” he yells excitedly, and I know he is not kidding.

  “That’s not a bad idea. Let’s get through tonight, and we’ll talk about it,” I reply half-kidding and half-serious. She really would never know.

  We spend the day finishing all the extra details. It’s always fun to work with Craig. He’s like another brother, and we work very well together. We talk a lot about the company launch. The truth is, I never asked Craig to resign from Carrie’s. When I made the decision to go off on my own, I kept it to myself as I worked out the early details. I talked to my parents first and asked their advice. My parents are laid back and careful to respect my decisions because I’ve always been very independent and a planner. They expressed some concerns because I have such a good set-up at Carrie’s. Of course, this was the hardest part for me because I’m basically running her company for her and have carte blanche over creative decisions, but I want to be on my own. I may fail, but I have to try. Luke also questioned my decision to leave. He initially thought I was crazy, but after a while, he was more open to the idea. Sometimes I wonder if he thinks I’m making a huge mistake.

  Back to Craig, though. Once I really started to move forward with plans, I had mentioned the possibility of my leaving while we were working on a set-up. Right away, his response was that he was coming with me—no matter what. I warned him of the risks involved in starting fresh and leaving the security of Carrie’s. He’s been on board since day one and hasn’t wavered at all. I’ve already checked with an attorney, and we don’t have any contracts or non-competes with Carrie, so there aren’t any legal issues to worry about. This just leaves the moral issues. I don’t really worry about that part because Carrie isn’t exactly the most ethical of business owners. Most of the clients that we’ve acquired are due to my hard work and dedication. I’m sure quite a few of them will stay with me when I launch my business. And I’m also sure that there will be some that will continue to use Carrie’s because of her personal connections.

  So, after much planning—of course—Sheer Happiness Events was born. Yes, that’s the name of my company. I chose this name because, aside from the fact that my initials are S.H., I love witnessing the happiness and joy of my clients and friends at these events. That’s why I chose this profession. Watching Abby at her party last night is a perfect testament to that love, and I could almost feel every emotion right along with her. The tears she shed as she read the notes from her students, and the abundance of joy she expressed when she announced her pregnancy.

  Speaking of events, the Samson engagement party goes extremely well with the exception of a few minor things that Craig did not follow up on. This was very surprising to me because he’s usually spot on with every detail. In his defense, they were last-minute requests from the client and were simply overlooked. I think I smoothed things over, but hopefully, there’s no fallout. I finally get home around one and fall straight into bed. As much as I love my job, it can be utterly exhausting.

  Chapter Four

  The following week was full of planning for the Faith, Fashion, and Hope event. Carrie actually showed up at the office one day, and we briefly discussed the event, then she left to go see her psychic.

  I was so anxious for my big anniversary date that I tried to distract myself with the plans for the charity event. This event could be the most important of my career, and I want everything to be perfect.

  As if regular anxiety isn’t bad enough, mine shot through the roof on Wednesday when I got stuck in the elevator for what seemed like hours (it was actually only about twenty minutes). But still, I panicked and called Madison crying. She thought it was pretty funny considering the building only has two floors, and I was stuck between them. I was convinced I was having a panic attack, and that it would take days to get me out. I did have a panic attack for real once—right before one of my first events. Scariest. Thing. Ever! Seriously, though? I never thought this could actually happen in real life. I guess I can cross ‘get stuck in an elevator’ off my bucket list.

  Anyway, Luke is still keeping the details of our date a secret. I think Madison knows something about it, but she’s not spilling. She did say he recruited her to help with something though. Luke’s been so busy that we haven’t seen each other, so I haven’t been able to ‘persuade’ him to tell me more.

  After I get home from work on Thursday, I call him.

  “Hello, stranger,” I say when he picks up the phone. “I miss you.”

  “Hey, I know it’s been a crazy week. Are you feeling better?” he asks.

  “What do mean?”

  “The elevator trauma,” he replies sarcastically.

  “Oh, yeah. I’m fine. Why don’t we talk about tomorrow night instead?” I say, trying to change the subject. I admit I’m a little embarrassed about my overreaction.

  “Not so fast. All you need to know is that I’ll pick you up at seven, and there’s nothing else to talk about until then. I have some work to finish up, but I’ll call you later.” He hurries me off the phone.

  Friday is the longest day of my life, and I’m not productive at work at all. However, I did get a pedicure and a facial, and I only feel a little bit guilty for skipping out on work. In my defense, I don’t do things like this that often. On my way home, I stop by Madison’s salon so she can do my hair. Even she’s excited for the big date, which surprises me.

  “Are you going to text me when you get there? I want a full report,” she says as she flat irons my hair.

  “I promise you. I will.” I’ve told her this a thousand times, yet she still asks every five seconds. I give her a thank you hug. On the way home, I listen to Bob Marley. Bob always calms my nerves.

  Venice has only been open for a few short months, and it’s next to impossible to get reservations. I’ve heard that it’s a throwback to the days of supper clubs with dinner, music, and dancing. I Googled some pictures, and it looks amazing.

  I’m ready to go at six forty-five. I’m wearing a new black pantsuit that has been sitting in my closet for months with the tags still on just waiting for the perfect night. It was one of those impulse sale buys. The shoes are my favorite though, of course—my new four-and-a-half-inch platform heels from Nordstrom.

  Luke arrives a few minutes late with a dozen roses in hand.

  “I love them, thank you!” I say, wrapping my arms around his neck. Our lips meet, making me feel dizzy.


  “Happy Anniversary! You look beautiful,” he says, holding out my hand. “Are you ready, or do you want to just stay in tonight? You’re probably pretty tired, right?”

  “Very funny. You know the answer to that. Madison wants me to text her when we get there.” I practically drag him to the car.

  “What do you mean she wants you to text her?”

  “She wants all the details of Venice, come on!” I can’t get in the car fast enough. “At first, she wanted me to take pictures, but I told her no.”

  “It’s our anniversary date, are you really going to text her?” he asks after he gets in the car. Is he really bothered by this?

  “Sure, why not? It will just take a second. Is that a big deal?”

  “Whatever.” He starts the car.

  Okay, so this isn’t the way I wanted tonight to start.

  “Did you get things finished for that new client?” I ask, trying to lighten the mood.

  “Not yet. They’re pretty difficult. It’s going to be a lot of work in the coming weeks. It looks like I’ll have to travel for some meetings because they’re not very flexible. I just need to focus on the end result, not the negotiating part. If we land this account, it will be our biggest deal ever.”

  “You got this. When you land that account, we’ll have a lot to celebrate, especially once Sheer Happiness is launched,” I say excitedly.

  I look up as we pull into the parking lot. The valet guy comes over to our car and opens my door. “Buona sera.”

  I get out of the car, and Luke takes my hand as we enter an exquisite room with high ceilings. From the lobby, you can look down into the restaurant where a brass band plays music from the big band era next to a huge dance floor.

  “Reservations for Price,” Luke tells the hostess.

  “Mr. Price, your table will be available in just a few minutes. Please make yourselves comfortable.”