In the end, Jennifer came home without any plus-one in sight.
This was because Jennifer was a coward.
She was too embarrassed to ask anyone to pose as her date.
And when her mother opened the door for her, she didn't have the guts to announce a fake 2D love either. So she murmured an excuse about her date coming later.
Jessica grabbed her at the stair landing. "Do you need Mike's brother?"
Jennifer shook her head. She was not that desperate.
Okay, she was desperate.
But she was also too proud to admit it. So she continued her baldfaced lie. "I do have a date. He's coming later."
"Since when did you start dating?" Jessica asked accusingly.
But Jennifer couldn't back down now. "Urm… recently. Anyway, I need to go unpack my dress and check if it needs ironing."
Later at lunchtime, Jennifer joined her family at the table.
Mike was here too. He had come to help Dad put up the fairy lights.
"I told you not to make it such a big deal," Jessica grumbled at Mother.
"Your sister had fairy lights at her wedding," Mother said. "Everyone said it was beautiful."
Nobody mentioned how the marriage had been annulled forty-eight hours later.
Dad cleared his throat.
"Your mother said you were bringing a boy home."
Oh.
Jennifer swallowed whatever she was chewing.
"Yes?"
Dad continued the interrogation.
"How old is he?"
"My age."
"Is he working?"
Jennifer knew the correct answer to this one.
"Yes."
"How long have you been dating?"
Jennifer did NOT say: Never.
She poked the food around her plate.
Jessica answered for her.
"They started dating recently."
Jennifer nodded quickly.
"Urm… yes."
Let's just go with that.
Mother sighed.
"You know, Terrence is working at the bank."
Dad sighed too.
"As long as he's not a bum."
Okay. Yes. Got it.
By five o'clock, everything was set up perfectly.
Fairy lights in the garden. A buffet table covered with catered professionalism. And a cake.
Jennifer was extremely pleased that the engagement party included such a cake. Jessica had promised that the inside was rainbow, and Jennifer couldn't stop smiling.
"No wonder you're good at your job," Jessica teased fondly. "You're still such a kid."
By six o'clock, the happy couple were dressed and ready to receive their guests.
Jessica had insisted the event should be casual.
Mother had insisted that casual meant cocktail dresses.
This resulted in the men wearing jeans and polo shirts while the ladies wore dresses and heels.
But that was how Jennifer's family worked, and everyone was happy.
"Where is your boyfriend, Jenny?" Mother asked. "What time did you ask him to come?"
"Urm…"
Jennifer desperately tried to lie.
She had even prepared the perfect excuse.
"He had work last minute…"
Jessica facepalmed.
Mother took it rather well though.
"No matter. Terrence is coming—"
"But he's coming!" Jennifer insisted quickly. "He'll just be a little late. Hahaha…"
Jennifer was doomed.
At seven o'clock, the guests started arriving.
Mother had invited many friends because she needed to reintegrate into the circles of fulfilled social expectations.
It was funny how many of the families had lived along the same street for years. It had been a long time, but Jennifer still recognized many of their faces.
"Oh, is this Jenny!"
"Look how pretty you've grown!"
Even though Jennifer was forty, not fourteen anymore.
Rolly's family was also here.
Jennifer recognized his sister Elsa.
"Elsa is going to be one of my bridesmaids too," Jessica told Jennifer. They had gone to university together and become close.
"Where's your brother, El?" Jessica asked. "My sister might need a boyfriend tonight."
"Ah, Rolly?"
Then Elsa burst out laughing.
"He's stuck at work. Oh man, he's going to be so pissed if he knew what he missed!"
Jessica looked confused. Jennifer shrugged.
Elsa finished laughing.
"I'll text him and ask if he's coming anytime soon."
"Tell him to come as Jenny's boyfriend," Jessica begged.
Elsa laughed again.
"What are you up to now, Jess?"
So Jessica told her.
Point blank.
Which meant Jennifer's sister had seen through all her lies.
"Jenny lied that she has a boyfriend and he's expected to show up tonight. If he doesn't, Mother will make her keep Terrence company all night."
"Ooooh… ouch," Elsa winced. "Yeah, been there."
She started texting.
"Anyone's better than Terrence. Even Rolly."
"Even Pete," Jessica agreed.
No.
Jennifer felt she had to disagree.
Pete was worse.
Rolly though…
The thought of Rolly made her smile like rainbow cake under white cream.
Just then Mother appeared, with Terrence and his mother at her heel.
"Jenny! You remember Terrence, right?"
Jennifer froze.
Elsa slapped her hand over her mouth.
Jessica desperately scanned the room for Mike's brother.
Jennifer briefly considered fainting.
And then there was a commotion outside.
Some guys on the porch started whooping.
"Hey! It's Rolly! Rolly Polly!"
"I can't believe you're here!"
"You didn't change one bit!"
"I got bigger," Rolly said calmly.
The guys laughed.
"I heard you joined Pandora Corps!"
"Were you secretly an awakener?"
"Is your awakener power rolling?"
It made Jennifer feel like they were back in high school again.
And it also made Jennifer wonder why she had never noticed before how hearing Rolly's name could make her heart jump and her stomach flutter.
Elsa patted her shoulder.
"He answered my text: OK. So that's your boyfriend tonight."
OMG.
Jennifer had forgotten how nerve-wracking high school could be.
Rolly came into the house.
Jennifer watched him amble over.
"Hi Jenny," he said easily. "Sorry I'm late. Meeting ran long at HQ."
Rolly nodded politely to Mother.
"Hello, Mrs. Lee."
Jennifer beamed.
This was even better than rainbow cake.
"Mother! You remember Rolly, right?"