The Woman in the Green Dress

by Joanna Hunter

‘Is that his wife?’ hissed a young girl, pulling her sparkly dress down to stop her knickers showing. (It didn’t work, observed the barman.) ‘Do you think she knows?’

‘Knows?’ replied her companion, older and slightly more demurely attired, but with garish make-up that tried too hard.

‘About Leanne!’

‘Doubt it, not specifics anyway. But she’s been married to him for over twenty years, she can’t be completely clueless.’

‘Doesn’t she realise everyone’s talking about her though?’

‘Well, you are – doesn’t mean everyone else is. She comes every year, stands by his side, smiles sweetly, he pretends he couldn’t do it without her – blah, blah, blah. Everyone plays along with the charade tonight, then business as normal resumes tomorrow.’

‘I’m not sure Leanne will play along!’

‘She has no choice, not if she wants to keep her job – or him. Now then, drinks!’

The barman put down the glass he’d been cleaning while he eavesdropped on this exchange.

‘What will it be, ladies?’

‘Gin and tonic,’ commanded the older woman.

‘Prosecco, please,’ said sparkly dress girl.

‘Certainly.’ As he prepared their drinks the women continued their perusal of the party.

‘She looks good though, don’t she? His wife. For her age, I mean. Quite glamourous.’ Only a snort was given in response.

* * * *

‘Hey, good looking, what’re you offering?’ The voice belonged to a skeletal girl grabbing the bar for support, dark lines around her eyes emphasising her corpse-like appearance. Skulking behind her was a sour-faced girl of a similar age.

‘Prosecco?’ the barman responded, making an educated guess.

‘Make it a bottle and two glasses – my mate here needs cheering up.’ The girl leaned forward, whispering loudly behind her hand. ‘She’s banging the boss, you see, but his wife’s showed up.’ She nodded toward a petite woman in a long, dark-green dress, auburn hair hanging down in waves.

‘Shush, Cerys!’ said sour-face.

‘Sorry, Katie!’ She glanced around quickly. ‘No one else heard, don’t worry!’ Skeletal handed the glasses to the now seething sour-face before grabbing the bottle and sashaying off to a nearby table.

* * * *

‘A white wine spritzer, please’. A lone woman came and perched at the bar, surveying the pulsating crowd on the dance floor with a slight sneer.

‘Not tempted to join them?’ ventured the barman.

‘No. This fake display of camaraderie is not for me.’

‘Fake?’

She looked at him now. ‘Come Monday morning they’ll be back to bitching about each other.’ Her gaze shifted to a tall imposing man, arms linked with the woman in the green dress before saying, more to herself than him, ‘It’s all fake.’

‘Excuse me?’ he said, putting her drink down in front of her.

‘Nothing.’

She took a sip, her eyes never leaving the couple. Then she leaned toward the barman and said, ‘See that pair over there? That’s the CEO and his wife. Look happily married, don’t they? Well, we’ve been having an affair for the past five years. He’s going to leave her. Fake, I told you. All fake.’

* * * *

The opening notes of It’s Raining Men were drowned out by screams from the majority of the ladies, and a few of the men. As they swooped onto the dancefloor, any remaining decorum abandoned, the woman in the green dress approached the bar. Wordlessly, the barman placed a glass of Chablis in front of her, which she downed half of at once, her eyes still on the gyrating bodies. After a few moments she turned, locking eyes with the barman.

‘So?’ she enquired.

‘Leanne, HR – not sure which one she is, but she’s over there in the corner.’

‘Leanne, HR, ok. Next?

‘Katie. There are a couple, one in Finance, one in Catering. But her friend was called Cerys and she’s in Finance, so I’d go for that.’

‘I think he would consider himself above catering staff. Any more?’

‘One.’

The woman’s shoulders sank slightly before she straightened again. ‘Go on.’

‘Sarah, his secretary.’

‘Really? Still? He just can’t help being a cliché, can he? Still promising to leave me?’ The barman nodded. ‘I’ll be doing her a favour too then.’ She drained her drink and walked off.

* * * *

‘Of course, as always, none of this would be possible without the support I receive every single day from my gorgeous wife. Doesn’t she look fantastic?’ There were muted murmurs of agreement, while the woman in the green dress feigned a smile and reached for the microphone.

‘If I may break with tradition, I’d like to say a few words.’ Her husband looked surprised and a little wary but gestured for her to continue. ‘Every year my husband, your boss, thanks me for my support. But I’m not the only one who attends to his needs, leaving him free to focus on the more important matters of running the company.’ A few nervous laughs rose around the room, unsure if a joke had been made or not. Her husband was now starting to shift uncomfortably and began grasping for the microphone. ‘I don’t think – ’ he started to say, but she steered it away from him.

‘First, I’d like to thank Leanne from HR. Where are you, Leanne?’ People started turning toward the back corner where a girl had gone as red as her dress. ‘Give Leanne a clap, please!’ Uncertain applause began to echo around the room then quickly ceased.

‘Secondly, I’d like to thank Katie from Finance.’ Eyes shifted to another corner where a girl was trying to sink into her chair.

‘And last, but never least, the ever-faithful Sarah, who I’m sure you all know. She has given many years of service to my husband, for very little in return.’ Sarah, standing just in front of them, had fury etched all over her face.

The woman turned to face her husband, microphone still poised. ‘Simon, I’m leaving you.’ She dropped the microphone, feedback reverberating round the room, as she walked toward the barman, linked arms with him and walked out.