A Pact For Life by Graham Elliot Page A

Jenny’s speed dating invitation, but was certainly regretting it. Thanks to the egotistical men, unbearable hostess, and overenthusiastic women, the entire event had been an exercise in tolerance.
As she proceeded to the table where her next date sat, she knew before he even said a word that it would soon be bad date number four. She deduced this from the man's initials embroidered on the cuffs of his shirt, his combed back, obviously dyed black hair, and the gold jewelry that was present everywhere. Fighting back the desire to flee, she stuck out her arm to shake the man’s hand, which he lifted and kissed, followed by him telling her, “Why hello there, Jessica Rabbit. Aren’t you a sight? My name is Gerald.”
Without realizing it, she clenched her fist while Gerald held it next to his lips, providing a still frame picture of what she would've loved to do. But like any excellent lawyer, she could tell he was a magnet for lawsuits, and decided to appease him for the time being. Rich jackasses made lucrative clients.
While he talked, Diana thought about several men and women she knew who settled with whomever was most convenient. After being single for so long, their standards had taken a nosedive from finding 'the right person' to 'anyone will do'.
Diana vowed never to settle like them. If she did, she might end up with someone like the man sitting across the table, and this pissed her off. So she was getting older without a man, this meant her standards had to lower?
With a blink, Diana snapped back to the conversation to hear, “And I haven't been water skiing since my shoulder surgery. But what can you do? I'm the type of guy who plays hard.”
Like imagining a tropical paradise while stranded in the Arctic, Diana began to think about Andrew Finnegan. She kept picturing the stare he gave her as he walked off the stage at the race. There was something so right about it that she couldn't get it out of her mind.
He had called several days before and set up a consultation through Jenny, but Diana still hadn't spoke to him. She would officially meet him the following Monday.
“So there I was, Joanie was on my left, Tiffany on my...” Diana looked over at Jenny laughing with a man Diana had earlier written off. Every date of Jenny's seemed to go well, and Diana wondered how she was able to be so open and inviting to even the most wretched of men.
While she stared at Jenny, Diana's guard was dropped and Gerald, opportunistic bastard he was, reached over and interlocked his fingers in hers, which brought all of her undivided attention back to her date. Along with her attention came the rage of one of Denver's best lawyers in addition to four dates worth of frustration.
“This is over.” Diana said and stood up to leave.
“Come on, Jessica Rabbit, you should feel lucky. I can give you the life you've always wanted.”
It was one of those comments that can turn a normal woman into the most die-hard feminist. “I don't need your help getting the life I've always wanted, I have it already. And seriously, Jessica Rabbit!? There wasn't anything in this decade you could have used? Way to be original there, dick. Can't say I've ever heard that one before.”
Diana's voice had raised enough that every date in the room had stopped. There were no more couples, just eighteen observers.
“Go ahead and leave then. I would have been dating down with you...” Gerald said.
“I'm going to stop you right there to clarify something. There is nothing special about you at all. There's no talent, no intelligence, decency, ability, or kindness. You're old, privileged money, and that makes you worthless. It's a shame you aren't a female because you might have been able to attain some miniscule form of fame in exchange for a sex tape. You were born into wealth, attended the best prep schools, got a cushy job, and are still less talented than most of the world. You have no idea what it's like to work hard, or fend for yourself, or even hear