Nashma can tell Robin is upset

The next morning at work, Robin couldn't shake the lingering unease as they attempted to stay focused on another time-wasting meeting. Nashma noticed Robin's distraction from across the table, the way they kept fidgeting with their pen and a perpetual grimace on their face. After the meeting wrapped up, she cornered Robin at the water cooler.

"Okay, spill it. Something's eating at you," she said, leaning against the wall.

Robin frowned at their paper cup, "It's okay, I'm alright."

Nashma moved off the wall and placed a hand on Robin's arm, "Sure you don't want to talk about it?"

"I don't even know what there is to talk about," Robin sighed. "It's John."

"So, what's he done?" She asked as she gave Robin some physical space.

Still staring at their paper cup, Robin replied, "He hasn't done anything wrong. It's good news, really. He has a date with a coworker. It's just Kim, her name is Kim, she has just broken up with her boyfriend. She asked out John and I just don't think it's a good idea."

Nashma nodded, "He didn't take it well when you told him?"

Robin groaned, running a hand through their soft hair. "I told him he should go. I meant it when I said it. But now I keep thinking about it and getting this knot in my stomach. I...I just don't want him getting hurt again."

Nashma studied Robin's face for a moment, a knowing look in her eyes. "You know what you need? A distraction. My husband's hosting this networking thing at The Velvet Room next Friday. You can be my plus one!"

Robin smirked a little, "What about your husband?"

"He can find his own plus one," Nashma grinned lowering Robin's defenses, "Come on, you would be doing me the favor not having to endure all that on my own."

Robin couldn't stop the smile forming on their face, "Endure? You are really selling it, I got to tell ya."

"Please?" Nashma asked, taking Robin's hand.

Robin thought about spending the evening alone in their apartment, "You know what? Count me in."

"Great!" Nashma beamed. "Wear something nice - it's a fancy crowd."

"Hey, I'm fancy," Robin pursed their lips and tossed their hair over their shoulder.

They laughed but Robin's mind was already occupied by the new outfits hanging in their closet, particularly a sleek emerald number they'd been too nervous to wear yet. "Should I?"

As Robin sat at their desk, they felt a little lighter. They couldn't believe that they were honestly thinking about wearing that dress in public. By this point, Robin was stocked enough in the bra insert department to help fill out their private outfits but they wouldn't work with the dress Robin had in mind. It wasn't long after the thought had entered Robin's mind that they were ordering a certain item they had on their secret wishlist.

"God, I wonder what John would think if he accidentally opened the package."

Robin's thoughts of John began to shift back to the thoughts of the date with Kim, again. They shook their head, pushing away the image before it could fully form, not wanting to think about that. Not really knowing exactly why they didn't want to think about that, either.