Just a short thing I busted out when I should have been working. Pretty much a result of working with a group of people straight out of a 90201/Melrose Place frame of mind….
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It only took Kim a moment to locate her. The woman sat at a corner booth facing the door, a cigarette in one hand, a drink held absently in the other. She was looking across the bar, out a side window, and appeared to be lost in thought. Despite not having seen her in some time, Kim recognized her immediately… even with red hair.
Taking a deep breath she walked over to her, "Hello, Brenda, how are you?"
Kim realized that she had obviously startled her because the woman nearly dropped the cigarette into her lap.
Brenda paused before answering, almost as if she were unsure about what her response should be, then smiled as she tried to rise out of the chair. It was almost a look of wonder, or maybe a look of clarity. "My God Kim, you scared the hell out of me. Sweet Jesus, please sit down, please."
She took a seat across form the other woman and both were unsure as to what to say to the other. It had been awhile since the two of them had even been in the same room together, much less having drinks.
A year ago, Brenda, Kim, and David had been good friends. Kim and David had only been married a short time; Brenda was in between marriages. The three had just "clicked" as David put it, but then things changed.
David was looking into a new job with the possibility of a transfer to Denver and Kim's job as a 911 dispatcher was requiring more and more of her free time. They were all spending less time together as a group, but that wasn't the driving force behind the change.
Last year David was killed by a mugger, a hold-up gone horribly wrong. The women tried to stay in touch, but without David it was never the same. It was as if he had been the glue that held them together. Without that connection, the two women quickly drifted apart.
A waitress came over, took their orders, and returned with the drinks. The restaurant was nearly empty so service was fast. Brenda put out her cigarette, lit a second and took a long drag before setting it in the ashtray and held up her glass for a toast, "To us. May we never grow old."
David used to make the same toast,
Kim thought to herself. I wonder if she remembers.She had the impression she did as they tapped glasses. Brenda finished the contents before placing the glass back down. Kim was getting another impression; Brenda was already very drunk and very nervous… too nervous in fact.
"I've been so bad about keeping in touch," Brenda paused to light another cigarette, "I was so glad when you called. Hard to believe it's been so long. How have you been?"
Kim smiled, "I'm actually doing okay. What about you? How have you been?"
Brenda took this opportunity to launch into a solo of her life to include her most recent divorce and a problem with her new hairdresser who was, apparently, responsible for the now red hair. She waived to the waitress who promptly returned with another drink for her.
The women now sat in an uneasy silence. Brenda lit a cigarette, the previous one still smoking in the ashtray untouched, "It must be hard on you..." She said softly.
Kim took a deep breath before answering, "Sometimes it feels like the memories are all I have left. One day those will be taken away…"
The red haired woman looked away briefly, "Sorry I didn't call after the funeral. I just didn't know what to say…"
"David's dying hurt us all…" Kim replied softly. She sat fiddling with the glass causing the ice cubes to melt faster.
Brenda held up her glass for another toast, "Well this is to David." Once again she finished the drink before setting it down and called for yet another round.
When the drinks arrived it was Kim who held her drink up, "To memories, may they never die."
Brenda paused to put out the cigarette, noting for the first time there was still one lit in the tray. "To old memories."
Kim sipped hers; Brenda once again was nearly finished with her drink.
She waited until the other woman's glass was fully tipped back before speaking, "Did you think you were fooling me?"
The statement nearly made Brenda choke and she attempted to regain her composure by lighting another cigarette, "Excuse me?"
"You heard me…" Kim sat with calm look on her face, "Did you think I would never find out?"
"Kim, what are you talking about?" There was genuine question on Brenda's face and, for a moment, she truly had no idea what Kim was talking about.
"I'm talking about you and David. I know what happened, when, where, and how many times. Which was it? Did you think I wouldn't find out, or that I was stupid?" She shook her head at the other woman, "Please don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about."
Her words were beginning to dawn on Brenda, "You think I slept with David. Are you crazy?"
"Are you telling me I'm wrong?"
"Yes, of course you're wrong…" Brenda continued, but suddenly stopped upon seeing the manila envelope Kim was removing from the inside of her jacket, "What is that?" she asked.
"What do you think? I know the truth. All I want to know is why."
Brenda tried to play it off to the point of protesting, but the game was lost. Kim obviously knew what she was talking about. "It was brief. We never meant for it to happen..." She tried to salvage what was left, but any excuse she knew would now fall on deaf ears, "When did you find out?"
Kim got up from the table, "You know, you were supposed to be my friend. But then hey, David was supposed to be my husband." She tossed the envelope on the table, "In a way this was probably my fault… I trusted both of you…"
She tossed a few dollars on the table and said nothing as she turned and walked out of the bar.
Brenda watched her as she got in her car and drove away. She put down the cigarette and looked at the envelope for a long time before opening it. As she looked at the contents, a small gasp escaped her lips.
She dropped the envelope and put her hands to her face, rubbing her eyes. Between her fingers she could see the cigarette burning in the ashtray. She sat staring out the window for a long time. "Damn," she whispered as she glanced back at the manila envelope.
An envelope which contained a small stack of blank pages.
Absently, she lit another cigarette, the first still smoking in the ashtray.