SEVEN
* * *
I watched 7th Heaven. Alone.
Abby wasn't home much anymore. I saw her a few times, with Vick. He seemed to like going out with the two of us, but he was always there and it was hard to talk with him around, because he didn't watch the show and he wasn't a girl. He liked sports, and we went to a lot of sports bars. There was one which he really liked where the waitresses all wore really short shorts and tight t-shirts and did the hula hoop for the customers, and while they did Abby and I would just sit quietly and try not to seem conspicuous. We didn't have bodies like the waitresses did, but I knew the men were looking at us anyway. Finally I got up to go to the ladies' room.
"I'd like to go too," Abby said softly.
Vick looked at her. He had that strong, masculine way of freezing his gaze on you.
I saw Abby lower her eyes. Finally he spoke.
"All right. Be back quick."
She nodded and stood, and we stepped to the bathroom.
We touched up our makeup. It was quiet in there. Finally I spoke.
"Is everything all right, Abby? You look tired."
She nodded. "I'm fine."
"How's Vick?"
"Fine."
I wanted her to say more. She raised her lipstick, dabbed at her lips.
That's when I saw the bruise on her neck.
#
It was hard to see; she was wearing a high collared blouse. But it was there.
On my best friend.
"What's that?" I asked.
She grew suddenly red.
"Nothing."
"It looks like a bruise," I said. "What happened?"
"Nothing. I ran into the door of a cabinet. I was clumsy. It's my fault."
I tried to picture how a cabinet door could cause such a bruise, failed. "Did you see a doctor?" I asked.
"Vick said it was nothing," she told me.
I nodded. Men like Vick are tough. That's one of the things that makes them so cool. A little bruise wouldn't bother him. He probably thought it was sexy.
"We should get back," she said.
"What's the hurry? Keep a man waiting, and he'll love you more, don't you think?"
It was a little dim in the ladies' room, but I think she paled a bit.
"I have to get back," she said. "If we're late in ordering it'll be my fault."
She went before I could answer.
* * *
I watched 7th Heaven. Alone.
Abby wasn't home much anymore. I saw her a few times, with Vick. He seemed to like going out with the two of us, but he was always there and it was hard to talk with him around, because he didn't watch the show and he wasn't a girl. He liked sports, and we went to a lot of sports bars. There was one which he really liked where the waitresses all wore really short shorts and tight t-shirts and did the hula hoop for the customers, and while they did Abby and I would just sit quietly and try not to seem conspicuous. We didn't have bodies like the waitresses did, but I knew the men were looking at us anyway. Finally I got up to go to the ladies' room.
"I'd like to go too," Abby said softly.
Vick looked at her. He had that strong, masculine way of freezing his gaze on you.
I saw Abby lower her eyes. Finally he spoke.
"All right. Be back quick."
She nodded and stood, and we stepped to the bathroom.
We touched up our makeup. It was quiet in there. Finally I spoke.
"Is everything all right, Abby? You look tired."
She nodded. "I'm fine."
"How's Vick?"
"Fine."
I wanted her to say more. She raised her lipstick, dabbed at her lips.
That's when I saw the bruise on her neck.
#
It was hard to see; she was wearing a high collared blouse. But it was there.
On my best friend.
"What's that?" I asked.
She grew suddenly red.
"Nothing."
"It looks like a bruise," I said. "What happened?"
"Nothing. I ran into the door of a cabinet. I was clumsy. It's my fault."
I tried to picture how a cabinet door could cause such a bruise, failed. "Did you see a doctor?" I asked.
"Vick said it was nothing," she told me.
I nodded. Men like Vick are tough. That's one of the things that makes them so cool. A little bruise wouldn't bother him. He probably thought it was sexy.
"We should get back," she said.
"What's the hurry? Keep a man waiting, and he'll love you more, don't you think?"
It was a little dim in the ladies' room, but I think she paled a bit.
"I have to get back," she said. "If we're late in ordering it'll be my fault."
She went before I could answer.