TWO
"Whose idea was it anyway to take the subway?" Elaine asked frigidly. She stared down the three men standing next to her, trying to get some kind of positive feeling in her body.
"Kramer's," George and Jerry chorused together, both giving him pointed looks. It seemed that whenever they needed to get somewhere, the subway was always breaking down somehow. The flickering lights of the car flashed against Elaine's rigid face as she tried not to scream out loud.
Kramer had gotten tickets to see Cats, a show Elaine had been dying to see for years, and had been looking forward to it for months. George and Jerry were really just along for the ride, so the delay in transportation really didn't seem to be getting to them.
"Man, we're gonna miss the opening number," Kramer whined.
"Oh, darn…we don't get to make fun of the full-grown men in cat suits, Georgie!" Jerry said, feigning disappointment.
"Jerry, shut up," Elaine countered, leaning back roughly on the subway car's wall. "Do you know how hard it is to get these tickets? Do you know how long I've been waiting to see this show? And, damnit, do you know how much these high heels cut into your feet!"
"Hey…sorry," Jerry muttered, giving George a pointed look. "At least we have each other for company, right?"
The other three looked at him with raised eyebrows and laughed.
"Ungh!" Elaine groaned. "Why me?" She slid down the car's pole and plopped down on the floor.
"She is cute when she's mad, isn't she?" Jerry retorted. Elaine looked up at him and sighed, knowing that he was just joking around and wasn't, in fact, calling her pretty or beautiful. She missed those days. Or did he ever call her beautiful? Maybe not…
"No snide remark back? Wow…you must really be upset," George answered.
"Yeah…Sorry we're missing it, Lainey. I'll make it up to you," Jerry said in all seriousness.
Oh, Jerry…I bet you could make it up to me, but I don't even know if you would. Elaine thought to herself.
………………………….
An hour and twenty five minutes later, the subway car's lights stopped flickering and the car began pulling out again. Jerry and George sat on one seat, while Elaine and Kramer slumped against the other, obviously upset about missing the show.
"Hey, is it even possible to get tickets again, Kramer?" Jerry asked, glancing at Elaine's tired and clearly upset form.
"No, Jerry. This was a one-time thing. I got them from my friend down at the box office, but I think he quit the other day…something about the restroom being 'inadequate.'" Kramer shook his head and shrugged.
"Heh, sounds like George," Elaine said, staring at the filthy floor, showing only the hint of a smile. She didn't know if she was more disappointed about the show or about the lack of sleep she'd been getting, but she knew that she felt like hell.
"How about we just get off at the next stop and take a train back to my apartment. Or do you guys want to take a cab?" Jerry suggested.
"Cab," they all chimed in together. "I don't trust this subway anymore…do you know how many things I've missed by taking the subway?" Elaine said.
"Uh…a lesbian wedding? A baby shower, I believe?" Jerry answered, grinning at her. All he got back was the tired look of a seemingly tortured woman.
The car began to pull to a stop and the four filed out of the doors, heading up the exit steps and hailing a cab.
"Oh, I'm getting my own," George said. "I think I'll just head home. Not like I have anything to do…but I think I'll just go back. Want to come with me, Elaine?"
She glanced up at him wearily and shrugged. She had no where to go either. What else was new?
"Come back to the apartment, Elaine," Jerry answered. "We can have coffee and watch a movie or something."
"Oh, and I'm not invited?" George said snidely, throwing his hands palm up in the air in question.
"Were you the one who wanted to see the grown men in cat suits? Are you the one who I have to make it up to for not being able to see them? No…didn't think so," Jerry retorted. "But ah, whatever…you can come over if you want…I did invite you over in the first place, you know."
"No, I'll just go back home. I have to watch the movie I rented before it's due…those late dues are killer," George said as a taxi pulled to the curb. He waved a goodbye and climbed in, riding off into the night.
"I guess I'll come back with you," Elaine said to Jerry, glancing around and trying to find Kramer. But she didn't see him. "Where'd Kramer go?"
Jerry too began searching the street corner. He shrugged. "I dunno…I just hope he's wearing his collar so someone can help him find his way home. Come on…let's go."
……………………..
Back at Jerry's apartment, the two friends sat on the couch watching some low-budget TV movie, occasionally cracking jokes at the poor production or the lack of acting skills the characters possessed. By the time the credits began rolling down the screen, Elaine felt half better. Or maybe it was just from the five pounds she had just gained from the loads of popcorn they had eaten together. As Jerry watched the credits, she involuntarily began drifting in and out of sleep, leaning over into Jerry's body at the same time. She struggled to keep her eyes open as a commercial finally popped onto the TV.
"Elaine…"Jerry said, nudging her a bit as her head finally settled on his shoulder.
"Hmm? What?" She mumbled. Finally realizing where she was and who she was laying on, she slowly lifted her head and whispered, "Oh…sorry…"
"Why don't you just stay here tonight?" Jerry asked, his eyes locked on her own hazy ones. Did she just hear that correctly?
"I mean, you're so tired…I don't know if you're even going to be able to get home," he added, putting an arm around her shoulders and smiling.
"I…uh…I don't know, Jerry…" Oh God, this was exactly what she wanted. How could this possibly be happening? How could he possibly know? "I mean, where would I sleep?"
"In my bed," Jerry said. Then realizing exactly what he had just said, he quickly added, "And I can stay on the couch."
"You shouldn't have gotten rid of that other one. It had the pullout bed," she grinned. "Of course, I know how much you hate those."
He chuckled. "I think you hate them more than I do. They have those annoying bars that push into your back all night." Sobering up, he said, "But its okay. I'll sleep long ways."
"I don't want to intrude, Jer…"
"You? Intrude? Never, Lainey," he grinned, giving her a squeeze with the arm around her shoulders. Why was he being so…thoughtful all of a sudden?
When Elaine yawned again and felt as if the last month's lack of sleep had finally caught up with her, she nodded and mumbled an 'okay.'
Jerry got up and offered her a hand. Slowly pulling herself up, Elaine's heart stopped when his arm snaked around her waist. Looking up at his face, she wondered what was changing his usual inconsiderate attitude towards everything. Could he actual be having the same feelings as-
No, that couldn't be. What she saw in his eyes was not love or lust. No, it was just friendship. Always friendship.
As she thanked him and wished him goodnight, she couldn't help but wonder if that would ever change. Maybe it couldn't change. Too many years and too much tine together as friends might have caused all other emotions to escape Jerry. And it wasn't like she even knew if he ever loved her. Maybe she would never know. There were too many 'maybes.' It had to be time soon for her to know how he felt. She had to know…
"Jerry…" She said, breaking the silence flooding the apartment. He stopped closing the door and looked up at her.
"You…you can stay here…if you want to…" Her voice trailed off. His puzzled look told her all she needed to know. Looking down to hide the tears, she whispered, "Forget it." And abruptly closed the door behind him.
That night, snuggled safely in his tidy white sheets that smelled so much like him, Elaine wished for his body to be next to hers. But she knew that would never happen. And she wasn't going to try. No more silent signals to him, no more pondering the future. No more. She was going to stop trying. Because he didn't care.
If only she knew how wrong she was.