Up & Out - Ariella Papa [2]
We get more drinks. I’m exhausted, but kind of enjoying just listening to Lauryn chatter about her day after going to her lawyer. She is telling me about all the birds in Central Park and how she had always been a closet birder.
Suddenly, I realize that Lauryn is telling me something big.
“Wait a second! What?”
“I’m quitting my job and going to study the feeding habits of piping plovers on Martha’s Vineyard this summer. I’m also applying to get a Ph.D. in ecology in Boston.”
“But, what about our apartment? Your apartment?”
“You can have it, if you want. I just figured you’re never there and the lease is up in June, and you’re probably moving back in with Tommy soon, anyway.”
“Why? I’m not dating him anymore.”
“But you’re still sleeping with him.”
“Three times!” I say, holding up my fingers. “Three times in five months. And they were all after extremely stressful days!”
“This city is full of stress,” Lauryn says suddenly, strangely seeming at complete peace with herself. “That’s why I’m moving out. Anyway, I think you’re forgetting a few drunk dials.”
“They were stressed-out drunk dials.” She smiles at me. She has been more cheerful since starting therapy.
“You can keep it if you want. I bet you can afford it now with your promotion.” The waitress sets my tempura down in front of me. For the first time ever, I’m not hungry for it. There is no way I can afford $2,100 a month and ever expect to see this plate in front of me again.
The next sip of my drink tastes more like vodka than mango and only one thought occurs to me: What if this were my last plate of rock shrimp tempura ever?
1
Debaser
Lauryn refused to say much more about what she planned to do. Back home, I questioned her about it as we were brushing our teeth in the bathroom, but she shook her head and said, “Listen, Rebecca. I know what you’re going to say. I talked about it all with my therapist. We knew you’d have issues with me doing what’s healthiest.”
“What?”
“I don’t want to have a conflict after we’ve both been drinking. I’ve come to a resolution that I feel is healthy and we can dialogue about it at a later date. Good night.” She kissed me on the forehead and left the bathroom.
I liked her much better before she had started seeing her therapist. It was easier to deal with the bitter Lauryn than the Lauryn who started every sentence with “My therapist says…”
Lauryn’s therapist lets her get away with a lot. She did seem happier tonight, though. Weird and slightly off the deep end, but happier.
She and I have known each other since first grade. We went to college within an hour of each other in Massachusetts. Jordan went to my college and was Tommy’s best friend. I had introduced the now ex Mr. and Mrs. at a kegger. At their wedding, I reminded everyone of that in a drunken toast. Of course, when things went sour, I hoped Lauryn would forget that I was responsible.
Lauryn used to be this incredibly funny girl before the marriage. She is tall and extremely thin. She could be a graceful Audrey Hepburn type, yet she has a way of scrunching up her face and using her body in hysterical ways. I haven’t seen that side of her in a long time. Throughout her whole separation from Jordan, I never could tell what mood Lauryn was going to be in, but it was rarely a good mood. I missed her. I missed laughing so hard that my stomach hurt hours later.
It’s midnight. I want to call Kathy or Beth to tell them Lauryn’s moving out, but I’m exhausted from the week. It’s only Wednesday. Kathy’s probably already in bed with her fiancé, Ron. They’ve had five-minute sex and conked out. Beth is most likely with some of her music-industry friends dancing at a spot I haven’t even heard of yet. She’s got her cell phone on vibrate, so she won’t miss the call from other VIPs. I’m not sure if I rank as a person she would answer a call for.
On the other hand, if I reach everyone, I’ll be on the phone for hours. I need