Up & Out - Ariella Papa [33]
“Did you?” he said throughout the whole thing. “Did you yet?”
It was a lot of pressure. Now, I certainly appreciated his efforts, but it takes some time for me to relax, you know. The night had gone so well and I guess I thought I might ruin it, by, I don’t know, screaming Tommy’s name (I swear I didn’t think that much about him this time) or making some ugly face, or God knows what. But I didn’t. Ruin it, that is. That’s why it’s better to quit while you’re ahead.
All and all I felt I crossed a bridge of sorts. I was now a single woman and back in the saddle. I held my head up high when I crept out of Seamus’s building and quickly hailed a cab.
Lauryn is up working on an essay when I get home. She is also smoking in the house.
“Are you taking that up again?” I ask.
“Why not? You want one?”
“I did just have sex,” I say. She holds up her hand limply and I smack it five. We smile. I take a cigarette. It makes me feel a little sick, but I work through it. I have just had sex, I am entitled.
“How was it?”
“It was fun.” She raises an eyebrow. I know what she wants. “No, I didn’t, but it was still fun.”
“Working that Tommy out of your system?”
“I’m trying. I know it’s over. It’s just not easy.”
“I know. I heard about his offer. You want a drink? I can’t write this stupid essay application crap anymore.” I probably shouldn’t, I have work tomorrow, but it has been too long since we hung out like this. I can’t resist.
“Okay, just one.” I watch her pour some Stoli Vanilla into a glass and add some ginger ale. “Nice. Did you talk to Tommy?”
“No,” she says. “Beth.”
“Really?”
“She’s getting into an interesting crowd.”
“Those studio people.” She nods and taps her nose.
“Is she okay?”
“I guess so—you know Beth.” I do. Everyone thinks Beth is Italian, but she is first-generation Portuguese. In Beth’s family, her brother Tommy is the star. Their parents are straight off the boat from the Azores, and the only reason Beth was able to move to New York City was because Tommy was going to be here. Her parents assumed he would keep her out of trouble. They never had a problem with my relationship with Tommy, but Beth could never admit to having a boyfriend. She is expected to date the man she is going to marry. It sucks, but luckily she has a good relationship with Tommy and he helps her out all the time.
“What did Beth have to say about Tommy’s offer?” Lauryn shakes her head and rolls her eyes, so I know that Beth believes I was wrong for even entertaining it. Things were cool between us when Tommy and I dated, but as soon as we broke up, Beth took his side. Even though he isn’t angry at me, it seems like she is sometimes.
“You know Beth,” Lauryn says again. “What are you going to do about it?”
“I don’t know. Economically it’s a good choice, but emotionally…”
“I’ll say. Although Kathy is worried that they are going to do layoffs.”
“Who?” I ask as I pour some more vodka in my glass. I was far gone now.
“Indiana Mutual.”
“I’m sorry, but aren’t you the girl who expressed dissatisfaction with people talking about you behind your back?”
“Rebecca, don’t worry about it. I realized today as Kathy was telling me how pissed off she is at Beth for not going to the fitting that we just like to talk about one another. It’s part of our friendship. So go ahead, talk about me if you want. My life is an open book.”
“How generous,” I say. She nods and pours more vodka into her glass. I was never going to get up tomorrow at this rate. “So have you slept with anyone since Jordan?”
“Well, other than the night that I went out and got completely shitfaced and fucked the bartender at Roxy’s—Rest in Peace?” We give Roxy’s its appropriate moment of silence. We had to ban Roxy’s after that. It was a forgivable sacrifice because Lauryn discovered the extent to which Jordan was cheating on her. “This box is locked. I’m done with men until they start acting like the rest of the human race.”
“Maybe one of those plover lovers in the Vineyard will open it up for you.”
“Birders are