Baby Come Back(44)
“Pete,” I said, “Did it ever dawn on you that perhaps Nick and my split was something less than amicable?”
“Gina,” he replied, wearing a confused expression, “Neither you nor Nick has ever divulged the particulars. I guess I thought after all of this time, bygones would be bygones.”
“I guess that’s my fault, Pete. I never shared details because I was too ashamed; I suppose Nick didn’t share because he was afraid of people knowing the kind of monster he had become. Look, I can’t get into this now with you; besides that, I’m not sure I want to share this with anyone other than Tristan. He knows the particulars; he is the only one besides Nick and me that knows the details. So please, just act normal but don’t expect me to sit with you and socialize while he is there. I can’t do it.”
“Gina, Nick did tell me that he had a problem with coke while you two were together; he said he blamed his addiction for you leaving and he totally understood why you would have left. He never told me anything beyond that. I know that he’s clean now; he lives a good life, makes a good living, and seems to be a good husband to Teresa. People can change, Gina.”
“People can change their behavior, Pete. I believe that; but people are what they are and the Nick I knew was scary. That’s all I can say. You and I can talk tomorrow when we are alone. I just wanted you to understand about tonight.”
We ordered the drinks and I asked Jo Anna to take them over to the table where Tristan had seated them. She hurried back with Tristan on her heels looking at me quizzically.
“God Gina, are you alright?”
“I’ll be fine, Jo Jo - I just wasn’t expecting to see a nasty blast from my past, that’s all.
“Your brother?”
“Not exactly.”
Tristan was by my side again. I’d have to fill Jo Anna in on it later.
“Gina, I had no clue when I talked to your brother earlier that he was going to spring Nick on you.”
“I know that, Tristan. It’s fine. I simply told Pete that Nick and I ended up bad terms and I wasn’t prepared to be around him. You would have thought my mother might have clued Pete in,” I bitched.
“Babe, you didn’t really tell your mom much, you know. Perhaps she didn’t even know that Nick was coming here.”
Let’s just go down to the lower level; I can’t stand being in the same building with that son-of-a-bitch,” I hissed.
Tristan and I managed to stay busy on the main floor. I felt like my senses were now on high alert knowing that Nick was nearby. Perhaps he had triggered some primal instinct in me; the fight or flight response had given me an adrenaline rush.
Tristan and I were sitting at the main bar when Johnny Four-Fingers came out to find Tristan. Apparently, there was an issue with the electrical circuits to the ovens in the kitchen. Tristan ordered me to sit tight; he would be back in a few minutes. I didn’t feel like sitting tight. I was a bundle of nerves, but I wasn’t a coward. This was my club. I wasn’t going to sit in a corner like a scared victim.
I went upstairs to the mezzanine to where Jo Anna was tending bar.
“Hey Jo Jo,” I said, “Can I bum one of your smokes?”
“You don’t smoke,” she said, eyeing me warily.
“It’s a special occasion,” I replied, holding my hand out.
She pulled her pack of Camels from her pocket. Her disposable lighter was tucked inside.
“Here, take my jacket,” she said, tossing it over the bar. I stepped out the side door onto the fire escape to light up. The wind was blowing; there was a damp chill in the air. I went down the fire escape and stood behind the dumpster in the alley. It offered some protection from the gusting wind at the moment.
Inside the band was playing a medley of U2 songs. I took a couple of puffs of the cigarette.
(Yuck! Now I remembered why I had quit!)
I dropped it to the pavement, crushing it out with the toe of my shoe. I shoved my hands into the pockets of Jo Jo’s jacket and turned to head back up. I collided with a tall body as I did. I stood frozen on the spot as a lighter flicked and in the flame I saw Nick’s face as he lit his cigarette.
(I knew it was a Parliament; that’s what he smoked.)
“You’re not going to run-off without even talking to me, are you, Gina?”
(I will not let him frighten me; I will not let him frighten me.)
“I don’t have anything to say to you, Nick. Frankly, I can’t understand why you would even come here.”
“Maybe because you and me have some unfinished business.”
“I’m fairly certain our business was finished Nick, when you beat me into a miscarriage, and I ended up in the hospital.”
“You know that was because of the drugs, Gina. Still, that didn’t give you reason to take off like that with my money. You emptied our savings out as I recall; over $6000.”
“What Nick? Are you hard up for cash now?”
“No Gina,” he said, blowing smoke rings into the damp, chilly air, rocking back and forth on the heel of his boots, “Cash is not what I’m hard up for at the moment.”
(Stay calm, Gina. He is not going to do anything with my brother, his wife and Tristan all just inside that building.)
“I see, Nick. Well you’re out of luck on the other thing then; I still don’t do cocaine.”