Weekends Required (Danvers #1)(23)
“Suz, I don’t know what to say, I can’t believe it. Maybe you guys can talk and try to work through things. He might just be confused, and it’s possible he didn’t have sex with the girl.”
“Bullshit! Trust me, without going into a lot of disgusting details, he did have sex with the slut dentist; she drilled more than a hole in his mouth, that’s for damn sure.”
Even clearly upset, Suzy as usual had a way with words; she gave new meaning to ‘making a sailor blush.’ “Are you sure you don’t want me to come over there?"
“I’m not much company Claire; I want to continue this outstanding pity party that I’m hosting for myself today. Tomorrow it’s over and I’m going to forget the scum bag ever existed."
"So where were you this weekend?” Suzy suddenly asked.
Claire had hoped to get off the phone before Suzy brought that up. “I had to work.” In a vain attempt to change the subject, Claire quickly asked, “Are you feeling better?”
“Wait, you had to work all weekend? You never do weekends,” said a suspicious Suzy.
“It’s the merger with Mericom, there were some important changes that had to be made this weekend; that’s all,” hedged Claire.
“You were in the office with smoking buns all weekend?”
“Well um, not exactly in the office,” Claire replied evasively.
Claire stood up and started to pace her apartment knowing that Suzy was fixing to go off like a drill sergeant. “What do you mean, 'not exactly in the office', where were you exactly?
Claire felt like she’d traveled back in time, and she was being drilled by her father for coming home late. “Um well, I sort of went to Columbia because Jason had to go to a friend’s house for the weekend, and he needed to work while he was there.” Her shoulders tightened as she waited for the inevitable barrage that would certainly be coming.
“Hmm, I see,” replied Suzy. "How long have you been bumping uglies with smoking buns you tart?”
“I most certainly am not 'bumping uglies,’ whatever that’s supposed to mean. I’m not bumping anything with Jason,” replied an indignant Claire.
“Yeah, yeah, save it for someone who buys it. I’m going to need some details here. I mean complete disclosure; no sweaty stone left unturned. Tomorrow night we’re going out to dinner after work, and you’re giving me the 411 on this whole sordid story. Don’t even think about saying no, I’ll drag you kicking and screaming if I need to,” threatened Suzy.
Claire knew it was useless trying to correct Suzy and hearing the excitement back in her friend’s voice; Claire decided to let Suzy labor under the false assumption for the night. She knew that Suzy needed something else to focus on even if the fantasy was all in her head.
“I promise I won’t back out; you pick the place tomorrow. I love you Suz and I’m here if you need me.”
“I love you too Claire; I might even tattoo your name on my rump this weekend,” joked Suzy.
“You’re impossible, you know that, right?” laughed Claire. Promising once again to go to dinner tomorrow, Claire was smiling as she finished the call.
Anyone else would be depressed and miserable for months over a breakup of this magnitude but Suzy would do exactly as she said. She would be miserable for the rest of the day, and tomorrow she would forge straight ahead as she put her life back together.
~~~
The drive through Myrtle Beach was slow during the tourist season. Girls in skimpy swimsuits and even skimpier shorts walked down the Boulevard usually followed by some guys hoping for a summer fling. The water parks and putt putt courses were doing a booming business. Claire felt much older than her twenty-eight years with the weight of so much responsibility on her shoulders. She was relieved when she made it through the heavy traffic and arrived at her mother’s home.
Quickly, she exited the car and made her way to the door so she could turn a blind eye today to all the repairs that were so obviously needed. Louise was waiting with the door open and a smile on her face. How would she ever survive if that smiling welcome wasn’t waiting for her each time?
In a way, Louise became more of a mother to her than her own over the last few years. With her mother’s increasing Alzheimer’s there were so many days now that she barely recognized that Claire and Louise were always there to smooth the hurt away.
She walked to the top of the steps and put her arms around Louise giving her a tighter than usual hug. Louise looked inquiringly at Claire, “you okay honey?”
“I’m great Louise and I like the new hair color.” Both burst out laughing at the same time. Louise’s hair was the usually brown but there was now a decidedly pink hue to it.
“You know how it goes on the hair, sometimes you look like the girl on the box, and sometimes you look like the box exploded on your head,” laughed Louise.
“Well I think it looks great,” Claire said as they walked into the house.
Claire saw her mother walk into the foyer and gave her a bright smile. “Hi mom, you look so nice today.”
Her mother looked at Claire in confusion and asked, “Louise do we have company?”
With a sick feeling in her stomach, Claire realized that her mother had no idea who she was. She walked slowly forward as not to startle her mother and played the role she’d been forced into more and more lately. “Hi Evelyn, it’s lovely to see you again,” Claire said as she extended a hand towards her mother.