her with the way she’s downing martinis like iced tea,” I said with a dawning realization I had played right into Heather’s plan.
Heather conveniently avoided my glare by intently studying the lone green olive floating lazily in her martini.
This can’t be happening; I shook my head, already scanning the area, desperate for an easy escape. A red lounge sign glowed from across the room. The hideaway called out to me like an oasis in the desert. And, I’m not ashamed to admit, I paused to consider just how long I might be able to hide amongst the white porcelain and flower scented soaps before one of them came looking for me. It could not have been long enough.
Time crawled forward in tortuous minutes, and then the food arrived, shattering all hopes of me forming an escape. An uncomfortable quiet hovered, and not because our mouths were full of food. A large elephant could have sat down to join us and nobody would have noticed.
“Have you ever been to Atlanta?” Heather finally spoke and almost craned cross the table as if wanting to not miss Steve’s response.
“No.” Steve said.
“You’re sure?”
Steve’s eyes narrowed. “I’m sure.”
“Oh well, my mistake then,” Heather sighed rather dramatically.
Though I was aware Heather often took months to warm up to most strangers, I had not seen her so challenging. Her instant dislike for Steve puzzled me especially when I had told her very little about this afternoon. Why was this different? The question nagged at me and yet I had to shake it off. There was no time to deal with this craziness; I had an angel in waiting.
“You know…” I laid down my food and grabbed a napkin. “We really must be going.”
While I began to dig into my purse to pay the bill, I kept one eye on Heather to be sure there was no chance of her ordering a drink on the fly.
“No, here, let me. I crashed your little gathering. It’s the least I can do,” Steve said, as he reached into his wallet.
Heather’s mouth parted to speak and daggers flew from my eyes. She wisely went back for one last sip of her drink.
“Steve, I believe I’ve caused enough conflict to your day, and now to your evening.” I forced a polite smile to my lips, and gathered my personal effects before rising to leave.
“It’s no problem, really.” He stood.
“Trust me, problems are abundant these days.” Heather muttered while gathering her belongings.
Steve gave no sign of having heard Heather, much to my relief. I hesitated briefly, unable to look Heather in the face for fear my anger would surface and I would cause an un-ladylike scene in public. Unlike my friend, I saw no reason for such a blatant display of rudeness. It was better to just leave, quietly.
“Well, if the lucky fellow does not show up, you ladies know where to find me.”
“Steve, do yourself a favor, the next time you see me, just run the other way.” I smiled before turning to leave, dragging Heather along with me.
We left Steve sitting around three plates of virtually uneaten finger foods. My cheeks burned with anger as I stomped each foot step to make my agitation known. Heather, on the other hand, surprisingly walked a straight line as we left the hotel. I observed her closely. I knew that somewhere inside that martini-fogged brain of hers, she knew something I did not.
***
The cab ride back to Graceland was quiet. Heather napped against the car door, and I gazed out at the flashing of street lights as Memphis blazed passed us in the night. The evening air blew cold against the glass, and I rested my head against its surface, enjoying the rousing chill on my skin.
My mind was circling around the day’s mystery when we pulled up next to Graceland with a jerk that woke Heather. She rubbed her face clumsily and blinked. Heather had been so still, I had almost forgotten she was there. Her rousing woke my remembrance and a tiny flame of anger sparked again. I stared out the window, fuming while
Heather conveniently avoided my glare by intently studying the lone green olive floating lazily in her martini.
This can’t be happening; I shook my head, already scanning the area, desperate for an easy escape. A red lounge sign glowed from across the room. The hideaway called out to me like an oasis in the desert. And, I’m not ashamed to admit, I paused to consider just how long I might be able to hide amongst the white porcelain and flower scented soaps before one of them came looking for me. It could not have been long enough.
Time crawled forward in tortuous minutes, and then the food arrived, shattering all hopes of me forming an escape. An uncomfortable quiet hovered, and not because our mouths were full of food. A large elephant could have sat down to join us and nobody would have noticed.
“Have you ever been to Atlanta?” Heather finally spoke and almost craned cross the table as if wanting to not miss Steve’s response.
“No.” Steve said.
“You’re sure?”
Steve’s eyes narrowed. “I’m sure.”
“Oh well, my mistake then,” Heather sighed rather dramatically.
Though I was aware Heather often took months to warm up to most strangers, I had not seen her so challenging. Her instant dislike for Steve puzzled me especially when I had told her very little about this afternoon. Why was this different? The question nagged at me and yet I had to shake it off. There was no time to deal with this craziness; I had an angel in waiting.
“You know…” I laid down my food and grabbed a napkin. “We really must be going.”
While I began to dig into my purse to pay the bill, I kept one eye on Heather to be sure there was no chance of her ordering a drink on the fly.
“No, here, let me. I crashed your little gathering. It’s the least I can do,” Steve said, as he reached into his wallet.
Heather’s mouth parted to speak and daggers flew from my eyes. She wisely went back for one last sip of her drink.
“Steve, I believe I’ve caused enough conflict to your day, and now to your evening.” I forced a polite smile to my lips, and gathered my personal effects before rising to leave.
“It’s no problem, really.” He stood.
“Trust me, problems are abundant these days.” Heather muttered while gathering her belongings.
Steve gave no sign of having heard Heather, much to my relief. I hesitated briefly, unable to look Heather in the face for fear my anger would surface and I would cause an un-ladylike scene in public. Unlike my friend, I saw no reason for such a blatant display of rudeness. It was better to just leave, quietly.
“Well, if the lucky fellow does not show up, you ladies know where to find me.”
“Steve, do yourself a favor, the next time you see me, just run the other way.” I smiled before turning to leave, dragging Heather along with me.
We left Steve sitting around three plates of virtually uneaten finger foods. My cheeks burned with anger as I stomped each foot step to make my agitation known. Heather, on the other hand, surprisingly walked a straight line as we left the hotel. I observed her closely. I knew that somewhere inside that martini-fogged brain of hers, she knew something I did not.
***
The cab ride back to Graceland was quiet. Heather napped against the car door, and I gazed out at the flashing of street lights as Memphis blazed passed us in the night. The evening air blew cold against the glass, and I rested my head against its surface, enjoying the rousing chill on my skin.
My mind was circling around the day’s mystery when we pulled up next to Graceland with a jerk that woke Heather. She rubbed her face clumsily and blinked. Heather had been so still, I had almost forgotten she was there. Her rousing woke my remembrance and a tiny flame of anger sparked again. I stared out the window, fuming while
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