Mom hangs on to him like he’s a prince. She’s all smiles as she leads him to the counter.
“Butch,” she says in a small girl’s voice that takes me years back.
I remember the men she used to bring home. Men that she would speak to in the same tone of voice that grated on me even though I was a kid. I didn’t understand why she used it and I don’t understand now when I’m a grown woman.
“This is my daughter, the one I told you about.” She leans to his ear and whispers loudly. “She’s married to this rich dude.”
“Mom!” I say, louder than I should.
I sense the other customers along the counter staring, and I plant a smile on my face. Butch stares at me in a way that gives me the creeps. I remind myself that I’m not a child. I’m a grown woman who is more than capable of taking care of herself.
“What are you doing here?” I ask Mom in as friendly a tone as I can manage.
“Well, Butch does love his drink and I wanted you to meet him,” she says in a flirty tone.
Nausea rises up my throat. I lean forward. “You’re not drinking, are you?”
A look of indignation comes over her. “Of course not.”
She orders a bottle of water, but I don’t miss the lingering look at the double whisky on the rocks that I serve Butch. I’m pissed off that she brought her date to The Alma. There’s nothing worse than watching your mother seduce a man.
After that, time crawls by. I glance at my watch every few minutes. I can’t wait to leave. When the hour strikes five, I get out of there as if someone is chasing me. My plan had been to go straight home but instead, I make a detour to my sister’s. I’m relieved to find her car in the driveway. These days I’m not too sure about her work schedule.
I park the car and bound up the steps. I turn the knob and the door swings open. I must remind Vanessa to learn to keep the door locked. This is not the safest neighborhood.
I find her in the living room crying.
“Vanessa!” I gasp and hurry to her. “What is it? What happened?” I sit next to her on the couch and hold her close.
“It’s Miles,” she sniffs. “He left. He said that my life has too much drama.”
“Oh Vanessa,” I tell her. “I’m sorry.”
“I’ll never meet anyone good like you have,” she says and blows her nose.
“Now, that’s a load of crap!” I tell her. “I thought that once about myself, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. You are smart and beautiful and the kindest human being I know.”
She smiles through her tears. “Thanks, Lexi. What would I do without you?”
“No need to wonder, because you do have me,” I tell her. “You’ll be okay though?” I worry about Vanessa. Sometimes she seems capable but other times, especially when it concerns a man, she seems so vulnerable.
“I’ll be fine, I promise. This is my moment to mope,” she says.
“You know, therapy has done wonders for Ace,” I tell her.
Her eyes widen. “You want me to go for therapy because my boyfriend dumped me? Lexi, I’m not the first woman to be dumped, and moping a little is normal.”
I don’t tell her that what is not normal is picking losers as boyfriends. Vanessa's choice of boyfriends leaves a lot to be desired.
“No,” I tell her and smile, unable to hide my amusement. “That’s not the reason why. It’s because me and you carry too much baggage from the past.”
“In other words, you think we’re a little fucked up,” Vanessa says.
“That’s exactly what I mean.”
“So, what about you? Will you see a therapist?” Vanessa says.
“Maybe. Relationships are hard for us,” I say.
“You think?” Vanessa says.
We exchange a look of understanding. She’s the only person who knows me inside out and vice versa.
We talk about Luna and Ace.
“I’m so happy for you, Lexi,” Vanessa says. “No one deserves it more than you.”
“I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop,” I tell her.
“Don’t and it won’t. This is it, kid. Enjoy it. Ace is a wonderful man and you are a wonderful woman.”
“I’ve missed you,” I tell her and squeeze her one more time.
“I’ve missed you too,” Vanessa says.
We are both lost in our own thoughts for a few seconds. “You know as much as I’ll miss Miles, it’s kind of nice that he’s out of here. I got tired of acting as a referee between him and Mom.”
“They never took to each other, huh?” I say and resist the urge to add that neither did Miles and me.
“Nope. Oil and water those two,” Vanessa says with a sigh.
“Speaking of Mom, did you know that she’s seeing someone? A biker-type guy called Butch?” I say.