I feel like Demi Moore in that chick flick Now and Then, driving home, chain smoking cigarettes, and thinking about friendship. “Thomas Wolfe once said you can’t go home again. Well, that’s great for old Tom. But he wasn’t a chick who made a pact with her friends when she was twelve to get together whenever any one of them needed each other. So here I am driving back to my childhood home, a place I can tell you I never wanted to see again.” I wasn’t twelve when I made my pact, I was seventeen. And it wasn’t a pact to get together whenever one of us needed each other. Our pact was just to meet up a year after college graduation – we were never big on commitment.
So, here I am – Liz Chambers starting a new job at a thriving northern Illinois corporation. An hour from my high school in Milwaukee, WI, an hour from my college in Chicago, IL, and right in the middle of everyone who knows me best. I knew I’d end up coming home again. I never thought it would be this soon. I kind of have this life plan. I was supposed to move back home when I turned 25. I was supposed to network for 5 years and start my own company when I turned 30. I’m 22. This is all happening three years ahead of schedule and I’m not sure how I feel about that.
I’ve been away from home for a year and honestly, I didn’t miss it. I didn’t miss my parents. I talked to them as infrequently as I did when I was in college. And my friends…well I’m not big on long distance relationships and neither are they. We didn’t talk much over the last year.
I guess we all had better things to do.
But I’m coming home now and everyone I’ve spoken to has seemed pretty excited about my return. I’ll even admit to feeling a tiny flutter of excitement when I think about seeing all my old friends again. It must have been that flutter that made me lose my mind and invite three old friends to dinner tomorrow night, three old friends that don’t get along at all.
I stub out my last cigarette as I pull into my parents driveway. They would kill me if they found out I smoke. I don’t bother pulling my bags out of my car. I’ll do it later. All I want to do is get in the house and relax for a bit. It’s not a surprise that the house is empty. It is Saturday, but I belong to a family of workaholics. We’ve all had at least two jobs since before I can remember. I’m sure my parents are at one of their many jobs.
It’s never a thing with Anna. It’s her name on the display. We met freshman year of college and we’ve been best friends ever since. There are just certain people you click with. I haven’t talked to Anna since I left. We’ve exchanged emails here and there, but we haven’t talked. I know once I pick up the phone, it’ll be like I never left. We’ve always had a friendship like that.
She starts talking before I even say hello. “Mel is promising to give me a ride to dinner tonight. You have to save me.” Mel and Anna have this really complicated relationship that’s very simple to explain. They are friends and Anna hates Mel.
“Well, hello to you too.”
“Liz. Dd you hear me? I need saving.”
“When have I ever left you down?”
“I can remember a time or two.”
“Really? I don’t believe you.”
“You never do. When are you picking me up?”
“6:30.”
“I’ll see you then.”
“Later.”
We’re the first to arrive at dinner. Mel arrives a few minutes later. Jeanie, as usual, is nearly an half hour late. Once everyone arrives, dinner goes surprisingly well, considering the attendees. Anna doesn’t like Mel. Mel and Jeanie don’t get along. Anna and Jeanie barely know each other. It’s like high school all over again.
We talk about the usual stuff, what we’ve been up to over the last year. Jeanie is finishing her sixth year of college, she’s considering changing her major again when she goes back next year. Anna is finishing up her undergrad and with the state of the economy she’s convinced herself that going straight to grad school is the best option. Mel and I are the only two with full-time jobs. Mel’s been working at a small architect firm for about 9 months now.
Somehow the conversation drifts to relationships. Mel, Anna, and I are all single, so Jeanie decides to regale us with her most recent relationship drama. Jeanie has been in more relationships than the rest of us have been combined. She’s a serial dater. In the 5 years I’ve known her, I’ve never seen her single. Jeanie’s about twenty minutes into her tale of fated love before Mel snaps. “Will you just shut the fuck up. No one cares! You wouldn’t know love if it bit you in the ass.”
Anna and I gasp and try to hold in our laughter.
“At least I’m not a cold frigid bitch.” Jeanie takes a sip of her wine. “You haven’t had a date in two years.” She’s always been one to defend herself.
Always the peacemaker, I interrupt. “I think it’s time for our check.”
“You know, I feel like we have a lot to talk about. A lot we didn’t talk about before you left.”
“Anna…”
She pushes dark hair behind her ear, something I recognize as a sign of her nervousness. ”We don’t have to if you don’t want to. We could forget it ever happened.” She’s giving both of us an out.
“I want to talk about it…I just, is there anyway we could forget it for awhile longer? Until I’m settled?”
She smiles and I know I haven’t given the right answer. “I’ll stay mum until you’re ready. It’s no skin off my nose.” She’s a liar.
“Thanks.” I finish up my cone and push away from the counter. I missed you.”
She nods. ”I know you did.”
As I’m driving home that night, I get a text message from the last person I would expect. I didn’t even know he had my number.
I heard you’re in town. We need to talk.
I snap my cell phone closed and toss it in the back seat. I do not want to deal with this shit.
I guess it’s like they always say…
It’s good to be home.
Filed under: CPLM, anna, fiction, friendships, jeanie, liz, mel, original fiction, pov: liz, serial fiction
