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“Of course, Lucy. You know I look forward to driving you girls. Especially on a night like tonight. How long have we been doing this now?”
“Long enough, Dad, no need to remind us how old we are getting,” Ellie cuts her father off.
“I suppose, El.” I notice his eyes move to me in the rearview mirror briefly as he asks, “How are things in London, Lucy?”
“Very well, thanks. I’ve been begging Ellie to bring you and Mrs. Burrell to visit me soon!”
“Well, that would be a nice trip for us to go on. We’d love to visit you.” Both of Ellie’s parents are enjoying their first few years of retirement. So far they’ve spent their free time traveling to different ball fields following Ellie’s team on away games.
“Yes, Dad, we have to wait until I have a break from my job before spending a couple of weeks in another country. We can’t visit all of England in a weekend.”
“Good point. We will be ready when you are.” He smiles at his daughter. “Well, girls, we are just about here. Shawn is taking you home tonight, right, but if you decide you’d like to leave earlier, just call, I can always come back out and get you both.”
“Thanks!” We both say as we get out of the car andwalk into the bar where Ellie’s brother, Shawn, is the lead bartender,Sliders.
The moment we walk in, we are greeted with a roar of welcome from our friends, people we went to high school and college with, and friends we’ve met along the way.
That’s the nice thing about having a hometown bar, but I’m reminded it can also be a curse when I make eye contact with John, who is currently showing a twenty-something how to hold a pool stick. This is not the first time I’ve witnessed such a scene, but it doesn’t sting like it once did. Quickly, I move my attention back to Ellie and follow her to our usual spot at the corner of the bar.
“Hey, Lucy. Long time no see. How’s the king?” Shawn asks as he leans over the bar to greet us.
“He’s very well, Shawn. Told me to let you know he’s sorry he couldn’t make it in to call upon you himself but looks forward to your appearance at his next state dinner.”
“You tell him I’ll be there!” We both laugh. There is something special about the connection you have with your best friend’s siblings, especially when they make you feel like you are a part of the family. “So what will we be having tonight, ladies? Pink wine or your signature cocktails?”
I look at Ellie, we pretend to be having a silent debate, then turn back to Shawn and agree it’s a holiday. We will go with cocktails this evening. Before we know it, Shawn places our drinks in front of us. I get my cranberry juice with mandarin orange flavored vodka and two limes—and lots of ice. Ellie gets something that resembles a screwdriver but adds cranberry juice to it. We also eachget a large water to drink after every cocktail as a preventative for tomorrow morning.
“Lucy!”I know that yell anywhere—we started this obnoxious name-calling when we met in one of our dance classes during freshman year of college.
“Luna,” I answer in response. Standing to meet her, my arms engulf her in a tight hug as soon as she is close enough.
Our bond was formed from that very first ballet class, both pursuing minors in the dance program, but only because they didn’t allow us to take the program as a major at that time. Something we fought for each year we attended, and years after our graduation, the university finally expanded the program. Luna now runs the premier private dance school in southern New York State with her two older sisters. She also is the go-to choreographer for most local theater companies in the area. And unlike Ellie, she shares my deep passion for Jane Austen.
“We haven’t spoken much since you moved. I need to hear everything about London.” We texted a few times but spoke on the phone only once. She has a far busier schedule than I do these days. With everything going on with Henry, I’m guilty of letting this friendship fall to the side.
“I didn’t want to text about it, but you must tell me what you are doing with that sexy British movie director!” she shouts loud enough for the entire bar to hear. Which includes John, and as I look at Luna she gives me a wink. Like the rest of my friends, she no longer hides her dislike of him. I don’t bother to turn to see if he reacted.
Well, it’s obvious those pictures have circulated morehere than I previously assumed. “Yes, Henry.” Oohs and Awws come from around us as others start to listen in. “We just started dating.”
“I need more details!”
“It’s still new—there’s not much to tell.” Telling them the generic answer I’ve prepared for this evening. I should have known Luna would never settle for that.
“Well, your British boyfriend’s social media account says there’s more to tell,” Marissa, another friend from college, yells from behind Luna.
“Thanks, Marissa,” I say and look to Ellie for help, but she’s not paying attention. She’s too focused on her phone. I wonder who she is texting. “Well, I hate to break it to you, but those photos are all you’re going to get. I like him, and we are keeping it mostly private for now. But thank you for your concern.” Trying to end this topic diplomatically.
Luna leans in, “You know I’m only concerned for your happiness, Lucy. But I’m also a romantic who is dying to hear every detail of this courtship. I need details,” she pauses, “when you’re ready.”
As the night goes on, talk of Henry quiets down, and I get to catch up on everyone’s lives and how their families are doing. We play some trivia games at the bar before it gets too crowded after midnight.
Ellie gets up to go to greet her cousin, Bex who just walked in. Rebecca, as she prefers to be called in just about every other setting, is only a couple months younger than Ellie. They were often mistaken for sisters when they were younger, but as they grew up, their personalities came out more in their appearances. Bex, as Ellie insistson calling her, is a corporate queen who is working her way up the ladder within a major hotel company. They both wave at me before being bombarded by more locals.
I grab my phone, but before I can check it, I feel a once familiar arm around my back.
“It’s good to finally see you here and in one piece,” John says.
Before turning around, I flip my phone over onto the counter with the screen down and turn to him. “Yep, I’m perfectly fine.”
