by Rae Matthews
I decide to say goodbye to George and Betty, and leave as quickly as I can. I didn’t know what Bash was thinking, but I was sure to find out when I got back in my apartment.
As I open my door I see Bash sitting on my couch, silently giggling so as to not wake Emma up. I walk over to him and sit down next to him and rub his back.
“So, Grandpa George is gonna get it on with Betty,” I declare bluntly.
A FEW DAYS AFTER THE funeral, things were finally calming down, and we had all begun to get back into a normal routine. The thank you cards for the flowers had been sent, and Jean’s lawyers were looking over her will. They said it would take some time for them to get everything sorted out for Bash, and would contact him in a few weeks.
Jesse was planning his going away party for this weekend, and life as it seemed was moving on. It’s surprising the things a person can overcome when they have the right people around, offering support.
By Saturday we were ready to enjoy ourselves at Jesse’s for a party to remember, as he called it. Bash’s mom offered to watch Emma for us so we could enjoy ourselves, child-free. This party will probably not be kid friendly after too long, anyway.
By the time we get to Jesse’s house, cars were already lined up down the block. My immediate thought was that I hope no one calls the cops, but that was stupid because half of the police force was already here. If the cops were called, they would probably stop by, hang out for a little while, and then move on to their next call out.
As we walk into the house, music is blasting and people are talking and dancing and having a great time. It doesn’t take us long to get drinks shoved in our hands, along with a shot of only god knows what. It burned going down, and I didn’t recognize it.
Two drinks and four shots later, I walk through the rooms of the now empty house, filled with nothing but people. The feeling I got was like a slap in the face. Bash’s best friend is really leaving. More proof that life will go on, for all of us. I start to get a little emotional when I realize suddenly that I am really and truly in love with Bash.
I know I love him don’t get me wrong. But I was really whole heartedly in love with him and that I did want to be his wife. I guess it took me this long to really think about the things Jean said to me. I hadn’t really thought about being married to Bash or married at all for that matter.
I am twenty-four years old, and didn’t believe that this kind of love would ever find me. I start to get a little more emotional as I see Bash look at me from across the room and gives me a smile and a wink. He is talking to Jesse, and I am very much drunk. I was a silly drunk girl who has had a lot going on in the last few weeks, and the alcohol is just bringing it out, I try to tell myself. I am not a sloppy, sappy drunk. I refuse to be!
I shake it off and walk toward Bash and Jesse, desperately trying to get my mind of my walk down sappy Drunkville thoughts.
“Hey, there she is.” Jesse says like he’s genuinely happy to see me.
“Hi, there. You better come visit us as much as you can.” I give him a smile.
“You can bet on it, and you guys better get your asses up there to so we can party Minneapolis-style,” he responds.
I give him another smile in agreement as I move closer to Bash, putting my arm around his back.
“And I will be back for the wedding. I mean, I am the best man,” he adds with a grin.
“Oh, who’s wedding?” I ask.
“Well yours, if this dumb fucker ever asks you.” He says, punching Bash in the arm.
I laugh it off and Bash gives him a dirty look. I’m a little surprised by the look, but then brush it off. Me and my drunk ass probably just missed their inside joke. Subtlety is not my strong suit at this point in my inebriation.
As people start to leave, I realize that I don’t want this night to end. I have gone from sappy drunk to overly-happy drunk, and I’m not entirely sure my words can be understood by anyone other than me. But damn it, I’m having fun.
There are still a few good-looking girls lurking around, probably hoping to get one last hook up with Jesse in before he leaves. Shh, don’t tell anyone, but Jesse is kind of a playboy wannabe. He flashes that badge and his big arms, and women (who are not me) melt in his arms. I really don’t get it myself. Maybe it has to do with the handcuffs? I really couldn’t tell you why, but somehow it works for him.
As I start to walk over, a pretty blonde comes in and starts looking around the nearly empty room, now almost void of people and belongings. She looks lost, and I think that maybe I should go see if I can help her.
“Hi, I’m Sasha, who are you looking for?” I slur together.
“Um Hi, I’m Chloe. I’m looking for Bash or Jesse,” she says.
I know that name. I’m having a hard time remembering why, but I know that name for some reason. Since I can’t remember where from, it must not be important. Probably just someone I met at the bar.
“Um yeah, I think they are in the kitchen. Let me show you,” I say, grabbing for her hand.
I lead her into the kitchen babbling about random nothings along the way.
“Hey guys! Chloe is here.” I announce loudly, smiling goofily as we walk through the doorway.
Bash and Jesse stop talking and gaze over at us, open-jawed and seemingly frozen in time.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Jesse snaps.
“I heard about Jean the other day, and came as fast as I could,” she replies quietly.
“Why don’t you just go back to New York?” Jesse says, more like a statement than an actual question.
“I wanted to see if Bash was ok,” she says, looking toward Bash.
I’m lost as to what is happening until it hits me. Like a fucking tidal wave. Chloe was the name of Bash’s ex-fiancé. Is she that Chloe? Would she really have the balls to show up here, without notice like that?
Bash puts his drink down and motions for Chloe to follow him to another room. I look over at Jesse and his face is red with anger. I haven’t known Jesse that long, but I know him well enough to have learned that he has a long fuse, and it takes a lot for him to get angry. Especially this angry.
I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do right now. Should I be angry? Worried? Jealous that Bash took her to another room to talk rather, than do it out here, in front of me?
Jesse starts to clean up the kitchen, if you can call it that. He was just picking up cups, plates, and half-full cans of beer and throwing them all into the trash can. I hear some loud voices coming from the other room, but I can’t make the words out with all of the noise that Jesse is making. I want to go over to the door and press my ear up to it, except that would be wrong of me. And way too desperate.
Finally, about ten minutes later, (well, ten drunk-minutes, anyway) Chloe comes back to the kitchen looks at Jesse. She adjusts her purse’s strap and gives him a look to kill.
“I’m sorry for interrupting your party. I shouldn’t have come.” She says in an irritated tone.
She looks to me with venom and says, “I guess congratulations are in order.”
At that moment I can’t help it. I had no warning. I bend over and promptly empty the contents of my stomach all over her, what seem to be, very expensive shoes. Afterwards, I right myself and see the sheer look of disgust is on her face.
“Great! Yeah, you’re the obvious choice for Bash here,” she says and stomps off.
What a pompous slut biscuit. I never did anything to her. Well, besides the vomit. I don’t even know the bitch. I don’t even know if she is a bitch, I just heard the one story. But it seemed like something a bitch would do.
Bash comes back in the kitchen a few minutes later and is clearly not happy. He looks over at me, then Jesse. He shakes his head and starts throwing items in the trash, alongside Jesse.
After the kitchen has been cleared, Bash walks over to me and grabs my hand, leading me out of the kitchen. He takes a look back at Jesse and nods his head. Just then I hear a car horn beep.
&n
bsp; “I will call you tomorrow,” he calls over his shoulder.
“Later,” Jesse says back.
As Bash helps me into the cab he called for us, I don’t say anything. I’m not sure what to say. It’s really none of my business, and since she left unhappy, it seems that she did not get the reaction from Bash that she was hoping for.
I feel pretty sober now. It’s funny how that happens after you puke on someone’s shoes; one minute, you’re wobbly and slurring, and the next, you feel like you could run a marathon. Or at least a sprint to the kitchen for the leftover pizza you have waiting for you.
Bash still hasn’t said a word; he has, however, been holding my hand, and hasn’t let go, the whole way home. When the cab pulls up in front of the house, he pays the driver and helps me out.
When we get inside, he disappears into the bedroom for a minute, only to return to toss a blanket and pillow on the living room floor and then heads over to the kitchen. I feel very sober now, and I’m starting to get worried that something is really wrong. Who is sleeping out here? Or worse, is someone coming over?
“Um Bash, I know you’re upset. Do you want to tell me what happened with Chloe, and why there is a blanket and pillow out here?” I ask cautiously.
“Everything is fine; I just thought you and I could watch a movie while you pass out.” He says with a forced smile.
“Uh, yeah right. You haven’t said boo since she left, and I’m fine now. I have no intention of passing out.”
“It’s really fine. She wanted to tell me that she made a huge mistake, and that she wants another chance.” He states calmly, as if that happens all the time.
“Oh is that all?” I say sarcastically.
He closes the refrigerator door and walks over to me, still smiling.
“I told her that she had her chance, and that I was with you now, and that nothing would change that. I was pissed that she came back after all this time, and chose to crash Jesse’s party in an attempt to corner me. She just always needs everything to be about her,” he explains.
I smile, nod my head, and walk away, into the bathroom to brush my teeth and get ready for bed. Bash follows me a minute later with a little smirk on his face.
“You got that mad because she showed up at Jesse’s house tonight, and if she had done it tomorrow, here, you would have been ok with it?” I demand.
“Well, there were other reasons, obviously. She left me, and at probably the worst time you can leave someone. Then, when I’m finally happy again, she shows back up again, trying to act like nothing has changed. She also botched a plan I had for tonight, although I wasn’t sure that was going to work out anyway,” he says.
“Oh yeah, like what? What could you and Jesse possibly have going on after getting shitfaced?” I demand again.
Bash smiles and walks away, back toward the living room. I look in the mirror and shake my head. That man. Ugh. I storm back into the living room, where he has now turned off the lights and lit a few candles. I stop to look around and see him sitting on the couch.
As I walk over, I’m utterly confused by this. I thought we were having our first semi-sort of-mini-argument. Bash just waves me to come over to the couch and sit next to him.
“What are you doing? You’re all over the place tonight.” I say, still confused as all hell.
“Sasha, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. You make me laugh, and always stand by me when I need you most. You are the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. You are so good to Emma, and my family loves you as much as I do.”
“I love you to, but I—” I start to say.
“Let me finish. My friends think you are wonderful, and I can’t see any part of my future that doesn’t have you in it,” he continues.
My heart begins to race with his words. “Bash, I don’t understand. Why are you telling me this right now?”
He lets out a hushed chuckle under his breath, as if I should already know what he is trying to say, and reaches for my hand.
“Because I’m asking you to marry me.”
Six Months later
A YEAR AGO, I NEVER would have thought that I would now be living in Stoddard, helping to raise a little girl, and engaged to be married. Each and every day, I wake up and wait for the movie to end, and the credits to roll, confirming that this happiness is not real. Yet each day, I get out of bed, see Bash and Emma, and know that this is as real as it gets. And I love it.
The summer was coming to an end, just as Bash and I were celebrating our one-year anniversary, as well as anticipating our upcoming wedding day in just two short months. We decided on an October wedding, to try and catch the color of the changing leaves. My mom and Karen have been having a field day with the planning. I’m not even sure it’s Bash’s and my wedding anymore. But it makes them happy, and all I want is Bash beside me on that day, so I just go with the flow.
Emma has adjusted well to my moving into the house permanently, and has finally stopped blackmailing me so that she pretends to like me and acts happy I am around. I think it has stopped because she is now actually happy. When I look at Emma today, I finally see the secure, carefree little girl that she should have grown up to become with her parents. I truly think they would be proud of the person she is becoming.
My move into Bash’s house has also brought me closer to my new job, which makes the commute easy. Well, I’m not sure you can call something that you love a job. With the inheritance Bash received from Jean, we were able to put away enough money for Emma to go to college, and for us to open up our own bar. We called it the Duck Inn. Kind of cheesy, except after I told Bash the story of how my parents met, and how after they started a family, my dad decided that he needed something with more regular hours, Bash instantly fell in love with the name and wanted to bring the Duck Inn back to life. After all, we had also met in a bar.
Bash is still working at the family motel, and has kept busy this summer with the fishermen guide service. We managed to find time in between our hectic schedules to take Emma camping, and also spent as much time on the beach as possible. However, this time it was the family friendly, lots of kids to play with kind of beach. We had picnics and played games in the yard games. Surprisingly, this has been the best summer of my life so far.
Betty and George are still seeing a lot of each other, and I’m glad to say that I no longer share a wall with Betty. The noises that woman makes are borderline porn-worthy. I feel sorry for whoever moves into my apartment next. Bash’s dad didn’t approve of their situation at first, and took some convincing to finally understand that just because you get old, doesn’t mean that you have to sit back and watch Jeopardy, waiting until the end to find you. As long as they are happy, who are we to stop them?
When asked jokingly about if they are going to get married anytime soon, they laughed and said that when you get to be that old, a piece of paper just doesn’t seem to be all that important. The important things are the people that you have around you, and watching your loved ones find their own happiness in life.
Jesse loved his new job in Minneapolis. As a Detective-in-training, he was assigned to a K9 unit, and now has a German Sheppard named Max living with him. We were pleasantly surprised to hear that he has met someone there, and that they have been dating for about four months. Her name is Kelly, and Bash and I can’t wait to meet her soon. Jesse seemed like the type who would never settle down, so I applaud the woman who could get him to commit. It sounds like they had an interesting meeting, and I’m looking forward to hearing more about it. It also sounds like he will be getting a promotion soon if the assignment he is working on ends well. He can’t tell us anymore than that right now.
Dustin loves Chicago, from what little I heard. He found a roommate pretty easily, and I think he is a body builder or something, and has been on Dustin to bulk up. Dustin has done well as lead bartender, and is thinking about saving up to buy a bar of his own. I just hope that he is happy, and finds what he is looking for ther
e.
Life for us has just seemed to fall into place, and fairytale endings have made the rounds to most of our friends, as well. Megan and Matt will be getting married the month after Bash and I, and Sadie and Will are expecting their first child this winter, a little girl. The girls and I try to find as much time to hang out as possible, though it’s difficult as our own duties and responsibilities sometimes take over. However, we did make a pact that, at least once a year, no matter what else is going on, we will all pack our bags and go camping, just us girls.
While sitting at the table eating dinner, I look to Bash, and then Emma. I smile with the realization that maybe I was right about fairytales and romantic comedies being a big pile of bullshit. You shouldn’t buy into the Hollywood version of happily ever after.
What we should really be doing is ordering a mixed drink. You start by adding some family, friends, heartache, and joy, into the shaker, with a twist of fate and a dash of the unexpected. Shake it well and pour it into a glass. Garnish it with a cherry, and as you take that first sip, you realize that this is the best drink you have ever had. You just had to be brave enough to try it.
First to my husband, I love you with all of my heart and soul. You make my mixed drink worth drinking.
To my family who got to listen to me talk about ‘my book’ for so many months yet not being allowed to read it until it was done. Thank you! I am so lucky to have a supportive family that puts up with my corks the way you do.
To all those that have helped me during this exciting journey. You have no idea how much I have appreciated your words of encouragement, so let me just say that without you by my side this would not have been possible.
Joanne, you believed in Sasha even before I did. Because of you Sasha has a spot on my bookshelf. You are an amazing woman and I cannot even begin to express to you my gratitude.