No Such Thing As True Love

by A. M. Anderson

“Well, this will shock you,” Cassandra said to Maritess, “but I did actually learn to cook. After you made such a fool of me, I figured I would prove you wrong. So, I’m going to cook dinner for us here, and we’re just going to hang out… see where it goes, you know?” Maritess was a little surprised that Cassandra seemed so hesitant. So, she asked her about it.

  “I don’t know, Tessie,” Cassandra said, “I think it’s just because I think Markus really is a great man, and I think that you might not know what you’re missing. I don’t know. Like I said, I understand that you don’t want a partner, but Markus seems really special. I just feel a little guilty about taking him from you, I guess.” Maritess hugged her friend, and thanked her for her concern, but reassured her that she had no romantic feelings for Markus. She used the opportunity to tell her a few of the things Markus had said about her earlier. Like a pro, Maritess had Cassandra eating up every word she spoke to her. By the time Maritess left to let Cassandra get ready for her date, they were both as giddy as school girls before a dance. Maritess was happy to return home to Tike, a bath and a quiet night’s sleep.

  …

  CHAPTER 16

  Cassandra wasn’t joking about having learned to cook. She created a fabulous meal for her and Markus to share. She had quite a few handy kitchen gadgets. The asparagus was delicious after it sizzled on an electric counter grill. The steaks were perfectly rare, and the sautéed mushrooms wonderfully complemented the bottle of wine that accompanied dinner. While she still couldn’t quite believe it, Cassandra forced herself to take Maritess’ wish of good will. She finally felt fully relaxed with Markus by the time they finished eating. Her apartment had a small balcony, and it over-looked the main drag. There was a good amount of traffic on the street below for a weekday night. They sat cuddled under a blanket upon an old garden bench Maritess had spotted while driving by a yard sale. Cassandra rested her head against Markus’ shoulder, and absorbed the start of something new.

  Markus was starting to feel like a new person. Every day, whether he started it training at the gym, or cuddling with Cassandra, turned into an opportunity for something new. Markus was soaring at work. The team he led had won their case, and his boss had moved him to an actual office. Markus had sat back in pride, and couldn’t decide whether to call Maritess or Cassandra first. He ended up texting them both which gave them all a reason to meet for celebratory drinks; something that was quickly becoming a weekly tradition.

  Maritess and Cassandra were basking in the glory of modest achievement themselves. Cassandra’s deal was turning into a massive contract, complete with proposed plans for the property once it is acquired. The estimated earnings on the entire project were estimated to be in the millions. Cassandra had every reason to be proud of herself. Maritess, too, was experiencing success at work. Her summer full of marketing had paid off heavy in the fall. She was packed every day and considering transforming one of the meeting rooms into a space for a spinning class. As the month passed, the three of them became permanent fixtures in each other’s daily lives.

  Markus and Cassandra were having a dizzying ride into full blown love. Together, they rediscovered the city in their free time. Cassandra, with Maritess’ help, was able to show Markus many of the places she used to call home. Markus showed her everything that was new, and enjoyed every moment of her company. Cassandra was quickly becoming a necessity in his routine. While they kept mostly to their own homes, they shared most of their meals together. Maritess would join them when the urge struck her, but, for the most part Markus and Cassandra were drifting into a chrysalis phase in their relationship. Maritess watched with wonder, but cared little for the times when, separately, they would go on and on about one another.

  Maritess had felt the need to introduce a ‘no love talk’ policy during her training sessions with Markus, which had drastically cut down on the gushing at least from his end. While she still saw them on the weekend when the three of them met for drinks, Cassandra was much more involved with Maritess than Markus was. Since Cassandra’s daily schedule mostly revolved around meetings, she had a lot of free time to stop by the gym. Maritess found herself delegating more and more tasks to her managers. To her relief, the club ran like a well-oiled machine. Maritess was free to enjoy some of the benefits of her success.

  Maritess found herself taking some afternoons off even without Cassandra or Markus in tow. She had forgotten what it was like to walk in the park by the river when everything was sparkling with ice. Winter was almost upon them. Maritess was in the midst of plans to accommodate the increased business New Year would bring. Everyone was a health nut for the first quarter of the year. It was another aspect of human behavior that amused Maritess.

  During her time to herself, Maritess thought a lot about the things she and Markus discussed. Since there was no talk of love, their sessions had become filled with talks of philosophy, religion and any quirky politics they both decided to care about. Maritess couldn’t help but feel a gentle sting that accompanied their absence. She was happy for them, but her return to a more solitary life was proving to be more difficult than she imagined.

  One night in particular, Maritess felt her heart sink with loneliness while she was out grocery shopping. She passed a small cantina and glanced through the windows. She spotted Markus immediately and wasn’t surprised to see Cassandra sitting across from him. She smiled, but didn’t wave or try to get their attention. She carried her grocery bags back to the bus stop, and sat down to wait. They finished eating and made their way to the same bus stop before any bus showed its headlights. Maritess had to face the awkward silence when they declined an invitation to hang out. They were headed to crash over at Markus’ instead. Cassandra could tell that Maritess was starting to feel left out, but she knew better than to draw attention to it.

  Maritess had always been very realistic about how her emotions affected other people. If she were able to look Cassandra in the eyes and say that she was fine with everything, then that’s the way Maritess wanted things to be; whether she really felt that way, or not. Cassandra did her best to spend some more time with Maritess, but between work and Markus, there was barely enough time for sleep. Maritess understood, and found herself throwing her attention into work. Soon, she found an amended rhythm, and was able to sail into the harsh winter months. She met every week with Markus and Cassandra, continued training and everyone seemed extremely happy. Maritess found herself looking forward to the holidays.

  …

  CHAPTER 17

  The weeks were ticking incessantly towards Christmas. For Thanksgiving, Markus, Cassandra and Maritess had their own, small celebration. They were each expected to attend their families' celebration. Cassandra told Maritess that she had brought Markus to meet her parents, and she had been invited to his Aunt’s for their dinner. Maritess had no doubt that they both blended beautifully within each other’s families. Cassandra had offered to help her decorate the club. She didn’t trust Maritess to put enough festivity into the environment. Together, they hung wreaths, lights and a basketful of other sparkly things Cassandra had picked out.

  “Markus and I are thinking about going away next weekend. What do you think?” Cassandra asked of Maritess. Maritess shrugged.

  “Sure. Where are you going?” she asked in return. Cassandra told her that they wanted to go back country skiing, but the closest place was pretty far away. They figured they’d make a weekend out of it. Cassandra was studying Maritess closely. She seemed not to have a care in the world that they were planning a getaway. Cassandra shook her head, changed the subject and went on decorating the club. When they were finally finished, Cassandra took off for a meeting, and left Maritess to paperwork.

  About an hour after she left, Maritess started thinking about Cassandra and Markus going back country skiing. It would be a funny sight. She laughed it off in her mind, but then looked at a calendar. Maritess was shocked at herself for forgetting, but a little hurt by Cassandra for forgetting, too. Maritess was goin
g to turn thirty-two on Saturday. Markus and Cassandra would probably be strapping on snow boots by then. She wondered if Cassandra really forgot her birthday, or even cared. There was probably no way Markus could know, so Maritess wasn’t too hurt by him, but Cassie should have known. Maritess should have remembered, too. She debated calling Cassandra to remind her, but then thought that there might not be a point.

  Ordinarily, Maritess didn’t do much of anything for her birthday. Last year, she had gotten silly hats for her and Tike. They shared a couple of cupcakes, but other than that, Maritess wasn’t one for much celebration over things like birthdays. What if she called Cassandra, only to find out that she did remember it was her birthday and was only asking to make sure it was okay with Maritess if they bailed? What if she called Cassandra, only to have her suddenly remember and cancel her getaway with Markus? Maritess really didn’t care about her birthday too much, and she would feel pretty crappy if she blew their winter vacation. She decided not to say anything about it, and pushed away the petty feelings that were hovering around.

  The next morning, Maritess asked Markus about their plans as they cooled down. Markus obviously had no clue her birthday was the next day. He excitedly talked about everything he had packed, and what they were going to do. The resort was only a few hours' drive away. They were going to leave that evening so they could be there for sunrise the next day. Maritess tried to be enthusiastic for him. It wasn’t working too well. Markus seemed to notice.

  “Hey,” he said, “Are you okay?” Maritess nodded her head in return, but a loud chime rang over the intercom system and instantly grabbed her attention.

  A few minutes beforehand, Cassandra had been peering through the workout area doors. She saw Maritess and Markus on stationary bicycles, and spun to race towards the front desk. The girl behind the counter recognized her as a friend of Maritess, and even addressed her by name.

  “Hello, Miss Cassandra,” the girl said. Cassandra walked around the counter and handed her a bill.

  “Here is one hundred dollars just for you. Now, you need to make sure Maritess does not interrupt me while I’m on the intercom. Understand?” she said. The young girl shook her head in protest, but Cassandra just closed the girl's palm around the money and gently pushed her to the side. “Just stand there and hold her back. I promise, I won’t let her fire you,” Cassandra said. Then, she picked up the phone attached to the intercom machine and pressed the button for the entire building.

  That’s when Maritess, and everyone else, heard the chime from the loudspeakers. Cassandra didn’t waste a second of her precious time.

  “Hello dedicated fitness enthusiasts,” Cassandra announced calmly. “My name is Cassandra Flynn. I am an old friend of Maritess Michaelson. I believe that it is time to show our everlasting appreciation and gratitude for the work Miss Michaelson has put into this wonderful club.” Cassandra paused when she saw Maritess fly through a set of double doors. Markus was a foot behind her, and wrapped his arms around her waist before she could get closer to the front counter. Cassandra smiled an insanely big, excited smile before continuing.

  “Little does anyone know, tomorrow is Maritess’ birthday! So, if you can pry yourselves away from your workouts for just a quick minute, please, everyone come to the lobby so we can sing her a song!” Cassandra hung the phone on its hook. Soon, members and staff flowed through every door that led to the lobby. As the center of everyone’s attention, Maritess stopped fighting Markus. A moment later, he disappeared into the chaos. Maritess heard Cassandra yell over everyone’s chatter, and start a countdown. Within the first couple of bars, everyone was on the same note while they sang happy birthday to Maritess.

  With everyone combined, there were probably close to one hundred people in the club at any given moment. The roar from their voices was powerful. Maritess’ cheeks were the same shade of red as her hair. She held a tight smile, overwhelmed with joy and embarrassment. She should have known better than to think Cassandra forgot her birthday, even when she herself almost had. At the tail end of the song, Markus reappeared from the juice bar. He had on a small plate a muffin that was topped with a sparkler candle. He approached Maritess just in time for her to blow out the candle. She looked up at him and returned the warm, heartfelt smile he beamed at her.

  Soon, Cassandra came to wrap her arms around Maritess. The crowd disbursed, and the staff, although now much more giddy, got back to work. Maritess hugged her friends again. She was grateful, and couldn’t care an ounce less that they were going away for the weekend. When she told them so, Markus shuffled his feet, and Cassandra looked at her nervously.

  “Yea, about that trip,” Cassandra said. Maritess eyed her suspiciously as she continued, “Well, we are going on a back country skiing trip, but… you’re coming with us. I already talked to your managers, and you’re covered through Monday!” Cassandra threw her arms into the air and smiled broadly, as if she were revealing a prize to a guest on a game show. Maritess had nothing against back country skiing, but she absolutely hated it when people roped her into multi-day commitments. She was amused, flattered, but pissed as well.

  Cassandra just shook her head, already knowing the thoughts that ran through Maritess’ mind. “Nope, nope, nope. I don’t want to hear a word, Tessie,” Cassandra said, “You need a vacation just as much as we do. It’s your birthday, and we are your best friends. We are taking you skiing. I am prepared to tie you up and make you ride in the trunk…” Cassandra held her hands on her hips, and dared Maritess to try and stop her. There was nothing Maritess could really do, so she decided to make Cassandra take her out to breakfast while Markus went to work for the day.

  . . .

  Maritess had never been skiing, so Cassandra helped her shop for the gear she would need. By the end of the day, they piled into an SUV that Markus rented and drove out of town towards the mountains. The resort Cassandra chose was beautiful, and she was true to her word about the weekend being a birthday present for Maritess. She had rented them a suite with two bedrooms and a common area. When they walked in, they were all astounded that it was almost as big as all three of their apartments combined. They shared a room service dinner, drinks and the laughter that spurred naturally from the group’s interaction.

  The next day, they were led by a guide down a trail on skis. While the whole scene was humorous, Maritess was not exempt from being the brunt of any jokes. She did just as horribly as Cassandra and Markus did. By lunchtime, they had gotten the hang of it, and were exploring the trails around the resort. That night, they decided to visit a club in town for drinks. Cassandra threatened the entire time that she was getting everyone to step foot on the dance floor. Maritess rolled her eyes, and Markus shook his head.

  Once they were there, though, her pestering proved to be enough to get Maritess out for one song. Maritess kept her movements simple compared to the intricate rhythms that Cassandra’s body found. The DJ mixed around with a few tracks, and Maritess had her fill before the song was really over. Together, she and Cassandra made their way back to their table. Markus was still sitting down, having enjoyed his drink and the ridiculous show they’d put on.

  “Markus,” Cassandra said without sitting down, “As my boyfriend, you are obligated to dance with me.” She smiled, but forced a business-like stance and tone from her tiny, dressed up frame.

  “Don’t argue with a lawyer, woman,” Markus retorted. He took another sip of his drink and motioned for her to sit down. Instead, she waited for him to set his glass on the table, then snatched his arm. She pulled him from his seat. Markus was in a good mood, and really didn’t want to disappoint her, but he knew how terribly he danced. As his bad luck would grant him, the DJ slowed things down a bit when a few more couples walked onto the floor. Markus uncomfortably shuffled back and forth. He held his hands on Cassandra’s hips like he probably did at every high school dance he attended, if he had attended any. Cassandra tried to get him to sway, she tried to instruct him. At the end, she gave up an
d just leaned her head on Markus’ chest as they shuffled back and forth.

  Maritess had to order another drink for herself to keep from falling off her chair from laughing. Cassandra was obviously annoyed, Markus was obviously annoyed, and they were doing it to themselves. Maritess just couldn’t contain the amusement she felt. When the song was over, neither Markus nor Cassandra wanted to wait for another tune to start. They both returned to the table and plopped down.

  “Maritess,” Cassandra pleaded, “Please, please, pretty please, come dance with me.” Maritess replied that she would not. Cassandra looked again at Markus, but shook her head instead of begging his participation. Then, she summoned herself and said, “Fine. I’m going to go dance, because I don’t need anyone to dance with. So, there.” Markus and Maritess watched Cassandra float back onto the dance floor. The DJ’s music was more fast-paced than before. Cassandra effortlessly moved her body. It was as if she was a leaf caught in a stream. She was right, though, she didn’t need anyone to dance with her.

  “She used to do this for hours in her room when she was a kid. I would come over and hear her feet on the floor above the living room. Her brother hated it, but I always thought it was awesome,” Maritess said to Markus. She looked at him when she took another sip of her drink. “I don’t dance. Cassie’s the only one who ever gets me to dance, and I only dance one stupid dance. I’d rather run, or do something productive where I don’t look totally absurd,” she said before adding, “You know what that’s like, right, Shuffle-feet?” Markus flicked a spray at her from his straw. They laughed as they watched Cassandra wear herself out on the dance floor.

  …

  CHAPTER 18

  When the weekend was over, they all returned to work refreshed and happy that only another week remained until Christmas. Cassandra had talked Maritess into throwing a huge party at her gym, and it was going to be a great success. Markus, Maritess and Cassandra each invited their families so that no one would have to spend the holiday apart. It was the best Christmas party that Maritess had ever experienced.