by Shawn Keys
Rick swore he had heard that voice before.
Where was it? It wasn’t that long ago…
The entryway led down a small corridor before opening up into the central area. From where they were, they could see into the living room. A small group of people were already mingling there. From around a corner, Sasha Wilson stepped into view, giving a wave. “I’m entertaining your cousins, Lia. You know, telling them all of your dirty little…” She lost her cheerful flow as she caught sight of Rick.
Rick had been halfway through a return wave before he realized Sasha was waving at Lia instead of him. His thoughts took a few seconds to catch up and realize Lia and Sasha were friends! Holy crap. Sasha’s friend from the play is Lia! Oh, that isn’t going to be awkward at all!
He laughed at himself, and resolved not to let this put him off. He liked Sasha; she was a beautiful person. Them being friends only raised his opinion of Lia. Had he thought about asking Sasha for a date? Absolutely. Had he made out with her in the forest? Sure. Had she let him play with her around second base? Maybe…
He couldn’t believe this. But right then, he couldn’t worry about it. It was too bad; if things didn’t work out with Lia, it was unlikely he would be able to pursue Sasha. The ‘friends’ code’ being what it was, he’d probably have to let it go. Focus on Lia. Remember why you’re here. No need for regrets if this works out as well as it might. Right? Don’t lose Lia because you were so busy regretting what could have been with Sasha!
Ahead, he saw Sasha work past her own shock and continue, “… umm, you now, secrets.” Rick couldn’t help but admire the sexy blonde dressed in a black party dress with a short skirt, transparent sleeves and the firm-fitting fabric many men would sail ships and attack Troy over.
If Lia noticed the hiccup, she didn’t say anything to her friend right then. “Tell her I’ll be right in! I don’t want to abandon my date here before I’ve introduced him around.”
Sasha struggled to find a smile. “You bet!” Then, she faded back out of sight.
Lia gestured at the front hall closet. “Grab a hanger, and I’ll take you in to meet everyone. We can get some food and make introductions you won’t remember. That is, as long as you’re not about to run out of here screaming?”
With the complication of Sasha, Rick actually considered it. Running might be the better idea. But in the end, he had made a promise. Not to mention that he didn’t want to lose his shot with a stunning, brilliant woman like Lia just because of a little coincidence! Rick shook his head. “We’re in too deep, Lia. Only way out is through.”
* * *
Sasha darted back into the living room, cursing inside. Crap crap crap crap! She tossed off a quick few words to Janelle, “Your cousin is coming in. She’ll say hi soon. Excuse me, OK?” She didn’t really wait for an answer, though Janelle was a sweetheart and wouldn’t care.
All Sasha could think about was finding one of the others. Elenia was in her zone in the kitchen, which left Yukiko. Where had she gotten to? Searching through the pantry, the reporter then crossed into the spare room and found Yukiko giving a tour to a few of their friends.
Putting on her best smile, she grabbed hold of Yukiko’s arm. “Excuse me, everyone. I need to steal her away for a sec.”
Yukiko gave a bit of a yelp as she was tugged away and dragged into Elenia’s private room. “What has gotten into you, Sasha?”
The blonde pressed the door closed and blurted out, “Lia’s date is Rick!”
Note quite connecting all the dots, Yukiko asked, “What are you talking about?”
“Rick Angelo. That’s his name. I gave him my tickets to Lia’s play! He went, and he must have solved her technical problems because… well, because he’s a sweetheart and of course he solved all her problems! And now they’re here together!”
“Wait wait wait. Are you saying your Rick is the same as her Rick?”
“Yes!” Sasha turned away, not quite believing this was happening. “I mean, what are the chances of that?”
“Well, you did send him to her play, so that cuts the odds down a little.”
Sasha fired Yukiko a look that screamed ‘not funny’, and then dissolved in a little bit of laughter. Because it is funny. My goodness, this is ridiculous! “What am I going to do, Yukiko? Lia really likes him! I can’t ruin this for her.”
“Why would it? You weren’t dating him.”
“But I wanted to, Yukiko!” She sighed. “I sort of… well, let’s just say he’s already met my girls.”
Yukiko gawked, “What?”
Sasha groaned, “We were making out! It was getting hot. I ran a hand under his shirt. When he did the same, I figured fair was fair. Sue me!” Yukiko laughed, but Sasha pressed on, “I practically begged him to call me this week, and I was totally going to jump all over that! I had more fun with him than I’ve had in weeks with any other guy. Months, even! I’ve been in such a dry spell. This country is full of silly horn-dogs. He was not only hot, but could carry a real conversation!” She groused.
Yukiko murmured, “Another mythical creature, huh?”
“Exactly!”
Yukiko grinned, “You shouldn’t be waiting around for a unicorn. There are plenty of nice guys floating around. You just need to stop spending so much time with Jack’s stupid friends. They are a bad example of what’s available.”
“Whatever.” Sasha sighed, then shrugged. “Avoidance. That’s the right answer. I’m not coming within a country mile of those two all night. I’m keeping my distance.”
“It’s a three-bedroom apartment, my dear.”
“You know what I mean. I can make this work.”
Yukiko smirked. “If you say so. Mind if I go say hello? I’d love to meet this guy who managed to make such an impression on you two.”
“Have at it. At least that way Lia won’t wonder what’s up. She would, if we were both avoiding her. Run interference for me!”
* * *
Rick thought this was going well. Lia’s two cousins were smiling and laughing politely at his jokes. Two other friends had wandered by, and Rick had managed to get through shaking hands and a quite give-and-take with them as well without crumbling.
Sasha had vanished deeper into the apartment and he hadn’t seen her again. Rick was beginning to wonder if he had really seen the other woman. In the back of his mind, he was trying to prepare what he was going to say and do when the inevitable happened and Lia introduced him to her friend. He was way too honest to pretend that they had never met.
Janelle was chuckling at one of the bad jokes he had just pulled off. “Not sure where you found this guy, Cuz. Maybe don’t throw him back too quickly. OK, I need sustenance. Come on, Klara. Let’s let these two have a bit of privacy.” They sauntered off.
Rick exhaled carefully, then smiled Lia’s way. “Do I pass muster?”
Lia gave a delighted laugh. “I knew you were a safe bet. They hate everyone I bring around, but I knew you had the magic touch.”
A gentle voice reached out from behind. “The magic touch? That sounds promising. Mind if I get my share?”
Lia’s smile became wider. “Ohh, good! Rick, please, let me introduce one of my closest friends, Yukiko Mirumi.”
Rick already knew who he was going to find as he turned. If her name wasn’t enough of a giveaway, her voice asking to have her share of his ‘magic touch’ drove away any doubt. This can’t be happening. It simply can’t be happening. Unable to escape, he turned and found whatever shred of a smile he had left. It was actually easier than he thought. Yukiko had been amazing. He would gladly have run into her on the street or at literally any other moment in his life.
But instead, she was right here. Right now. And she was Lia’s friend! Not an enemy or a passing acquaintance. A close friend! Crap crap crap crap. “Hello, Yukiko. It’s, umm, nice to see you again.” And that was no lie. She had been wonderful, and she was looking no less enticing tonight. Her dress was also black, with floral arrangements scatte
red over it in a pretty accent to her petite form.
Yukiko was coming to the same crashing realization. Her eyes were wide, almost as if she was doubly surprised… like she was making two connections instead of just one. “Rick! Oh my! I didn’t expect to talk to you until Tuesday.”
Surprise was building quickly toward understanding for Lia as well. Rick could see it on her face. Yukiko’s Rick is my Rick! It was clear that the close friends had shared stories of their Black Friday adventures. That only made sense. The only thing Rick didn’t know was how much of those details they had shared. Does she know what we did in that department store changing room? Because, yeah, that would get way more awkward and fast!
Lia was struggling to find something intelligent to say. “Tuesday?”
Yukiko reminded her, “I was going to introduce him to Sasha on Tuesday to sell his story.”
“Oh. Oh, yes. You mentioned that. The story is the reason you got fired, wasn’t it Rick?”
He nodded, still embarrassed for some reason. He kept thinking there was some solution he could have found. Maybe he could have marched up to the upper management offices and demanded an audience and turned in the manager and… and…
He brushed those useless thoughts away. What was done was done. He was supposed to talk to Sasha on Tuesday, and that was weird enough knowing that she knew Lia! And now this!
Aloud, Rick managed to answer, “Yeah. It was a good job, so I guess I regret it a little. But not all that much, given how they were treating you, Yukiko. And who knows how many others? In the end, I’m glad I left.” He saw the nervous way the two girls were eyeing each other. Deciding retreat was the best option at that moment, Rick said, “Umm, I’m going to find the… you know, had a bit to drink already… well, you know.” Get out of there, Rick. Before you say something even stupider!
Perhaps welcoming the chance to figure this out, the two women let him get away with his babbling excuse. Rick beat a hasty retreat toward the bathroom, wondering the whole time what he was going to do next!
Or did he have to do anything? This might not be his problem to sort out. As coincidences went, this was a massive one. But he hadn’t set out to pit them against each other or anything! It would be a test of their friendship, for sure. And he didn’t have a say in that, really. He was here with Lia, and really that should be the end of it.
He would have to trust them to sort out their feelings and then he’d have to live with the consequences. He just hoped his time with Lia wasn’t over before it even began!
* * *
As Rick fled, Lia raced in to Yukiko’s side. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
Yukiko dreaded what she had to say. “I’m so sorry, Lia. I couldn’t mistake him in a hundred years. Not after what he did to me. And for me. And… ohh, I’m so sorry!”
Lia rubbed her face, as if trying to wash away this weird universe she had stumbled into. “You have no reason to be sorry, hun. Really! If anything, I’m the one who rushed into this and should be saying sorry. I mean, I met him after you, right?”
“Ummm…”
Lia’s eyes narrowed. “What?” She could read Yukiko when she was holding back.
“Well, see, I was coming over here to tell you something before I even saw his face.”
Lia balked. Another secret? Fearful at what it could be, she asked, “Give it to me straight, ‘Kiko.”
She did. “You know the golfing guy Sasha was raving about?”
“Yeah.”
“The one where she was going to try and snag a date with?”
“That was pretty obvious, even if she wasn’t admitting it.”
“The one who she sent to your play in her place?”
Lia was about to answer when she realized where Yukiko was leading her. “… no!”
Yukiko nodded miserably. “Same guy. Sasha had no idea. I mean, what are the chances? How many decently handsome guys were at that play? Any of them might have been your mystery computer engineer. She didn’t even think twice!”
Lia smacked her forehead and sank onto the couch. “I’m such an idiot! I take a chance once in my life, and I hook up with the guy who is already being hunted by my hot, blonde, foreign friend that could get any guy she wants –”
Yukiko supported her quickly, “– Unless that guy was with you! Lia, come on, you know you’re –”
Not letting her finish the compliment, Lia went on “– and who also ate my other friend out in a department store changing room!” A mildly horrified look came to her face. “Wait a minute. You were going to connect him with Sasha. But you could have given him her number directly. You were acting as the middle-woman.” She gasped. “You were going to ask him out, too!”
Yukiko grew a guilty smile. “Well, I was sort of hoping to tempt him into asking me out. I’m sort of traditional that way.”
Lia smirked. “Oh, yeah, traditional. That’s certainly how your relationship has started off.” She closed her eyes in pain. “So, my hot blonde friend and my insanely hot Asian friend both have an earlier claim on him. This is a nightmare. A total nightmare!”
Yukiko sighed. “Should I call Sasha over? Maybe we can figure this out?”
Lia nodded. “Sure. I need to apologize for cutting her off from Rick. I know, I know. I didn’t mean it. I couldn’t know. But… just, go get her. We’ll figure this out.”
* * *
Rick took his time in the bathroom, splashing his face more than once with water. He was hoping to shock himself back into reality. He wouldn’t know if it worked until he walked back out into the room, but he didn’t feel good about his chances.
Yeah, this makes sense. This is the way this stupid universe works. I had the best day imaginable yesterday. Today, it’s making me suffer. Only natural.
He took a deep breath and stared into the mirror. Keep it together, Rick. Things could be a lot worse than having three amazing women want to be with you. Sucks that this coincidence might make them all decide to leave him alone, but it was nice to be wanted.
He had no idea if Lia was going to cut her losses, but he had to stay focused on her. She’s the one he had come with. She was the only one he had promised anything. And damnit, he was going to be good company to her! Hopefully her friends would let her see where this could go. Then one day, small things like oral sex and flirtatious petting on a golf course will fade into something they could laugh about some day.
He summoned his courage and walked back out into the apartment. He noticed the guests were starting to say their goodbyes a little at a time and wander off. He had to keep it together until the party ended. Deciding a detour through the food area was a good idea before it all went cold, he wandered into the main kitchen.
The cook was occupied with pulling something out of the oven. He decided to restrain himself to a small plate. Despite his earlier jokes, he wasn’t going to stuff his face. At least, that was the plan. But soon his plate was heaping full as he took a sampling of all the different dishes. Turkey. Mashed potatoes. Turnips. Cranberry sauce. Stuffing. And those were just the staples. Everything looked incredible!
Without looking up, he commented to the cook, who was finishing with retrieving a pie out of the oven heat. “You have real talent! No wonder you wanted to host.”
The pie crashed to the top of the oven. Elenia spun around and gasped in surprised delight. “Rick?”
Oh no. No no no no no. My luck is not that bad!
Only it was. Because there was no mistaking those perfect lips speaking to him. No mistaking the beautiful woman they belonged to, nor the bright voice he had enjoyed chatting with while fighting the Black Friday crowds. “Elenia? This… umm, this is your place?”
She laughed in merriment. They had parted as near-strangers, and yet seeing him again didn’t seem to upset her. “Uhh, yeah! Who’d you come with? What a small world this is!”
Rick groaned, trying to figure out how to tell her what he already knew. “Smaller than you think.” His eyes flickered
over to where he saw Lia, Yukiko, and… heaven help him… Sasha chatting together on the couches in the living room. Guests were filtering by them. A few were still finishing their dinners or munching on the first of the apple pies Elenia had produced. Others were saying friendly goodbyes as the party slowly started to wind down.
Rick turned back to the home-chef, embarrassment written plainly on his face. Yup, no poker face at all.
Elenia’s mouth clicked open. “You’re Lia’s date?”
“Guilty as charged.”
A brief bubble of laughter escaped her, then she clamped her hands over her mouth. Squeaking out, she said, “I’m sorry. That was inappropriate.”
Rick hung his head, feeling like he wanted to bang his forehead on the table. “Oh, I think that pretty much sums up this whole thing.” Shaking his head, he said quickly, “I’m so sorry. I should probably go. But I can’t run out on Lia. That wouldn’t be cool. Can…” He searched for the right words. “Would it be terrible if I let you tell her? You’re her friend. How about I’ll go do the dishes. Is that a fair trade?”
Elenia gave another helpless laugh. “No! But… you’re right, it should come from me.” She made a shooing gesture. “Go. Be scarce for a few minutes. I’ll let her come get you when she’s ready. If you haven’t heard from any of us in an hour, we’re probably all dead from embarrassment, so you should probably just run.”
Chuckling, Rick drifted back toward the kitchen/pantry annex, eager to lose himself in a little menial work.
* * *
Half wondering why she had agreed to do this, Elenia flopped her oven mitts onto the counter and walked over to her friends. Rip off the bandage? Or take it slow and gentle?
Sasha saw her coming and waved her over faster. “You are never going to believe what is happening!”
Elenia’s breath caught. Did they already know?
Yukiko was covering her eyes with ongoing embarrassment. “I mean, this couldn’t get any stranger.”