Slender Bridge

by Katrina Clemons

  We cleaned up quickly. I was glad that tomorrow was my day off. I don’t think I could have gone through a third day like the past two had been. It was nearly midnight when I got home. I dragged myself up to my apartment. I almost jumped out of my skin when a figure emerged from my doorway. I was halfway down the stairs and thinking of the quickest way to safety.

  “Helen! Please! Baby! You’ve got to let me explain. She meant nothing. It just happened. Please believe me!”

  I fumbled in my bag for my cellphone.

  “You’ve got some nerve coming here. You have until I press send to get out of my face. I’m calling the police and reporting an intruder in my building.” I started dialing. He held up his hand.

  “Okay. Okay. I’ll go. But can we at least talk sometime tomorrow?”

  “There’s nothing to discuss. It’s evident that you both ‘accidentally’ got undressed and ‘accidentally’ ended up in your bed. We’ve had a few of those ‘accidents’ if you can recall. I know how ‘accident’ prone you are. Come to think of it. You may have had more ‘accidents’. It’s just that I caught you in this one.” I dug through my bag and found his key. I walked up and handed it to him.

  “Goodbye, Josh. Please stop calling and texting. I don’t wish to see you again. Also, please find somewhere else to eat. My staff will not be serving you. You are no longer welcome at Andy’s.”

  Josh glowered angrily.

  “Well, fine then! Be that way. I’d like to see you do better than me in this town. You’ll come back, Helen. Mark my words! You’ll be back in my arms in no time.”

  “No, Josh. You mark my words. That will happen when hell freezes over. Until then, goodbye Josh.”

  I pushed past him and opened my door. I breathed a sigh of relief and quickly closed and locked the doors. The nerve of him! All the depression and hurt I had felt in the past two days, suddenly gave way to anger. I now wondered if Sally was the first, and if not, how had I not picked up on his deception before.

  I had a quick shower and crawled into bed. I was looking forward to sleeping late.

  My hopes of sleeping in came crashing down when I opened my eyes to the sound of banging on my door. I grabbed my phone from the nightstand.

  “What the…? Seven?”

  Groggily, I got out of bed as the knocking persisted.

  “I’m coming. I’m coming.” I muttered to myself.

  “Helen Alicia Anderson! Open this door right now. Right now, I tell you! Don’t make me call the fire department and have them break it down!”

  Instantly I was wide awake and hastened to the door. I yanked it open as my best friend Clare Stone raised her fist to pound yet again. She stepped into my apartment and tossed her jacket and scarf on the couch. She moved to the kitchen with a whirlwind of energy that was typically Clare. Her huge afro stood our around her head with the last three inches dyed a fiery red-orange. It clashed with her jet black roots, but it was a look that only Clare could pull off. Her trim frame was the canvas for one of her eclectic creations, as she wore a blouse of varying fabrics and colors with the hem hanging at different lengths. Skinny jeans and boots completed the ensemble.

  “Good morning to you too, Miss Sunshine.” I rubbed my gritty eyes and stifled a yawn.

  She whirled on me.

  “Don’t you good morning me. Why did I have to hear from mama Lillian that you broke up with that louse?”

  “Broke up? I didn’t tell anyone I broke up with Josh.”

  “And you think tossing a bouquet and chocolate into the trash isn’t a clear sign that something was wrong in paradise?”

  She got the coffee pot on in no time then rummaged through my cabinets. She banged a skillet onto the kitchen counter. She then opened the refrigerator and took out bacon, sausages, and eggs. I took a seat on one of the stools as I watched her move around the kitchen. I had often told her that if the fashion world had not been her passion, she would have made one mean chef. The air soon crackled with the smell of bacon, and my stomach rumbled.

  “What happened, Helen? Just three days ago, I remember how excited you were because things had been progressing so well between you two. You started playing out all these little ‘pop the question’ scenes and everything. So what happened?”

  In as concise a manner as I could, I gave her the abbreviated version, starting with my wanting to surprise him with a nightcap and being surprised myself to fin him in bed with another woman.

  “That louse! That dirtbag! That slimeball! That filthy scum! That lowlife! That scoundrel! He deserves to be shackled by his testicles and dragged through the streets! I can’t believe him! That bastard!”

  “And I thought I had every derogatory term covered.”

  “Oh, please! You’re too kind! Now, I’m cut from a different cloth. I wouldn’t hesitate to cut his heart out and plead temporary insanity. Come here, my sugar plum!”

  She came around the island and pulled me into her embrace. Though she was just two inches taller, the abundance of hair made her seem as if she towered over me. I sighed as I rested my head on her shoulder. Then I sniffed.

  “Clare?”

  “It’s okay, hun. We’re going to get through this.”

  “Um, Clare?”

  “He’s not the only fish in the ocean. You’ll bounce back in no time.”

  “Clare! Bacon! Burning!”

  “Oh, Shit!”

  I shook my head with a slight smile as I watched her move around the kitchen. There was no way I was going back to sleep at this point.

  Over the next few days, I had to break the news to my parents, at least officially from my mouth. If my mother called Clare, then I knew she had already told my father. At the café, it was business as usual. The nine-day wonder passed. After the first few days of calling and texting, Josh stopped altogether.

  Outwardly I was strong, but it was in my quiet times that I felt the pain most. I poured my energy into the café, working harder and longer than everyone else. I found that the more exhausted I was, the more I could keep my mind off the breakup. But I had honestly fallen deeply in love with Josh and had indeed seen a future for us.

  February went by, and the weather started to warm up. It was time to begin to put away my winter gear and pull out the spring stuff. I was in the middle of vacuum-packing my jackets when my cell phone rang.

  “Hola!”

  “Hi, my sugar plum. What are you up to?”

  “Spring cleaning, hon. Getting the jackets and comforters put away.”

  “Boring!”

  “Ca-thar-tic.” I rolled my eyes as Clare laughed. “What are you up to?”

  “Nothing right now. But it’s what I’m going to be up to that made me call. I have a mission in Miami this weekend. There’s a store I need to check out for some fabrics. Susan was to come with me, but she’s down with the flu. Are you game?”

  “Um. I think I’ll pass. The café is a bit busy on weekends, and we usually need all hands on board.”

  “Stacy and Brenda are quite capable of taking charge for forty-eight hours. If they haven’t burned the place down on your day off, what difference will an extra day make?”

  “Friday is in two days, Clare. I’ve set the duty roster.”

  “You’re the boss. Unset it.”

  “And besides, I didn’t budget for a plane ticket this month. You know I need to know these things in advance.”

  “Susan’s ticket was already paid for in full. All I need to do is change the name.”

  “Um. I don’t have anything to wear.” I knew I was grabbing at straws now.

  “Oh, please! Now that’s just a feeble and pathetic excuse. You’ve been moping around for almost a month now, and I will not allow it to go any further. Am I going to have to bring in the reinforcements to get your butt on that plane with me in two days?”

  I sighed. I knew that if Clare went to my parents, it was a done deal. I tried one last time.

  “Can I at least sleep on it tonight and let you know in
the morning?”

  “Remind me of your drivers’ license number, please. I need to make the change on my travel itinerary and business expense claim form. You’re coming in the capacity as my assistant.”

  It was as if I had not spoken. The call ended with a reminder to be at the airport by five on Friday morning. I sat looking at the piles of clothing on my bed.

  With a sigh of resignation, I went to the closet and pulled my suitcase out from the back. I rummaged through my drawers to find suitable clothing. I guess I was going to Miami.

  Chapter 3 – Helen

  My face lit up as the wheels hit the runway. We were in Miami, and it felt great. Retroactively, I felt relieved that I had allowed Clare to talk me into this trip. My body already felt relaxed, and my mind was catching the vision.

  The grin stayed in place as we collected our luggage from the overhead compartment. I pulled my shades down on my nose as we disembarked. The warm morning sun hit me squarely in the face as I looked up. Creek Town was still a bit on the cold side; I was enjoying the weekend already.

  “I cannot wait to get to our hotel!” Clare threaded her arm through mine as we passed through the various checkpoints.

  “I’m glad you twisted my arm into coming, Clare. I think I’m going to enjoy these two days.”

  “Think? I know you’re going to enjoy it! Now let’s grab a cab and get this weekend started!”

  Clare did a little dance, and I couldn’t help but join in. We drew a few stares, but I didn’t care.

  We got a cab and headed to our hotel roughly half an hour away. We were on the twentieth floor with a panoramic view of the city. I stood on the balcony, allowing the light breeze to tease my hair as I took it out of the ponytail. Time was the best healer. The sting of Josh’s betrayal was still not completely gone, but it was significantly less.

  “Hey. Let's freshen up and grab some brunch. Then I do need to go to that fabric store. After that, we cannot be held accountable for what we do before we get to the airport at five on Monday morning.”

  “Aye aye, Captain!”

  We went down to the hotel restaurant and ate quickly. By ten-thirty, we were through with the fabric store. We took a cab and headed into the busy downtown district. It had been a while since I had time like this to myself, and I was enjoying it. It was not long before we had our hands filled with parcels of all kinds from our foray into various stores. I had purchased a cute little red dress at Clare’s insistence that I needed to show off my shapely legs. I had no idea where in Creek Town I would wear it, but it made Clare happy.

  We got back to the hotel around two p.m. and deposited our cargo in the room. We then headed down to the restaurant for lunch. I wanted to go back to the hotel room for a nap, but Clare turned us in the opposite direction towards the hotel spa.

  “My treat, hun. Let’s get all those kinks worked out. Self-love is the best love.”

  “You will get no complaints from me.” I grinned and put my hands up in surrender.

  I enjoyed every bit of the two-hour treatment. It felt good to have hands other than mine washing my hair. Then it was on to the massage table. I felt like a whole new person by the time the masseuse got through working out the knots in my shoulders. Then the cherry on top was the manicure, pedicure, and facial. I would have to take the polish off my fingers by the time I got back on Monday, but it felt good being all dolled up. When we walked out of the spa at nearly five, I felt as if I was glowing. My hair was curly and bouncing behind me, and my entire body felt alive.

  “Clare, thanks a million. I didn’t realize how much I needed this.”

  Clare smiled as she threaded her arm through mine.

  “That’s what friends are for, hun. Let’s get some rest, though. The day is far from over.”

  We walked toward the elevator that would take us to our floor and waited patiently.

  “Clare?”

  We both looked around quickly. There, behind us, were two of the most drop-dead gorgeous men on which I had ever blessed my eyes. One seemed vaguely familiar. I had seen him before. Then my eyes widened as I became speechless. Was it really who I thought it was?

  “I would know that big old afro puff anywhere.”

  Then Clare’s face split into a broad smile.

  “Michael! How are you? How long has it been?”

  She moved to embrace the tall gentleman who had greeted her. I took a step to the side to give her some room while I still ogled his companion. The elevator arrived, and the four of us piled in. Clare threaded her arm through Michael’s as the doors closed.

  In these close quarters, I recognized that I was within touching distance of none other than Scott Dawson. The screen did not do justice to his real-to-life in living color appearance. He was tall, roughly about six feet two inches. His hair was close-cropped and lay in smooth waves on his scalp. His dark brown eyes were deep-set under immaculate brows. I studied him discreetly as he stood at the back of the small space.

  “I haven’t seen you since I designed that suit for the last premiere. How have you been? What are you doing in Miami? How long are you here for?”

  Michael threw his head back and laughed. “Still the same old Clare. You haven’t changed a bit, sweetheart. I have been exceptionally well. We’re here in Miami for a few days to negotiate a movie deal. Where are my manners? Scott Dawson, my best friend from the day we were born and currently my biggest client. Clare Stone, the designer of that suit you just about killed me for.”

  Clare pulled me forward from the wall. “Nice to meet you, Scott. This is Helen Anderson, my best friend from the womb. Helen, Michael is one of my clients.”

  I extended my hand, first to Michael, then to Scott. I tried to make my face as blank as possible, but inside, the butterflies were all fluttering madly. I was in the same space as Scott Dawson, and I was touching Scott Dawson’s hand. I smiled politely at both men, then stepped back.

  “So, what brings you ladies to Miami? Is it just me, or has your afro gotten bigger? How long are you here for?”

  I gawked. Surely there could not be a male version of rapid-fire-question Clare.

  “I had some stores to visit for fabric, but other than that, it’s pretty much a girls’ weekend out. You know girls want to have fun.” She paused to fluff her hair with her free hand. “We’re just coming from the spa, so that may have made it a bit poofier than usual.”

  “Hmmm. That explains Helen’s curls, then.” Scott drawled as he looked me up and down.

  Clare chimed in. “Oh, those curls are natural.” She turned her attention back to Michael. “We leave on Monday morning on the first flight out. Is your number the same?”

  “It sure is. Is yours?” Clare nodded.

  The elevator came to a grinding halt, and Michael looked up. The doors slid open.

  “This is our floor.” He kissed Clare on the cheek then shook my hand again.

  “It was nice running into you. We need to catch up a bit more, though. Nice meeting you, Helen.”

  “Ladies.” Scott’s baritone washed over us as they stepped out. The doors closed.

  I let out my breath in one big whoosh and squealed.

  “I cannot believe that we were just in the same elevator as Scott Dawson!”

  Clare looked at me. “And?”

  “And? AND!? Come on, Clare. You must know who that was. He’s like the biggest actor of the century right now.”

  “I know.” Clare shrugged as the lift opened on our floor. We stepped out.

  “How can you be so casual about this? I’m seriously fangirling right now. You were this close to having to pick me up off the floor.”

  Clare raised her eyebrows. “Drama much, hun? He’s just another actor, you know.”

  “That’s easy for you to say. You work with all these high-end people all the time. I’m just a small-town chef. So for me, this is a big deal. He seems pretty cool and laid back, though. I always thought celebrities had a ton of people around them. You know, their en
tourage. I guess he’s trying to be ordinary.”

  “But he is ordinary. He puts his pants on one leg at a time just like anyone else.”

  The air conditioning hit us as we stepped into the room. I kicked off my shoes and threw myself on my bed. I toyed with my curls as Clare began to dig through her shopping bags.

  “But still, it’s one gorgeous leg at a time, I’m sure.”

  Clare shook her head and sighed. “I can’t believe it. You’re star struck, aren’t you. Who would have thought that you would be the one gushing over some movie star. That’s usually Susan or me. I could ring them up and invite them to dinner.” She grinned mischievously.

  “No! Don’t you dare! I’ll admire from afar, thank you.” I lay back and looked up at the ceiling dreamily. “But still, I met Scott Dawson. In the flesh. Wow.” I sighed and smiled.

  Clare came to stand over me. She waved her hands in front of my face. I continued to smile.

  “Earth to Helen. Come in, Helen.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Yes?”

  “If you can bring your thoughts together, what are we doing for dinner?”

  “We could go back downstairs.”

  “Boring. Girl, we’re in Miami. There are a ton of places we could eat. There are a ton of clubs we could hit after dinner too. After all, we have nowhere to be tomorrow. When will you get the chance to be out late after this weekend? Let’s live it up a bit!”

  I chewed on my bottom lip as I gave Clare’s suggestion some consideration. She was right. But, as usual, I had to find an objection.

  “I didn’t bring anything fit for clubbing.”

  “Why do you think I insisted that you buy that little dress?”

  I sat up quickly. “You had this up your sleeve all along, didn’t you.”

  She shrugged innocently. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, hun. It’s just a suggestion.”

  “A suggestion that has sneakiness written all over it.”

  “Go ahead. Crucify the best friend who only wants to see her best friend happy, and out of the doldrums she’s been in for the past month because of some guy she could have done way better than. Come on, hun. You work too hard. You need to let your hair down and relax. You deserve it.”