Lady Parts

by Loren

  She sat there dazed, holding the phone tightly in her hand. “I can’t afford it. You know that, Ed.”

  “His lawyer assured me Arnold would be very amicable. Trust me. I think it’ll be good.” She wasn’t so sure or hopeful. “This is good news,” he said, sounding like he was trying to convince her. “You’re that much closer to having everything you’d ever want.”

  She wasn’t going to accept anything until she saw it for herself.

  “If you say so.”

  “I do say so. So be free tonight. Seven a good time?”

  “Depends on where we meet.”

  “Petite,” he said, naming one of the most expensive restaurants in the area. “Don’t worry. Dinner is on me.”

  “Okay,” she said. “I’ll meet you there.”

  “Great. Time to play ball.”

  Gene arrived early, needing time to get something to calm her nerves. Eddy rose from the table when he saw her. His gray hair was gelled back, and he pushed his glasses up his nose before hugging her. “It’s good to see you.” He patted her on the back before gesturing they should sit. The table was set for four and covered in papers.

  “Doing some work?” she said, leaning back not wanting to touch anything.

  “Just a little. I did the math, and the most you can offer is still pretty good.” Based on her math the most she could offer him was still thirty percent the market rate. Knowing Arnold, that wouldn’t be good enough.

  She watched him gather up all the papers strewn about into one neat pile after making a few notes.

  “Okay,” she said, decided to stay positive.

  “Here he comes,” Eddy said, standing to welcome a middle-aged, portly man. “Welcome.” Eddy stuck his hands out for a shake.

  “How you doing? I’m Samuel. We spoke on the phone.” He firmly shook Eddy’s hand and then turned to shake Gene’s hand.

  “Would you like something to drink?” Eddy asked, and Samuel shook his head no.

  “I’d rather get right to it,” he said, pulling his briefcase open.

  “Alright.” Eddy mirrored Samuel, opening his briefcase and swapping one stack of papers for the other.

  “As I said on the phone, Mr. Higgins has signed over ownership, and I am here as the representative to give it to Ms. Stewart.”

  “We’re willing to make a payment schedule for one year for a payment of ten thousand dollars,” Eddy started the bidding low for room to go up without hitting a completely unreasonable price.

  “That won’t be necessary,” Samuel said, sliding a small stack of papers over. “All I need is Ms. Stewart’s signature.”

  Eddy took the papers and snatched his glasses from the top of his head to set them on the edge of his nose. Gene watched his eyes roam, quickly reading as he flipped the page to continue reading page two and when he read page three he looked confused. “This says you’re giving up all ownership with no payment required.”

  “Exactly,” Samuel said with his hands crossed on top of the table.

  “Who is Liam Thompson?” Eddy said, shocking Gene.

  “What?” she said, looking between the men trying to understand what Liam had to do with any of this.

  “The current owner of fifty percent of Lady Parts’ stocks,” Samuel said simply.

  “What the hell?” Gene was very confused. “Eddy, say something.”

  “This,” he said, using his glasses to point at the small stack of papers, “says that one Liam Thompson is the owner of the stocks, not Arnold.”

  “How is that possible?”

  “He bought them,” Samuel interjected.

  “Liam bought the other half of my company from Arnold?” Gene asked, wanting everything to be clear.

  “Yes.”

  She froze still not sure what to say next. Her heart was racing and she blinked for fear this was a dream and too good to be true. Samuel didn’t wait for her. “And if you sign here,” he said, leaning across the table to put his finger on the page, “you will be the sole owner.”

  Something wasn’t right. “But—how?”

  “Those are the terms of the contract,” Samuel said with a small shrug.

  “Why?”

  “I am not certain. I am the legal representation of Mister Thompson, and he asked that I give them to you.”

  “Is he here?” Gene asked, looking around the restaurant. Maybe seeing him would make it easier to wrap her head around the situation.

  “I’m sorry. He was clear that he would not be in attendance. He said his presence would hinder the business proceedings.” Samuel glanced at his watch. “Please if you could sign the documents, I have some other business to attend to.”

  Gene glanced at Eddy who nodded. “The writing is straightforward, and there are no legal pitfalls. You sign this, and you own your company outright. You’re in the clear.”

  It all seemed too good to be true, but she signed her name anyway. Slowly, she formed the cursive letters to make her name and crossing the last t with a flourish and slid the paper over to Samuel.

  “The turnaround will be about seven to ten business days. Thank you for your cooperation,” he said standing. Eddy jumped to his feet too, and Gene followed.

  “Thank you,” Eddy said, shaking Samuel’s hand twice.

  “Thank you,” Samuel said and turned to Gene to shake her hand.

  “Thank you,” she whispered, still thinking through what she’d do.

  “I will extend your thanks to Mr. Thompson. Have a nice day,” he said and walked away.

  Eddy waited until Samuel was out the door before speaking. “Holy shit.”

  “Right,” Gene said, sitting back down dazed.

  “You must have all the luck in the world. I can’t believe you got them for free!”

  “Nothing in life is free, Eddy,” Gene said still unbelieving.

  “You’re right about that kid. I suggest you give your profound thanks to this Liam guy because he just saved you about seventy-five thousand dollars.”

  Hearing the number aloud caused a buzzing in her ear that didn’t go away when she said goodbye to Eddy or when she drove home. Liam did this for her. Why? What did he want? And could she give it? He just gave her life back to her. Essentially her life had been in his hands, and she didn’t even know it. Was that what he meant by proving it? Even though she was grateful, the gesture felt like buying her love instead of working for it.

  She turned her head slowly, his house in view. He could have ruined her. But he didn’t. Despite how bad she treated him.

  She should at least thank him.

  He deserved that much.

  18

  Gene struggled to approach Liam’s porch. She climbed the few stairs to his front door talking herself into knocking. He deserved her thanks. And hyperventilating and fainting on his front porch would be as embarrassing as it was tacky.

  “You can do this. Just knock.” It was simple. She’d say thanks then walk away.

  Her hand hovered in the air, and she took another deep breath. No fainting.

  The wood felt hard underneath her knuckles, and after she knocked, she waited. She counted to two and turned, ready to run, convincing herself no one was home. He had a garage unlike her, and he might be home, but as far as she knew, he might not be.

  The door opened behind her, and she cursed silently, before turning around.

  Laura’s big brown eyes were waiting for her. She winced, seeing her there and took a step back. “Sorry,” she said and turned, ready to run. She was a coward, and at that moment, she didn’t care to be anything else.

  “Wait,” she said. Her voice was high like air and glass. “Gene. Don’t go.” She knew her name. “Please wait.”

  She wanted to run, but her legs didn’t listen, so she stood, suspended on the bottom porch stair, unsure what she was doing there.

  “Is Liam there?” Gene said, still facing the driveway.

  “I’m sorry. He’s not. “

  “Then I’ll come back later
,” Gene said, taking the final step. “You don’t have to tell him I came by.”

  “He left to sign some paperwork. To finalize our divorce.” The way she said it made Gene turn around. Laura, seeing she had Gene’s attention, stepped out onto the porch. “I’m sorry about before. I didn’t mean to intrude and earlier, I guess I misspoke. Technically, I’m his ex-wife now.”

  Gene wasn’t sure what to do, what to think or how to breathe.

  Ex-wife.

  That was much different than what she thought before but it didn’t change what happened. Liam should have told her.

  “I hope you know, Liam is over me. He finally gave up, and I’m pretty sure it’s because of you. I don’t know what you did, but whatever you did, you have my thanks. He was stuck before. He couldn’t move on. He was in too much pain, but you changed that for him. I wouldn’t dare stand in the way of that.”

  Gene wasn’t sure what to say. What could you even say to that?

  “Why are you telling me this?” she finally managed.

  “Because I care about him.”

  Gene wasn’t sure what that had to do with anything.

  “I care about him, and he loves you.”

  She hadn’t been expecting that. Laura smiled at Gene’s quick inhale.

  “Before you ask, yeah. He told me that himself. But even if he hadn’t, it’s written all over his face. Since the moment you saw us on his porch, he’s been in pain, tortured. I don’t want that for him. I don’t want to see him like that again.” Her smile dimmed, and she looked away. “He has already had enough pain. If you make him happy, I want him to have that. But I can’t make you forgive him.”

  Gene ran her hands through her hair. The slightest wind could have knocked her over.

  “I don’t know what he did, but I can guess. He is a man, most of them make the same mistakes. I don’t know you,” Laura took another step towards Gene, “so you have no reason to believe me, but Liam loves you. Please don’t doubt that. If you could somehow find it in your heart to forgive him, I’m asking you to do it soon because he deserves a little happiness. I thought him sending the papers meant he found it.”

  Gene nodded her head but said nothing. So he was the one to ask for a divorce. But when? Was it before he met me or when we started dating? Had we been dating if I hadn’t known he was married in the first place?

  “Would you... like to come in? Maybe for a cup of tea?” she said turning to the side, making the doorway partially visible. “No offense but you don’t look so good,” she said smiling.

  “I have a cold.” Gene didn’t know why she was explaining herself. She was allowed to look like shit every now and then. She didn’t have anyone to impress.

  “I make a mean Hot Toddy.”

  Gene was in the business of making bad decisions. Drinking with her boyfriend’s ex-wife wouldn’t be the last she made.

  “Sure. Why not.”

  19

  Gene watched Laura put honey, bourbon she pulled from the cabinet above the refrigerator, and a freshly cut lemon wedge on the counter while the water boiled. Then the kettle sang and she was mixing the drinks so well she was tempted to ask if she had been a bartender in a past life, but she didn’t say anything because she was still contemplating bolting out the door.

  Laura turned with two steaming mugs in her hand and seeing Gene’s face she laughed. A high tinkling sound, quite childlike and startling. Gene didn’t know adults could laugh like that. She continued laughing, banging on the table with such amusement Gene found her mouth starting to twitch upwards, even though nothing was funny. Laura continued, doubling over with hysterics that made her wipe tears from her eyes.

  Suddenly, Gene found herself laughing so hard she couldn’t stop. The laughter came out of nowhere, and she found herself right alongside Laura. She waved her hand in the air in a flag of apology, horrified when she couldn’t stop laughing. She tried to catch her breath, forcing the laugh to stop and snorted, causing Laura to freeze, shocked that she would do such a thing before she dissolved into a fit of laughter again.

  “Oh my god,” Laura said, catching her breath, “I wish you could have seen your face.” She took a deep breath. “You looked like you were about to run out of here!”

  “I was thinking about it!” Gene said, a little mad her feelings were so easy to read.

  “Well if you’re going, do you want your drink to go? I mean it, you do sound terrible.”

  Gene sighed and shook her head. “I haven’t had company for a while. If I’m still invited, I think I’ll drink it here.”

  Laura smiled and slid the cup over. “Good.”

  “Is... um, Liam going to come home anytime soon?”

  “I think we have at least an hour. He usually takes an hour to stew.”

  Gene resented the familiarity. “You seem to know him pretty well.”

  “Marriage has its perks,” she said shrugging. It seemed a strong contrast to her light mood and expression. “Not that I know that much about him now.”

  “What do you mean?” Gene said, taking a sip of her drink. “Wow. That’s good.”

  “Thank you. In a life too long ago, I moonlighted as a bartender.”

  Gene resisted the urge to scream, I knew it!

  Laura blew her steaming cup without taking a sip. “Anyway, Liam. He’s the same and yet different. He still likes chicken instead of steak. Prefers to brush his teeth only after he’s eaten breakfast. He uses the same shampoo, and I only know that because I used the restroom,” she said with a smirk as if she knew Gene was worried they were perhaps still sleeping together. She was right. “Still runs when he’s stressed. But some things,” she raised her cup, finally taking a sip, “some things have changed. He works construction instead of at a bank.” Her eyebrows furrowed together as if she were perplexed at the thought. “He eats at food trucks instead of five-star restaurants. Lives in Charlotte instead of Georgia.” She held the mug and stared down into it instead of drinking it. “He... doesn’t hurt as much anymore. I can tell. The last time I saw him, he could barely look me in the eye. Now, he’s not broken. He’s fixed.” She paused and took a gulp of her still hot draught. “And in love with another woman.”

  Gene flinched and stood, reaching for the bottle of bourbon still open on the counter. “Well I have to tell you, you are nothing like what I expected,” she said, pouring more into her cup without asking. She held the bottle over Laura’s cup with her head tilted in question.

  Laura laughed again, that chiming that was close to baby laughter, and nodded. “I’m sure. What were you expecting?”

  Gene filled her glass, topped the bottle, and set it back on the counter. “I don’t know. No offense, but a Stepford wife?”

  She smiled, clearly not offended. “I’m far from that.”

  “Tell me about yourself.”

  Laura pushed her blond hair behind her ear. “I’ve always hated that question. Before an interview they say that and what are you supposed to say to that?”

  “I always said my name.” She blew a raspberry. “As if they didn’t already know that since it’s listed at the top of my résumé.”

  Laura smiled. “You are funny. Um. Let’s see if I can impress you. My name is Laura Sterling. I’m the president and CEO of Sterling Strands. We make custom clothing for women and for every jacket sold we give one to a homeless woman.”

  “Oh my god. Could you make it a little easier to hate you?” Gene said, throwing up her hands.

  She continued, “I don’t have any children. I was married for almost three years, and I have two fur babies. A miniature Schnauzer and a Hug. He is the cutest, a Pug crossed with a Husky.” She pulled her phone out of her pocket and brought out pictures of two dogs who looked like they were best friends. They were holding the other end of a chewy toe, and Gene hated her a little more because the picture was undeniably cute.

  Gene gulped down the last bit of her drink and frowned into the cup.

  “Why are you frowning?�
��

  “Because if we had met anywhere else, I would have liked you ... and because my cup is empty,” she said.

  Gene was feeling nice and toasty, despite the two drinks. She was drunk but not drunk enough to miss the key jiggling in the front door. “That’s my cue,” she said standing. Liam had come back sooner than expected.

  Laura’s face crumbled for a second before she nodded. “I understand.”

  “Thanks for the drinks,” Gene whispered.

  “Laura?” Liam called out.

  “Back here.”

  Gene knew it was pointless but she hoped to God she could get out the front door without him seeing her.

  “Where are—?” he said, coming around the corner and seeing Gene, he stopped shocked at the scene. Gene could imagine it through his eyes. Two women he’d been with, empty glasses on the table and one tipsy Gene still hoping she could turn invisible.

  “Gene,” he said and stopped. She didn’t blame him. An hour ago, she wouldn’t have bet she would be in his house drinking with his ex-wife.

  “Hello, Liam. I came to say one thing. Thank you. I signed all the paperwork. You didn’t have to do that, but you did. So, thanks.” She nodded her head once, having done what she came over to do and walked towards the front door.

  “Wait. Where are you going?” he said, following behind her.

  “Going home. I said what I came to say.”

  “Are we going to talk?”

  “About what?” she said, struggling to open the door and, after realizing the deadlock was turned, smacking herself on the forehead.

  “Everything. Can you forgive me?” he said, jumping back as she threw the door open. He just barely missed getting hit with the hard wood.

  “We don’t have to talk about that. I forgive you,” she said, stumbling down the three short stairs. If she hadn’t been holding onto the railing, she would have fallen over.

  “Okay but what about the rest? Gene. We have to talk about this. I don’t want this to be over.”

  “Liam, I said I forgive you. That should be enough.” She said walking across the grass.