Seven

by Susan Renee

  Maybe I should ask Bryant…

  No…don’t ever ask Bryant.

  Some things I don’t want to know.

  Eventually all three girls are seated next to each other in their salon chairs clucking away like gossiping hens. Hair salons are definitely where you hear everything about everybody whether you want to hear it or not. In the twenty minutes they’ve been here, I’ve learned about Robyn Small’s drinking problem, and the affair her husband is having with their babysitter. I listened intently while Brooke talked about the six kids Michelle Timely has because she can’t keep her damn legs closed, and they all laughed while discussing Ben Garster’s rise to fame in the corporate world only to be sent to jail for three years for embezzling.

  I can only imagine what they all had to say about me not too long ago.

  “I heard that now that Ben’s back home and his wife left him, he lives with his parents again and spends his nights at the bar,” Jamie says, filing her nails as her hair is being cut.

  “Too bad. He was hot back in the day. Nobody will ever want a piece of that now,” Jody says.

  “Didn’t you have a little fling with him back then Jode?? That one summer during college? Wasn’t that him?” Jamie asks.

  Jody laughs. “Little fling would be a good word for it if you know what I’m sayin’. God, he was such a mistake. I’m glad it didn’t last more than a few make-out sessions that summer. He was a sloppy kisser too. Blech.”

  “I’m sure by now he’s got his one-way tickets to Alcoholicville with as much time as he spends at the bar.” Brooke says. “Speaking of the bar, Savannah…”

  Huh? What?

  I was able to drown them all out by thinking about my weekend with Bryant and Ivy, but as soon as she says my name I’m all ears.

  “I heard you were having a little fun with Bryant Wood at the bar a few weeks ago.”

  Is that a question?

  Does she expect a response?

  “Uh, yeah. The girls and I went to have a few drinks. He was there. It was karaoke night.”

  Brooke nods her head slightly. “I hear you gave a stellar performance. You always were quite the singer in high school.”

  “Bryant Wood huh?” Jamie’s eyes narrow as she looks across to me through the mirror in front of her. I can only imagine what she must be thinking. “He’s definitely a looker now isn’t he? He’s grown into his body quiet well I would say.”

  “Um, yeah I guess. I don’t know. We didn’t hang out much in high school.” I try to play off my feelings. The last thing I need is this group of gossip girls running their mouths around town.

  “He sure gets around from what I’ve heard - flirts pretty heavily with the women who go there. I hear they’re all over him. They always were in high school too. Bryant Wood definitely is a ladies-man.” Jamie says. I look at her expression in the mirror just fast enough to see her wink at Jody.

  She’s goading me.

  I decide not to reward her with a reaction to what she just said. Instead I pretend to be focused on my work with Jody’s hair, meticulously snipping in the appropriate places and wishing I was buzzing it all off.

  “Did he kiss you?” Jody asks me.

  “That’s what I heard.” Brooke announces in a high pitched sing-song voice.

  “My brother, Joe, saw the whole thing. Said you two were making out right there at your table, in front of all your friends,” Jamie raves.

  I feel the red.

  I’m seeing red.

  I’m thinking red. How I would love to slide the blades of these scissors across all three of their fucking little necks. I smirk to hide my pissed off expression. What Bryant and I do is none of their damn business.

  “That’s bull shit. They never made out. I was right there, sitting at the table.” Audrey comes to my defense, not that I needed her help. I appreciate it anyway.

  “So he did kiss you then?” Jamie asks again.

  I slide my scissors into the pocket of my apron and pick up the blow dryer and a brush. “Not that it’s any of your business Jamie, but yes, Bryant kissed me…and I kissed him back. Is that what you want to know?”

  Before there’s time to hear a response from either of the three bitches seated in front of me, I turn the blow dryer on high and begin to glide my fingers through Jody’s hair, praying it dries in record time and I can get the hell out of here. I know the girls are still chatting because I can see their lips moving, their eyes landing on me as they exchange winks and smirks.

  Stupid catty girls.

  Time hasn’t changed for them.

  They’re still ugly, inside and out.

  Immediately I’m smiling to myself as I begin to hum the tune to the one Pink song that makes me unequivocally think of these three ladies. “Stupid Girls”. Almost five minutes later I’m shutting off the blow dryer and grabbing the hair spray to finish Jody’s hair.

  “You know he has a kid right?” Jamie asks.

  I’ve had enough of this bitch. Who does she think she is? Who do any of them think they are?

  Throwing my hand on my hip I cock my head to the side and stare her down through the mirror in front of me. “Why are you telling me all this exactly? Why all the questions? Is there a problem you need to talk to me about or are you still the high school gossip queen lookin’ for her next headline?”

  Jamie’s jaw hits the floor momentarily. Even Audrey and Rachel stop to look at me. Oops, I guess I said all that out loud.

  Jamie clears her throat and with the most diva-like attitude I’ve ever seen in a young adult white female says “I don’t know who you think you’re talkin’ to Savannah Sanders, but you should understand a few things. Bryant Wood isn’t the shiny white night you probably think he is. He’s nothin’ but a loser with a big ass douchebag of secrets and if you’re not careful, he’ll knock you up too.” She purses her lips and rolls her eyes before checking her make-up in the mirror in front of her.

  “You don’t know what the fuck you’re talkin’ about Jamie Lynn,” I say with all the calmness I can muster using her middle name just as she used to be called when we were kids. “And my name is Savannah Turner.”

  All of a sudden Jamie’s expression changes to one of complete remorse. I actually start to feel guilty for being a bitch to her just now. She tilts her head, her eyes filled with sadness. “Of course…maybe that’s what you’re looking for then…someone to knock you up to replace the dead kid you no longer have. How could I have forgo…”

  “GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY SALON YOU CRAZY FUCKING BITCH!”

  Those words didn’t come out of my mouth.

  Rachel…it was all Rachel.

  I don’t even know what to say. The wind has just been knocked out of me. The room becomes a tilt-a-whirl for a full minute.

  I don’t…even…know…what to do right now. Vacantly I look around the salon, catching every flabbergasted or snide expression staring back at me.

  “Ex…” I clear my throat. “Excuse me.” I mumble. I’m not even positive the words come out of my mouth but my feet are moving toward the door.

  “Savannah, no, wait!” I hear Rachel call after me but I don’t turn around. Not even once. I head out the door into the warm morning sunshine, not even sure of where I’m going. I just can’t be here.

  Not now.

  Chapter 25

  Bryant

  I hate Mondays. It’s always a slow night at the bar, but yet I have to spend most of the day doing inventory and running around town to make sure we’re stocked with everything we need. As the months pass and the weather grows warmer, Bardstown starts hopping with out-of-town tourist groups. They don’t call us the Bourbon Capital of the World for nothing. Everyone likes to come to town to sample what our local distilleries have to offer. My dad loves this time of year. I guess I sort of like the quiet months when it’s just the locals and I know I can take more time off to be with Ivy…and now Savannah too. But business is business and money is money so I’ll take everything I can get. />
  “Hey, Wood!” Sloan calls back to where I am in my office from the bar. “Add Baccardi Gold and Buckeye Vodka to the list if you’re working on it.”

  “Will do!” I shout back to him. Inventory time is tedious but having my friend and business partner, Sloan, around makes things much easier and a bit more enjoyable. I add the needed drinks to my list and run another check to make sure I haven’t missed anything. Sloan walks into the office carrying a case of beer, setting it on top of the others I have against the wall.

  “So…”

  “So what?” I ask.

  Sloan nods to a picture I have on my desk of Savannah and me from a few days ago. “You two make it official of anything? Cause everyone’s been talkin’ since you put your tongue down her throat a few weeks ago in the middle of our bar.”

  “Oh yeah?” I try to seem uninterested but hell if I don’t think about putting my tongue down her throat every damn day. “Who’s everyone and what are they sayin’?”

  “Just the guys that practically live here…Cliff, Woody, Norm…they haven’t seen you so fucking stupid over a girl in a long time, man.”

  Sloan and I gave a few of our regulars nicknames to match the characters from Cheers. Seemed like the right thing to do at the time, and we were all pretty plastered, but it stuck.

  “Yeah? When has anyone ever seen me ‘fucking stupid’ over a girl in my adult life?” I know I’ve been known to flirt with the female customers and all but I’m pretty damn sure nobody has ever seen Bryant Wood in love.

  “True that. I guess just Sam…” he starts.

  “I was never ‘fucking stupid’ over Sam, it was one night and we were both…fucking stupid.”

  “So Savannah is different then? ‘Cause usually you’re an open book about the women you hang out with but this time it’s the silent treatment, so what gives? You were all about wanting her back in the day and now you’re tight-lipped about it. You got something with her?”

  “Yeah I got something with her. That okay? I mean not that I need your damn approval or anything ‘Papa Sloan’ but you’re sittin’ here askin’, so is that okay?” I’m annoyed, but only because for the first time since I can remember, I’m in love with a girl and I don’t need the whole damn world knowing our business. I’m pretty sure Savannah would feel the same way if she were here.

  Sloan’s smirk turns into a huge celebratory smile. “Hell yeah that’s okay Bry! I’m happy for you, man. Really…you deserve to be happy.” He rocks his body up off the couch and slaps his hand on my shoulder. “But if you don’t want people diggin’ on you, you may want to think about where you are when your tongue is playing hockey with hers.” He chuckles.

  I look up from my desk and smirk at him. I suppose he has a point. It’s my fault everyone knows about us. “Yeah thanks for the advice, Douche.”

  He laughs, stepping towards the office door when my cell phone rings on my desk. My caller ID says it’s Rachel. I assume she’s calling about meeting up with Savannah for lunch so I swipe my finger across the screen to answer the call.

  “Hey Rache. What’s up?”

  “Is Savannah with you?” she asks quickly.

  “Uh…no. She’s supposed to be working today. Where are you?”

  “At the salon.”

  “So she never showed or what?”

  “No she was here but left about ten minutes ago.” The panic in Rachel’s voice alarms me.

  “Wait, wait, wait.” I say. “What do you mean she left? Is she okay?”

  Why the fuck would she just leave?

  “Because Jamie Henders and her bitches came in this morning.”

  “Oh shit.” I mutter. Jamie Henders is known in this town for knowing everything about everybody. She’s also known for throwing her spoiled rich married body at any man who looks at her, and yes, that included me at one point. I fucked it and chucked it many years ago and she’s never forgotten. I have no doubt that she’s heard about Savannah and me, which means I’m one hundred percent sure she was out for blood this morning.

  And again, it’s all my fault.

  I hold my head in my left hand slowly rubbing the stress out of my temples. “What did she say, Rachel? Tell me what happened.”

  “She was being her regular damn self, Bryant. You know, certified grade-A bitch and her girls were just as harsh. It was like we were in an episode of Glee and Savannah ended up with a verbal slushie to the face. I finally had enough and told them all to go fuck themselves and to get the fuck out of my salon, but it was too late. The damage had been done.”

  “Fuck,” I whisper.

  “Yeah. So Savannah quietly excused herself and walked out. I have no idea where she went, because her car is still parked outside, and she’s not answering her phone. I thought maybe she would’ve walked down the street to see you.”

  Where could she have gone?

  “No, she never showed here. I haven’t heard from her. Maybe she just needed a time out for a few minutes. If she left her car there, then she has to come back at some point to get it… I’m sure she’ll come around eventually.”

  “Bryant?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Jamie told her that the only reason she would want to be with you is so you’ll knock her up too, and give her another kid to replace the dead one she no longer has.”

  Oh…

  Fuck…

  I’m up out of my chair in a split second. I get it. Savannah is strong-willed and can take a beating to an extent but a comment like that…from a bitch like Jamie Henders…I’m sure it broke Savannah into pieces. She could be anywhere…I have no idea where I’ll find her but I’m waving to Sloan and am out the door in a minute. “I’m on my way out the door Rache. I’ll look for her. I’ll find her. Let me know immediately if you hear from her. I’m getting in my truck right now! I’ll drive around a few blocks and see if I can find her.”

  I don’t even wait for a reply. I disconnect the call, throw my phone onto my dashboard, and practically peel out of my parking spot from the back of the bar. The first place I need to check is the park. We’ve been there a few times together, always stopping at the same secluded spot where we bring our lunch to eat and spend some time alone. It’s beautiful piece of land where we can talk quietly and not have to worry about other people. I head down the alley and smoothly pull into the public parking lot. If she’s upset, I would rather she not know I’m coming. She didn’t run to me initially so…shit.

  My feet freeze on the pavement.

  She didn’t run to me.

  She knew I was here.

  She could’ve come here.

  But she didn’t.

  She doesn’t want my help.

  Or she doesn’t want me.

  Son of a bitch, if I ever see Jamie Henders or either of her two bitches again, it’ll be way too soon. That girl has fucked with me more than once and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let her get away with it this time. She’s got me doubting myself and Savannah’s part in my life and that doesn’t sit well with me at all. Just the thought of breaking Savannah’s heart into pieces has me immediately nauseous. If she doesn’t want to see me right now it’s okay, but I still need to find her, watch her…make sure she’s alright. I can’t do nothing when I know she’s upset. Swiftly I jog to our little spot in the park where I expect to see her curled up under the tree, but she’s not there.

  “Where are you Seven?” I whisper to myself. She could easily be walking any of the several nature trails the park has to offer but there’s no way I could possibly search all of them at once to find her. Pulling out my phone I quickly send her a text to see if she’ll respond to me.

  Me: Hey. I’m at the park, you here?

  No response.

  Maybe she turned her ringer off. Rachel didn’t say she left it at the salon. I slowly start to make my way back tto my truck, looking all around for her just in case I missed her the first time. Eagerly anticipating her reply, I text her again.

  Me: Babe, are you
ok? I can’t find you.

  No response.

  Damnit.

  “Come on Sev. I need to know you’re okay.” I mutter to myself again. Knowing she can’t have gone too far on foot, I drive around a couple blocks through town in hopes that I’ll find her sitting on a bench or something. After another five minutes of driving I still haven’t found her. I check the flower gardens near the historical museum, I ask the drivers of the town carriage rides if she’s stopped by, and even drive out to the elementary school to see if she’s there watching the kids play.

  Where the fuck can she be?

  Me: Seven I just need to know if you’re okay. Please.

  No response.

  The way I see it, I have two choices. I can go back to work and pray to God she makes her way back to me when she’s calmed down, or I can go back to town and stop in every store on Main Street to see if she’s been in. Unless she took a cab, and there aren’t many of those in this town, there’s no way she’s far away from town. My head says go back to work, but my heart unequivocally wins out as I turn my truck around to head back into town. Peirson’s is my first stop. I step into the gift shop and look around quickly for anyone resembling Savannah. I don’t see anyone in the store at all except for Mrs. Peirson who is smiling at me expectantly from the register.

  “Good morning Bryant. What can I help you with this mornin’?”

  “Mornin’ Mrs. Peirson.” Although I know her first name is Linda, I can’t ever get myself to be on a first name basis since Mrs. Peirson was my seventh grade math teacher. Her family has always owned Peirson’s gifts, so since she’s retired from teaching she’s made herself available to help at the store. “I’m sorry ma’am, I was just stopping in looking for someone this morning. That’s all.

  “Oh, well who might you be lookin’ for? Jamie Henders perhaps? She was just in not too long ago with her girlfriends.”

  Fuck no. Anyone but her.

  “No, actually I’m looking for Savannah Sanders…uh…Turner. Savannah Turner. Has she been in at all this morning?”

  Mrs. Peirson immediately gives me the sympathetic I-know-all-about-Savannah’s-loss expression before she says “No, I’m sorry. I haven’t seen her at all today, but if she stops by I’ll certainly tell her you’re looking for her.”