“Hi. So, I have something to tell you.” Sarah stood at the door with sad eyes, hoping for a hug that never came her way. Simply because Naina was standing too far away in the small apartment.
“Wow! you sound serious. Is everything all right? Is it your mom? Is it your boss? Did he hit on you again? I am telling you it is not yet late to go to HR.”
“Can you just shut up for a minute and let me talk?”
“Fine. But let me refill my glass. I have a feeling I will need more wine for whatever you are about to tell me.”
Sarah put down the heavy bag she carried all day and sat down in her favorite spot in Naina’s house. Her trembling legs and tired soles needed to rest. She loved Naina more than anyone. They had been best friends since they were 5 years old. But this moment would be the one that would forever define their friendship.
“Yes, so what were you saying?”
“Before I say it. I need you to know that this is not just a piece of gossip I came across, I witnessed it with my own eyes. So, there is no whispering game here, I am not lying to you.”
“Oh gosh, Sarah! Blurt it out. You are scaring me now.”
“Kevin is cheating on you. I saw him last night with a redhead at the pub. The Barn, right next to my office. They were really going at it. I am so sorry but you needed to know.”
Naina’s breath got deeper and slower. But her stare stayed strong and intact. Stuck on her dear friend blurting out things about the man she just decided to move in with the same morning. In fact, she had invited Sarah over for a drink to give her the big news. It was next-level serious now. After her parents’ divorce, she had sworn that marriage was not the way of life for her. But meeting Kevin, all that ‘badass attitude’ had been thrown right out of the window. The window they were going to share in her apartment on the 7th floor. Her life was moving forward at a comfortable pace. Exactly like she wanted it to. No one pushed her to do something just because she was turning 30 but because she and Kevin wanted to. Her brother and sister were planning to visit her next month. And Kevin was supposed to be the big surprise for them. Along with the air mattress and futon, they were going to be sleeping on since the spare room was now going to be Kevin’s office. Her thoughts were disrupted by the waving long fingers of Sarah almost touching her face. She looked at her with a long-lost daze. And then heard Sarah speak again, “last night around 9:3o.”
She shook her head turning to look at the empty sushi containers next to the trash bin. She had been too busy last night making out with Kevin to throw out the trash. And then today morning too had been a sexy one as well. Trash was not so important. Also, when had she ever cleaned her apartment for Sarah before?
“Wait a minute. Did you say last night? Last night Kevin was with me. We were celebrating our decision to move in with sushi and wine. We even watched fight club till late in the night. Afterward, we made out, and then he slept while I finished writing my blog post. What the hell are you talking about?”
“You mean that was not Kevin I saw last night?” Sarah’s eyes opened wider as she felt heat rising on her very red face.
“Are you for real, Sarah? How could you make this mistake?” Naina gulped down the wine emptying the glass, which made Sarah even more nervous.
“It is an honest mistake. He has a kind of a generic face. You know what I mean.”
“No, I do not. First, you accuse him of cheating on me with some random redhead who you did not specify was a girl or a boy. And now he has a generic face. What is the matter with you? Don’t you like him?”
“I think it was a boy now when I really think about it.” Her cheeks were back to being pale.
“Really? With red hair? Hmmm…interesting! But that does not matter. You accused the love of my life, wait a minute. Were you even wearing your glasses? I know you think you look sexier with your glasses perched on your head more than your nose, tell me honestly. Where were your glasses?”
“You just said…huh! In my bag.” Sarah rolled her eyes behind the blue-rimmed glasses.
“Sarah, you almost ruined my relationship. And my big news.”
“What big news? Are you getting a dog?” Her hopeful smile made Naina smile too.
“Are you for real? I am forever going to be worried about Kevin around red-hair guys. Thankfully are not too many in this part of the world. But still.”
“Why? He can cheat with anyone. Not that I think he will. He is one of the good ones. Anyway, I think I need contacts. Will you come with me, please?”
“Forget the contacts. You need to wear a giant pair of glasses all the time. Especially in pubs.”
“Hahhhaahha! Will you pay for it with your big ass paycheck?”
“No way.”
“Ok, forget about all this and tell me what your big news was?”
Black Coffee and Grey Stories 