Memory Field

“Ass!” I had scurried back onto the sidewalk where I had just come from. It felt like my heart was going to jump out of my chest. I stood by the light and just waited for the next green man to appear. When it was my time to walk, I tripled checked that there were no speeding cars. I then clutched my purse in hand and walked across the street and onto the other sidewalk.

Mr. Italiano’s was three shops down from the corner coffee shop. When I came upon it, I opened the door and casually stepped inside. “Welcome Miss Charlotte.” Rafe. He was the owner and he knew me by first, last and even middle name. “Hi Rafe. How are you today?” He smiled. “I’m good and you.” I held up three fingers as he continued to talk. “Well I could be better.” He showed me to a booth. “Why is that Miss Charlotte?” I scooted into the booth and placed my purse by me. “Well cause my friend Benji and Jack are meeting for the first time.” Rafe laughed a big o’ belly laugh. “You in some trouble now.”

He placed a menu in front of me and the other two menus on the other side of the booth. “Water?” I nodded as he smiled and walked away. I set my phone on the table then clicked my fingernails on the menu. “Here you go.” Rafe had come back with water. “I hope it goes well for you.” I smiled nervously. “You and me both.” Rafe patted my shoulder then went to another table.

One thing that I liked about the booth that I sat at was the great window seat and the view that it held. The city lights were astonishing even from inside. The door dinged. My eyes transferred from the window to the door. It was Jack. Rafe had greeted him, they exchanged a few words then Rafe pointed over here. I cleared my throat as Jack strode on over. “Hey.” I smiled then ushered him to sit down.

“Why are there three menus?” I laughed nervously. “Well…..that’s because…..I want you to meet my friend Benji.” Jack raised his eyebrow then scooted all the way over to the window. “You could have told me earlier.” My gaze lowered to the table. “Don’t worry. It’s fine.” I looked back up. Jack flipped open the menu and skimmed through it.

The door dinged. My eyes stared at Benji who was rubbing his neck as he walked in. A young woman greeted him. They exchanged words and she nodded. Benji looked around the restaurant then locked eyes with mine. He walked over. Jack’s gaze went from the menu to Benji standing at the end of the booth. “Jack this is Benji. Benji this is Jack.” They silently shook hands. Benji scooted into the booth next to Jack. Awkward.

I gulped. Jack looked out the window and Benji looked around the restaurant. “Are you ready to order?” The lady Benji had talked to at the door was now the one serving. “Yes please!” I shouted nervously. “You okay Lottie?” Jack raised an eyebrow. “Sure why wouldn’t I be? I’m here with my two best guy friends!” A nervous laugh escaped my mouth then I picked up my menu. “Can I have the Italian sausage?” The lady nodded.

“And you two?” She turned her body. “Same.” Jack added. Benji took a quick glimpse at Jack. “Yeah I’ll have the same too.” Oh great! We’re all getting the same thing! I rocked back and forth in my seat. “Are you sure you’re okay sweets?” I nodded quickly. I had two different nicknames and I didn’t feel comfortable with either of them at this specific moment.

“So Jack what do you do for a living?” I gulped heavily. “I own Hunter Stadiums.” Jack smiled. “Those are pretty great stadiums.” Jack nodded his head. “And I’m guessing you own that bar where I picked Lottie up from?” Benji smiled. “It’s a bar franchise. I own quite a few.” You know this wasn’t so bad. They were getting along pretty well. I exhaled my breath then straightened my posture.

“A bar franchise? Sounds promising.” Jack! Why did he have to say something like that?! “Yeah it is actually. I was able to buy parents a house in Hawaii.” Oh no, no, no! “Here’s the food.” Rafe personally came out and delivered the plates. “Thanks Rafe but I would also like the check.” He smiled, nodded and left. I grabbed my fork and started eating. I wasn’t going to deal with these guys on an empty stomach.

“So how did you know Charlotte anyways?” I took a quick glance at Benji then back to my food. “I’ve been her older brother’s friend since she was in grade school.” Benji nodded. “You?” Jack raised an eyebrow like he just beat Benji in some kind of contest. “For a couple months.” I held up a finger and finished swallowing. “You mean a month.” Benji snared. “Whose side are you on anyways?”

I set down my fork. “Neither! I think you two are being childish! I feel like your mother! And I am in no condition to give birth to two adults!” I stood up still in the booth and smacked both of them on the sides of the heads. I grabbed my purse, scooted out and stood in front of the booth. “And if you think I’m paying for this you’ve got another thing coming!” I stomped off which kind of hurt my feet.

“Stupid men! I didn’t even get to finish my food!” I yelled and stomped my feet. “UGH!” I walked back down the sidewalk, to the stop light and crossed the street. I pulled out my phone and dialed Amanda’s number. “Yellow Mellow?” I glared. “That is never going to be funny.” I heard a “sexual” growl in the background. “I’m going to ignore that and ask you if I can spend the night at your place tonight?” I crossed another intersection heading back to the library.

“Well…..” Amanda muffled the phone. As I reached the library I realized my feet were hurting more than usual. “Sure you can spend the night!” She yelled in my ear. “Ok thanks. I’m almost to the library.” I heard a kissing sound. “Okay I’m clocking out now.” Amanda hung up right after she said that. When I finally reached the library building I saw Aaron’s car gone which meant only one thing. He went to go cheat on Amanda once again.

Amanda came walking out in smiles. “Hey girl! Let’s go have a party at my house!” Party to Amanda meant me, her, Asian food, reality shows and karaoke. “Sounds better than anything else right now.” She smiled. “So what happened to the dinner date with your two guys?” I rolled my eyes as I heard her unlock her car. “I’ll tell you over cheap wine.” Amanda laughed as we got in her car.

I turned on the radio and we both started singing to every song even the ones we didn’t know or like. “You do know I have the most fun with you, right?” Amanda elbowed me lightly. “Same goes for you.” We came upon a red light. “Originally Aaron was going to spend the night but you come first.” I smiled at the thought of a pissed off Aaron.

“Thanks a bunch Amanda.” The reason why I don’t really say anything to Amanda about Aaron cheating is because last time I did it backfired. Aaron said I was attracted to him which was a lie cause he looks like the back end of a hippo. “Ooooo I love this song!” Amanda blasted the radio.

~Bad boys ain’t no good
Good boys ain’t no fun
Lord knows I should
Run off with the right one~

We both started singing to the song.

~Me and Mr. Wrong get along so good
Even though he breaks my heart so bad
(So bad)~

“This song is sooooo me and Aaron!” Amanda had rolled down the window and shouted out it. She was more than right. We pulled up to her apartment complex. “Let’s partay!!” She turned off her car; we got out and headed up to her apartment. “So this new guy moved in next to me.” She paused lowering her voice. “He’s really creepy! I feel I’m getting raped just by him looking at me.” She unlocked her door and we went inside.

“Have you told your land lady?” I set my purse on the counter. “No I always work and Aaron says not to worry.” Of course he would say that. “Amanda if he really creeps you out, you need to tell the owner.” She dead bolted the door. “Yeah.” She took off her shoes. “So I have tons of left over’s in the fridge so have whatever you like.” I nodded then went into her living room. “Oh my god! Charlotte!”

I turned around. “What?” She pointed at my feet. “What happened to your feet?!” I looked down to bloody feet. “That’s why they hurt so much?” Amanda pushed me on the couch and helped me take the heals off. “If you’re going to wear heals you need to take care of your feet better.” She got up from her knees. “Let me go get the first aid.” I set the shoes next to the couch. My pinky toe, big toe and the side of the feet were bleeding. Amanda came back with the kit then knelt down in front of me. “As soon as we get your feet fixed we’re watching Real Housewives!” I laughed. “I thought you hated that show?”

“I do but that drama is freaking funny!” She poured warm water on my cuts, dried my feet then bandaged them. “Thanks.” She nodded then went back to the bathroom. I got up and made my way to the kitchen. “Where are you wine glasses?!” I started opening the cabinets. “It’s in the far right cabinet, top shelf!” I turned around then opened the cabinet to the glasses. The wine glasses stood at the top. “Thank you.” I set two sets of glasses on the counter then went to the fridge.

In the very bottom the fridge was the wine in a box, or as I liked to call it “cheap wine”. I poured us equal amounts then put it back in the fridge. I skimmed through the cabinet and pulled out a bag of Doritos. “Now it’s a party!” Amanda came back in with her pj’s on. “Cheap wine and Doritos!” She grabbed her glass and the bag. “If you want to change into pajamas I still have your pooh bear ones in my closet.”

I set my wine glass on the counter then went into her room. Her room was all purplefied. I found my pooh bear pajamas and changed into them. I then went back to the kitchen, grabbed my glass and went into the living room. I sat next Amanda. “Okay Real Housewives!” She skimmed through each and every channel before coming upon the network. “Oh yes! Real Housewives of Jersey! This one is the funniest!”

A good hour later we were so emotional that now we weren’t even paying attention to the show. “And, and you know what he said?!” Amanda was drinking more than eating. “He, he, he said he was my second cousin!” The story was about how she was caught making out with her second cousin at a bridal shower when she was 16. What a male was doing at a bridal shower I really don’t want to know.

“Okay enough of my personal life!” She stood up swinging her glass back and forth. “Let’s dance!” She set the glass on the shelf then pulled out her dancing pad. “Old school!” It wasn’t that old. I thought PS2 was still in style. “Yeah!” I agreed getting out of my spot. She set up the game as I got situated on one of the pads. “Baby I’m going to rock your world!!” Amanda pointed at the TV as the game started.