And So The Ladies

They hadn’t talk to each other in over a year. Been busy, they told themselves. Work, travel, work, yoga, work, reading, work, writing, work, promotions, work, owning, work, property, work, life. Hardly anytime to keep in touch. Such is the life after waking up.

Then a Sunday came where both schedule books were open. Old phone numbers came to mind in between the ability to finally breathe. Fingertips played with the cell phone speed dial button. It had been so long and so many things have happened, where would one begin? I suppose the only place to start was where it left off.

“I’m so gald to see you!” Said, Anna Lisa Kristina. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it, girl?”

Cookie saw the familiar face, with a few more wrinkles and a few more lines, but it sure was her. Anna Lisa Kristina. Sitting at a coffee table, inside a coffee house, just like they used to.

“Hey, girl!” Cookie said, walking voer to her old friend, giving her a side embrace, the safest kind. “It has been a while, hasn’t it?”

“Sure has.” Anna Lisa Kristina agreed. “So what’s new?”

“Oh my,” Cookie said, fumbling with her LV purse. “Where do I begin?”

Anna Lisa Kristina half-smiled. There she was. Cookie. A friend from another life. After all this time, sitting in front of her. Like she used to. Like they both used to. Talked about boys, art, poetry, songs, school, fashion, food, rent, bills, plans, goals, life. Everything young millenium metropolitan ladies would talk about. So many genuine smiles and jokes and profound discoveries within their millions of hours of conversations at a similar coffee table in a similar coffee house. But today was different. A whole lifetime’s difference.

“Start off where we left off, girl.” Anna Lisa Kristina smiled. “Last time I saw you, you were practically married to that hot European, Sabo!”

“Ugh, don’t get me started on that one, Anna Lisa Kristina.” Cookie said, rolling her eyes. “That one is a headache and a half.”

“What do you mean?” Anna Lisa Kristina asked, waving down the waitress, mouthing ‘one more please’. “Not working out?”

“Well, you know, relationships are pretty complicated. It’s not like how it used to be. Where you were attracted to the guy, checked to see if his hug fit yours, and if it did, you loved him.” Cookie said, pulling out her cell phone, checking to see if she got a text. “Nowadays, it’s more about compatibility. But in everything. Not just hugs.”

“I hear you.” Anna Lisa Kristina said. She pulled out her cell phone as well, checking her e-mail. “Gone are the days of romance. I’m looking for more of a stable lifestyle. And the love should come after.”

“And if it doesn’t,” Cookie said, putting her phone on the table. “At least you’re not scraping for food, asking your mom for money, wearing the same clothes you wore last year.”

“Mmm hmmm.” Anna Lisa Kristina said, nodding, putting her phone on the table, takign a sip of her caramel machiatto. The waitress arrived and placed another caramel machiatto in front of, Cookie.

“Thank you.” Cookie said, immediately taking a sip. “So, what about you? Got a lover?” She smiled.

“I’ve got lover-boys, just not a Love.” She looked over her shoulder. She tought she recongnized someone.

Cookie smiled at, Anna Lisa Kristina. Anna Lisa Kristina smiled at, Cookie. Cookie looked over to her right, then her left. Anna Lisa Kristina stared at her phone and then back up at, Cookie, and smiled. A few minutes had gone by without a single word.

Anna Lisa Kristina’s phone rang. “I’m sorry, babe.” Anna Lisa Kristina said. “I have to get this.”

“Not a problem.” Said, Cookie. And she picked up her phone and started texting.

The next five minutes, both were done, and it was back to quaint silence.

“So…” Anna Lisa Kristina tried. “Do you still talk to any of the boys?”

“Ugh…” Cookie said, disgusted. “Just, Corn. And I don’t even want to talk to him anymore.”

“Why? What happened?” Asked, Anna Lisa Kristina, genuinely interested.

“Long story. All I can say is they still act like boys.” Cookie said, picking up her cell phone to reply to a text. “And it’s sad. They’re sad.”

“Oh. Hmmm.” Anna Lisa Kristina recognized the look on, Cookie’s face. It used to mean she was going to kick some ass. The old Cookie would’ve chewed someone and spit them out, picked up the chuck, chewed them somemore, then fed the pieces to a momma bird so the momma bird could vomit it into her little baby birds mouths. And then, Cookie would would really get mean. But the, Cookie sitting in front her her was different. A lot different.

Cookie put her phone into her LV bag. She pulled out her LV wallet and took out $20. Placed the bill on the table and said, “I’m sorry honey, but I have to go. You know how it is.” Cookie said, getting up. “It was nice seeing you. We should do this agian.”

Anna Lisa Kristina said, “We should. I’ll call you soon, babe.” She half-stood up, air-kissed, Cookie on the cheek, ans waved while, Cookie quickly exited the coffee house.

Anna Lisa Kristina took one last sip of her caramel machiatto, more than half still remained. She pulled out her G wallet out of her G purse, took out a twenty dollar bill and a ten dollar bill, placed in on the table right next to, Cookie’s twenty, got up, and walked out of the coffee house.

They drove off in different directions. Very different directions.

But not really.