Burnouts

Wonder if He'll Ever Know

Scene 1: The Billiards Lounge

Trevor Bailey

"Great job, dad. You really missed the hole with that one."

"See if you can do any better. These sticks are defective."

I lean over the table, pool stick in hand before easily striking the cue.

"Two in," I smirk, "Would you like to use mine?"

He huffs at my arrogance but loses ammunition fast.

"No time, here she is." My father walks past me with a dumb smile on his face. He greets a woman whose neck is draped in diamonds. If he put a collar on you, you must be pretty special.

Hell, if he's introducing me to you, you must be pretty special.

They start walking toward me, and I make sure I'm standing straight up with my clothes neatly pressed.

"Vivian, this is my son, Trevor."

She looks at me as if she's just seen a ghost.

"How's it going?" I reach out to shake her oddly unsteady hand.

"...it's nice to finally meet you. Your father has told me so much."

"Try not to believe him," I wink, and she shifts her eyes quickly.

Vivian, I'm aware that I can be a tad intimidating, but this is ridiculous.

"I'll go get us some drinks. Please, have a seat," he pulls out a chair at the nearest table.

"Nothing strong, honey. It's early."

"Okay, dear," his hands brush down her arms as he kisses her temple.

Revolting, truly.

Vivian sits quietly at the table, and I go over and join her. If I didn't know any better...I'd think she was keeping her head low to avoid eye contact.

"Say, don't I know you from somewhere?" I analyze her face despite her best efforts to hide it.

"No, I don't think so."

"You look insanely familiar."

"Your father may have a picture of me lying around," she suggests.

"No, he's not one for photo keeping."

"Well...I've been in New York for a while now. We may have seen each other around."

"That doesn't sound right either. I'm seeing sun— in my mind, it's your face in natural light. I just can't place it exactly."

"I guess I just have one of those faces. We've never met."

I snap my fingers, "the wedding."

"Oh, no."

"A few summers ago, I did know you...intimately." Someone from my dad's company had a beautiful, outside wedding in California. I remember the smell of flowers, the heat on my face, and Vivian dragging me into the empty, master bedroom and letting me have my way with her up against the dresser with the curtains of the balcony pulled open.

"Please, Trevor— I wasn't aware of your age or who you were or who your father was for that matter. I had too many glasses of champagne, and weddings make me lonely and vulnerable." Let's hope you never marry my father, then.

"It's so funny reacquainting this way, isn't it?" I smile, "small world."

"If your father finds out-"

"He'd blame me and hate me a little more than he already does."

"You won't tell him?"

"What's the fun in that?"