Jessica Who?

5

5

"You should go to your dad," Missy sipped her cocktail.

"Nah," Jessica shook her head, and glanced round the bar, "He'll just think I'm asking for money."

"You can go to him for advice," Missy laid a hand on Jessica's, "Really. I used to, and I can't go to mine anymore."

Cigarette smoke trailed in from outside, and Missy's fingers itched.

"You should come to the studio," Missy glanced at Jessica, "It's called reiki - that's not a made up word, you know."

Jessie looked into the contents of her drink.

"Better that I stay home and look after Tim."

"He'll be fine, and you'll be fine."

They watched a group of young adults walk by, and Missy sighed, "Can you believe we ever looked as young as them? Everyone looks like models on Instagram, nowadays."

"They've taken out the karaoke machine here," Jessica fidgeted with her wedding ring, "I remember coming to Kildare's almost every night after my cosmetology class."

Missy smirked, "I remember you were into Avril, god forbid. Did you ever sing that song with Tim?"

"He has no shame - we didn't play here, but you remember the old Singstar? It didn't matter that I won, he had our friends doubled over with his wild dancing."

Missy drained her glass and winced, "Do you still like to win?"

"My brothers earn more than me," Jessica raised her eyebrows, "And so does Tim - of course I like to win. Frantz and Gee became professional photographers, you remember them? I should've pushed my writing when MTV came sniffing."

"Did they want you on camera?"

"They wanted a script," Jessica rolled her eyes, "I'm not an actress, and I didn't find any of it funny, really. But all my family were there, so I just went along with it."

A group of people entered the bar, and one recognised Missy, and she scrawled an autograph.

"At least they didn't ask about the Playboy shoot," Missy rummaged in her handbag, and found a tube of lipstick, "You know, hardly anyone recognises you."

"I don't think people care about it anymore, and good riddance," Jessica watched Missy cap the lipstick and put it back in her bag, "Maybe me and Tim should be one of those YouTube couples, documenting our lives. I'll read audiobooks and he can crack jokes."

Missy smiled.

"There's still a fanbase out there who want those old days back. I get friend requests on my Facebook, and I try not to read them - but you should see the comments some people post on YouTube."

"We had no idea the effect it would have," Jessica yawned, and checked her watch, "And now it's all over, everyone's gone, and doing god knows what. I should've been an author by now."

"Just write yourself a Wikipedia page. It's free, right? Or are they asking for money again?"

"What would I even write? Did Tim make one?"

Missy shrugged, "Unlike you, I didn't get to go on those trips. Mardi Gras and Europe. What was it like?"

"They make it look fun for the viewers," Jessica rolled her eyes, "But it was hell on wheels, they were drinking all the time, and I don't know what the girls saw in those guys, when it only ended up in tears and yelling."

Missy nodded, "It was at this bar, one night, I saw Novak in the corner with a girl. They'd do anything to get close to my ex."

"I thought it was best at the time, to go along with it," Jessica glanced at Missy, "When I met Tim, he was so busy with gigs and tours, some of it overseas. If I had ducked out then, he would've found someone else, or he would've gone back to sleeping around. He was part of their crew, and some of what they did was disgusting, but it's all over now."

"Call me out," Missy began and ended, "But I think you're gaslighting yourself. You should check in with your parents - no shit, I promise you. You have to take the plunge and make the first move."