Edward

Chapter Eighteen

Georgetown, Washington DC - 2013

We were in a bar called Penny's -despite the diner sounding name it was a pretty typical pub with a sports bar in the front - big screen tvs and a long bar — antique polished finished with an expansive mirror against the back where all the liquor was. The ceiling was coffered, that same deep mahogany and planks of a formal, lighter wood—maybe maple. It smelled a little spicy and it always made me think that at one time—a long time ago—gentlemen smoked pipes here. It was kind of a ghostly fingerprint. The back of the bar was wider open—maybe part of a dance hall that had been divided and sectioned off split between to adjacent businesses. There was a small area in the back where I've seen bands play, mostly local jazz or an occasional acoustic performance. During the day I come here often as they serve cheap lunch deals and it' pretty empty so I can study. Then, at night like this night it slowly gets really crowded back herewith or without the music.There are booths along each wall. My roommate Maura and I are sitting at a booth and our other "musketeer" Alicia is at the bar getting another pitcher. Another.I've only had one beer and there were several other girls who'd met us here earlier, for a "study group" and we'd had a couple of pitchers. Alicia and I were both design majors, Maura was too. She was studying cognitive science. We'd been roommates in our freshman dorm and now Alicia lives with her girlfriend in a big shared house with several other housemates. Maura and I have our own little apartment in Southwest. It's a kind of cheap place, one of those box 1970s carpeted places with nondescript rooms. There's a balcony that we'd planned on making an "outdoor" space for the warm months but we never did. It's still the storage space for our bikes and outdoor crap.

I looked up and saw Maura heading back towards us with a pitcher, foamy full to the top. The room was already getting crowded and the group moved in a sort of collective sway as she headed back towards us, holding out one hand and gently people to clear the path. I could see her saying something to warn them she was behind them—coming through or something like that. The room had grown loud and there was a juke box in the back that played 70s and 80s music. The foundations were playing "now that I found you I can't let you go." A couple of really drunk girls were screaming the lyrics but even they were almost indistinguishable from the din and roar.

"Annie" Maura was trying to get my attention. Suddenly Alicia was already at the table. "Push over so she can get in." I scooted over and Alicia slid in next to me. Maura moved over too and a guy slid in.

"I want to introduce you to someone Annie." Alicia said. When I looked up -at first- I recognized but could not place him. Immediately I realized it was Edward. "This is Edward Clark," Alicia said. "I asked him to join us..."
"Oh I know Edward," I said. I was more friendly and affectionate than I meant to be. I guess I had been emboldened by the beer I'd had or maybe just comfortable with my best friends.

Edward smiled.

"Beer?" I asked. It was a general question. Edward held up his hand to gesture no. Then with the other he lifted a gin and tonic. "I'm good." I didn't wait for my friends to answer, I just poured them and myself.

"How do you?" Maura asked.

"how do you guys know each other?" Alicia said this time directing her question to Edward.

I made an exaggerated quizzical look and then said "should you tell them or should I?" I was teasing.

He laughed out loud and either choked on his drink or made it seem like he did.

"What?"Alicia laughed.

"I'm just kidding. I was friends with his brother when I was a teenager."
"Friends?" Maura said. She'd known me since my freshman year when Jack and I broke up. "Who -a boyfriend? Jack?" She asked. Then I grew quiet. Let out a breath. "yeah."
Maura didn't notice my tone changed. "Really? You're Jack's brother" Maura asked.