The Carousel

Sept

Ondine looked at Ben and laughed gleefully with him as the server brought the table their third round of sake bombs. The two of them set up each other's chopsticks on top of the glasses halfway filled with beer and perched the sake shot precariously atop the chopsticks. Jared watched them, his eyes in slits, not liking how Ondine has been touchy feely with Ben all night long. He had long ago gotten another chair for Callie to sit on, so that she can finally get off his lap. It was bad enough Ondine had issues with Clarisse, and now here was another woman who may have caused waves with his hot and cold, always tense relationship with Ondine.

"Ready?" Ben looked at Ondine's glassy eyes, his dimples showing on his face from his smile.

"Always!" Ondine chirped.

The whole group pounded on the table to cause the shots to fall into their beers before chugging on them, a little bit dribbling down Ondine's chin. Ben laughed as she tried to catch the liquid by putting a hand under her chin. He grabbed the napkin from his lap and wiped at Ondine's face.

"Oooops, sorry. Messy, messy," she tsked herself.

"I got you, don't worry. I won't tell you need a sippy cup like a toddler if you won't tell," Ben whispered to her and she giggled.

She turned her attention to Jared who sat with his arms crossed over his chest, unsmiling. She rolled her eyes at him and then turned to the faux tanned brunette bombshell next to him.

"So...Callie, was it...what do you do for a living?" she asked as she grabbed a piece of unagi sushi, freshwater eel with a sweet tare sauce over rice and wrapped with seaweed, with her fingers, chopsticks forgotten.

"I'm a swimsuit model," Callie answered good-naturedly.

"Of course you are!" Ondine said loudly. "Ben, of course she is! With boobs like those, of course she is!" she cackled. "Sorry, Callie, as you can see, I can't be a swimsuit model...I'm not quite as blessed in that department," she pointed to her chest and laughed.

"Oh, honey, these were bought, so you can if you wanted to. You can get really good ones, realistic looking ones, too, for like five grand. I can recommend my plastic surgeon. You've got a pretty face, a nice figure...if your boyfriend would let you, I'm sure you can make a killing being a swimsuit model," Callie told Ondine referring to Ben.

"Ha!" Ondine guffawed. "Boyfriend? I don't have a boyfriend. I broke up with mine when I caught him cheating on me a couple of months ago."

"Ben's not her boyfriend," Jared said suddenly.

"Oh," Callie said. "I thought Ben was your boyfriend. Anyway, you guys are really adorable together. Have you thought of dating each other?"

"I don't know. I've never thought about it. Have you thought about it, Ben?"

"You're a very beautiful woman with the biggest heart I know. It wouldn't be hard to fall in love with you," Ben replied easily, looking deeply into her eyes.

"Awww, see?! Too cute!" Callie took a sip of her vodka tonic. "Mark my words, I think the two of you would make a great couple."

"I'm gonna go use the rest room. Excuse me," Jared pushed his chair away from the table and abruptly stood up.

Ondine grabbed another piece of her sushi with her fingers, getting the sauce all over her hands. She held her sticky hands up away from her and stood up from her seat. "Ew, gross, I'm sticky all over. I'm gonna wash my hands. Be right back!" she singsonged.

"I'll be here," Ben smiled.

She walked towards the direction of the bathroom and went inside the women's room. She washed her hands and looked at her reflection in the mirror, wiping at the smudged eyeliner in the corners of her eyes and fluffed up her hair before heading out. She stopped in her tracks when she saw someone from her past coming towards the rest rooms.