Chemistry

Deja Vu

Rebecca stormed through the door of her brother's house which was just a quick cab ride away from her flat. As expected, she found it empty; John had told her they were going to celebrate Christmas with his in-laws all of Christmas Eve. She dropped her things on the bed in their guest room and helped herself to the red wine they kept on hand just for her, regardless of time of day. She uncorked the bottle and poured the glass half full.

"Oh, who am I kidding?" she grumbled and filled the glass to the brim. Then, glass in one hand, bottle in the other and cigarettes in her pocket, she went to sit in solitude on the back steps of their house, right next to the rubbish bins.

Why did this have to happen? she thought, as she sucked in a long drag of her cigarette. I don't know what's worse. Chloe or Ben? Chloe, hands down. Has to be. She was like a sister! How could she do this to me? At least Ben has the excuse of not knowing me very long. He probably doesn't even feel bad.

Every so often, an intrusive little thought of him would pop into her head and it would make her angry and sad all over again.

"Let no one deceive another, 
Let no one anywhere despise another, 
Let no one out of anger or resentment 
Wish suffering on anyone at all."

A Buddhist prayer filtered in and out of her mind all in his soft, deep voice and she wanted nothing to do with it. She wished she could brainwash herself. "Get out of my head," she growled to herself as she re-filled her glass of wine and lit another cigarette. "Let no one deceive another? Hypocrite."

She felt her mobile buzzing in her pocket and looked to find that her brother was calling.

"Hello, brother mine."

"Bec, where are you?"

"Why?"

"Because Chloe just called and she's mad as a bag of cats! I take it you haven't seen them yet."

"Ffffuck them," her words came out more sloppy than she'd intended and upon examining the wine bottle, she realized she'd consumed almost all of it. "You dint' tell-em anything did you?"

"I told her I didn't know where you were."

"She knows you lied, prob...pob-ab...she knows."

"What are you on about? Are you drunk?"

"Thanks for keeping my favorite red at your house. Hic! How's the in-laws?"

"They're fine--you're changing the subject. Why are you drunk at two in the afternoon? Also, why are you at my house and not your flat?"

"Did-joo know?"

"Know what?"

"You did, dint-choo?"

"Rebecca, what are you talking about?"

"Their baby. Chloe is pregnant. Preggo. She's got a Ben in--a bun in the--"

"Bollocks," John shouted into the phone.

"Nope. No bollocks, John."

"Traitors! Both of them."

"Aye! Bleeding traitors!" Rebecca shouted, raising her glass in the air.