her remedy

21

"Water, please." I say, causing Laura to give me a strange look.

"We're at a pub, Adele, not the gym." She states, ordering herself a glass of wine.

I shrug my shoulders. "I'm in the mood for water."

"Since when?" She asks, very bothered and concerned over the fact that I just ultimately passed up a free bottle of wine.

Since I got pregnant. "It's just a drink, Lau." I laugh.

"You've officially lost it. And I don't think I can help you this time." She sips her wine as I sip my water.

I nod, agreeing. Just six more months, and that glass will be mine. "You can't help me for several months." I say, trying to see if she can guess the situation without me actually saying it.

She sets her glass down and gives me a weird look. "What, are you going on a diet? You better not be."

I shake my head. "Me? A diet?" I cackle. "Those two things are as unrelated as Taylor Swift and talent."

She laughs and says, "Then why can't you drink for several months?" She frowns slightly, as if she feels bad that I am deprived from it for so long. Realizing what she just said, her mouth drops open. "Oh my gosh."

I feel a slight smile form, amused and hoping that she finally gets it.

"You're going on one of those stupid detox things. Adele, we can't be frien-"

"Laura, no!" I laugh.

"Why else would you not drink? You're making me feel like an unhealthy person for drinking all this wine while you drink water." She shakes her head.

I laugh again, then try to drop more hints. "Simon and I had a really great time at the Grammys."

"I know, remember when I called you in the middle of the night so we could talk about it? We were on the phone for hours." She says, taking another sip.

"I forgot one tiny little detail about it." I say. She squints in suspicion and I continue, "The best part happened when we were alone in our hotel room at the end of the night."

She looks off into space. "You two had...and you're not allowed to dri-ADELE!" She screams, finally getting it, much to my joy. She drops her glass and hugs me while repeatedly saying, "Oh my gosh! Congratulations!"

I laugh, not only because I'm happy but because it took her so long to get it. "Thanks, now you see why I can't be helped for a few months."

"Yeah sorry about that, but it's going to be worth it, babe. I'm so happy for you!" Again, she hugs me, nothing but pure happiness written across her face and mine. She sits back down, finishing her glass and pouring another one.

She holds the refilled glass up and I hold my cup of water up to meet hers. "To a healthy pregnancy and baby!" She says, and our drinks clash in the air. "Simon's lucky I like him because if I didn't, there would be a big problem." She adds.

I laugh. "Thanks for having my back. You better be ready to babysit and listen to me cry at 3am."

"I'm ready! This kid is going to have the coolest Aunt." She nods her head, agreeing with herself.

"I don't know Lau, once you have kids, I might beat you and actually be the coolest Aunt."

She holds out her hand. "It's on Delly."

I shake it and say, "It's on."

After a while, she finishes the entire bottle of wine and starts acting up, so I take it as my cue to take her home.

On the way out, she makes it a point to greet every table around us. She sees a young couple on a date and points to the girl, yelling, "Oh, darling, you could do much better than that."

I pull her arm and say, "Laura! That's not nice!"

"Sorry!" She yells, completely unaware of who she's actually saying it to.

A tall man brushes past her, the fabric of his sleeve every so slightly touching her arm. She gets enraged and turns to face him, saying, "You've got a lawsuit on your hands, buddy. Don't come in here thinking you're entitled because you wear a suit to dinner."

"She doesn't mean that, just ignore her." I say over my shoulder at the man. He stares at us for a few seconds before walking away. "Laura, babe, just stop talking."

"Why?" She asks, like a little kid says when you tell them not to eat a crayon.

"Because you're being rude."

"I'm being rude? Look at Mrs. Wealthy over there with her fur coat. She's being rude." The lady with the coat looks away from her friend and at Laura, confused and quite offended.

I can't get to the door fast enough.

When we finally do get outside, she says, "The stars are so pretty."

"Those are lights, Laura." I explain, supporting her as she stumbles her way to the car.

I carefully open the door and make sure she is safely in her seat, then climb into the driver's side and start the car. She throws her arms around me, her words slurred. "Adele, you're my best friend."

"You're mine too." I answer, turning on the heat and the radio.

"And you're so pretty."

"Thanks, you are too, Laura."

She smiles and keeps her arms around me, saying, "I love you soooo much." She holds "so" out for a few seconds longer than necessary, really getting her point across.

"I love you too." I laugh, entertained.

She lets go of me as I drive onto the road and towards her house. I start to tell her a story about when I went grocery shopping today, and halfway through, I hear loud snores coming from her seat.

I turn my head, seeing her fast asleep with a small smile etched across her face. It makes me smile to myself, and I silently thank her for being my best friend.