Beauty's deathly allure

Chapter six

Sitting with Jane in a café that was a few blocks over, took me back to the first time we sat this way. I had been nervous and irritated. She hadn't taken 'no' as an answer and so I had no choice. We'd come here after work one evening. I'd let her do all the talking for awhile. After a few minutes, I'd realised it was impossible to not like her. She'd had me laughing my
butt off by the end of that evening. That day was the beginning of this friendship between us.

"....Why do you always do this?". Waking a hand in front of my face, "Can you please not zone out again? I'm in a life or death situation." She said.

Rolling my eyes, "Which guy this time Jane? Michael..Luke? Or is it about Henry?" I asked her.

"Henry. He seems to have taken a liking to that bitch's pet. She's been calling me everyday since the past week. What the hell should I do? It's all your bloody fault. If you..."

I put my palm up to stop her. "Paula? Paula's been calling you? Did I hear you right?" Paula and Jane have had this animosity between them for as long as I could remember. It all started because of Drake. Long story short, Jane was dating Drake for awhile. Just to spite her, Paula had started dating Jane's ex since she had always, I mean always had a thing for Drake. What started then, still hasn't ended.

"What did she want? Did you cut her calls? Please don't tell me you did. She has a bigger ego than you do. She wouldn't be calling if it wasn't something important." Actually, they both had egos the size of Texas but it wasn't like I'd ever tell Jane that! Sipping my coffee, I waited for her to continue.

"At first I just ignored her calls thinking she was gonna rub her liposuction on my face. I mean you would think that too right? But when Henry hadn't come home even by night, I started getting worried. That's when I woke up my neighbours, called you and everybody else.

Putting aside my ego- I'd do that only for Henry mind you- I called Paula back again hoping she might have seen him."

"Of course. Only for Henry". I was biting my cheek to stop my smile from slipping out. It was funny how much she loved Henry. The lengths she would go to keep that excuse of a creature beside her.

"After speaking to her, I felt so betrayed by Henry. I mean, couldn't he choose someone else? Why her? Why go even near her? He could've gone to anyone's house in the neighbourhood. I wanted to leave him there itself but my stupid, stupid heart started feeling guilty. So driving to her evil house and withstanding her snobby presence, I got Henry back. I screamed at him, bribed him but did he listen? Of course not. He had to go back there again. And again."

"Why would he go there? Did she give him treats once or something?"

"What? What's wrong with you?! No. I came to know that night that Paula has a she cat. And Harry took a liking to that cat. Her cat. I think he loves her because he kept going back!"

"Or maybe he was just horny and Paula's cat was hot". At that point, I stuffed my fist inside my mouth to control the threatening laughter.

"Such a traitorous cat Henry is. What if he brings home my grand children one day and that witch's cat is the mother? Oh the horror!"

I burst out laughing. "He's a cat for gods sake! A young one might I add. He was bound to start having sex at some point. It's not his fault."

Like a mother of an actual teenage boy, she sulked. I had learned long ago that if someone didn't treat Henry like a person, like a human, Jane'd go hulk on their ass.

"But I don't want to be related to Paula. I don't want Paula to be Henry's mother-in-law." She playfully grumbled. Another round of laughter escaped me. She was being serious. I mean she was whining about her cat making babies. My laughter died down to a small, lingering smile. Our conversations were always weird and out of the blue. That's what I loved about her. She was so unpredictable, yet so caring. I knew she only made such a big deal out of this whole thing to distract me. Like always, it worked.

"Ah. Finally. Took me longer this time to make you laugh. But now, time to spill."

An exhausted sigh escaped my lips. "Like every other time I've told you, I can't talk about it."

"Yeah, yeah. Wahtever. Doesn't hurt to try, right? You just look more conflicted this time. I'm your best friend babe. You can tell me anything and I'll carry your secrets to my grave."

"You think I don't know that? I trust you with my life, but it isn't my story to tell. Jane, I'm...uh..after yesterday, I'm not sure what I feel about him. A part of me, against all logic, wants to give him a chance. Good or bad, I want to listen to what he has to say. Know his story."

A knowing, ghost of a smile spread across her face. "I think you should listen to your heart. I know you're scared. I'd be too, but if he wanted to hurt you, don't you think he would've done it long ago?"

A valid point there. She'd known Lorenzo was the cause of my paranoia long before I'd told her. She'd said that the fear in my eyes had given it away. "But he's done terrible things. He doesn't deserve to be heard."

"Maybe. But who are you to judge? You believe there's at least some goodness in everybody. Even in Paula. Look, it won't hurt to hear him out, right? So, quit moping Eve."

Lighting a cigarette, she sat back in her chair. What she didn't know was that my ears mightn't hurt, but my wavering heart, just might.