For Your Eyes Only (Camren)

Two

"Where did you find her?"

"How much did she cost?"

"Does she do more than dance?"

"I need to have her at my birthday party."

"Party hell, I need her tonight. She was hot."

A variety of other questions and suggestive comments filled the room after the front door closed behind Karla.

I felt the same way I had the three times I came out of anesthesia. It was an out-of-body experience, as if I was looking down at the scene in the room. I wasn't quite all there and I shook my head to clear it. What had just happened? I had never experienced anything like that, and the way it shook me up, I hoped I never did again.

"Lauren, you okay?"
Normani was beside me holding out a glass of ice water.

"Yeah, fine," I said, again too fast. "Where did you find her? By everyone's reaction, something tells me Karla will be getting more than a few phone calls." How I managed to make coherent conversation, I'll never know, but I was relieved I could. The last thing I needed was for Normani to see how much Karla had affected me.

"She was at a party I went to a few months ago, don't you remember? I told you about it.You were at that conference in DC, I think."

I nodded, remembering the conversation.Normani had given me the strip by strip details and I'd commented that I was glad I missed it. Too bad I couldn't say that about tonight.

"Normani, do you have Karla's number?" Keana asked, breaking into our conversation. Her face was flushed, her hair disheveled. I hoped I didn't look like that.

"It's on the green Post-it note on my desk. But don't take it," she added quickly. "Just copy it down."

The entertainment over, the party wound down quickly. One by one the women left, each wishing Normani a happy birthday and a promise to get together soon. We cleaned up the remnants of plates and plastic cups, took out the trash, and started the dishwasher.

Normani sat by me on the couch, her head on my shoulder. "I'm exhausted."

"You should be." I kicked off my shoes and put my feet beside hers on the table in front of us. "You're getting older and you had to play hostess for your guests. All of your guests." I nudged her feet with mine.

"God, she was hot." Normani did not need to name names.

"Yes, she was."

"I hope I didn't embarrass you, too much."
I was glad to see she added the "too much" to her apology. She had embarrassed me and she knew it.

"Nothing I won't get over."

"That's why I love you."

"But I am pissed that you told her I was shy. I'm not shy," I said adamantly.

"I know, I guess I just got caught up in it all. Who cares. You'll never see her again."

"That's not the point," I said.

"Then what is?"

My logic deserted me and I answered the only way a college-educated, successful woman would. "There is no point."

We sat in silence for a few minutes until I felt myself starting to doze off. "I've gotta go. I have a race in the morning."

"Why do you torture yourself like that?" Normani asked for the hundredth time.

"It's not torture if you love it."

"You need to find something else to love. Or someone," she added.

"Don't go there." It was a topic that always led to an argument. Normani thought I needed a girlfriend or, better yet, a wife. The fact that she was still single was not applicable in her mind.

"I'm too tired and too drunk to argue with you tonight. But don't think this is the end of that discussion."

She lay down and curled onto her side, her feet in my lap. Ten minutes later, she was snoring, and not a ladylike snore either. Because she sounded like a broken foghorn, I refused to share a hotel room with her when we traveled together. Maybe that was why she was still single? I knew I didn't need to worry about waking her as I slid out from under her size eights.

On my way to the front door, I passed Normani's office. I backtracked to the open doorway. I looked around as if someone would see me, which was ridiculous. The last guest left an hour ago, and Normani was passed out in the other room. The Post-it note was like a green light to step out of my life. Quickly, I pulled out my phone, took a picture, and was out the front door before I could change my mind.