Sighing, I take the clip-on, drop earrings off and set them back in the jewelry case, a simple black and yellow patterned box that I put together back in middle school. Who knew it would last this long?
I look in the mirror one last time, wishing that I could be as feminine and believable as others, but my too tall frame and angular face make that impossible even if you disregarded the beer belly I’ve got.
“Joey, we’re home,” came the perky voice of my wife, Abby.
Oh shit, I thought, as I made a bee-line for the attached bathroom, grabbing my jean shorts and t-shirt as I go.
“I’m in the bathroom, sweetie, just got out of the shower” I replied, a small tremor causing the last word to break. “You need any help bringing things in?”
“No, we’ve got it. I ran into Joy while I was out shopping and I know how close you two were in school, I thought it would be nice for the three of us to get together and maybe grill some chicken or hamburgers, if you don’t mind?”
I chuckled, with more than a bit of gallows humor, at the thought of being caught by my wife with the woman who actually got me started cross-dressing in the first place, my old study buddy, Joy. I finished getting out of my feminine finery and threw them in the hamper, to be retrieved later.
“Just let me finish getting dressed,” I replied. “We can chat for a bit then I’ll fire up the grill ok?”
I scrubbed my face, relentlessly, ensuring that any trace of blush or lipstick was completely gone. Satisfied, I threw my ragged Chiefs t-shirt on, wiped my still damp hands on my jean shorts and walked out to meet my wife and my oldest friend.
I am so glad I ran into Joy today at the mall. It’s probably been three or four years, at least, since Joey and she saw each other last. If I wasn’t so sure about our marriage, I’d almost be jealous at how easily they jumped back into their friendship. It’s like time restarted right where they left off.
“Isn’t that right, Abby?” asked Joey, shaking me out of my thoughts.
“I’m sorry? What?”
“I said, you probably didn’t think I’d ever learn how to cook. Well, grill anyway,” laughed Joey before he wolfed down the last part of his burger.
“It’s been a chore,” I exaggerated. “This is one chauvinist male when it comes to who does what around the house.”
“Hey,” started Joey.
“Hey yourself, Joey,” I interrupted. “You know it’s true. Why else would you only do the yardwork and grilling while I take care of the rest?”
“That’s odd,” came the slightly sarcastic tone of Joy before Joey could respond. “He always seemed so domesticated to me. Isn’t that right, Joey?”
I looked at Joey as he blushed, nearly as red as his Chiefs t-shirt. He never blushes, well, very rarely, but it seems that Joy has a little secret info about my hubby.
“Do tell, Joy,” I smiled. “I would love to hear about it.”
“Well,” drawled Joy as she chuckled as Joey’s discomfort. “Let’s just say he knows a lot more about how to run a household than he lets on.”
Now this is getting silly. She’s dropping strange innuendos and Joey just seems to be completely embarrassed. I look at Joey and he looks like he’d crawl inside the grill if he could.
“Hey, relax Joey,” says Joy soothingly. “You know I’m just winding you up a bit. I guess you never told wifey about your Halloween bet with me our senior year of college, huh?”
“Halloween bet? What is she talking about, Joey.”
“It’s nothing, honey,” replied Joey, rather shakily. “Just a college prank gone wrong. I got embarrassed and it’s not really something I want to talk about just now. So, can we just drop it, please?”
“I’m sorry, Joey,” entreated our guest, a sorrowful look on her face. “You know I wouldn’t intentionally hurt you, right? I was just having a little fun at your expense.”
“Just like old times, right,” growled my hubby. “You’re back in my life, in my home for less than an afternoon, and I already feel like I’m out of control. I thought I had things under control, but hearing your little snide remarks again after so long..”
I just watched, my mouth agape. Joey never blows up. AT ANYONE. And he’s blowing up at his oldest friend in the world?
“Before Joey says something I’m sure we’ll all regret, “ I jump in, shaking my head no at him before turning to Joy. “We’ll go get a refill on the drinks and let him think about what he’s going to say for a second. Will you excuse us for a moment."
Well that was intelligent, Joy. I gave myself a mental head-slap as I watched the two of them walk in the house. Shaking my head sadly, I pick up the half empty beer and empty the can in one long gulp.
Hell, I figured he was over that. It was over eight years ago. It’s not like he’s still around the area. Yeah, that’s right. You’re some friend, my girl, some damn friend to bring up something that’s not all that nice of a memory for your lifelong friend.
“THE HELL YOU WILL,” screamed Abby.
I turned and saw Joey’s t-shirt as he flashed by the sliding glass door, apparently with his car keys in hand. Seconds later a door slammed, followed by the rumble of a car starting, then squealing out of the driveway.
“Shit”
“I would definitely agree with that, Joy,” came the clipped reply from Abby. “Since Joey doesn’t want to talk about things, how about you?”
I stand and look sadly into Abby’s eyes as a tear rolls down my cheek.
“It’s not something that I should tell you about,” I sniffle. “I’ve always teased Joey, about everything in fact, but I really thought he was all over that. And no, I’m not going to discuss it with you, Abby. I’ve blundered enough right now and don’t want to make the situation even worse with him.”
“But…”
“No buts, Abby,” I reply as I grab a pen and a business card from my purse, scribbling my hotel and room number on the back before handing it to her. “Please have Joey call me. My flight back home is tomorrow evening, so I’ll probably be at the hotel until I have to check out at eleven tomorrow morning. Please let him know that I’m really sorry.”
I can see that Abby’s unsure but with the way I made a main course out of my foot, it’s probably best that I leave as well. Glancing around one last time, I give Abby a sad smile and wish her the best.
As I’m leaving, I can just make out a phrase from Abby before I close the sliding glass door.
“What the hell is going on?”
To be continued....
Chapter 4
by Marlisa
Joey can be seen sitting on the tailgate of his dark green F-150, looking out over an idyllic country lake. The only sounds are autos from a distance as if the lake is not too far from a highway.
Chapter 4
Joey can be seen sitting on the tailgate of his dark green F-150, looking out over an idyllic country lake. The only sounds are autos from a distance as if the lake is not too far from a highway.
'I shouldn’t have run out of there like that, but I couldn’t just stay there and take all that from Joy. Bet I looked like quite the jerk though. She’s always had a different sense of humor about things and I probably got all upset over nothing.'
A shrill beeping startles Joey from his musings. Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out his cell phone, taking notice of the caller id.
"Hi mom…No, everything’s fine…It’s just a little misunderstanding, mom, don’t worry about it, ok?"
Joey drops down off the tailgate and starts pacing as he continues his conversation.
"No, you don’t need to talk to Abby for me, this is something that I don’t think you need to concern yourself with…Yes, I’m positive…Promise me, mom? Promise me that you aren’t going to discuss this matter any further with Abby…Ok, I love you too…See you soon, mom…Bye."
As Joey shuts the phone disconnecting the call, a car can be seen driving up and parking next to the truck. It’s Abby’s midnight blue Saturn and she looks worried as she gets out, shutting the door behind her.
"Joey, we need to talk."
He can sense her uncertainty and, despite his own misgivings, agrees with his wife.
"You’re right. Why don’t you sit up here next to me on the tailgate."
Joey lifts himself onto the tailgate and offers his hand to Abby, who accepts and settles herself alongside him. They sit in silence for several minutes before Abby tries to get the conversation started.
"You know that I love you, right?"
"Of course, Abby, I love you too."
"Ok, then please don’t shut me out. I could see that things were bothering you, but I thought you were just uncomfortable with Joy’s teasing. Please know that I love you and hate to think that I had anything to do with the way you ran out."
"It had nothing to do with you, Abby. Joy’s always known how to push my buttons and it’s just been a while is all. I probably overreacted. Hell, I know I did, but what can I do about it now? She probably doesn’t want to talk to me, now. Not that I could blame her."
"Shhh, honey, that’s not true. She feels terrible about making you feel uncomfortable and so do I, baby. In fact, she gave me her card with her hotel info and room number so you could call her. I know she’d love to speak with you and probably apologize to you."
"She would? I don’t know that I can talk to her about this, not right now anyway."
"Well, if you can’t talk to her, would you at least talk to me about it?"
"No, I wouldn’t like to talk to you about it. Not right now, at least. Oh, by the way, before you pulled up I was talking with my mother. Why would she have been calling me about an argument with you?"
Abby looks away for a moment, slightly embarrassed at the mention of his mother.
"I was worried, Joey. I checked your usual places that you go when you are stressed and you weren’t there. I thought maybe your mom might know another place you liked to go when you needed to be alone. Guess she was right, huh?"
“Mom’s always seem to know, don’t they?”
"Yeah, they do. What do you say we go home? It’s getting late."
Chapter 5
Joy’s viewpoint
With a resigned sigh, Joy gets up from the oh so comfortable (NOT) chair that is next to the table in her hotel room. She had hoped that Joey would call tonight so that she could apologize for her unthinking teasing, but obviously he’s not ready to talk to her.
‘Not that I can blame him,’ she thinks morosely to herself. ‘Who would’ve thought he’d have that strong of a reaction this many years later.’
~~
It started off as a Halloween dare between two lifelong friends who just happened to be of the opposite sex. They were together so often that most people who didn’t know them assumed they were a couple.
If Joey had his way, they would have been.
“You’ve got the legs to do it, Joey” she cajoled her not-convinced friend. “besides, if anyone does find out, it’s Halloween. What’s the harm? If you do get twigged, the only thing you’ve got to do is clean my room for me. How hard could that be?”
“Knowing your room, it could take me a month of Sundays to get it even close to clean Joy,” he retorted, finally a smile coming to his previously uncertain face.
“I’ve never gotten us into trouble that I couldn’t get us out of, have I?” she entreaties.
“Not yet anyway,” was his glib response.
~~
“Guess that isn’t true anymore, is it Joy” she asks herself aloud while removing her blouse and trousers. “I just want to know what went so wrong while he was cleaning my room?”