I curse myself again as I drive along the dirt road to the house. "Why do I put myself through this agony?" I say out loud to nobody.
The party is at a house out in the sticks and I'm thankful that the moon is full because otherwise I'd be lucky to see the road. When I finally arrive at the house, cars are parked in the driveway, and all along the dirt road, stretching in both directions. "This is just great!" I mutter, more ticked off at myself than the parked cars.
The only reason for going to this awful party is the chance to see Sandy. I'll probably stand in a corner, pathetically drinking myself into a stupor while I watch her with him. "Oh, yes, that sounds like a wonderful time," I say to myself.
Passing all the parked cars lined up along the road, I park at the end of the line, pulling onto the grassy berm and nearly into a ditch in the process. "Crap! Crap! Crap!" I mutter as I make the long walk to the house.
The party is in full swing and I'm obviously about the last one to arrive. The host answers the door and guides me to the bar where I get a beer and take up my post in the corner, nodding at the few people I really know and looking like the idiot that I am.
Sandy comes storming out of an adjacent room, looking as lovely and sexy as usual, wearing a sexy short skirt and low cut blouse, but something is obviously wrong. He emerges in short order and tries to grab her by the shoulders, but she turns and pushes him away. The two of them exchange words but all that I can see is that Sandy is pissed. He was always such an asshole. How could she have even picked him over me? I take another swallow from my beer, a scowl on my face.
Sandy gestures forcefully to him, obviously giving him a piece of her mind. Finally, he turns away from her, giving her a wave of disdain and disappears the way he came.
She stands there defiantly until he is gone, but then her shoulders slump, she leans back against the wall and starts to cry. Quickly trying to regain her composure Sandy glances around, hoping that whole room wasn't watching her little drama. Spinning around on her heels, Sandy makes her way to the front door, opens it, and leaves, slamming the door behind her.
Putting my drink on the bar, I make my way through the room to follow her. When I open the door, I find her sitting on the steps, sobbing.
"Are you okay?" I ask.
Startled, Sandy turns and sees me, her eye's brightening a little. "You saw that?"
"Yes, what did the jerk do this time?", I say, and then quickly, "I'm sorry, I had no right to ask that. It's none of my business."
Standing up and turning to me and still fighting back tears, Sandy says, "Well, its all over now. How could I imagine that I could change him?"
"You look like you could use a hug," I say, opening my arms to her.
Folding herself into me, I wrap my arms around her, holding her tightly, soothing her shaking body, taking in the fragrance of her perfume, and listening to her sobs, grateful for this small opportunity to hold the woman I love.
Squeezing me tightly, she returns my hug, and my heart begins to thump in my chest. Pressing my face against the top of her blonde head, I whisper, "It will be okay. You'll be fine, I know it."
"You're such a good friend," she says, "I'm so glad you happened to be here. Now all I need is a ride home. The jerk left me stranded!"
"Say no more," I say while taking her hand. "I'll take you. My car is down the road aways, though. Besides, you know I'm really big on parties," I add sarcastically.
We walk hand-in-hand in the moonlight until we arrive at my car. When we stop, I reach past her to get the door, but she tugs at me to stop, squeezes my hand and says, "It seems like you're the only one that cares for me sometimes. You're always there for me."
