She was a ballerina, wound as tight as the corset in her costumes. He was a hockey player determined to make a friend out of someone who didn't want any. She was willing to entertain the idea. But only because he wiggled his way past her defenses to...
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"Hey Eleanor!" God bless Loren and his timing. "I was going to grab something from the bar. Join me?"
"Yes please." I tried to stand but Mikey kept his arm over me, effectively trapping me in the seat.
"We're a bit busy, Loren." Mikey piped up. "Even if she's trying to sneak away, I know the game she's playing." This time as Mikey laughed, Loren didn't join in, and my chest tightened a little. So that's what real friends were like.
"I believe the lady made her decision." Loren retorted, all with a polite smile on his face. "Come on, Len." He offered me a hand and I took it, using the leverage to free myself from my seat.
"Thank you." I said quietly to Loren as we left the room. "I think I would've been stuck there all night if you hadn't come around."
"My pleasure. Think of it as my way of making up for the club." Loren put a hand on my back and guided me through the busy restaurant.
"Well it's much appreciated." I continued. "I was stewing in my own misery, and Mikey was just making it worse."
"Your own misery, eh? Care to discuss it over a drink?" He offered as we approached the bar.
"Oh I can't. I've got work tomorrow." I backtracked.
"I said a drink, Eleanor. Not five." Loren smirked, guiding me onto a stool by my shoulders. "One's not going to do anything."
"That's too bad." I muttered, appreciative of the initiative Loren took by ordering us both margaritas.
"Your sister again?" Loren guessed, paying the bartender as he served us two short glasses of greenish liquid.
"She invited me to dinner at her place Thursday night." I blurted out, taking a swig of the drink. It wasn't great, but it was better than the shot earlier. "It's a dinner with Joe's family, and our parents, but I turned her down. I'm working that night. But she didn't like my answer."
"Why?" Loren questioned. "Work seems like a perfectly valid excuse. Unless you're not really working and she knows it."
"Of course I'm working." I rolled my eyes. "And she knows that for a fact. But I don't have a great history with our parents. And she told me that at some point, I'd be ready to mend things when I chose my family over work."
"That's...kind of harsh." Loren made a face. "It's not like love pays the bills."
"Exactly!" I agreed enthusiastically. "And I'm trying! I really am! But there's a lot of pent up anger I hold them accountable for. I'm not able to just switch that off like a light."
"Which seems fair." Loren ordered another drink and since his was still pretty full, I glanced down at mine and saw it was empty. Oh god, I'd need to slow down.
"Look, I don't know the background, but in my opinion, which is very possibly unwarranted, you'll work through whatever you're working through in your own time. Just because you can't attend one family function doesn't mean you're being stingy."
