Friends

By R.J. Tennyson

The bitter scent of brewing coffee filled the kitchen and drifted into the living room. Gabby sat on the sofa, legs tucked up beneath her. Yawning, she took a sip from the mug of black coffee. “So how have you been?” she asked.

Martina sat in a wingback armchair. She kicked off her suede Jimmy Choo pumps and took a mouthful of gin and tonic. “To tell you the truth, I’ve been better. Gary came around last night. He just doesn’t feel like it’s going anywhere,” she said taking another mouthful. “He wants to call it quits. I can’t say I’m disappointed. He was comfortable… like an old pair of shoes. And we all know there’s nothing more fun than trying on lots of new shoes,” Martina said, pushing her Jimmy Choos away  with her foot, faking a little laugh.

“Aww Babe, stop trying to be so damn brave,” Gabby said. “Two weeks ago you were telling me you thought he was ‘the one’. It’s okay to be upset.”

“Yeah, I know. I know. Anyway enough about me, let me get another drink and then you can tell me how your week’s been.”

While Martina was in the kitchen getting her drink, Gabby sipped her coffee pondering their friendship. They’d only known each other three years, but they’d grown as close as sisters. In that time, Gary had been the seventh guy Martina thought was ‘the one’. She’d started a new job in marketing, bought an apartment in the CBD and had to put her cat, Thomas, to sleep. Gabby had lost her mother to cancer, moved across the country for love, become a vegan and bought a cavoodle named Stuart.

It had been three years of ups and downs, triumphs and tragedies, and much change; their friendship had not only lasted, it had flourished. They were best friends and confidants.

Martina trudged wearily across the living room and flopped back down in her chair, being careful not to spill her gin and tonic. “Okay, I’m back. You have my undivided attention. So tell me Gab, how are you and that lover of yours doing?”

“Are you sure you want to know?” Gabby asked, conscious that her friend’s love life was in tatters… again.

“YES!” Martina shouted. “Tell me, tell me!”

“Okay. Okay. It’s going awesome. Jane is everything I’ve ever wanted in a partner… and more. She is sweet and caring. Smart and understanding. Funny and…”

“I get it! I get it! Hell, she doesn’t have a brother does she?” Martina asked, with a little smile. Both woman laughed out loud at the same time.

“Shit look at the time,” Gabby said. “I will be late for work if I don’t get a wriggle on.”

Both woman looked up and stared out the window. Gabby watched the sunrise in the east, Martina watched the sunset in the west. “We’ll speak again soon,” Gabby said.

“Yeah, we will.”

“xxx”

“xox”

They both closed their laptops.

Gabby’s day beginning; Martina’s drawing to an end.