Sasha (Mixed Drinks #1) (23 page)

A few hours later, we are at the funeral home, making final perpetrations before people start showing up. There are so many flowers it looks like a garden nursery in here. It’s nice for Emma to see how many people will miss Jean as much as she will.

By 4 o’clock, the first visitors are arriving. So many people came to say their goodbyes; it’s heartwarming. As the hours pass, we hear stories of how Jean has touched their lives, laughed when someone remembered a funny story with Jean, give out a thousand hugs, and dried more tears than can be counted.

As I’m making my way around this big room, filled with so many people that I don’t know and a few that I do, I almost don’t see Betty walking in. She is so sweet to come, given that she has never met Jean.

“Hi, Betty. I’m so glad you came,” I say to her.

“Oh honey, you are welcome. I figured you could use one of these red bull drink things that I keep hearing about. They say it gives you wings, but I don’t know what they are talking about I had two of them and I don’t have any wings yet.” She informs me, very confused.

Leave it to Betty to make me laugh on a day like this. I miss having her next door. As much as I thought I hated it before, I now know that I grew to cherish her company. I sit and talk to Betty for a time, but then I have to excuse myself to finally use the bathroom.

The funeral home was starting to empty now, and I was glad to know that the they day was almost over. Tomorrow was the burial, and I think we could all use some sleep before another emotional day.

As the last few people were leaving, Bash’s dad came up to me to see if I had seen George lately. I hadn’t remembered seeing him for some time, and thought that someone had taken him home.

When no one could find him, we started searching the building frantically for him, hoping everything was ok. We looked in every room, but found no George. Bash’s dad told us that he wanted to drive around to look for him, and Bash was going to stay back and call the police.

I offer to take Emma back to my place to wait and to get her some dinner. This was the last thing we needed today. Grandpa George gone missing. All I could picture was him aimlessly wandering the cold streets, too stubborn to get a ride.

Bash texts me updates as the evening passes. They haven’t found him yet, but more and more people have joined the search. He did call the police, and given his age, they were also out looking for him.

By 8 o’clock I can’t sit and wait anymore, and decided to see if Betty could watch Emma for me while I go out to look also. Emma had fallen asleep on my bed, so I covered her up with a blanket before heading over to Betty’s.

I knock on the door and try the knob, the door is locked. I knock again.

“Hold your damn horses, I’m coming.” I hear from the other side.

“Betty, it’s Sasha. I need a favor.” I tell her as she opens the door.

“Oh sure honey, anything you need,” she says.

“Bash’s Grandpa George is missing, and I need to join the search. However, I have Emma, so could you go over to my apartment and keep an eye on her for a few hours while I go out help look?”

“
Missing?
I ain’t missing.” I hear in a man’s voice coming from inside the apartment. I have no trouble placing recognizing who it belongs to.

“George? What the heck are you doing here?” I ask, royally and totally confused as I walk further into the apartment, looking for the source of the voice.

“Well, I met this beautiful woman at the funeral home today, and she invited me over. You don’t turn down an invitation like that from a woman this lovely,” he says with a smile.

“George, your family has half the city out looking for you! Couldn’t you have mentioned it to someone that you were leaving with Betty?”

“I’m a grown man. I don’t have to tell anyone where I’m going,” he chuckles.

I pull my phone out of my pocket to call Bash.

“Bash, I found him.” I say, skipping over a greeting.

“Where?”

“At Betty’s,” I tell him.

“I’m on my way.” He says abruptly and hangs up.

As I turn back around, I see just how happy George and Betty are, sitting across from each other at her kitchen table, sipping coffee.

“So ah, um, is this a date?” I question shyly.

“I guess you could call it that.” Betty says with a smile, and reaches for George’s hand, caressing the top lovingly.

“Um, you guys just met at the wake?” I say, as if they didn’t know.

“Well honey, when you get to be our age, that’s where you meet people,” Betty says with a giggle.

A few minutes later, Bash shows up. He’s as mad as a coon dog, trying to shit a peach pit.

“Grandpa, what were you thinking?” he yells, as if George is the grandchild in this equation.

“Hey, like I told Sasha, I don’t answer to anyone, Grandson,” he laughs.

Bash shakes his head and tries to motion that it is time to go. George doesn’t move a muscle, he just looks back and Betty and smiles.

“Boy, don’t be a—” he looks back at Betty. “What was that again?” he asks her.

“A cock block,” she announces proudly.

With that, Bash’s eyes widen. He throws up his arms, and walks back into the hall, closing the door behind him. I could hear the laughing through the door, but wasn’t sure what to do next.

I decide to say goodbye to George and Betty, and leave as quickly as I can. I didn’t know what Bash was thinking, but I was sure to find out when I got back in my apartment.

As I open my door I see Bash sitting on my couch, silently giggling so as to not wake Emma up. I walk over to him and sit down next to him and rub his back.

“So, Grandpa George is gonna get it on with Betty,” I declare bluntly.

A FEW DAYS AFTER THE funeral, things were finally calming down, and we had all begun to get back into a normal routine. The thank you cards for the flowers had been sent, and Jean’s lawyers were looking over her will. They said it would take some time for them to get everything sorted out for Bash, and would contact him in a few weeks.

Jesse was planning his going away party for this weekend, and life as it seemed was moving on. It’s surprising the things a person can overcome when they have the right people around, offering support.

By Saturday we were ready to enjoy ourselves at Jesse’s for
a party to remember,
as he called it. Bash’s mom offered to watch Emma for us so we could enjoy ourselves, child-free. This party will probably not be kid friendly after too long, anyway.

By the time we get to Jesse’s house, cars were already lined up down the block. My immediate thought was that I hope no one calls the cops, but that was stupid because half of the police force was already here. If the cops
were
called, they would probably stop by, hang out for a little while, and then move on to their next call out.

As we walk into the house, music is blasting and people are talking and dancing and having a great time. It doesn’t take us long to get drinks shoved in our hands, along with a shot of only god knows what. It burned going down, and I didn’t recognize it.

Two drinks and four shots later, I walk through the rooms of the now empty house, filled with nothing but people. The feeling I got was like a slap in the face.
Bash’s best friend is really leaving
. More proof that life will go on, for all of us. I start to get a little emotional when I realize suddenly that I am really and truly in love with Bash.

I know I love him don’t get me wrong. But I was really whole heartedly in love with him and that I did want to be his wife. I guess it took me this long to really think about the things Jean said to me. I hadn’t really thought about being married to Bash or married at all for that matter.

I am twenty-four years old, and didn’t believe that this kind of love would ever find me. I start to get a little more emotional as I see Bash look at me from across the room and gives me a smile and a wink. He is talking to Jesse, and I am very much drunk.
I was a silly drunk girl who has had a lot going on in the last few weeks, and the alcohol is just bringing it out,
I try to tell myself. I am not a sloppy, sappy drunk.
I refuse to be!

I shake it off and walk toward Bash and Jesse, desperately trying to get my mind of my walk down sappy Drunkville thoughts.

“Hey, there she is.” Jesse says like he’s genuinely happy to see me.

“Hi, there. You better come visit us as much as you can.” I give him a smile.

“You can bet on it, and you guys better get your asses up there to so we can party Minneapolis-style,” he responds.

I give him another smile in agreement as I move closer to Bash, putting my arm around his back.

“And I will be back for the wedding. I mean, I am the best man,” he adds with a grin.

“Oh, who’s wedding?” I ask.

“Well yours, if this dumb fucker ever asks you.” He says, punching Bash in the arm.

I laugh it off and Bash gives him a dirty look. I’m a little surprised by the look, but then brush it off. Me and my drunk ass probably just missed their inside joke. Subtlety is not my strong suit at this point in my inebriation.

As people start to leave, I realize that I don’t want this night to end. I have gone from sappy drunk to overly-happy drunk, and I’m not entirely sure my words can be understood by anyone other than me.
But damn it, I’m having fun.

There are still a few good-looking girls lurking around, probably hoping to get one last hook up with Jesse in before he leaves.
Shh, don’t tell anyone, but Jesse is kind of a playboy wannabe
. He flashes that badge and his big arms, and women (who are not me) melt in his arms. I really don’t get it myself.
Maybe it has to do with the handcuffs?
I really couldn’t tell you why, but somehow it works for him.

As I start to walk over, a pretty blonde comes in and starts looking around the nearly empty room, now almost void of people and belongings. She looks lost, and I think that maybe I should go see if I can help her.

“Hi, I’m Sasha, who are you looking for?” I slur together.

“Um Hi, I’m Chloe. I’m looking for Bash or Jesse,” she says.

I know that name
. I’m having a hard time remembering why, but I know that name for some reason. Since I can’t remember where from, it must not be important. Probably just someone I met at the bar.

“Um yeah, I think they are in the kitchen. Let me show you,” I say, grabbing for her hand.

I lead her into the kitchen babbling about random nothings along the way.

“Hey guys! Chloe is here.” I announce loudly, smiling goofily as we walk through the doorway.

Bash and Jesse stop talking and gaze over at us, open-jawed and seemingly frozen in time.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Jesse snaps.

“I heard about Jean the other day, and came as fast as I could,” she replies quietly.

“Why don’t you just go back to New York?” Jesse says, more like a statement than an actual question.

“I wanted to see if Bash was ok,” she says, looking toward Bash.

I’m lost as to what is happening until it hits me.
Like a fucking tidal wave.
Chloe was the name of Bash’s ex-fiancé.
Is she that Chloe? Would she really have the balls to show up here, without notice like that?

Bash puts his drink down and motions for Chloe to follow him to another room. I look over at Jesse and his face is red with anger. I haven’t known Jesse that long, but I know him well enough to have learned that he has a long fuse, and it takes a lot for him to get angry. Especially
this
angry.

I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do right now. Should I be angry? Worried? Jealous that Bash took her to another room to talk rather, than do it out here, in front of me?

Jesse starts to clean up the kitchen, if you can call it that. He was just picking up cups, plates, and half-full cans of beer and throwing them all into the trash can. I hear some loud voices coming from the other room, but I can’t make the words out with all of the noise that Jesse is making. I want to go over to the door and press my ear up to it, except that would be wrong of me.
And way too desperate
.

Finally, about ten minutes later, (well, ten drunk-minutes, anyway) Chloe comes back to the kitchen looks at Jesse. She adjusts her purse’s strap and gives him a look to kill.