Page 75 of Just Friends

“We’ve been sleeping together since November.” Hannah stopped ranting and stared with her mouth wide and Brandon looked surprised. Autumn threw her head back laughing.

“Yes,” Autumn cried, “I knew it.” At least they were staring at Autumn now. “Although, I thought New Year’s Eve before my wedding was the first time.”

Brandon whirled around. “It didn’t take you forty minutes to change.”

“Well, duh.”

“She reappeared in the kitchen all flushed and relaxed, and then Weasel showed up a few minutes later looking like the cat that ate the canary,” Autumn said.

“In the bridal room,” Brandon said shaking his head.

“Get over it. Everyone’s had sex there,” Hannah said.

“Oh my god,” Brandon threw his hands in the air. “Do it in your own homes, you pervs.” He swiveled in his chair, “Waiter.”

After they ordered, Hannah looked over at Rebecca. “So that’s why you wanted a girl’s dinner, to confess you and Weasel are bumpin’ uglies.”

Rebecca took a deep breath. “Actually, there’s something else to run by you guys…”

???

Weasel pulled up at home, and only his truck remained in the gravel lot. Last night Rebecca mentionedgoing to work today, but he’d hoped she’d still come back after. But, stepping into the dark, cold cabin, he knew she’d left. His two texts that day had gone unanswered. His bathroom sink now cleaned off, except for his few items. Gone were all those mysterious products that come along with women that smell nice. In the bedroom, there was a sight that caused his heart to plummet––the AC/DC shirt of his thatshe wore laying on the bed. Did she break up with him? Nothing seemed amiss after dinner. What the hell happened? Or had she caught his reaction last night after all and misunderstand? He had to find her.

Weasel went to the apartment complex, but her car wasn’t in the lot. Then he traveled through town keeping an eye out. Ellis Diner was clear and no sign of her car there. Driving by La Mesa, he discovered Hannah’s car out front. Inside, he found Autumn and Brandon trying to console Hannah who was weeping into her glass.

When Autumn noticed him, sheer panic crossed her face. “What’s wrong?” he asked, sliding into a seat.

“Rebecca,” Hannah sobbed, “lied to me all these years.”

“That’s not exactly accurate,” Autumn said.

“Rebecca was only here cause her dad was sick, and she didn’t say a word. She’d promised her mom thatshe’d leave when he no longer needed her. And never told me any of that… She was supposed to be my best friend. But, she kept everything from me.” Hannah glared at Weasel. Weasel was struggling to piece together everything that was happening. Rebecca had confessed some things to them. Leaving was a promise to her mom?

“Where is she?” Weasel asked.

“Leaving,” Hannah howled. Weasel’s head throbbed.

“Stop,” Autumn said. “It’s not our place.”

“Well maybe if he wasn’t a short-term guy, then she’d stay…. But….”

“Hannah,” Autumn interrupted. “We don’t know that.”

Weasel was losing patience and he wasn’t any closer to finding Rebecca. “What the fuck is going on?” He pointed to Brandon. “You, talk.”

Brandon glanced at Autumn and Hannah and took a lengthy gulp from his beer; then, he told the story about Rebecca texting to meet up for dinner. Not only had Rebecca come clean about how long they’d been together, but also about her dad and plans to move when he was better, all of the things she told him. Then there was the fact that moving was a promise to her mom, and then there was a restaurant in Chicago owned by a friend of her mom’s boyfriend who offered her a job. And it only got worse from there; she’d revealed that there wasn’t a future with him. He wasn’t that type ofguy. Rebecca assumed she’d freaked him out by getting too domestic.

“That’s not true.”

“What happened, then?” Autumn asked.

He was unwilling to have this conversation with anyone but Rebecca. Weasel pinched the bridge of his nose between the thumb and forefinger. “I gotta find her.” He looked at Brandon, “Where’d she go?”

Brandon shrugged. “Once Hannah yelled, she split.”

Hannah slumped in her chair. She had red rimmed-eyes with droopy lids, and she wiped her forehead. “I may have overreacted,” she slurred.

“Which one of you is driving her home?” he asked.

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