Meg's Moment (20 page)

Then why had she called? She’d already confirmed Ted’s infidelity. She seemed to have Tom, who would probably rush to help her if she needed him. Maybe she was worried about that comment he’d made about her being in danger. The clock showed ten more minutes to go when Jack finally gave up and slipped out the back door. He’d go to Megan’s and find out what she wanted, but this time he’d listen only to his head and ignore his heart completely.

***

Megan sat in the closet floor, mindlessly throwing Ted’s shoes into a box, while Mickey dumped the contents of Ted’s chest of drawers into another box. Mickey was humming while he worked, obviously aware from Megan’s silence that she needed some space. He’d tried to initiate small talk, but knowing her as well as he did he could tell her heart wasn’t in it. She couldn’t get Josie and Ted out of her head. The fact that Ted had slept with Tiffany-and God knew who else- didn’t really bother her anymore. She’d come to terms with that. But Ted and Josie? That was more than she could take. It was a double betrayal by the two people she’d loved unconditionally for a large portion of her life. She choked back a tear and when she looked up she saw Mickey staring at her, his brown eyes soft under a web of fake eyelashes and eye shadow.

“Come here
,
”
h
e said and opened his arms. She leaned into them and rested her head on his chest. “This’ll pass
,
Meg. I know it’s hard right now but it’ll get easier. Before long you won’t even miss Ted.” He rubbed her back to soothe her.

“I already don’t miss Ted. This has little to do with him.” His hand stopped moving. He pushed her from him and searched her face.

“Aw Meg, you look like you’ve lost your best friend.” A tear escaped her eyes and she leaned her head back on his shoulder and said between sobs, “I have.”

“What do you mean? We’re all your best friends and we’re all here for you
,
Babe.”

“She slept with Ted, Mickey. She slept with him and she never told me. It never should have ever happened in the first place, but she’s been lying to me the whole time.”

He looked at her quizzically and said, “Tiffany?”

“No, Josie
.
” He shook his head and she nodded, “It’s in her book, look.” She handed him the book and showed him the page.

“Megan, I know everyone she sleeps with
.
W
e share everything. This must be someone else. She’d never sleep with Ted. She hates Ted.”

“Well how many Ted M.’s do you know?”

He seemed to consider it but apparently he still found it to be a coincidence because he said, “I still don’t believe it. I mean Josie gets around, but even she has her limits.”

“I don’t know, Mickey, I’m beginning to wonder about that.”

“Well, if it was your Ted why would she give you the book?”

“Because she’s clueless. Hell, she probably didn’t even remember writing in it there. I mean, this book is full!” She flipped the pages for him to see. “I don’t know how she can keep up.”

“Oh, she doesn’t have a problem keeping up. It’s the men who can’t keep up with her.” He flipped through the book scanning the names. “You want me to talk to her?”

“OK
.
I guess
.
I mean
,
I don’t really want to know but I if I don’t know for sure I’ll probably just obsess about until it drives me crazy.”

“Don’t worry about it, Babe. I’ll find out.” He stopped on a page and began grinning until a chuckle finally escaped.

“What?” she asked.

“I wanted to know what she said about me.” Megan couldn’t hide the shock on her face. He laughed
.
“Look
,
I got three gold stars and points in size and creativity. I’m the shit
,
girlfriend.” He high fived the air as Megan sat silent
,
shaking her head.

“I can’t believe you slept with her. When did that happen?”

“I didn’t sleep with her, Michael did
.
A
nd it happened one drunken night when I was confused
.
” He laughed. “I wasn’t confused anymore after that. She scared the shit out of me
.
I’ve sworn off women ever since.”

“She’s that bad?” Megan asked. He looked at her seriously. “No, she’s that good. I mean
,
that woman is very innovative and talented! And believe me she used every trick she had and probably invented a few on the spot.”

Wow! Megan thought. Maybe her search for passion was over. All she needed to do was get it on with Josie. Mickey’s look said he was reading her mind and he said, “Don’t even think about it. She only plays with boys.”

***

Megan jumped at the sound of the doorbell, for some reason nervous to see Jack. Or Tom. Or her mother. Or anybody for that matter. She looked at herself in the mirror
;
no
makeup
, air dried hair, two black eyes. Well, one thing was sure
,
she wouldn’t have to worry about any spontaneous sex with anyone, including Josie. She made it down the stairs just in time to see Dr. Ross step into the foyer, still wearing his white lab coat and carrying a bottle of wine. He smiled at Megan and she gave a weak wave, her mind busy trying to figure out why she was disappointed not to see Jack standing there. Dr. Ross was being introduced to everyone by Josie, when Josie suddenly stopped and put her hands on her hips.

“Where is your stethoscope?” she demanded. He looked puzzled.

“It’s uh at my office. I usually leave it there after my shift.”

She narrowed her eyes and said
,
“Well I had plans for that thing. You are going to lose some serious points later for not bringing it.” She blew her bangs out of her face and threw her hands in the air. “I can’t believe it, a doctor who doesn’t even bring his tools.”

While Dr. Ross was standing there perplexed Josie began to explain
.
“It’s like this Doc, if you work in construction, then you would bring your tool belt and hard hat, cops bring handcuffs and batons, firemen bring helmets and their hoses. See how it works? I need variety, that’s why I don’t date bankers or stock brokers. What are they going to bring, laptops and mechanical pencils?” She paused and thought for a moment, as Stacy located the bottle of Tequila. “I did date a zoo keeper once and…”

Stacy took a swig of the Tequila, shook her head and went back to the kitchen to find a straw. Josie could drive even the most sensible of people to alcoholism.

While Josie was babbling on about God knows with the ever attentive Dr. Ross at her side Megan had stepped outside to assemble more boxes. Ted had a lot of stuff, more than she’d realized, and that wasn’t counting what was in the basement. She assembled a box and flipped it upside down to reinforce it with duct tape just as Mrs. Everett stepped outside and turned on her porch light. Megan peeled a long strip of the tape off the roll and realized she hadn’t brought anything to cut it with. If she went back inside to get scissors Mrs. Everett would probably follow her in and then drop dead from a heart attack at the sight of a the six foot drag queen, or the couple who were probably playing doctor-literally- in her living room. If she stayed outside she’d have to talk to the nosy old wom
a
n who would undoubtedly make a bee-line for the phone to spread the latest gossip. Gritting her teeth, she raised the tape to her mouth and began gnawing at the spot that needed to be cut. Now she had a reason not to talk to Mrs. Everett, because her mother always told her it’s not polite to talk with a mouth full. She gave Mrs. Everett a quick wave with her free hand and went back to her task when she heard a familiar voice behind her. “Need some help?” Jack asked, coming up the sidewalk, pulling something metal from his pocket. Megan felt her stomach flip flop as every muscle in her body stood at full sexual attention. Megan nodded and Jack opened his pocket knife and snipped the tape for her just as Mrs. Everett made her way to the fence. Megan rolled her eyes and made a silent promise to herself to move far, far away as soon as she could. Megan assembled another box ignoring the woman, now standing less than fifteen feet away gawking at her. Jack had taken the role of head tape snipper while standing there looking sexy as hell.

“Megan?” The nosy old bat called out. Megan gave another quick wave.

“Megan!”

This time her voice was almost a yell and Megan flat ignored her while Jack watched humorlessly. “Town gossip,” Megan explained. Jack snipped another piece of tape then cocked his head towards the old woman who was now coming around the fence to Megan’s yard. “Shit!” Megan muttered and Jack smiled.

In the darkness of night with only the porch light casting interesting slashes of light across Megan’s face Jack realized he was holding his breath. The
sight
of her framed by the clear night sky and the twinkling stars had stolen that breath straight out of his lungs and he wondered what she’d do if he kissed her right then. He never should have come over because now he didn’t want to leave until he answered that question.

“Megan! Did you hear me calling you?” Mrs. Everett asked.

“Yes
,
I did, Mrs. Everett, but I’m kind of busy. No time to talk
.
” Megan concentrated on assembling the next box
,
not making eye contact with the woman.

“Well ignoring your neighbors is rude, Megan.” Her eyes landed on Jack accusingly
.
“Are you having a yard sale?”

“No.”

“Spring
c
leaning?”

“No.”

“Don’t tell me you’re moving.”

“Nope.” Jack stretched out a strip of tape and ran it across the bottom, touching Megan’s hand in the process. Her nerves jolted, her hand on fire.

“Well?” Mrs. Everett asked
,
and Megan met her gaze with frustration. “You going to tell me what you’re doing then?”

“I’m assembling these boxes,” Megan snapped as Jack brushed his hips against her
,
trying to get a better position on the box he was reinforcing. She closed her eyes as she felt the heat spread throughout her body and she hoped Jack hadn’t noticed.

He had. Even in the darkness he was completely aware of her reaction to his touch so he did it again just as Mrs. Everett took a step closer.

“Well I can see that you’re assembling boxes, Megan. My ears may be going, but my eyes still work.” Megan considered duct taping the woman’s mouth shut. “My question was what are the boxes for?” Megan gave up. Everyone would know soon enough.

“Ted’s stuff. He’s moving out
.
” The old bat didn’t look shocked enough so Megan added, “Actually I’m kicking him out. He’s in the hospital shitting marbles and when he gets out he and his twelve year old girlfriend are going to live in a U-Haul with the homeless people under the bridge.” Mrs. Everett looked absolutely mortified and Megan smiled. Jack seemed to enjoy it too. Although Megan couldn’t see his face she could see his shoulders shaking from laughter. For once the old bat didn’t have anything to say so Megan said, “You better be running along now, Mrs. Everett. I’m sure you have plenty of calls to make and lies to tell. Make sure you get the story straight, and don’t forget to call my
m
other.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about
,
” Mrs. Everett said, her chin tilted high, her posture ramrod straight. Jack had moved and was standing directly behind Megan, close enough that she could feel the heat radiating off his body.

“What, are you resigning your role as Gossip Queen? Crowning someone else?”

“I do not gossip,” she growled, “I was just being neighborly. And you are being extremely rude.” Megan shrugged and the old woman continued, “You used to be such a nice girl, Megan. I don’t know what happened to you. Why, I’ve heard all kinds of things about you lately and I found it all hard to believe…”

“Yeah
,
well
,
believe it. Believe it all. I’m tired of being a good girl. As a matter of fact I feel like being really naughty. Maybe even naughty enough to spray a nosy old bat with the water hose for not leaving me the hell alone and minding her own business.” Mrs. Everett’s hands were hanging at her sides fisted, her lips pursed.

“That’s it
,
Megan, I’m calling the prayer team…”

“Good. I’ll give you some good gossip to forward to them.” She turned to face Jack and stood on tip toes to plant a sloppy kiss on his lips. Once he got passed the shock he responded by encircling her waist with his arms, his hands resting loosely on her hips.

She’d intended the kiss to be short and quick, basically just for shock value. But Jack opened his mouth and deepened the kiss and Megan found herself responding back. His tongue raked across her teeth, then worked
its
way expertly, gently around her tongue and for a moment she saw stars. He leaned into her, their pelvises touching, and she kissed him like he was the first drop of water after a seven year drought. Then she realized that that wasn’t far from the truth. After allowing herself to enjoy the ecstasy for only a moment she broke the kiss. Jack showed his disappointment by seductively biting her on her bottom lip.