As the night wore on, Vanessa noticed Carolyn had water instead of alcohol. Worry with a sprinkle of curiosity enveloped her as she watched Carolyn sip the water.
“Why ain’t you drinking?” Vanessa asked. “Sober driver, I forgot.” Vanessa answered herself as she took another gulp of alcohol.
“Driving is not a problem. You know we can call my driver or get a cab,” Carolyn said.
“So why ain’t you drinking?” Vanessa slurred.
“I’m pregnant.” Carolyn answered her.
This was not the way Carolyn had imagined she would share the news with her best friend. She had imagined Vanessa’s laughter-filled face, but fate had another script written for her.
Carolyn didn’t want to look like a bad friend who shares good news during a tragic moment like this one.
“Are you for real?” Vanessa gasped at Carolyn’s news.
Vanessa couldn’t believe her best friend was expecting a child. She thought it was a playful joke, one of Carolyn’s ways of cheering her up.
“Yes dear, I’m pregnant.” Carolyn said with a bright smile on her face.
“Congratulations. See who is expecting a child.” Vanessa said with a warm smile.
Vanessa was happy for Carolyn, but she wasn’t in the mood for celebration. She wasn’t jealous of her best friend, instead, she was heartbroken. She was so unlucky when it came to love, unlike every other person around her.
“I’m really happy for you, Carolyn.” She said, forcing a smile on her face.
As minutes morphed into hours, Carolyn and Vanessa’s conversation came to a close.
“I think I’m good now. Since you graced me with good news, I’m feeling better. I should get home now.” Vanessa slurred.
“Will you stay at mine tonight?” Carolyn asked, willing to offer Vanessa company until she was better.
“No, but thank you so much for the offer and for always having my back. I’m so thankful to have you as my best friend.” Vanessa said, for the first time tonight, she had a genuine smile on her face.
“I’m also thankful for having you as my best friend. We will ride forever, you know.” Carolyn replied with a smile.
Oblivious to Carolyn, Vanessa was making a silent decision to stay away from everyone. Maybe she should leave for her mother’s house. But she kept this resolution to herself, choosing not to share it with Carolyn or anyone else.
As Carolyn drove her car away from the bar, her car glided through the streets, heading to Vanessa’s apartment. Both women stole glances at each other.
The ride to Vanessa’s house was shrouded in a comfortable silence, only the soft melodies wafting from the radio interrupted the silence.
After a moment of awkward silence, a familiar song pop up the radio. “Where’s all my soul sistas? Lemme hear y’all flow, sistas”
Vanessa and Carolyn exchanged a knowing look as they found themselves harmonizing to the tunes. “Hey sistas, go sistas flow sistas. ” their voices blending in sweet synchrony as they sang along. As the iconic strains of “Lady Marmalade” filled the car, they both burst into laughter, remembering late-night karaoke sessions and silly dance parties during college days.
“He met Marmalade down in the old Moulin Rouge, strutting her stuff on the street.
She said “Hello, hey Joe, you wanna give it a go?”
As Carolyn and Vanessa rap out the lyrics, the music transports them back to their carefree college days, when there was no burden or worry about them.
“I love that part” Carolyn said as she sang along on top of her voice.
Vanessa captured the moment in her heart as she remembered how carefree she was when she heard the song for the first time. Back then, she was in love with Emmy, and she had thought Emmy loved her too.
Thinking about it, she remembered she had seen Emmy on the highway before she passed out. Panic gnawed at her as her mind drifted off the sweet melody of the song and replaced it with Emmy’s face sitting in his car.
Carolyn noticed Vanessa had stopped singing, so she turned off the radio to focus on her best friend.
“What’s bothering you this time?” Worry laced in Carolyn’s voice as she inquired.
“I saw Emmy.” Vanessa muttered under her breath.
“Where? When?” Carolyn gasped in surprise as she asked.
“Before the whole Darryl and Tania’s drama. Immediately after the wedding,” Vanessa explained.
Carolyn sighed in relief, she thought Vanessa had seen Emmy not quite long ago, but she relaxed as Vanessa revealed that it had been a while.
“Did he say something? Did you talk to him?” Curiosity got the best of Carolyn as she chipped further with her questions.
“It happened too fast, and I don’t remember much. At least, I remember that we didn’t say a word to each other, we just exchanged eye contact before Darryl stepped in.” Vanessa blinked multiple times as she explained.
“Thank goodness Darryl was there because I can’t imagine what Emmy would have done.” Carolyn said, irritation laced in her voice.
Vanessa scoffed at her words. “Darryl is no different from Emmy. They are birds of the same feathers.”
Carolyn’s lips opened and closed as she searched for an appropriate reply, but she couldn’t help without condemning either Emmy or Darryl. Instead, she said something else, willing to change the topic.
“Too much had happened in the space of one day. Are you sure you are fine with being alone?” Carolyn gazed at Vanessa as she asked.
Carolyn pulled up in front of Vanessa’s apartment and, with a warm smile, Vanessa bid Carolyn farewell, but Carolyn thought it was a normal goodbye, see you tomorrow farewell. She waited in her car until Vanessa was out of her sight before she pulled out of the driveway, calling it a night.
Tears flowed down Vanessa’s face as she went into her apartment. It was true that too much had happened in the space of one day. From the unexpected secret wedding to meeting Emmy again, and Darryl’s mother’s drama. Everything was too much for her to handle.
Without wasting time, she pulled out some clothes and arranged them in a traveling bag. She grabbed some shoes and other important things she would need. With almost half of her things packed, she zipped up the bag and dragged it out of her room.
Running away wasn’t her ideal solution to the problems at hand, but a break would help her clear her head, and maybe she would find a solution during her time away.