The Way Things go...Part 2: Jazzy
Jazzy
I spotted Kay staring at us from the corner of my eye after Uncle Louie’s toast. Her eyes lingered on Jim for a moment before she looked away, dropping her eyes to her plate. I refrained myself from rolling my eyes at her, so I smirked and sipped on my champagne instead. She picked at her food, not the normal thing to do for a girl who always likes to eat.
She looked miserable. I wanted to scream, it was just an almost kiss that was never going to happen. Get over it! Yes, Jim and I had problems and the two of you broke bread together during your mission trip in Haiti in the midst of our breakup. But in Jim’s defense he had spent a whole week in the presence of starving children. Jim was a compassionate man. No doubt that made him vulnerable. And there you were, Kay. Just ready to pick up the pieces and devour my leftovers.
But of course I said none of those things. At least not tonight. Instead, I picked up my champagne glass, raised it in her direction and winked at my EX-favorite cousin. She paused before she picked up her glass and held it in the air, her smile fake and forced. She still didn’t know that I found about about their little incident, but Jim tells me everything. I never intended to invite her tonight once Jim confessed that they almost kissed on their way home from Haiti, but my pettiness to rub in our engagement took over. I don’t do high roads.
I leaned over and gave Jim a kiss. Kay pushed her chair back and stood up, exiting the table in a hurry. Good riddance cousin, I thought as I watched her leave the room with a smirk on my face...until I noticed how my soon-to-be husband looked on after her, failing miserably at hiding his frown.
The landlord showed me the place: a basement apartment with no view, no windows, out of sight, invisible to the world. It was perfect. There wasn’t much room either, but that was okay. All I needed was a place to lay my head and drink myself into a stupor until things blew over...