Liesl woke up feeling sad and despondent.She knew the reason she was waking up was because her phone was buzzing like mad on the nightstand and knowing it was unlikely to be Isaias calling so early,she didn’t want to answer it.Whoever it was,was relentless and she gave an impatient shriek.She sat up and grabbed it frowning at the message.She felt a teensy bit of guilt for her thoughts at the caller.
She rolled out of the bed and made her way to the front door pulling it open to find Janka on the doorstep glowering.
She pushed into the house shoving a coffee into Liesl’s hands and rattling a paper bag.“What took so long?I’ve been standing down here forever.”
“Um I was sleeping.It’s only six thirty in the morning.”
“Yeah,but I had a date last night and in case you haven’t noticed.”She waved at herself,“I’m still wearing what I wore last night.”
“Oh,my goodness!You slept with him?You stayed the whole night?Is this a walk of shame situation?”
“Yes,but don’t get too excited.Worst sex of my life.I swear I stayed hoping each time would get better.We did it three times and all three times he nutted before I was even warmed up.He found it sexy I took matters into my own hands while he watched.Most men would know it was an insult.Not this guy.Thought me getting myself off was hot.He wanted to watch.Asshole.I can’t believe I stayed.I was just too damn tired to drive home.I let him get off one more time just so I could sleep in a real bed instead of my mattress at the loft.”
Liesl was slack jawed at the words spewing from her friend’s mouth.“Are you okay?”
Janka tipped back her coffee cup and drank it to the dregs,“no.I am not okay.I am pushing thirty.I have my own business.A very successful business.I have a loft above my business which I love.I have money in the bank,a great car,and amazing friends.I love my life.Why then,”she turned to face Liesl,her face beet red,“am I so desperate to be loved and held I would allow myself to not once,not twice but three times have a man come on me in under a minute.Under a minute Liesl!”
Liesl pulled her eyebrows up in her head as her friend vented.Her eyes were bulging at her friend’s uncharacteristic yelling.
“He blew his load in under a minute and all I could think of was,at least the bed is good and comfy to sleep in.I deserve better.”
“Then why am I not getting better?Why am I continually dating men like this?”
“I don’t know.”
“He looked good on paper.”
“Was his sexual prowess written down?”
Janka stopped her tirade to stare incredulously at her.“What?”
“Was his ability to fuck written down?Like was there a rating system somewhere which gave you fair and clear warning of his abilities?I think this should be a requirement on all dating apps.Previous lovers should be allowed to rate.”
“You’re a genius.I need to find someone who can make such an app.”
“I mean,when we were in New York and Joaquim’s harem were chatting,they kept saying how he’s such an animal in the sack they frequently tag team.I thought they were joking but Enia told me he really does keep a steady rotation of eight or nine girls he cycles through and none of them get jealous.”
“How does one get to have sex with such a man?”Janka stared at her,“seriously Liesl.My last three hookups were so bad I had to play with my own clit just to come while they watched.I fantasized about another man while this one watched me.”
“Even three hours with Merlin wouldn’t have been so awful,”Liesl giggled.
“Except it was with beady-eyed troll faced Merlin.”Janka shuddered with revulsion.“I’m suddenly not feeling as sorry for myself.”She marched away and flung herself onto the sofa.“At least I didn’t stay with him for eight years and I left after a good nap.”
“Bitch,”Liesl laughed as she followed her into the living room and sat down in a chair,pulling a throw rug over her legs.“I’m glad you’re here,Janka.I had a hard time sleeping last night.I kept waking up.Every noise in the house had me wondering if Merlin or Trent were breaking in or if Sandy and my mom were at the gate.I miss Isaias.I wish he were here.I know he had meetings and our conversation got cut short,but I wasted the entire chat with him talking about them and not about us.I should have been having phone sex and flirting and instead I was sulking and moping.”
“What did he say about Sandy?”
“He thinks the reason she is doing this is to make me crazy.She knows she’s putting me between a rock and a hard place and as a result it’s going to make me upset.He pointed out she didn’t need me at Gran’s to do her plan.She could have picked a fight with Merlin and said she was spending a night with mom without my involvement.She’s doing it because she knows it’s going to upset me to help her plot.”
Liesl sighed and pulled the plastic top off her coffee.She sniffed and then gagged,“what the hell is this?”
“Coffee?Your usual.A large mocha,full fat,an extra shot of espresso and extra whipped topping.”Janka sat up and looked at her curiously.“What’s wrong with it?”
“It smells off.”She made a face.“Maybe the whipped cream was bad.”
Janka jumped off the sofa and grabbed and took a drink.Liesl gagged again at her actions.
“You’re the only person I know who drinks the milk when someone says it’s sour.”
“It’s not sour.It’s exactly how you like it.”Janka stared at her curiously.She looked around the room and noted the candy wrappers.“Did you eat all those jellybeans?”
“Yes.I was sad!”She looked away knowing she was eating her feelings.Her inability to curb her candy cravings was becoming a problem.
“Or you’re pregnant.”
Liesl’s head snapped up.“No.”
Something in Liesl’s face made Janka sit up and take notice.“Liesl,last period?”
“I don’t have them because I just keep taking my pills.”
“Have you missed any?”
“No.I mean when we went to New York,I didn’t pack an overnight bag so instead of taking my pill in the morning I ended up taking two the Monday.I did it again the weekend of the gala because I was at the hotel.It’s nothing new though.I always did this.”
“Yeah,but your partner was a stickler for a condom.How many times do you and Isaias,use condoms?”
She frowned,“we don’t.Janka,you’re being silly.I’ve been doing this for nearly fifteen years.”
“Yes,dumbass but you remember why Merlin used condoms every single time?Every time.Remember?The first month you were married you had a pregnancy scare.You were excited?He was pissed off.After that it was all condoms all the time?”
“Oh shit.”She started to panic.“What am I going to do?”
“Let’s start with a test?”
“I,”she started to hyperventilate.
“Breathe.I’m going to run to get you tests.I’ll be back in thirty minutes.”
“You can’t leave me!”she shrieked.
“Well,I can’t go outside and ask Mallory to go get you pregnancy tests.”
She flapped her hands with a scream,“call Elsie.Call her now!”
As Janka dialed out,Liesl found herself unable to get out of her chair as panic squeezed her chest.What on earth had she done?
