"What time are your friends getting here?" Lisa asked Jennie Friday evening after dinner. She stood by the kitchen counter in her pajamas, pouring a bag of potato chips into a large Tupperware bowl.
"In about ten or fifteen minutes." Jennie surveyed her outfit: blue jeans, a black dress shirt and her leather duster. "Are you going somewhere?"
Lisa nodded. "Yeah. I'm meeting GD at Willy's Pub for a few beers. I didn't want to be in the way tonight."
"I'm sorry. I feel bad for making it seem like I'm kicking you out of your own home. You don't have to go."
"No, it's okay. I haven't seen GD since he got back from his L.A. excursion last week. Now's as good a time as any to catch up with him. Have fun, I should be back around ten or so."
Plagued with guilt, Jennie watched as she exited through the back door. 'Way to make her feel unwanted, Jennie,' she chastised herself. 'Lisa's been nothing but nice and you practically kicked her out on her ass. Guess you're out of the running for Wife of the Year.'
*****
From her seat at the bar, Lisa took a sip of Guiness Stout. "How was L.A.?" she questioned her best friend, who sat to her left.
GD shrugged his shoulders. "You know L.A. It never changes. Still the same smoggy place it was last time I was there. I did, however, run into an old friend of yours."
"Who?"
"Bella Baker. Or whatever name she goes by these days."
Sighing, Lisa stared into her mug of beer. "I think it's Bella Baker-Chandler now. Since the wedding."
"Like it matters. We bumped into each other at this quaint little tavern. She sends her love."
Lisa scoffed. "I'm sure she does."
"Well... well. Sounds like Bella really did a number on you. What, did she break your heart into a million tiny pieces?"
"Something like that."
"What's the matter, monkey? Did she dump you? You are far too used to being the dumper than the dumped," commented GD.
Lisa rolled her eyes. "Do we really need to discuss this, Ji-yong? So, she dumped me, who cares? I like to think I've rebounded nicely."
GD was about to reply when a shapely brunette in a red dress moved between their stools, facing Lisa. "Hi."
"Hi," Lisa replied casually. "Do I know you from somewhere?"
"No," the woman said, flashing her a seductive smile. "I was sitting over there, and I saw you. Thought I would come over and introduce myself. I'm Paige."
Lisa returned the smile. "Nice to meet you, Paige."
"Do you have a name?"
"Lalisa."
She raised an eyebrow curiously. "That's an interesting name."
"I think so." she turned back to her drink in an attempt to get rid of her.
"So, Lalisa," Paige began, not taking the hint, "can I buy you a drink?"
Lisa lifted her three-quarters full glass. "I've already got one. But thanks anyway."
"How about another one?"
"No thank you. Look, I don't want you to take this the wrong way, Paige, but I'm not interested. Thing is, I'm married." Lisa showed her wedding band.
Paige stared long and hard at the gold ring on her left hand. "Oh, I see. Well then, it was nice meeting you." Without another word, she walked back to her table.
"Do you have any idea what you just did?" asked GD incredulously. "That woman was offering herself to you on a silver platter. And you flat-out rejected her. I remember a time when you would have jumped at the chance to land in bed with a girl like that."
"I wasn't interested."
"Not interested? Are you insane?! And what exactly was with that 'I'm married' crap? You aren't housebroken, are you?"
Lisa shook her head at her best friend. "Give it a rest, GD."
"No, that's it. You've got feelings for the girl, don't you? The little chippy got to you. Hello, it's a marriage of convenience, or have you forgotten?"
"No, I haven't forgotten, but I appreciate the reminder. What I do with my personal life is my business."
He gazed closely at the expression Lisa's face. "Oh my god, you love her," he stated.
"No, I don't."
"Like hell you don't."
"What do you want me to say? That I love her? I do. But I love her like a sister, that's it."
Ji-yong wasn't so easily convinced. "Yeah, you love her like a sister. If you truly believe you love her like a sister, then you're in serious denial."