Christmas
Day/Ben’s Party
“Okay, we’re here,” Dan said as he parked his SUV in the driveway of the one story house. “Before anyone gets out, I want an explanation. Why have you all been so quiet?”
Darren, Jack, and Nadia quietly shrugged as they all opened their doors. “It’s been a boring day,” Nadia spoke up.
“Whatever,” Dan replied as he walked around the car to help Jack. The four of them headed to the house via the open back door. The party was already in full swing. The first person Dan saw was Ben standing with Angi and Karl.
“Danny!” Ben shouted over the loud music. “Daz! How are you guys? Long time, no see.”
“Benny, good to see you!” Dan replied. He turned to Jack and Nadia and added, “This is my cousin, Jack, and her friend, Nadia.”
“Pleased to meet you two lovely ladies,” Ben said as he shook hands with both of them. “What would you like to drink?”
“Beer, any kind will do,” Jack replied.
“My kind of lady!” he joked. Ben turned to Nadia and added, “How about you?”
“Pop would be fine. I’m not supposed to be drinking,” she said.
Ben began walking away and grabbed Dan by the arm to follow him. “Jack’s cute, but Nadia’s a bit pudgy,” he said when they reached the kitchen.
“No shit, she’s pregnant,” Dan retorted as he leaned against the counter while Ben got the drinks.
“That explains the drink preference,” he replied. “Why is she here if she’s pregnant, anyway?”
“Because,” Dan answered as he took a beer from the open fridge, opened it, and took a sip, “I’m the one who got her pregnant.”
Ben looked up sharply almost dropping the drinks in his hands. “Is that what you meant by your life getting complicated in the last few days?” he asked.
“Yeah, and so far only three people know, including you. That’s why I didn’t want to see Anna tonight, but Nadia convinced me that she was fine with the idea of us going out with other people. So, you gonna keep this a secret or do I have to kill you?” Dan questioned.
“Of course. I’m not about to kill the band. You know me. I’d never tell anyone,” Ben answered.
“Okay, I trust you. Why do you even think I told you in the first place?”
“Well, besides the obvious reasons, I think you want to talk about this.”
“What?”
“Oh, come on! I know you too well. When there’s something on your mind and you wanna talk to someone about it, the first two people you run to are either me or Darren. So, what do you wanna talk about?”
Dan shook his head and replied, “You’re really good.” He took another sip of beer and said, “I’m so scared that Anna will find out. I know she gave me the run around, but me doing it to her is just flat out wrong. What am I supposed to do if she finds out?”
“Why don’t you just tell her before she finds out?” Ben suggested. “That way, all of your cards are out on the table along with hers.”
“Why does everyone seem to love confusing me with metaphors?” Dan retorted. “People are throwing them at me left and right. Don’t they realize I’m not that smart? Put it in laymen’s terms for me!”
Ben laughed. “Since you already know what she did to you, she has every right to know what you did to Nadia because you want to be in her life again, don’t you? Well, she has to know what she’s getting herself into. You see what I’m saying?”
“Yeah, I get it,” Dan answered. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Ben replied as he left the kitchen and gave the girls their drinks.
“What took you so long?” Jack asked when he gave her a beer. “I was beginning to think you guys got lost or something.”
“I was having a little chat with your cousin. Sorry to keep you waiting,” he said. “So, did you meet Angi and Karl?”
“Yeah, we met,” Angi replied. “It’s good to see you, Dan.” She leaned over and gave him a hug.
“Karl, you must be bored,” Dan observed when he saw his friend tapping his fingers against the side of the wall.
“You know it,” Karl replied.
“Where are the others?” Dan asked.
“Elisa and Jenny are in the other room and Lee is floating around somewhere,” Ben answered. “As for Anna, she’s not here yet.”
“Are you getting back together?” Karl asked.
“That’s a big maybe,” Dan said.
“Oh, come on, you guys were the cutest couple,” Angi joined in.
“I know,” he replied. “I just need to talk to her about something then we’ll see where things go.”
“Well, here’s your chance because she just walked in,” Karl said, pointing to the girl that just walked into the house. She had on a short red dress and her hair was pulled up in a ponytail.
Dan turned around and instantly became awestruck. Ben pushed him forward before he missed the opportunity. “Anna,” Dan shyly called to her. She looked in his direction and smiled.
For some odd reason, Nadia became enraged with jealousy. She turned away wishing she had never come to the party. Jack noticed and tugged her shirtsleeve to get her attention. “What’s wrong with you?” she whispered.
“Just seeing them together. It’s disturbing,” Nadia answered.
“You both agreed it was okay to date other people, didn’t you?” Jack asked.
“Yeah, but I can’t help feeling a little jealous,” Nadia said.
“You’d better stop that because she’s heading our way,” Jack replied.
Nadia got her anger under control and turned around just as Dan and Anna walked up with their arms around each other. She clenched her fists t cool herself down.
“Jack, Nadia, this is Anna,” Dan introduced. “Anna, my cousin Jack and her friend Nadia.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Anna politely said as she shook hands with both girls.
Dan led her away when he saw the disturbing gleam in Nadia’s eyes. He turned to Ben and said, “Keep Nadia as far away from us as possible.” Ben nodded as Dan led Anna towards another room.
“Could someone please explain to me how those two make such a cute couple?” Nadia asked, disgust dripping from her voice.
“Well, it all started on Valentine’s Day back in ’98. That’s when Dan really began to show that he had a thing for Anna. He was always sending her flowers or candy. She finally accepted his invitation to dinner, and everything between them just exploded. For almost two years they were in utter bliss then I don’t know what happened,” Karl began to explain. “Anna began closing herself off and slowly distancing herself from the band until Dan finally found out that she was sleeping with one of the roadies. That’s when everything fell apart between them. She left the band and he stopped dating.”
“She doesn’t deserve him,” Nadia cut in.
“But wait, you haven’t heard the best part of the story. I’m getting there,” Karl replied. “For about the last six months, Anna has been completely changed. She’s admitted that she was wrong for what she did to Dan and is very sorry. I think she’s sent him every single sorry card on the market to make sure that he knows. I think she’s still doing it too. I just hope that he gets the message before it’s too late. Those two were meant to be together. They made the perfect couple when they were together.”
“I need some fresh air,” Nadia said. “Jack, could you come with me?”
Meanwhile, back in the house, Dan and Anna had found an unoccupied room and sat down beside each other on the large king sized bed. “So, Dan, how are you?” Anna asked.
“I’m good even though things in my life have become a total mess,” he answered.
“Then I guess you know how I feel without you,” she replied. “Dan, I miss you so much. My heart’s been aching for you ever since we broke up. I was so foolish and stupid when I slept with that other guy during the tour. I didn’t know what I’d be losing until I lost it. I know you’ve probably heard me say this a thousand times, but I’m sorry, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart. Please forgive me. I love you.”
“It’s taken me a long time to do this, but I forgive you,” Dan said.
“Do you really?” she asked, her eyes filling with tears.
“Yeah,” he softly replied. Anna wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek.
“Does this mean that we’re together again?”
“If you want us to be, then yes.”
Anna became even more excited now as she kissed Dan’s lips. He began feeling guilty for not mentioning anything about Nadia to her. The feeling got worse as he thought about the consequences if she ever did find out. It was going to take a lot of courage to tell her, but with her lips pressing up against his, Dan’s mind became jello. He missed her so much that when this opportunity came along, he couldn’t resist taking advantage of it. Anna was slipping off his shirt when he completely forgot about Nadia.
Nadia, on the other hand, hadn’t forgotten about him. She was still outside with Jack bitching about Dan and Anna. “She doesn’t love him! I know she doesn’t! The only reason she could possibly wanna get back together with Dan would be because she couldn’t make it on her own as a solo artist and she just wanted a piece of the pie again, along with his piece. That bitch! She doesn’t deserve him!” Nadia yelled as she and Jack walked down the path that led to the moonlit lake behind the house.
“Calm down, what are you talking about?” Jack asked.
“Anna wanted to go solo when she and Dan split because she thought she could become a big star. But you know what? Her career went nowhere and her album flopped,” Nadia replied as she stopped just before the water’s edge.
Jack couldn’t take the nonsense anymore and finally lashed out, “Quit your bitching! I thought you said Dan wasn’t the one. Why are you suddenly acting this way?”
Nadia flopped down on the grassy ground knowing that her protective wall had been knocked down by the only person who knew how to do it. “I don’t know,” she said, defeated. “Maybe because I was hoping that he’d fall for me like I fell for him these last few days.”
“Nadia, why didn’t you tell him?” Jack softly asked.
“I was afraid to after he told me how much he still loved Anna. I didn’t want him pushing me away.”
“But he told you he wanted to patch things up with you before he tried with Anna again.”
“Jack, I’m so stupid. I let him slip away like an idiot,” Nadia began to cry.
“At least you’re not the only one feeling that way tonight,” Jack replied.
“Why? What are you talking about?” Nadia asked, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.
“Well, last night Darren proposed to me. It was really hasty, and I knew he hadn’t talked to Dan about it because he waited until both of you were out of the room before he did it. I told him no and ran out. We haven’t spoken to each other since then. I wish I had the guts to tell him what was on my mind, but you know me, I can’t confront people about these kinds of things for shit. God, I don’t even have the guts to tell him that I love him to his face,” Jack explained.
“Aw, you love him?” Nadia said. She stood up and gave Jack a hug. “That’s so sweet. You should go in there and tell him exactly what’s on you mind. Don’t turn into me and sit on your duffel while someone else goes for your man.”
“Okay, I’m gonna do that,” Jack confidently replied. She and Nadia headed back into the house. Unfortunately, the first thing Jack saw was Darren dancing with some woman she didn’t know. Her eyes filled with anger and rage as she watched them dance so close their bodies pressed up against each other. She quickly wheeled herself back outside and burst into tears. Nadia followed and put her arms around her.
“I’m so sorry, Jack,” she tried to comfort. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”
Nadia stomped back inside and right over to where Darren and the other woman were dancing. She pulled him away and with a swift punch in the jaw, had him on the floor in seconds. “You rotten piece of shit!” she screamed at him. The room went completely silent and closed around them in a tight circle with the other woman watching intently as the scene unfolded.
Darren poked at his jaw and said, “You pack a mean punch for a pregnant girl.”
“I can pack a mean kick, too. Wanna feel it?” Nadia angrily retorted as her heel made contact with his abdomen. “You’re nothing but a low down, dirty piece of shit bastard!” she hollered. “How dare you go dirty dancing with another woman when you know your girlfriend is right in the other room? Are you that stupid? Do you know how much hell you’ve just put her through? She’s crying her eyes out! Damn it, Darren! And I thought you weren’t going to step all over her heart. This just proves that all men are from the same pond scum.”
“I can explain,” Darren replied, obviously in pain as he got to his knees and tried to stand up.
“Isn’t that the same line you used last time?” Nadia asked. “Because if it is, I don’t wanna hear your lame ass excuses. I don’t even wanna waste my energy on you. I should just let Dan finish you off.” She walked to the back door and went outside to where Jack was still crying.
“Where’d you go?” Jack asked as she wiped a few more tears off her face with her trembling fingers.
“I went to beat the shit out of Darren,” Nadia replied. Jack gave her a strange glance. “A left jab to the jaw and a kick to the stomach and he was down for the count. To add insult to injury, I embarrassed the crap out of him by saying how he made you cry and how much of a low down dirty shame he was.”
“You should have added pond scum somewhere in there,” Jack said.
“I did, at the end.” Both girls began to laugh as they hugged.
Inside, Darren was dusting himself off and trying to grab a hold of whatever dignity he still had left after his scuffle with Nadia. He wished that he had some time to explain to her that he was dancing with Leonie, his manager, and that it was harmless. His jaw still hurt like hell, then again so did his stomach. But compared to that, the worst bruises were all over his soul.
“Hey, are you okay?” Leonie asked as she helped him up.
“You have no idea what kind of pain a pregnant girl can inflict,” he said, standing up and limping over to the couch with her help.
“Who was that anyway?” she kept questioning.
“Jack’s best friend,” he answered.
“Jack? That name rings a bell.”
“Dan’s paralyzed cousin, the one we’re looking after and taking care of.”
“Oh, the one you canceled the tour for.”
“Yeah. She’s also known as my girlfriend.” Darren gently pulled up his shirt to discover Nadia’s shoeprint still imbedded in his skin. He winced in pain as he brushed his hand over it.
“Come on,” Leonie said. “Let’s get you some ice.” She helped Darren off the couch and led him into the kitchen were Ben was fixing drinks.
“What happened to you?” he asked.
“Something like a drop kick to the stomach,” Darren answered as Leonie set him down on one of the bar stools. She grabbed some ice from the freezer, stuck it in a bag, and placed it on his stomach. “Ah! Shit!” he screeched. “Now I know how Jack felt when Dan accidentally punched her and broke her rib.”
“Where’s Dan anyway?” Leonie asked. “I haven’t seen him all night. I wanted to say hi, but he just disappeared.”
“Well, last time I saw him, he and Anna were heading into one of the empty rooms,” Ben replied with a smile as he filled a glass with beer. “I think they’re getting to know each other again, if you catch my drift.”
“Whoa! What about Nadia?” Darren asked no one in particular. He wasn’t expecting to get an answer back from anyone.
“She’s fine with the idea even though she had this really evil look in her eyes when she and Anna first met,” Ben said.
“Did I miss something?” Leonie cut in.
“Hold up, how do you know about Nadia?” Darren asked Ben.
“Dan told me. He also told me that I should keep it a secret because he doesn’t want Anna to find out,” Ben replied.
“Guys!” Leonie desperately tried to get their attention. They looked at her. “What’s going on? Dan and Nadia? Come someone please explain!”
Ben and Darren shot glances at each other. Darren finally spoke up and told her the whole story. Leonie sat down halfway through it in surprise. She couldn’t believe her ears. “Oh, my God!” she simply whispered when he finally finished.
“Don’t tell anyone!” Ben and Darren stressed.
“And Dan’s with Anna right now?”
“Yeah,” Ben said.
Leonie shook her head. “I need a beer,” she replied.