Surviving His Memory

Chapter 3

I hadn't even pulled out my chair when the montage of questions began...

"Who is that?" Diane asked.

"Do you know him?" That was Emery.

"How did you meet him?" Diane fired

"Okay, okay...let's talk about what is really important here..." Cheryl pipes in and for a moment I'm thankful for the slow down of questions....but then...then she goes on.. "Are Mister Man Meat's friends all as lick-able as him?" The entire table erupts into a fit of laughter. We give our waitress our drink orders through our tears and giggles. I order a beer and a shot of tequila to help take the edge off. If I have to answer these questions, I need some liquid courage. Besides, everyone else ordered a shot, so I did too.

"I'm still waiting for that answer..." Cheryl says in a matter of fact type of way. I know I'm not getting out of this. Crap. I'm going to have to tell them. Thank the good Lord above, this waitress is my hero. She passes out our drinks and we all cheers and drink our shots. Then all of their eyes are back on me. Double crap!

"Okay...fine...so earlier, I face-planted in the sand...and Ethan, that's his name..." I gestured across the room. " Well, he helped me. As for his friends, I haven't met any of them," I told them. Only they aren't satisfied. "Wait..you mean you just met him? Today? Girl, we could feel the electricity all the way over here." Diane all but hollered from the other side of the table. "Shhhh...he'll hear you! Yes, I just met him an hour before we all met in the lobby." I told her. I know my face is red. This was a terrible idea. She chuckles but thankfully lowers her voice. "Honey, he looked at you like you were on the menu." My face heats and I look down at my hands in my lap. "...and unapologetically watched you walk away!" Cheryl's volume was just below a dull roar and I wanted to crawl under the table.

A short time later, the waitress came back with more shots. "These are from the gentleman across the room. He said, cheers to girl's night. But he would not apologize. Then he smiled and if he said anything else I missed it. I'm sorry." She said, shaking her head. She handed out another round of tequila. "His smile knocks the wind out of me too..." I mumbled in understanding. "Wait, what does he mean? He won't apologize for what?" I ask the table in confusion and Cheryl laughs so hard she snorts. "Girl, I told you he unapologetically watched you walk away.. he will not apologize..get it?"

I. Am. Mortified.

What is happening here? "Oh my.." Thats all I can say as I try to slow my heartbeat. "Oh my is right!" Sally says. I could only nod my head in her direction.

"Alright girls!" Diane stands with her shot glass raised. We all raise ours. She gestures in the direction of God-Man. "Here's to the kind gentleman across the room, girl's night, and to NO APOLOGIES!" She shouts the last part, causing most of the restaurant to cheer for us. Some even lift their glasses. I avoid looking across the room, clank my glass around the table and drink. Then I realized we had just taken our second shot of tequila before the food had even arrived. Tomorrow is going to be a great time, I'm sure of it. Not! Ha! Crap.

Our three locals, or our "tour specialists" as they have dubbed themselves. They ordered for the whole table. They ordered several local food specialties and said it was best to share so we could try everything. I love that idea. The food arrives and we fall into easy conversations about our first kisses and our worst kisses. We talk about the first time we all ever drank and so many other things. We laughed and enjoyed our dinner.

Before I knew it, dinner was over. I stood at the table, "I'm going to use the ladies' room before we leave." I announced before I stepped away. My first few steps tell me the three beers and four shots of tequila before and during dinner were maybe not the best idea in these shoes. Too late now!

I did my best to compose myself and make my way to the ladies' room. I made it y'all! God-Man is in the vicinity and, for once, I didn't make an utter fool of myself! I go in, do my business, wash my hands, and touched up my red lipstick in the mirror. I finish up and leave the bathroom. Only, as I came around the corner, I almost ran smack into someone. A man, in his mid to late forties is smiling down at me. "Hello there beautiful! I've been wanting to speak with you all night." He says, and my skin crawls. I, don't know what it is about him but he gives me the heebie jeebies! "Well that's kind of you to say, but I had better get back to my friends. Have a good night!" I told him as I tried to go around his large frame. He's not big and muscular like God-Man. No. He's just a large man. His hand reaches out and grabs my arm to prevent me from passing. "Hey. I was talking to you!" He grunts. His grip is tight, causing me to wince. "Let go of me!" I say through clenched teeth.

"Leave the lady alone.." I knew his voice but it had an edge to it. "Mind your business pretty boy!" The man directed his venomous words toward God Man and I've had enough. I don't need rescuing. "If you don't let go of my arm within five seconds, I will break your nose and put you through that table." I promised this vile man and I didn't say it quietly. My Daddy didn't raise no wimp. I've been in martial arts most of my life. This ignorant man had the nerve to laugh at me. I ripped my arm from his grasp, punched him in the stomach, slammed the bottom part of my palm into his nose in an upward motion, reared back and kicked him in the chest as hard as I could, high heels be dammed. His body went through the table, as promised. "Let this be a lesson! The next time a lady tries to tell you no...back off! Some of us can and will defend ourselves. We won't ask nicely twice." I said from above him with distain clear in my voice. Then I smile and wink at God-Man. "No apologies." Is all I say before I stride back to my table where the girls are all hooting and hollering. They're a rowdy bunch, but I can't help the smile that plays on my lips. It felt good to put that man in his place, and maybe it felt even better to flirt with the other man a little.

I flagged down a waitress to tell her I would pay for any damages but she assured me it had been taken care of. "His ex-wife was sitting at the bar. She immediately paid for the broken table. She even asked the manager for a copy of the tapes." We both laughed. I'm sure his ex-wife has her own reasons for disliking that disgusting vermin of a man.

I catch myself scanning the room. I try to tell myself I'm not looking for anything or anyone in particular, but I know I'm kidding myself. Our eyes meet from across the room. He raises his beer to me and mouths "Indeed, no apologies!" He smirks at me then takes a swig of his beer as I raise mine to him and drink as well. What is this man doing to me? All I can hear is the sound of my own heart beating out of my chest. God-Man is going to be a problem. I already know it.