Love Off the Ice

Familiar Face

Familia face

Lisa burst through the front door, and one can hear and feel the energy and chatter coming from her. She was talking animatedly about the wedding she had just attended, her voice filled with excitement and enthusiasm.

"Nana, you wouldn't believe it!" she exclaimed, tossing her purse onto the nearest chair. "The wedding was absolutely beautiful! The bride looked stunning in her dress, and the ceremony was so touching. And the reception... oh, the reception was amazing! There was so much food and dancing, and everyone was having such a great time."

She paused for a breath, her eyes sparkling with delight. "And the best part was, I met this really cute guy there! We talked for hours, and I think I might have a crush on him."

Just then, Lisa's eyes fell on the man sitting opposite her grandmother. There, seated comfortably at the kitchen table, was a figure she had hoped to never see again.

Jeffrey, her ex-boyfriend, was calmly sipping tea and munching on Nana's special Christmas bread, engaged in a lively conversation with her grandmother. Lisa's eyes widened in disbelief, her jaw dropping in shock.

"What in the world...?" she muttered under her breath, her gaze fixed on the scene unfolding before her.

Nana, oblivious to Lisa's arrival, continued chatting with Jeffrey, her face beaming with delight. Lisa's blood began to boil. How dare he show up here, uninvited, and act as if nothing had happened?

She marched towards the table, her footsteps heavy with anger. Nana, finally noticing her granddaughter's presence, jumped up in surprise.

"Lisa, dear!" she exclaimed, her face flushed with excitement. "Look who's here! Your friend from the city!"

Lisa glared at Jeffrey, her eyes narrowed into slits. "Friend?" she hissed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'd hardly call him that."

Nana, sensing the tension in the air, faltered. "Oh, dear," she stammered, "I thought you two were..."

"We were," Lisa interrupted, her voice firm, "but that was a long time ago."

She turned her icy gaze back to Jeffrey. "What are you doing here?" she demanded, her voice laced with anger.

Jeffrey, who had been calmly sipping his tea throughout this exchange, finally set down his cup and met Lisa's gaze. "I came to see you, Lisa," he said, his voice surprisingly gentle.

Lisa scoffed. "After all this time? After what you did?"

Jeffrey's face fell. "I know I hurt you, Lisa," he said, his voice filled with remorse. "And I'm truly sorry. I came here to apologize, to try and explain..."

Lisa's anger flared. "Explain what? How you cheated on me with my best friend?"

The color drained from Jeffrey's face. "Lisa, please..."

"Don't 'Lisa' me," she snapped. "Just get out."

Nana, who had been silently observing the exchange, stepped forward. "Lisa, dear," she began, her voice soothing, "perhaps you should..."

"No, Nana," Lisa interrupted, her voice firm. "I don't want to talk to him. I don't want to see him. He needs to leave."

Jeffrey, realizing that he was unwelcome, stood up. "Alright, Lisa," he said, his voice resigned. "I understand. I'll go."

He turned to leave, but Lisa stopped him. "Wait," she said, her voice icy. "How did you even find me?"

Jeffrey hesitated. "Ashley gave me your grandmother's address," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

Lisa's eyes widened in disbelief. Ashley? Her best friend? The one person she had trusted with everything?

"Ashley?" she repeated, her voice filled with betrayal. "She gave you my address?"

Jeffrey nodded silently.

Lisa felt a wave of nausea wash over her. She had been betrayed by the two people she had trusted most in the world. Her ex-boyfriend and her best friend.

She turned away from Jeffrey, her heart aching with pain and anger. "Just go," she said, her voice choked with emotion. "And don't ever come back."

Jeffrey, his head bowed in shame, left the cottage without another word. Lisa stood there for a long moment, her body trembling with rage and heartbreak. How could they do this to her?

Nana, her face etched with concern, approached her granddaughter. "Lisa, dear," she said, her voice gentle, "I'm so sorry..."

Lisa turned to her grandmother, tears streaming down her face. "How could they, Nana?" she cried. "How could they both betray me like this?"

Nana embraced her granddaughter, her arms offering comfort and support. "I don't know, dear," she said softly. "But you're strong. You'll get through this."

Lisa clung to her grandmother, her tears soaking Nana's shoulder. She felt lost and alone, betrayed by the people she had loved and trusted. But as she looked into her grandmother's kind eyes, she knew that she wasn't truly alone. She had Nana, and that was all that mattered.

Lisa's anger towards Jeffrey was quickly eclipsed by a wave of furious betrayal aimed at Ashley. It wasn't just that Ashley had known about Jeffrey's infidelity - she had actively helped him track Lisa down. After everything, after the comforting words and the promises of support just the other night, Ashley had deliberately withheld this crucial piece of information.

"How could she?" Lisa raged, pacing Nana's small kitchen. "I confided in her, I trusted her, and she stabs me in the back like this?"

Nana watched her granddaughter with concern, her heart aching for Lisa's pain. "Ashley must have had her reasons, dear," she offered tentatively.

"Reasons?" Lisa scoffed. "What possible reason could justify this? She knew I came here to get away from all the drama, to clear my head. And she sends him after me?"

The memory of their phone conversation the previous night stung with fresh intensity. Ashley's cheerful voice, her feigned concern, now seemed like a cruel mockery. Lisa felt like a fool for ever trusting her.

"She didn't even mention it!" Lisa exclaimed, her voice cracking with emotion. "We talked for ages, and she didn't say a word about giving him your address."

The betrayal cut deep. It wasn't just that Ashley had made a mistake; it was the calculated deception, the deliberate act of hiding the truth. Lisa felt a profound sense of disillusionment, as if the foundation of their friendship had crumbled beneath her feet.

"I can't believe this," she whispered, sinking into a chair, her body trembling with anger and hurt. "I thought Ashley was my best friend."

Nana sat beside her, taking her hand in a comforting gesture. "Sometimes, dear," she said softly, "the people we think we know best can surprise us. It's a painful lesson, but an important one."

Lisa looked at her grandmother, her eyes filled with tears. "What do I do now, Nana?" she asked, her voice small and vulnerable.

Nana stroked her hair gently. "You need time, dear," she said. "Time to process everything, to heal, and to decide what you want to do."

Lisa nodded, her anger slowly giving way to a deep sadness. She felt lost and adrift, her trust shattered, her friendship broken. But in the warmth of her grandmother's embrace, she found a glimmer of hope. She would heal, she would move on, and she would learn to trust again, even if it meant starting over.

But first, she needed to confront Ashley. She needed answers, and she needed to let her so-called best friend know just how deeply she had been hurt.