Sunday, February 15, 2009

staying minty fresh

"I can never remember if its Lloyd or Floyd?" Rachel said to Floyd while Gordy was off taking a moment to hold Gib. Really, Rachel tried to mind her own business. It felt like intruding on something foreign when Gordy was with Rosco. They truly enjoyed being siblings. She'd watched him enough with the baby, and Bella seemed pleased that everyone was happy to see the baby.

"Its Floyd." Floyd gave her a quick smile and handed her a beer.

"Well, thank you, Floyd," Rachel sighed. "Did you come all by yourself?"

"No, Serena needed a little help." He drank at his beer then.

"Serena?" The name got caught in Rachel's mouth. She couldn't place her, exactly. No, it wasn't that girl. Her eyes stared at Serena then who was talking to Whitney. Even Charlotte. Charlotte knew her? Well, that was a little freaky, thought Rachel as she stood there drinking at the beer hoping she could keep her mouth shut. That was Gordy's Serena. A chill blanketed her. Wasn't she? She was.

Rachel finished the beer.

"I think I'm ready for another," she looked at Floyd then as if he were her personal bartender.

"Already?" Floyd winced.

"Yeah." She looked at him point blank. "You have a problem with that? I can hold my liquor."

"I just bet you can." Floyd nodded and went to get her another cold one in an ice cold bottle.

She grabbed it and went over to talk with the girls then.

"So just what am I missing out on?" Rachel smiled as if she was in her comfort zone. No one could take that from her.

"Food, actually," Charlotte looked at her. "Serena's going to be chef."

"Oh." Rachel looked at her blankly. The missing hand. How in the world could Gordy have fallen in love with that? Rachel couldn't stop thinking it. "Sounds really hard," Rachel made a face. "All that chopping and whatever." Rachel smirked.

"She makes mac and cheese to die for," Charlotte told her.

"Mac and cheese?" Rachel was back to making a face again. "Well, you can get that right out of a box, honey?"

"You're so funny, Rach." Charlotte smiled stepping in front of Serena before Rachel could take one step closer. "Come on, we need to talk." She looped her arm around Rachel's arm, took her beer from her and drank it. "You have to save some room to eat, you know, we can't have you a blithering idiot before dinner."

"I'm not drunk," Rachel insisted.

"But you will be. Slow down. You have nothing to worry about." Charlotte pulled her along, past the livingroom with Gordy and babies, past Bella who was sitting in Fish's lap and even Emily with her new beau who just couldn't seem to let go of her hand.

"You have to be nice to Serena," Charlotte said to Rachel very quietly, staring at her as if she was only going to tell her once. "She's done nothing to you, now has she?"

Rachel shook her head, no.

"All right, you have to stop thinking of her and -" Charlotte wouldn't even say who. "She came with Floyd. So you have to start thinking of them doing nice things together. You know, like an Irish Spring soap commercial."

"But I don't want to." Rachel looked at her puzzled.

"Trust me, if you keep a happy thought like that to yourself, it makes everything pleasant in the long run. Try it." Charlotte nodded.

Rachel struggled to smile. "I really hate the smell of Irish Spring soap."

"All right, think of one of those stupid Mentos commercials. Something. Anything. Just stop thinking she was with Gordy. Because it won't stop there. There are plenty here he's already fucked with." Charlotte snapped.

Rachel remained even lipped. Maybe Irish Spring soap didn't smell so bad, after all.

6 comments:

diane said...

Bravo Charlotte, for being so smart and acting so quickly. What a good friend! And bravo to Rachel for listening.
I just love Emily and Archie, they touch my heart.
Thanks for making my day Cait. xo d

Fizah said...

*Gasp*
How could Rachel say such things?

Cate said...

Poor Rachel. She seems to be really nervous. But I don't really feel sorry for her, no. She's so mean to Serena.
Oh ya.. At a party, people make friends quickly. I have a party acquaintance too, and I want to meet that person again! But how do you contact a person of who you know nothing but the first nameand in which part of the city he lives? Haha.
Hah. I really liked that thing Charlotte said to Rachel. "There are plenty here he's already fucked with." And Rachel is his girlfriend, so she shouldn't be the one feeling bitter.

ellie said...

This could be a cat fight...I love Charlotte.

Unknown said...

This is getting to be quite a party now...

cady said...

Props to Rachel for being self-controlled.