Fate Cuts Both Ways

Jayani flounced into Becca’s workspace on Thursday and landed on the chair beside her desk. “So.  Tell me something.”

Becca saved the design work she was doing for a new prop and looked up at her friend, eyebrow raised. “Something.”

“Don’t start with me.  You’re altogether too smug these days, my friend. Which leads me to my question.  Are you ever going to stop glowing with the infamous ‘I’ve been fancied’ look and become normal Becca again, or am I going to be forced to deal with your excessive happiness forever?”  Jayani made a face and then took a sip from the coffee she’d brought in with her.

“Do you have a problem with me being excessively happy?” Becca leaned back in her chair and picked up her own mug. Herbal tea, which needed a warm-up, if Jayani would let her get to the microwave. It was two days after she and Jon had discovered she was pregnant, and she’d decided to cut out certain things, caffeine being one of them, for the good of the baby.  At that thought, she had to work very hard to keep a smile from her face, knowing it would annoy Jayani even further.

“Of course not.”  Jayani bristled. “You know what I have a problem with.”

“Why won’t you give him a chance, Jay?  Your ‘problem’ with Jon makes me unhappy, and that’s the truth. What does Jon have to do to prove himself?  Not that he has to, mind you,” Becca added with a frown.

“The only thing that’s going to endear me to that boy is time,” Jayani said with an emphatic nod.  “I want to be sure his actions are as good as his words.  And I don’t trust actors, never have. His bad luck.”

Becca rolled her eyes and sighed.  “Not going to discuss this with you now, thanks.  Next subject—what are you up to today? Other than harassing me.”

Jayani ignored that accusation and looked down into her mug. “He’s not back yet, right?  I thought maybe we might go out to eat after work, have a few drinks, have some fun. Like we used to.”  Her expression turned wistful, and she looked back up at Becca.  “Come on, let’s do it.”

“Let’s.” Becca nodded and smiled. It was fun to go out with Jay, always had been; she brought the party with her wherever she went.  But she was going to have to find an explanation for not drinking, though, and one that would hold up to Jay’s scrutiny.  The drive home, she was tired—there were lots of reasons, she just had to deliver them convincingly. And not smile. “How about that pub we discovered last year?  Close to Shaftesbury, with the weird name.  They had great food!”

“The Angry Snail!”  Jayani jumped up as if she was afraid Becca might change her mind if they didn’t make plans immediately. “Oh, I hope they’re still there, it was an awesome place!  I’ll go look them up, get directions.  It’s a date then, my dear!”  She got up and gave Becca a quick hug.  “Meet you by the car at one minute after five!”  And then she was gone as quickly as she’d come.