Page 33 of Beyond the Blues
“When I get married, I hope the man cries when I walk down the aisle.” Coco says, mouth full.
“If he doesn’t, I certainly will be.” I chuckle, taking a gulp of the now lukewarm rose.
“I think I’d choose a guy like that, someone who is emotionally aware and completely infatuated with me.” It’s hard not to be completely infatuated with Coco. She’s beautiful inside and out.
“I think I’d like to date a woman who’s creative, is affectionate but also independent, has aspirations, you know?” I say, Coco humming in agreement. The sun is setting across the park, the trees lit with a golden lighting and the sky perfectly blue.
“They’ve also got to accept our friendship, because we can be a bit mad sometimes.” Coco turns her head to face me, smiling ear to ear.
“A bit mad?” I question, turning to face Coco, too.
“Alright, pretty mad.” We both laugh hard. It’s funny because one time one of Coco’s ex boyfriends broke up with her because he said we were ‘too close’. But I just think that’s female friendships. There’s something about girls coming together and being able to relate and understand the ins and outs of each others life. It’s even better when you find that one friendship with someone who never competes with you, always supports you and celebrates your achievements as if they’re their own. The type of person who’s there when you’re inconsolable and still manages to make you laugh. The one who just seems to look at you and without any words knows what you’re going through. That for me is Coco.
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“I can’t wait to be your maid of honour.” Coco says, a grin on her face.
“Who says you’re gonna be my maid of honour?” I joke about.
“Uhm, our wedding scrapbooks we made when we were ten?!” Those silly little scrapbooks, filled with cutouts from magazines. Looking back more recently, unfortunately my choice of wedding dress is not a fuchsia pink one and the flowers would not be daisies. But Coco’s right, that stays the same. She will always be my number one option for maid of honour.
*
“What’s the first thing you’re gonna do when you land in America?” I ask Nora.
“Get the largest Coke physically possible.” Nora answers almost too quickly.
“Seems you planned that already.”
“What about you, if you were to go?”
“Get the subway, see if it’s just the tube, basically.” Boring, but for some reason, I like to test out all the different transport options in the different places I visit. The only transport I’ve done this holiday is get into Nora’s rental car or walk to Althea’s cafe. Nora should meet Althea before she goes, actually. I sit upright and turn my head to Nora.
“One more place I need to take you.”
Nora raises one eyebrow at me.
“Trust me.” I say.
“I may need some bribing to get out of bed,” Nora says, cuddled up in the sheets.
“I’m literally naked.” Without a second thought, Nora shoots out of bed, gives my ass a little slap and goes to put on clothes. I chuck on what I wore earlier and we leave. I’m hoping we make it early enough that she’s not asleep. As we walk along the beach, the cats I fed before come trotting over, meowing loudly at Nora and I.
“My god, you guys are loud.” Nora says, stroking the chin of the black and white cat. They purr all over Nora, and although it’s the cutest thing, we have to get Althea’s.
“We will come back in a bit, kitties.” I pull Nora up and drag her along, speed walking. Then we arrive and Althea’s fairy lights outside are still on. I
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jog up the stairs and peer through the window, and to my delight, Althea is sitting there with a glass of wine, reading the newspaper. I knock gently on the window, trying not to startle her.
“Ophelia, we can’t just intrude on random old ladies.” Nora says, panicked. Althea’s face lights up when she sees me, and she opens the door, pulling me into a hug. She’s shorter than me, so I have to lean down quite a bit.
“Althea, this is Nora.” I introduce them to each other, and Nora also leans in to give Althea a hug, towering over her.