Chapter Thirteen:
The Woman In Me
Brian sat on the patio behind his house and dipped his toes in the pool. The phone sat on a table a short distance away, should Dana feel the need to call and explain her hasty exit. His pants were rolled up to the knee, and he had discarded his tee shirt. The sun was rising in the distance, and the sky was glowing with a pinkish-orange color, showing no signs of the previous night's rain. Brian, much to his own dismay, was incredibly confused.
He reached for the phone, and tossed it back and forth between his two hands.
The phone rang, surprising him out of his thoughts, and he jabbed the on button. "Hello," he voice drooped.
"Hey man," Nick said perkily. "How's it going?"
He shrugged, and swirled the water in a circle. "Meh. Not too good, not too bad."
Nick sensed problems. "Uh oh, what's up?"
"Actually, I dunno," Brian said honestly. "Cause it isn't me that's having the problem... it's just me that is affected by it."
Nick sighed. "Spill."
"Okay, here we go." Brian collected his thoughts. "Dana comes over, right? We get comfy, things happen, she blasts. Just like that, gone!"
"Well that was a lovely Coles Notes version, but can you expand a little? Detail?"
"You know, I can't." Brian scratched the side of his ear. "This is supposed to be the other way around, you're supposed to be the one with the little girl problems, you're the one who's still learning," he said, more to himself than to Nick.
Nick scoffed. "Oh! That's how it's gonna be! Drop the 'holier than thou' crap, Brian, cause you don't stop learning 'till you die."
"Nick-"
"Seriously, B-Rok, just drop it and tell me."
Brian shook his head. "I don't know. I just don't know."
"Come on!"
"I'm telling' the truth, Nick, I have no idea what's happening. I've never felt so lost, not for a long time." Dropping back onto the cool cement, Brian sighed. "Maybe she's a waste of time..."
Nick laughed loudly.
"Yes, I appreciate you laughing at my emotions Nick, please continue," Brian said sarcastically. "You know, it only took me, what, like three years to be able to tell you these things. Laugh more."
"Sorry," Nick wheezed. "But that was the stupidest thing you have ever said! Waste of time?"
"Well," Brian defended.
Nick caught his breath. "If she was a waste of time then you wouldn't be spending every separated moment thinking about her, now would you?"
"Point taken, do you feel like insulting me anymore or can I go?" Brian's pride was wounded by Nick's laughter.
"Go, I'm finished," Nick waved his hand in the air, and hung up the phone.
Brian slumped his shoulders, and traced a circle with his toe in the pool water. The ripples waved out, muddling the reflection of the sky. Resolved by injury, he turned on the phone again and dialed Dana's number. The phone rang a couple times, and Brian was disappointed when Brette picked up.
"Is Dana there?" Brian wondered carefully. If Brette wasn't aware of the screwy events, then he didn't want to tell her.
"Yeah, but she's asleep, Brian," Brette responded. "Last night sure wore her out."
"What happened? Like, can you divulge your girl talk secrets to me, cause I'm as clueless as the next person right now..." he trailed off.
Brette paused. "I can't exactly say outright, but I can give you some pointers."
"Pointers are great," Brian encouraged. "Point away."
"Dana hasn't had the greatest time with past relationships, and the prospect of getting into a semi-decent one scares her shitless. She feels out of control, I guess, and doesn't know how to deal. In case you haven't already figured, Dana is a control freak."
Brian absorbed every word Brette was saying, eager to understand.
"That's one reason she hates flying. If something goes wrong she can't blame herself and she doesn't have the power to fix it. Most of her boyfriends have been less than worthy..." She didn't want to venture into the details of past losers. Dana was sensitive about things like that.
"But why did she... never mind," he stopped.
"Give her some time," Brette advised. "Let her think, but make sure she doesn't go back into 'control' mode."
"And how am I supposed to do that?"
"I have no idea. You'll think of something."
"Oh yeah, between my 'reading minds' course, and my 'telepathic communication' course I'll just jump on in and know exactly when to talk to her," Brian said sarcastically. "Golly, you sure are helpful Brette."
"Don't even start with me," Brette warned. "You have no idea what the hell Dana has been through in her lifetime, so don't even start."
"Fine. I'll talk to her tomorrow, okay?"
"Fine, works for me."
Brian hung up, and tossed the phone into the grass. It rolled a few times, and stopped face down. Brian returned his gaze to the smooth pool water and sighed. There was nothing planned for the day, which was a good thing, because at that moment all Brian wanted was a little silence and some peace of mind.
- - -time passes- - -
Dana rubbed her dry eyes and blinked at her reflection. Her eyes were so itchy and dry that she had begun to regret the cry-fest she and Brette had shared the night before. The sun shone through her bedroom window, and from the looks of things it was late afternoon. It must have been three-thirty at least, if not later.
Pulling on a clean shirt and some jean shorts, Dana stared at herself in the mirror. Her usually green eyes had resorted to a dull hazel, and her natural curls had faded to straight. Of course, all she needed to do was brush her hair and the curls would return, but Dana didn't have the energy for that. She felt drained and empty. 'Nothing that a little partying won't cure,' she assured herself.
There was a note taped to the fridge, and, Dana soon discovered, she was alone. Brette was grocery shopping, then going to the library. Her mother had phoned, along with the computer repair guy. Dana ignored both messages.
The apartment needed a good cleaning, and who better to do it than a dejected, woeful university student? Nobody. So Dana whisked out the vacuum and Pledge, and cleaned away. Nearly four hours later she was finished. Slightly sweaty, but finished nonetheless. She felt absolutely glorious. The events of the previous evening weren't even on her mind, and Dana was simply glowing with satisfaction. Brian out of her mind, she changed her clothes and boiled some cheap no-name brand macaroni in the small pot.
It was a night of freedom, Dana assured herself. The party started in about an hour, and she was absolutely determined to have a good time... at all cost.
The frat house was packed by the time Dana arrived, and it shook from the base pumping from the speakers. It was a fabulous distraction. She was barely through the door when someone shouted her name.
"Dana!"
She turned around to be enveloped in a bear hug. "Uh, hi?" she said to the unfamiliar body.
The person stepped back, and Dana smiled instantly. "Where have you been over the last few par-tay weekends?"
"Working," Dana admitted to him. "And library."
He placed a beer in her hand, and smiled goofily. "Well you have a lot of catching up to do then!"
She popped the can open and took a refreshing swig. 'Nothing like a good night of booze to clear the mind,' she thought.
"That's my girl!" he shouted.
Dana downed another gulp, and weaved her way through the crowd towards a group of girls she knew. Sitting on the couch, she chugged the rest of the can and tossed it on to the floor. Somebody slid her a beer bottle, and she quickly took off the lid. Her plan: get loaded fast, then sleep it off.
- - -later on- - -
"And!" Dana exclaimed. "I was really happy!"
Some of the girls that had gathered giggled, others applauded.
"SO," Dana continued emphatically. "I -" she paused to giggle. "Went to the store and bought-"
"COPS!!" A panicked voice interrupted. "Everybody run, COPS!"
Mayhem broke out and people began shrieking. Dana sobered up very quickly and burst into a full speed run. She booted it out the back door and tried to determine which way she should go. Half-drunk people were running criss-crossed across the lawn, confused and scared. The only problem for Dana was she was totally drunk; her state of confusion and fear far more advanced than the rest of the escapees. She staggered across the lawn, and climbed over the fence that bordered the backyard.
Dana found herself in a strange backyard, where a few others had ended up. Dana tripped on a lawn ornament, putting grass stains across the knees of her jeans. Pausing long enough to vomit a few times, she continued running as the screams and breaking glass from the frat house dissipated. Minute's later Dana was on an unfamiliar street. Startlingly drunk, and completely lost, the warm blowing air didn't help any; it just made her sleepy. She kept running until a small dark strip mall came into sight.
Dropping onto her knees in front of a pay phone, Dana struggled to get her hand in her pocket. When she realized she didn't have a quarter, Dana cracked. She started to sob, crying loudly. Her vision was distorted when she finally managed to comprehend the collect call instructions. It was completely out of the question to call Steve... that would just get Dana into trouble. Most of her friends had been at the party, and were also drunk at that point in time. Yes, Dana confirmed, Brian was the only answer. Calling Brette hadn't even crossed her drunken mind.
- - -twenty minutes later- - -
Brian pulled in to the dimly lit parking lot, and checked the sign on the building. He didn't actually have to check, he could see Dana sitting under the pay phone, but checking would momentarily postpone the uncomfortable conversation that he knew would ensue. It had been late when she called, it was even later now.
She was crying when he got out of the car.
"Come on Dana," Brian called softly.
Dana looked up. "Brian," she trembled. She jolted towards him, and hugged him tightly.
His nose buried in her hair, and she smelled like a delightful mix of pineapple and tangerine... and then she burped, and Brian's nose flooded with the strong smell of alcohol and vomit.
"Please take me home, Brian," Dana begged.
She pleaded him with bloodshot eyes, and held her arms open for another hug. He obliged, and was about to step back from the hug when he realized Dana had passed out in his arms. With a sigh, he swooped her up, and carried her towards his truck. It was an almost serene moment until Dana burped again.
Brian stopped walking and stared at Dana. "I didn't know people burped when they're passed out," he muttered, and opened the passenger door. Her head slumped forwards over the seat belt when he gunned the engine.
Brian locked them in, and turned on the radio.
"We have a request here for 'The Woman In Me'," the announcer declared. "It's by Shania Twain, and it's going out to Jeremy, from Sue."
Brian relaxed as he drove along the silent streets.
* * *
I'm not always strong
And sometimes I'm even wrong
But I win when I choose
And I can't stand to lose
But I can't always be
This rock that you see
When the nights get too long
And I just can't go on
The woman in me
Needs you to be
The man in my arms
To hold tenderly
'Cause I'm a woman in love
And it's you I run to
The woman in me
Needs the man in you
When the world wants too much
And it feels cold and out of touch
It's a beautiful place
When you kiss my face
The woman in me
Needs you to be
The man in my arms
To hold tenderly
'Cause I'm a woman in love
And it's you I run to
The woman in me
Needs the man in you
Yeah, the woman... in me
Needs the man... in you
Brian glanced at Dana. She was now leaning against the window, and her hair hung all in her face. Her breathing was steady, and she looked vulnerable sitting there, passed out in his car. Brian decisively pulled a U-turn and drove away from Dana's apartment. Silently thanking Sue, whoever she was, for requesting that song, he drove the car towards his own house.
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