A Story About Friends

Now they were in his driveway, and he had pulled in slowly behind them. Devon figured that they should get out of the car quickly, before he got suspicious as to who it was. Devon didn't know Jefferson, but she had seen pictures, and she knew that he had seen pictures of her, but they had never really met. She hoped that he wouldn't panic. Most people didn't take kindly to strange cars on their property.

Devon looked over to her right and saw that her best friend looked as if she were about to cry, and the look was unmistakable because Jefferson's headlights lit up the side of her face. She knew Mary was frozen in the seat, so she made the first move. She pushed her door open, and stepped out of the SUV. She hoped that the hoodie that she wore would not make her a news story. No sooner had she closed the door, she heard a male voice, followed by a door slamming shut.

"I'm the owner of this house, may I help you ma'am?" the voice, that she knew belonged to Mary's dream guy, boomed, with polite strength.

"I'm just the driver. A friend of a friend," said Devon.

Just then, there was a thud, as the passenger side door of the SUV shut. Jefferson's gaze shifted from Devon and tracked toward the tail end of the vehicle. His eyes grew wide as his dream girl walked around the left side of Devon's SUV. They both froze. They looked like they could run toward one another, or run away from one another at top speed. Devon knew that she no longer mattered in this setting, so she just sat back to observe.

The moment was tense. For the next five heartbeats they, stood and stared at one another with only the front end of Jefferson's car between them. Devon felt as if she were watching a movie, and this was the part where things were supposed to either melt down or come together. The hair stood up on the back of her neck, waiting for the two of them to either began screaming at one another, run and hug one another, begin crying, or start laughing out loud. The monumental eruption never came, to her dismay.

"Hey," he said, timidly.

"Hey, Jeff," she replied matching his tone.

"Uh... Sorry to sneak up on you like this, but I kinda need to talk to you, and its pretty important," Mary blurted as if it were saying the words were a diving board, and she chose to face her fears by jumping off of it.

Jefferson stared at her as if he had ice in his veins. His face belonged on a player from the World Series of Poker. Devon couldn't read if as if he were a book written in a different language. Her best friend didn't seem bothered. She had always described him as warm person with an icy demeanor, so she was probably used to what she was seeing. His stare made Devon feel very self-conscious about watching.

"Yea, that's cool, I guess," Jefferson said, finally. "You guys can come on in, and I'll get us some drinks or something."

"Okay," Mary said, waving Devon over toward the front door of the one story brick home that he owned.

He walked around his car and headed toward the door. Mary stood directly in his path, having not moved since she initially started speaking. She seemed tense as Jefferson approached her personal space. He was one step away from her, now, and it looked as if he'd walk right into her, knocking her over. Instead of trampling her, he sidestepped her as if she were a light pole, with his head facing the door. Devon breathed a sigh of relief, while Mary looked as if she had been slapped. Looking at her friend's stunned expression, Devon realized that Mary was expecting some type of affection. Her hurt expression looked like that of a jilted lover. As she turned, the look faded.

Holding the beige door as if he were a butler, Jefferson held his left harm across his body in a gesture of welcome, and the ladies passed in front of him to enter. Mary passed through the entryway first, walking closely to him, as if to catch his scent. Devon followed closely behind her, nearly bumping into her friend as she pulled up to look into the house. Mary looked around in astonishment, while standing only three steps into doorway.

His house was simple, but immaculately precise in its presentation. There were no pictures or adornments on the wall, and there wasn't much decoration to be seen anywhere else. Centered on the wall to the left of the entrance was a giant TV. Devon guessed that it had to be anywhere from sixty five to seventy inches. Under the Television was a sound bar and small table. This table contained all of the ornamentation that could be seen in the front room.

On the tabletop was a small bible. Next to the bible was a hat and to the opposite side was a plate. Both of these items were stamped with a square and compass. Devon recognized the mark due to memories of her grandfather. His demeanor reminded her of the way Jefferson stood, seemingly emotionless, yet polite and gentlemanly. She could understand why Mary would be attracted to someone that behaved as he did. It was very refreshing to meet a man that was...good.

A cream colored sectional couch sat in the middle of the room atop the beautiful wood flooring. An ottoman sat a legs length away from the seats on both sides of the ninety-degree couch. It looked bright and expensive looking. It had a simple look; similar to everything else that was in eyesight. Judging the materials in the front room, Jefferson was simple and had simple needs.

"You ladies grab a seat, and let me get you a drink," said Jefferson, waving them toward the couch. "I've got water, beer, and a clear and dark liquor with mixers."

Both girls obliged, and asked for cocktails. Devon drank vodka and cranberry juice, and Mary had the same, following her friend's lead. They both sat and sipped their drinks while Jefferson disappeared down the hall, returning minus his gym bag that he had brought in with him, from the car. Before he joined them, he detoured to the kitchen, returning to the front room and sitting opposite the girls in the chair that sat way from the couch, setting down the drink that he carried on the dinner tray that was next to him. Apparently that was his spot.

"So, what brings you all the way to Richmond? I'm sure you gals are too young to be selling Girl Scout cookies, door to door," Jefferson blurted after talking a pull from his glass of dark liquor.

Mary spoke up before Devon had time to think.

"We came down because I needed to talk to you."

"I'm just tagging along, honestly," said Devon.

He didn't move or respond, and he looked deep in thought, his expression never changing. His eyes were focused on Mary, as if it were only the two of them in the room. As Devon looked from Jefferson to Mary, it was easy to see that they had locked gazes, and in their eyes were unspoken emotions. She could see pain in their eyes, though their outward presentations were neutral. Neither seemed too concerned physically, but that was contrary to the fact that Devon and Mary had driven from Frankfort to Richmond, unannounced.

"So what's there to talk about that couldn't be discussed over the phone? Have you become the female version of Jason Bourne, or are you on the run from the mafia or something?" Jefferson stated after his long moment of silence. Then he took another drink, awaiting her reply.

"I don't know... I just need to talk with you, you know... Especially after this morning," said Mary, her eye level trending downward until she was no longer looking at his upper body. "I guess I just thought that it'd be better to talk with you in person."

"Oh," he said, adding no more to his response.

The emotional wall that Jefferson had in place seemed to be made of concrete. He was in full defense mode, and it was obvious that he was trying to protect his ego and feelings. His presence was callous and not the slightest bit fitting for someone who was seeing one of his best friends for the first time in years. He was fully guarded, and it would take a lot in order to get him to relax.

Devon could see that Mary could sense the barrier. She seemed as if she were hurt. She looked pitiful, staring down at the ottoman and floor, while he sat away from her as if he were a judge waiting to deliver a sentence. The entire reason for their travel was so that her friend and Jefferson could talk to one another on an emotional level, Mary had explained. The fact that Jefferson was making himself emotionally unavailable was killing Mary. She was going to have to find a way to get around the defenses, and Devon figured that she might be able to help.

"So, I'm really surprised that you didn't take me up on my offer on Thursday, Mr. Knighting..." Devon said.

" What are you talking about?" he said, seemingly thrown off guard. "I've never talked with you about anything."

"On the contrary, I texted you on Thursday to invite you to Frankfort," Devon said. "You don't remember?"

His body went rigid. Jefferson's expression looked as if he had been slapped. Things were coming together in his head very fast, and it was obvious that he had all the components to figure this whole thing out. If he was half as bright as Mary had made him out to be, he'd have the entire picture of Friday's events in a few short moments. She had no idea how he would react.

"The whole thing was set up." He said, as if reading the words from a mystery novel. "The whole thing was a set up, and I was supposed to be there."

"Ding, Ding, Ding..." Devon said with a mischievous smile.

When her eyes caught Mary's, she saw a mix of emotion. Rage, confusion, and hurt seemed to be the major components of her expression. Her mouth hung open in astonishment, while her eyes narrowed as if she were near sighted and trying to read small print. Her body seemed stiff, with her hands on either side of her body, fingers buried into the front side of the couch cushions. She squeezed the cushion as if it were stress balls in her hand, or as if she had her hands around Devon's neck.

Jefferson seemed dejected. Wore the "I've been stood up for a date" look on his face and he leaned back into the chair, bringing his right hand up to his temple to relax his head on. He was realizing that the video that was sent to him was supposed to star him. With the body language of a funeral goer, he sat back in self-pity, and it was obvious that he regretted not taking the invite. Mary had always said that he wasn't one to take leaps of faith.

"I know I just dropped a bomb on you two, but it wasn't supposed to hurt anybody. It was supposed to be like... like a gift, and a good deed, ya know," Devon explained. "I know you two have a situational thing for each other, and I was trying to bring it out for one night of crazy, wild fun.

"Mary, you are my best friend, and I know you better than anybody. You needed that night, and the only way it could have been better for you was if your ideal 'companion' was there. It wasn't supposed to be so... crazy, but you seemed so uptight. I did what I thought would help you enjoy the night, and I videoed it so you'd see that you had a good time."

Mary's body language seemed to ease minutely, but she still seemed taken aback. The silence that filled the room after Devon's explanation was deafening. All of the unsaid words attacked Devon. She had caused a lot of hurt feelings, anxiety, and anguish. Her intentions were good, though. She wanted to blame Jefferson, for not coming, but she knew that without the ecstasy tablet, Mary wouldn't have done anything as wild as she had. She had to accept that she was wrong for trying to play sex cupid.

Jefferson, seeming more calculated in his movements and appearance, began to compose himself, and return to his nearly emotionless look. He slowly stood, and then he gestured toward the girls' drinks. Both ladies, adhering to the unspoken agreement to not talk for the moment, nodded for more. He gathered the glasses, and exited the front room by way of the kitchen. When he returned, everyone's glass was refilled, but Jefferson's glass seemed to be darker than it had been the first time. Devon guessed that he'd poured himself a double.

"This is my fault, and I'm sorry for the confusion, deception, and the problem I caused," Devon said, as she accepted the glass from their host.

Jefferson began to reply, but Mary cut him off before the sound left his mouth.

"Devon... Can we have some time to talk, just us two?" Mary asked looking down at her drink.

"Yea, I've gotta smoke anyway... but before you talk, I just wanted to say I'm sorry again, to both of you. I was only trying to do something nice."

Devon got up, and headed out the door that they had entered through. She looked around before leaving, and realized that the others had not even cast her a glance. "They've still got some unresolved issues," she thought. "Why the fuck did Mary send him that video?!" She knew that they'd end up talking a while, and Devon was glad that she had brought along a joint to keep herself occupied.

Once outside, she heard Jefferson's voice, and realized that one of the windows was open. She had hit the jackpot, and now she'd get to hear the whole talk, and smoke the pot she bought from a guy named Jack. She didn't realize that she'd end up with a front row seat. She took the should-be legal substance from her left pocket, and the lighter from out of her right. Placing the marijuana cigarette to her lips, she lit the end, and inhaled deeply. After holding the potent smoke in her chest for a slow five count, she exhaled slowly, and watched the cloud dance in front of her face. She then tuned into the conversation.

"Are you ok, really?" Mary said from inside of the house.

"Honestly, I don't know how to feel. It's a whole lot to process in less than a day, ya know. It came out of nowhere, and it was so...intense. I don't know how to feel, but it has been all that I've thought about, for the most part since we talked this morning." Jefferson replied, his voice losing no strength as it projected through the window screen.

"I, honestly, don't know what possessed me to send you that video. Like, I just feel really awful, ya know..." Mary continued, sounding a bit shaky. "We've always been so close, and we've had our moments, and... hell... I don't know. I don't know what to say. I can't believe that happened, first off, and second, I can't believe what I did after. I just needed my friend, and you were there for me."

She was crying now, Devon could here. She let out some very muted, soft sobs, and the soft creaks of the wood floor told her that Jefferson had risen up out of his seat. His steps brought him closer to the window, and she then knew that he had walked over to sit next to her best friend. Peering through the open blinds, she confirmed her hypothesis. Jefferson was sitting close enough to Mary that they were touching. He consoled her, wrapping his left arm around her body, as she held her head into the palms of her hand. He pulled her close, and the right side of her head nestled into his left pec. He just held her for a few moments. Devon wasn't sure if it was the weed, or just her intuition that told her, "He really is a hell-of-a man."

"Look, I'm not going to say that I wasn't bothered, but you don't owe me any apologies. You were drugged, and you are single. We don't date, and I'm not in any place to judge you. I did something, that I wasn't the most proud of, today, after seeing your video." Jefferson explained with compassion. "We are grown, and we are sexual beings. Things will happen, and these moments don't define us, unless we allow or want them to."

"Can I ask what you did?" Mary asked, sniffling. "Hearing that you did something, for some reason, makes me feel a little better."

There was a long pause, and Devon leaned toward the window, hoping not to miss anything. She held the joint away from her as to not let excess smoke seep into the window screen, and alert them of her eavesdropping. She could hardly wait to hear what he had to say. He didn't seem like the type to have a wild story to match the video, but in his defense, Mary, before Friday, didn't have any stories like that to tell either.

"Well, to be completely up front with you, the video you sent me really confused my mind, but... it made my dick really hard." Jefferson said. "I ended up watching the video a few times, and started to get all hot and bothered in the locker room after work. One thing led to another, and I was totally naked, having "alone time" in a public place."

Devon was floored. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. Mary's long time crush was jerking off, at work, to a video of her fucking two guys at the same time. What the hell was going on here? He must be some kind of freak. "He is even better than I thought... if only he weren't Mary's crush," she thought.

"The worst part about the story, though," He continued, "was that I got walked in on by a female co-worker who is like forty-five years old. I was mortified, and she wanted to see everything and touch too."

"Did you let her?" Mary asked

"Yea... She was really, uh, eager to. I guess it had been a long time for her or something. I didn't do it with her, if you are wondering, though," He replied.

"Well, I'm in no place to pass any judgment. You probably should have, haha. Honestly, though, I'm glad you didn't. I guess I'm just selfish, huh?" Mary said, looking sheepish.

"No, not really. I wish it could have been you that caught me, anyway. I bet it could have been a hell of a night." He said, with a wink.

Maybe it was the weed, but Devon could almost swear that Jefferson was putting the moves on Mary. After all that's gone on this weekend, he still wanted her, and it was obvious that she still wanted him. This was about to get really interesting. A tingling feeling of impatience and expectation began to crawl up her spine. She felt as if she were watching a movie, for free. She took another long drag from the joint, and held in the potent smoke, as she listened.

"Oh really, now. So why would you have wanted me to catch you? You wouldn't have been embarrassed?" Mary asked, playfully

"I'm embarrassed now, thinking about it, but it doesn't make it any less hot," Replied Jefferson, "to be honest, thinking about the whole situation, gets my blood going right now."

There was no question in her mind now. Devon knew that this conversation was about to take a turn for the entertaining. She exhaled slowly, away from the window, and then dug in her pockets for her phone. She pulled it out, and pressed the home button, illuminating the screen. She checked the battery, and saw that it showed more than eighty percent full. She would have plenty of juice, if something were to happen. She liked to add videos to her collection, and this could be one of the best she had ever taken. Her Peeping-Tom videos always turned her on the most when she needed a spark, and she was always looking for some to add. She was snapped out of the thought by a long silence between the two followed by a soft clink. Putting two and two together, she realized that they had both picked up their drinks clanked them together as if to silently say "cheers" before both taking long swigs. Her attention returned as they both removed the glasses from their lips.

"So had I caught you, would you have let me touch?" Mary asked, playfully.

"I sure as hell would have let you. In fact, I'd have probably let you do just about anything that you wanted at the moment, and I may not have been as embarrassed." Jefferson replied in almost an equally playful manner. "What would you want to do if you caught me naked, playing with myself, watching your video?"

"Well, I'd first want to cut the video off!" Mary said, as if delivering a punch line in a stand-up comedy act.

Both of them laughed, hard. These were deep guttural laughs that served as a vehicle for the release of much of tension and anxiety between the two. Their shoulders bounced, and their mouths were wide, and they both looked free of worry. This was the first step toward repairing their relationship, and Devon knew, it could lead to something if either or both parties played it right. The THC in her system nearly got the best of her, and she had to stop herself from joining them in their hearty laughter. It felt good to their tension was evaporating.