I heard the clink and clop of the high heels that followed me down the stairs. I didn’t bother waiting for the elevator and thought that the fire escapes would be best. Still I heard the heels click away.

I shook my head ignoring my name as it was being called; I hit the parking lot wishing the car was closer now.

“ALL RIGHT RUN AWAY YOU BIG FUCKING BABY!” She yelled, I could hear the wheezing in her breath as she stopped, I turned and saw her reach into her purse and pulling out a green box and started pulling out a cigarette from the box. She pulled a lighter out and started talking in a foreign tongue and turned away from me muttering something as she walked away.

“Baby?” I asked turning around and getting loud. She turned and looked at me.

“OH! Now you hear me pendejo!” she dropped her stuff on the ground and marched right up to me. Taking one more drag she threw her cigarette on the ground and blew the smoke out of my way. “It’s been a year. You need to let go.” She said waving her finger in my face.

“What do you know?” I pushed her hand out of my face and glared at her, she stood a good foot shorter than me. It was kind of hot.

“You don’t know anything! YOU have no idea who I am! What I have been through or what I have experienced. I am strong, and I know the strong when I see them and here YOU are acting like a baby! Get up! See a brand new day! Get up! Realize that she didn’t want you to live this way! And realize that you need some help because no one can help you if you lie, no one can help you if you try to downplay the situation for what it really is.” She threw her hands up and started walking away.

…no one can help you if you lie; no one can help you if you try to downplay the situation for what it really is…

Those words… so much like my mother. I could see it now. That tough touch I needed, I could see it breaking through. I didn’t want her to defeat me, but the overwhelming need to keep this contained fiery passionate soul near me was suddenly impossible.

She had already started across the parking lot and towards her car. I walked quickly to her side; she saw me but said nothing as she set her stuff on the top of the black Monte Carlo she stood next too.

“I’m sorry.” I said leaning back against the car.

“I know its okay. I understand. More then you know, listen.” She pulled the stuff off the roof and then stood erect to look at me. “Here’s my card, my cells on the back. I heard about the drinking, should you need anything.  Call me, I’ll always answer.” She said placing the card in my hands. My cheeks went red as soon as I could feel the warmth of her against me.

“Okay?” She said slowly smiling trying to get an answer out of me. I shook my head. 

“Good.”

~*~Week Later~*~“

Joey… baby? Where are you? Honey?” Her voice trailed on, I smiled running up the stairs.

“Jessica!?” I rushed around the second floor and found a figure on the bed in the master bedroom.

“Baby…” She whispered, smiling I rushed to the bed and was suddenly surrounded by the white crisp satin sheets that covered the bed. The figure’s back was facing me and I finally relaxed seeing Jessica’s form.

“Honey.” I whispered turning her slowly and closing my eyes at the same time.

The kiss, always the same, electric. Heart pounding, I-can’t-seem-to-find-the-air-to-breath kind of kiss.

My arms went around her body pulling her close to me and I was lost in this moment. This dream like moment, because that’s what it really was. Just was dream. A dream I wanted too much to be real.I opened my eyes and was suddenly surprised, these eyes… they weren’t Jessica’s.

Hazel… creamy coffee…

“Lola?” The word becoming more of a question with such uncertainty. She mumbled to me again in a foreign tongue and held me close to her, grabbing my hands and placing them on her body.

“…touch me…” She whispered nibbling on my ear and pulling my hands up to her breasts.

“NO!” I jumped up in bed.

The sheets again covered in sweat. I shook my head falling out onto the floor trying to get away from the confines of the cotton linen sheets. I grabbed my robe and made my way downstairs.

The guys had cleaned me out. 

Twice. 

In one week.

All that booze gone. “Pricks.” I hadn’t had a drink in a while and tonight seemed like a good night as any to break my oh so good spirits.

I pulled the grand piano open and pulled out one of the three bottles I had hidden in such an emergency.I walked to the kitchen grabbing a cup on the way to the fridge.

I stopped short and saw the business card attached to the fridge.

Lola Garcia… 685…555…

I sighed and grabbed the phone, it rang once… twice…

Oh this is bullshit.

“Hello?” I held my breath. She picked it up. “Hello?”

“Hi.” I choked out.

“Whose this?” She said sleepily, followed by an OW.

“I’m sorry it’s late.” I shook my head about to hang up. Her slight giggle got me going again.

“I’m up already… you okay?” She asked softly.

“You know who this is?” I asked looking at the bottle.

“Of course… did you open it?” She asked as I heard the click of what had to be a lighter. I knew what she meant when she asked if I had opened it. It was amazing how she pegged the situation.

“No.” I said dryly.

“Good, open it and empty it out.” She said coughing into the phone.

“Smoking’s bad for you.” I said pointedly.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, one problem at a time. Get rid of it.” She said more sternly this time. 

I sighed and opened up the bottle and stood in front of the sink and I let the bottle drain dry.

“So what happened?” I walked around the kitchen and then made my way towards the living room. I didn’t want to wander but I didn’t want to sit, something about talking to Lola made me want… to do something. I needed to feel like I was doing something.

“A dream.” I whispered flopping down on the couch.

“Bad?”

“No… just unexpected. I wanted it to be something and it wasn’t what I expected at all.”She laughed slightly.

“Sounds complicated.” I chuckled with her.

“Not complicated, just awe inspiring.” She couldn’t help but giggle.

“Awe inspiring? Must have been a dozy.”  

And with that we setteled into a long conversation, it seemed to last only minutes but when I gazed at the clock and saw 5 am I knew it had taken hours.

“Oh my god it’s 5. I have to go.” She said yawning into the phone. “Listen, I’m having a party, its in like 3 days. I’d love it if you came.” She added. I thought for a second.

“Yeah, sure… can I bring my friend’s?” I asked.

“Yeah that’s fine, bring a suit. We have a pooool!” She giggled softly, the sound put a smile on my face.

“I will, good night.” I said softly not wanting to let her go.

“Good Morning. Sir, Good Morning.” She said her tone sporting a smile.

“Right…”