Cause You Gotta Have Friends

“Zoey?” I asked. Her head popped up over my couch. I noticed a suitcase by my door.

“Faiiiiiiith.” She said holding up an almost empty bottle of wine. There was a second bottle on the coffee table that was completely empty.

“You are SO drunk.” I said collapsing on the couch next to her, “You being here isn’t a good sign, is it?”

“NOPE.” She took a swig of her wine, “I am sssssingaaaaal.”

“Oh, Zoe. I’m so sorry.”

“Sss’okay. The wine is helping.” She offered me some and I took it.

I downed the rest of it as Zoey watched.

“Why are you here right now?” She asked.

“I could ask you the same question. How did you even get in here?”

“Molly told me where you keep the spare key; I didn’t want to go to my place and be reminded of Wessssley. Now you answer. I thought you and Mike were spendin’ tonight with his famuhly.”

“Yeah, we sort of broke up. Or…are on a break. I don’t really know.”

“Yeeeesh. Faith! We’re like twins. Break up twins!” Zoey wobbly put her head on my shoulder.

“I am not drunk enough for this.” I said getting up and opening another bottle of wine.

I woke up the next morning with the worst hangover ever. I thought for the briefest moment that the night before was just a dream but the sounds coming from the kitchen told me Zoey was making breakfast and I knew it hadn’t been a dream. I dragged myself out of bed and checked my phone: No missed calls or texts. My heart fell that Mike hadn’t tried to call me. I sighed and walking into the kitchen where a cup of coffee and some aspirin were waiting for me on the table.

“Morning sunshine!” Zoey said.

“I haven’t been that drunk since probably college.” I said to her.

“Yeah, me, too. Remember that frat party we went to junior year?”

“Oh God.” I said putting my head in my hands. It wasn’t a fun drinking memory, “I haven’t had tequila since that night.”

I got up and helped Zoey finish making breakfast and set the table. We settled into our hangover food.

“Did you and Mike really break up last night?” Zoey asked.

“Yeah. Sort of? It’s complicated. He wants to go on a break and I told him to never call me again.” I shoveled cheesy scrambled eggs into my mouth while Zoey ate a sausage link.

“Ouch. What happened?” She asked.

“I…I yelled at Mike’s sister and…things just kind of spiraled downward from there. Maggie called me a trashy whore and Mike tried to step in but she just steamrolled him. Then she accused me of trying to replace Betty and Mike didn’t disagree with her. He told me we needed to go on a break and that’s sort of how we got to this point.”

“Maggie is the oldest one, right?”

“Yeah.” I said.

The girls were aware of the difficulties I was having with Maggie but none of them really had any advice to give me because how DO you tell someone they are being a massive asshole right after their mother died? They recommended I try to ignore Maggie’s behavior but, well, we all know how that went.

“She’s an ass, Faith. Don’t sweat it. I’m sure Mike will call you soon to apologize. I must say, I’m really surprised that he didn’t stand up for you.”

I sighed.

“I’m not. Maggie is…she’s a very overbearing person. She has complete and utter control over everyone else in the family and when they try to go against her she basically nags or insults them into submission. Mike is probably just used to not standing up to her. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I wasn’t disappointed in him, though.”

“It’s a tough situation, Faith. I’m sorry.” She put her hand on mine and sighed.

“Thanks. So, now it’s your turn. What happened with you and Wesley?” I sipped some orange juice.

“We got to Australia for the holidays and I just sort of freaked out in the airport. I asked him if he was planning on proposing during our visit and he said yes and I just sort of had a panic attack before we even got to customs.”

“Wow.” I said nodding with appreciation, “I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who was humiliated simultaneously while their relationship ended.”

“Wait, what?”

“Oh, Maggie announced Mike and I’s sexual activities in front of the entire family last night.”

Zoey choked on her coffee.

“Nice.” She said, “Anyway, I told Wesley I wasn’t ready to get married and ended things on the spot and he left me at the airport. I booked a flight to come back here and got in last night. I didn’t want to go home so I came here and got very drunk.”

Zoey and I commiserated some more over our failed relationships before cleaning up our hangover feast.

“You know what, though?” Zoey said putting her plate in the dishwasher.

“What?”

“I really do think I’m okay. I love Wesley but we’d run our course and I feel so relieved. I think I feel the best I’ve ever felt in a long time.”

I gave her a hug.

“You’ll be okay, too” She said kissing my forehead, “Mike will realize how stupid he was to let you go. And if he doesn’t? Well, he never deserved you in the first place. Now let’s watch The Grinch Who Stole Christmas and watch Murphy play with his Christmas presents.”