As the last thought hit me I raced around grabbing a pair of worn blue jeans and a Yale sweater shirt and changed in record time. There was no way I was going to leave Peter with Allison. I raced upstairs and was greeted by Walter. He immediately asked for my car keys and then quickly apologized when he realized who I was. “I’m sorry Dr. Grant.” He blushed. “I guess you won’t be driving tonight.”
I just smiled and walked past him. The apartment was filled with people on both floors and more were entering as I began to search for Peter. I needed to pull him aside and get him downstairs. The thought of him and Allison talking suddenly bolstered my courage. I had to get him out of there and fast. I spotted his lanky frame sipping a bottle of cider. He seemed to be in a deep conversation with someone. I pushed my way through the crowd. My heart stopped when I saw just who it was Peter was talking to. Allison! She was just nodding and smiling. She looked over his shoulder and captured my gaze. She smiled sweetly enough but her eyes seemed to be pleading for help.
I made my way over to him and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. He turned to me and smiled. “Hey honey I was just talking to …”
“Allison.” She informed him quickly.
“Peter we need to …” I began firmly.
“This is just great isn’t it?” He beamed.
“Yeah right.” Allison groaned and then quickly bit her lip and grimaced.
“I know that being alone would have been nice.” Peter continued oblivious to what was happening. “But I have been locked in my office for months. This party is just what I needed.” He gave me a quick peck on the lips and then took another swig of his cider. “Thank you darling this is a great surprise. Plus we have the rest of the weekend for just the two of us.” He winked at me playfully.
“Peter we need to …” I began once again.
“Hey the movie is about to start!” He informed us as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder. “Come on. I’ll hold your hand during the scary parts.” He winked again.
“Great.” I groaned.
As Peter grabbed himself another cider from someone passing by he began to lead me over to the sofa. I felt a gentle tug on my arm. I turned to find Allison grinning at my like a Cheshire cat. “Drink?” She asked in a strained voice.
“Yes thank you.” I answered in relief. I pulled away from Peter and took Allison’s waiting hand. “Excuse us Peter. I’ll be right back.”
“Ah okay.” He responded in confusion.
Allison pulled me into the kitchen. I released her hand when we encountered yet another crowd of people waiting for us. “Where are they?” Allison grumbled as she searched her kitchen cabinets frantically. I made my way past the bottles of cider sitting in ice in the kitchen sink and went directly to Allison’s wine cabinet. In a brief moment I realized that I knew Allison’s kitchen better than I knew my own. I selected a Cabernet that I knew she liked. I immediately grabbed the cork screw from a draw and then retrieved two wine glasses. “Did you find them?” I asked impatiently.
“Bingo!” She squealed as she held up a fresh pack of cigarettes. I reached back into the draw where I found the cork screw and snatched up a book of matches and tossed them to Allison.
I peeked out through the kitchen door and spotted Peter chatting away with a group of people. He seemed so happy as the movie started. “He’s having a great time. ” I said sadly as I turned back to Allison. She frowned as she looked back at me.
“Now what?” She asked as looked at the people surrounding us. I stepped over to her and gently placed a hand on her hip. I leaned up and whispered, “My place.”
Without hesitation we pushed our way through the crowd and ducked outside to the back staircase located off of the kitchen. We crept downstairs to my apartment pausing once or twice to listen to the sounds of the party emanating from her apartment. I reached into my pocket and retrieved my keys and opened the back door. We stumbled threw the darkness and made our way over to the futon which I had left open this morning. I placed the wine and the other items I was carrying down carefully on the coffee table. “Can I have the matches for a moment? I don’t want to turn on the lights.” I explained. She handed me the matches and I lit the large three wicked candle I kept on the coffee table and returned the matches to her.
Allison lit herself a cigarette. “Light one for me.” I said as I opened the bottle of wine. Allison handed me the cigarette she was smoking and lit another for herself. I took a deep drag and went in search for something I could use as an ashtray. I settled on a small plate, which I placed on the table. I placed the spent matches in the plate as Allison poured the wine and handed me a glass. “You’ll have to excuse the mess.” I apologized as I settled down next to her. “I had been planning on cleaning up for Peter’s visit. Then I thought that he wouldn’t be staying so why bother.”
“No chance of that now.” Allison groaned. “He’s having a grand old time.”
“I know.” I sighed in desperation.
“How weird is this?”
“Oh this?” I laughed. “Let’s see my boyfriend of the past six years who I’ve been avoiding for the past couple of months is upstairs in your apartment. While I’m hiding down here with the woman I made a pass at.”
“So, nothing out of the ordinary?” Allison teased.
“No not at all.” I laughed. “Considering a few hours ago I was throwing things at you.”
“Are you as sick of rehashing the boundaries of our friendship as I am?” Allison asked seriously.
“No. I was yelling and throwing things at you because I think that everything is just peachy between us.”
“Stephanie.” Allison began slowly. “I want to make something clear.” I simply groaned at her comment.
“Stop.” I said finally as I took another drag off of my smoke.
“Wait.” She said as she extinguished her cigarette. “I just want you to know … well … I …”
“What?” I snapped impatiently waiting for yet another lecture on how we could never be more than friends.
“Stephanie. It’s just that you seem to be under the impression that I am not attracted to you.” Allison blurted out. “If that was the case trust me the last few months would’ve been a hell of a lot easier on the both of us.”
“So you’re attracted to me?”
“Jesus, Stephanie.” Allison rolled her eyes. “Haven’t you ever looked in a mirror?”
As I looked at her in the candle light her face glowed. I’d never wanted anyone more than I wanted her. As her deep blue eyes captured mine I could see that her passion mirrored my own. I broke away from her gaze and put out my cigarette. “I know that I’ve been putting off breaking up with Peter.” I tried to explain my reluctance. “It’s just that there was our anniversary and now his birthday is coming up.”
“There is never going to be a good time to break his heart.” Allison said softly as she gently rubbed my arm. “No matter what you say or when you say it he’s going to be hurt.”
“I know.” I admitted as I leaned into her touch. “I just wish there was someway I could avoid hurting him.”
“Then stay with him.” Allison said bluntly.
“I can’t.” I sighed as I curled up against her. “Now that I know what I want. I have to let him go. It’s the right thing to do.”