The drive back to Melissa’s house is filled with the sound of the radio. Neither she nor Felicia seem to be much in the mood for talking. It’s only when Felicia pulls onto Melissa’s driveway that she turns to look at her expectantly.
“What?” Melissa shifts uncomfortably in her seat, looking longingly at her front door while mentally preparing for the grilling she’s about to receive.
“You told him you thought that you guys have too much sex?” Felicia’s eyes widen as if it were the most ridiculous thing that she’s ever heard. Melissa is starting to wonder if she isn’t right. “I mean, who does that?”
Melissa sighs deeply, knowing that she’s not going to get out of this without Felicia getting the answers she so clearly wants. “I guess I do.”
“I guess you do.” Felicia nods in agreement. “It’s the ‘why’ that’s completely beyond me!” Melissa keeps quiet, knowing that Felicia hasn’t finished yet. “You know, I thought we’d solved whatever’s with you two already, but things are just as screwed up now as they were before! I told you before, I can’t take any more of him being all ‘woe is me’ and shit.” Felicia shakes her head, as if the mere thought of it tires her out.
Melissa spreads her hands out in front of her. “Felicia, I don’t know what you want me to say. Things are…complicated between Hawk and me. That’s all I know for sure.”
Felicia gives her an ‘Are you serious?’ look. “That’s all you know?” There’s no mistaking the challenge in her voice. When Melissa shrugs, it’s like a red rag to a bull. “Well, let me tell you a few things that I know.” Felicia begins to tick them off on her fingers. “You like Hawk; Hawk likes you. You two have been all over each other since the get go, sparks a-flying, you name it. You fight; you make up. You fight; you make up. And neither one of you has told the other person how you really feel, so it all just keeps going round and round in circles. Meanwhile, you’re making everyone else’s life miserable! If Ali is half as fed up with you as I am with Hawk, then you owe that woman more than a drink. Trust me, it’s exhausting.”
“Well, damn, Felicia. I’m guessing in high school you weren’t voted Most Sympathetic.” Melissa mutters the words, but Felicia’s raised eyebrow tells her that the woman has ears like a bat. “What do you want me to do about it? He left before I could talk to him, and I can’t go running around town looking for him. I’ve got to be somewhere; it’s important.”
Felicia gives her an appraising look. “Is that what’s got you all edgy, looking at the door like you think I might be about to lock you in the car and drag you to all the joints where Hawk hangs so you two can sort things out?”
Melissa gives her a frank look. “The thought had crossed my mind.” She gives the platinum blonde in the seat next to her a wry smile. “But I’m already going to be late as it is, and I can’t cancel on my mom again.”
“Your mom?” Felicia looks at her as if she had spoken a foreign language.
“Yeah, my mom, as in the woman who gave birth to me, brought me up, and gave me this.” Melissa holds up some strands of her auburn hair.
Felicia gets a faraway look in her eyes. “Sorry, it’s just that I can’t really imagine actually wanting to spend any time with my mother. Guess that tells you all you need to know about my family!” She huffs a mirthless chuckle, but Melissa’s face remains serious.
“Not really, but I’m hoping that one day you’ll trust me enough to tell me.” She places a hand over Felicia’s, noticing how the other woman just manages to stifle the way she jumps when she’s touched.
“Sorry. Occupational hazard.” She shrugs and gives a sad little smile.
Melissa nods in understanding and withdraws her hand, not wanting to make Felicia any more uncomfortable. Working in a strip club would probably make anyone jumpy at being touched; Felicia was apparently no exception.
“So, does your mom know about Hawk?” Felicia clears her throat, but Melissa can still hear the emotion in her voice.
Melissa shakes her head. “She knows that I’ve been seeing someone, but nothing specific. Hawk had said he wanted to meet her. I’d sort of hoped that would be tonight, but I guess it’s not to be. I’m meeting her new boyfriend, and I figured it would be nice for her to meet mine, sort of like a weird double date.” Melissa rolls her eyes at how Pollyanna that thought was. “What an idiot, right?”
Felicia considers her for a moment. “Actually, I think it’s nice.” She turns the key in the ignition. “I guess you better get moving if you’re not going to be late.”
Melissa blinks at the abruptness of Felicia’s words, but she’s moved past the point of being surprised by anything that Felicia does. She tends to do exactly the opposite of what you expect. “Sure, well, thanks for the ride.”
“No problem.” Felicia waves her out of the car and before Melissa closes the passenger side door she overhears Felicia talking to herself. “Too much sex. I mean, seriously, is everyone crazy apart from me?”