Second Chance

ONE

Things were moving smoothly for Abrie Lofton.  She’d had a long day at work but it was the third Friday of the month, which was “Girl’s Night Out”.  That was always good news to her because she didn’t see her friends often.  Their schedules conflicted miserably, precluding them from doing their “girl thing” more frequently.  It was already 7:00 p.m., which meant that she had only two hours to shower and get dressed.  She’d need at least an hour to gas up and start the drive up the hill.  The ladies had agreed to meet at 10:00 at the new night spot in Ravenwood, Pennsylvania.  It was said to be posh and everybody who was anybody was going to be there, including players from the Steelers, the Eagles, and the 76er’s.  That kind of crowd would draw others who had careers or good jobs with benefits.  Benefits were a must!  There was nothing like dating a man who held a part-time job because that, more than likely, meant that he was living at home with his mama.  “We don’t want brothers who haven’t already been raised,” the club had agreed.  This “club” was comprised of five ladies who had had enough of the junk that the world of poor, inconsiderate, lazy, shiftless men had to offer.  They had decided that they wanted husbands and they were on a mission to find them.  Two of them had been married before.  The others had never had that experience, and matrimony seemed more fascinating and exciting to them than it really was.  One of the women had lost her husband to cancer and desired male companionship, but was a little gun shy after watching the disease suck the life out of the man she loved.  “It was a rough experience,” she reported, “that was not anything that anyone should have to go through twice.”

“Girl, it’s time to get gussied up!  Ravenwood, get ready cuz here I come,” Abrie told herself aloud. The water was running in the shower and her clothes were laid out on her bed.  In spite of the early preparations, it took the full two hours for her to get dressed and she still needed time to put on her make-up.  Halfway, through her time limit, her phone rang.

“Greg.  Hi,” she said as she rolled her eyes.  “I told you that it just wasn’t working.  I tried but things are just not the same.  Please don’t put yourself through this anymore.  For that matter, leave me out of it.  I’ve done all that I can do.  She says she doesn’t want to be with you anymore.  I can’t help you.  You should have thought about that before you did what you did.”

Greg was sobbing on the phone.  He was the estranged husband of one of the girls in the club.  Della didn’t want to have anything to do with him after he drained their checking and savings accounts and ran off with his secretary.  After six months, he realized that the grass was not greener on the other side.  He tried to come back but Della would not hear of it.

“Greg, I’ve got to go.  I’m running late.  If you want my advice, just give it up.  There is no chance of reconciliation and, if you ask me, I wouldn’t get back with you either!  Not after what you did!  Let it go, man.  Get over it.  I’m sorry, I can’t help you...No, I won’t talk to her for you...Goodbye, Greg.”

She had already showered at the time of the thirty minute phone call but had not gotten dressed.  By the time she hung up, she was rushing to get dressed and as always, the shoes were not quite the color she needed so she had to spend some time finding the right pair.  This night was going to be the night.  Abrie could feel that this time was going to be different.  Tonight was the night.  She found her shoes and looked at the clock.  It was 8:45 and she needed to fix her hair.  That was certainly going to take some time but she wasn’t stressing.  She knew of a shortcut up to Ravenwood.  It was kind of dark but it would be okay.  It was a back road but it would cut off about ten minutes of the travel time.

At 9:05 exactly, Abrie grabbed her keys and ran out the door.  She started up her Honda Accord and headed for route 95.  Traffic heading toward 95 was steady but not bad.  The main thoroughfare was backed up which was odd for that time of evening.

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