More Than One

Jenny almost canceled that night but something inside her decided to go. Eight o’clock came and went as she waited in the Italian place on the corner, which was bustling with conversation and life. Ceiling fans turned lazily on the dappled white ceiling, and heat from the brick oven wrapped around her bare shoulders. She could see her reflection in the large glass window beside her where she sat waiting for her blind date, who was now fifteen minutes late.

There were couples tucked into every corner of the restaurant. Some staring dreamily at one another and others stiff and reserved, trying to hide their obvious desire to ask for the check. Nancy sat at the bar with crossed, silky looking legs. Her bright eyes and unabashed laughter drew many an untucked business man to her side. She confidently flirted while tossing her hair and flamboyantly giggling.

Embarrassed, Jenny’s cheeks pricked. This was the third date in a row to not show up in less than two months. “What have I done to deserve such cruelty?” Jenny couldn’t help but think to herself. She couldn’t silence the thought that this would never happen to Nancy. She was too fun and too gorgeous to pass up. Absent-mindedly twirling her hair between her fingers, she watched Nancy’s flock, drunk in her presence. ‘My mother would be quick to tell me not to envy girls like Nancy. ‘It’s all surface and no substance,’ she would say.’ In that moment Jenny pondered if surface would get her further in life than substance. After all, she had no dates and Nancy had them all.

A man’s voice tickled her ears.

“I’m looking for a woman, she has short blonde hair and should be wearing a black dress. Her name is Jenny.”

Jenny’s stomach sank with nerves. ‘That’s my name.’ Before she could collect herself the petite red haired woman working the front of the house walked up beside her and gestured towards the empty chair. This was the first time Jenny met Edward.

“Jenny, I’m so sorry I’m late,” he said. The corner of his mouth twitched into a casual smile.

“Looks like you’ve benefited from my late appearance” he said, glancing down at the empty bread basket on the table.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Her words echoed like someone else had spoken them.

“No, no, don’t apologize! I am the one who kept you waiting this long.” His expression was wild and tentative.

“It’s Edward right?”

“Yes, but everyone calls me Eddy.”

There was something about the way he spoke that felt eerily familiar. His hair appeared freshly cut and his stark white button down had clearly been pressed to perfection. The busy restaurant surrounding them blurred. Flames danced in his eyes, flickering hypnotically, and she couldn’t help but stare fixedly at his soft bottom lip.

“May I get you something to drink Ma’am?” A waitress materialized beside the table, clasping a white note pad and pen.

“Oh, umm let me look.”

“She’ll share with me,” Eddy placed his hand on hers. “Make it a bottle of the Jetbird Merlot.” Jenny was both embarrassed and relieved by Eddy’s rescue. The waitress looked Jenny up and down, her face contorting with judgement. She continued to stare as she collected the menus and walked away.

“Did you see that!” Jenny leaned in closer to Eddy. “I didn’t realize this place was so pretentious.” He smiled, looking down at their hands which were still touching.

“You know she is just jealous.” He said. Jenny’s eyebrows raised involuntarily.

“Wow, someone thinks pretty highly of themselves.”

“No no, not jealous of you, jealous of me,” he said. Jenny’s cheeks burned. He was quick and charming and seemed to know all the best things to say. The waitress came back to the table, this time holding a large dark bottle with a gold sealed top. The label was white and navy blue with a black raven fully fledged in the middle. Gold dragon wings were sketched atop the bird's, with a red circle and square surrounding the whole design. Merlot Jetbird, she tried her hardest not to look shocked by such a nice bottle of wine.

The first sip was unforgettable. Raspberries, strawberries, and cherries linger for just a moment before cartwheeling into a volcano of cinnamon and cardamom. Jenny’s mother liked to bake, and she was always her taste tester.

“This is so good,” Jenny said as she sipped, “Surely beats a box of red from the corner store.” Eddy’s laugh got caught in his glass, almost spitting it all over the white table cloth.

“Mhm, yup, I almost spit that out.” His smile widened. “You're right, it is much better than that, I am glad we ordered a bottle.”

An outburst of laughter made Jenny and Eddy jump. Nancy and her harem of admirers at the bar were guffawing intoxicatedly. Jenny’s eyes darted to Eddy as he locked in on Nancy’s short dress and sparkling gold peridot earrings. Time felt endless in Jenny’s purgatory of self loathing. Taking a sip of Merlot she stared through the window beside her at the cars parked neatly against the sidewalk.

“Do you want to finish this bottle at my place? My apartment isn’t too far from here.” Eddy said, whisking her back to the date.

“Oh, umm yes... that would be nice.”

Jenny couldn’t believe her good luck. She had never met, let alone dated a man like Eddy. Sometimes it felt like they were one and the same, finishing each other’s sentences and laughing at the same kind of jokes. Jenny thought about Eddy as she lay in bed one Thursday afternoon. It almost felt too good to be true. They had so much in common and for the first time in her life she felt truly desired. Three months had passed since their first date, the one with the Merlot. The first sip flooded her senses. She felt the warmth of the fire and the kind gaze of Eddy. She smiled, remembering where they started and how far they had come. With these wonderful thoughts dancing in her mind she dozed off, wrapped warmly in her softest blanket, listening to the rain pattering on the window pain.

She awoke the same day to see the rain had stopped and the sun was setting. Stomach growling she slipped into her housecoat. The green light on her answering machine blinked and she tapped the playback button as she shuffled into the kitchen. Her mother’s soft voice began to speak. ‘Honey, Jenny dear are you there? Your father wanted me to call you, he has a voice message from someone named Eddy. He says he is your friend and wants to have lunch with your father.’ Jenny froze, heart racing, the room beginning to spin. Eddy had called her father and wanted to get lunch? This could only mean one thing. Jenny sank to the floor, a single tear running down her cheek. Eddy wanted to marry her.

Jenny jumped up and ran into her bedroom. Finding her best set of lingerie and longest coat she hurriedly curled her eyelashes and chose a bright cherry lip. She was going to surprise Eddy and make sure he knew just how much she loved him. The air was brisk and her heels clicked down the road towards the spot where they had their first date together. She yanked the front door open and stepped confidently up to the bar.

“How can I help you?” A tall blonde man polishing glassware looked over at her.

“Can I purchase a bottle of JetBird to go?” Jenny had never done something like this before. She tried to hide her awkwardness as the barkeep nodded and walked to the back of the house. Leaning against the bar she looked around the room at all the happy faces. She was on her way to a life like that, and she smiled thinking about Eddy’s face and the surprise she had for him. The man returned and exchanged the bottle in a brown paper bag for Jenny’s cash. She thanked him and scurried up the sidewalk to Eddy’s apartment. The key was always under the mat, she found it and turned it gently in the lock.

“Eddy? It’s me.” Her voice echoed in the empty dark space. It was odd for Eddy to not be home at this time of night. He wasn’t much of a night owl when she wasn’t around. The tiny green light blinked on his machine and she plopped onto the couch with the wine bottle in hand and her jacket and purse still on. Pressing the answering machine button, she began to peel the gold top from the bottle. A woman’s voice, like poisonous gas filled the room.

‘Eddy, It’s me Nancy. I had such a great time last night. You really are as smooth in bed as you are at the bar. Anyways, I left my earrings on your nightstand. Could you bring them to me tonight? I’ll be at the bar where you found me before. Tata.’ Click.

Jenny could not move. Her limbs were solid lead. Nancy’s airy voice echoed through the room casually taunting her. She could feel her heart pounding inside her chest, about to burst. She stumbled to the bedroom groping along the wall for the light switch. The nightmare was not over. Two gold and peridot earrings sat carelessly beside the alarm clock. She stood above the jewelry staring down in disbelief. Snatching the cursed gems she stormed back out to the living room headed for the door. The wine caught her eye and she froze, unable to look away from the bottle. The raven on the label stood out for what it really was this time. A prisoner, trapped inside a thin red circle and forced to carry the golden dragon wings forever.

Grabbing the bottle by its neck, she lifted it above her head and hurled it at the wall. It shattered into a million pieces. Crimson liquid spattered across the walls and rushed towards the carpet. Breathless, tears streaming and mascara running she once again stormed towards the front door ripping it open. The neighbor, standing in her own doorway, gasped.

“Jenny honey, are you okay?” The short, dark haired woman stood, mixing bowl in hand and flour covering the front of her apron. Jenny squinted at her shaking her head, eyes burning.

“What, how do you know my name?” A child’s distressed cries resounded from inside the neighbor’s apartment. The woman turned on her heels and disappeared. Car lights flashed by as Jenny tore down the sidewalk. A few blocks down the street she once again strode into the Italian place on the corner. Her eyes locked on a pair of pointed heels and silk legs. Without hesitation she advanced on Nancy, slamming the earrings onto the bar top. Guests all around turned to look, surprised by Jenny’s disheveled appearance and seething eyes.

“How dare you!” Jenny cried. Nancy was a deer caught in headlights.

“Ma’am, please come with me,” said the host. With a gentle hand on her elbow, she was escorted outside, trembling. The host looked at her curiously, turned, and walked back into the restaurant.

◯

Eddy crouched in his living room soaking up the wine with a towel and picking up shards of glass. The moment he got home and listened to his last message, saw the missing earrings and the smashed wine bottle, he knew Jenny found out what he had done. The pit in his gut churned with guilt. Jenny meant everything to him and he had ruined it.

The next day, Nancy sat at the bar considering the consequences of her most recent poor decisions.

“The usual?” said the bartender. Nancy nodded, avoiding eye contact. He strode over with a wine glass and began to pour.

“This isn’t my usual.” Nancy said, confused.

“Are you sure?” He topped off his generous pour “take a sip, and if you don’t like it it’s on the house. It is our best Merlot after all. I will get you whatever you’d like instead in a moment.” Nancy took a deep breath and slid her finger around the rim of the glass. She took a sip. The glass hit the bar top and shattered. Head spinning she was fading in and out of reality. The bartender rushed over. She knew she was going to be sick. Staggering out of the bar she stumbled down the sidewalk and around the corner, where she leaned against the cool brick building. Eddy and Jenny’s voices bounced off every corner in her brain. As if she entered someone else’s dream she saw her earrings on the nightstand, saw her quaking hands reach down to grab them. She heard the smash and saw the bottle of Merlot fly through the air and disintegrate against Eddy’s wall.

‘Jenny honey, are you okay? You haven’t called us back in days. Your father and I are going to drive down in the morning to…’

Nancy started awake and clutched the receiver against her clammy cheek.

“Hello, who is this?” She replied to the stranger on the other line.

“Jenny honey it’s mom, are you okay?”

“This is not Jenny.” Nancy squeezed the bridge of her nose to calm the nausea. “My name is Nancy.” The woman in the receiver spoke to a man with a muffled voice.

“Jack, Jack come here. It’s happening again,” the man sighed “Jack, she thinks her name is Nancy, I don’t know what to say.” The woman’s voice was quivering.

“Honey, sweetie, this is dad, we will be down in the morning to see you, you just hang tight okay?” Nancy put the phone down and closed her eyes.

The doorbell buzzed several times, followed by pounding and a woman’s voice. Eddy jumped out of bed, pulled on his jeans and hobbled into the kitchen barely awake.

“Jenny honey are you there? Jenny, please open up.” Confused and embarrassed that Jenny’s parents would meet him for the first time like this, the pounding continued as he fumbled with the lock. A man and a woman stood outside the door. They stared at him like they had just seen a ghost.

“Hi,” he reached out and shook both their hands. “I’m so sorry we are meeting for the first time like this, Jenny isn’t here but come in and I will call her.”

They walked tentatively into the apartment. As he was closing the door his neighbor stepped out of her apartment, locked the door, and turned to walk down the hallway. She caught his eye and smiled, a genuine look of concern spread across her face.

“How are you doing Jenny, are you doing alright?”