Dare to Dream

12

(12)

The next morning Gina related the story to Elaine over morning coffee.

Elaine was quiet while Gina recounted the story, but when she finished, she asked her one simple question.

"Was he good looking?"

"After all of that and that is the best you can come with?" Elaine asked.

Elaine sipped her coffee and stared at Gina. She looked toward the ceiling and pretended she was thinking.

Finally she said.

"Yea. Now, was he good looking?"

Gina smiled and sipped her coffee.

"He was gorgeous," she said, letting out a long sigh.

"Then Sonja is right. You have turned into a man hater," Elaine said, nonchalantly.

"I have not," Gina snapped back.

"I am just cautious. Look at the winners I have dated."

"Cautious, my ass," Elaine shot back. 

"You hear the guy talking on the phone and you assumed he was talking to his wife. Then, you assumed he was hitting on you."

"He was hitting on me," Gina said quickly.

"He was being nice," Elaine snapped back.

"He asked me to join him for a drink," Gina said, in her defence.

Elaine shook her head. 

"Yea, that was a mistake," she said, sarcastically.

Gina got up from the table and went to the coffee pot, giving Elaine the finger behind her back. 

"I saw that." Elaine said without turning.

Gina smiled as she picked up the carafe. She was about to pour her coffee when she stopped.

"Fuck," she said, as she turned back toward Elaine, " You are right, I have become cynical, haven't I?"

Elaine held out her mug.

"You have, hun."

Gina filled Elaine's mug and then filled hers. She put the carafe back in the coffee maker and opened the top cupboard over the sink.  She took a half full flask of rum from inside.

She sat at the table and poured some rum in her coffee and then passed the flask to Elaine.

"God, I have turned into a bitch."

Elaine shook her head.

"Like you said hun, you have just had some bad experiences."

"Some bad experiences," Gina said, exaggerating her tone of voice.

"My whole dating life has been one bad experience. And you were part of that as well."

"Hey I promised, no more interference. From now on, you find your own losers."

Gina just gave Elaine the look.

Elaine nodded, having to agree with her best friend.

"But seriously, you have had shit luck, sweetie."

"I don't know, Elaine," Gina said sadly, "and in all honesty, I don't know if I care anymore."

Elaine was silent. It broke her heart to see her best friend so sad.

"You care," she told her, "or we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"Well it is a little late to care about this Dylan now," Gina said, a hint of sadness in her voice.

"And why is that?" Elaine asked sincerely.

Gina sipped her coffee and took a deep breath.

"I will probably never see him again anyway."

She smiled, but inside she felt like she wanted to cry.