Beyond the end

Circles

Valerie had gotten up quite early that morning too. By now jogging on the beach and breakfast under the porch overlooking the sea were the habit with which she greeted the day. She had run for 10 km, taken a shower and was eating her fruit meal. Her guilt for the stab inflicted on Clare was reabsorbing, the work at the Peach Pit was progressing and that day she felt definitely in a good mood. She poured some coconut milk into the glass, when she heard a car stop in front of her house, the door open and close up, steps to her.
"David, good morning. What are you doing around here?"
"48 hours Valerie. I am here."
"I was hoping you would say it. So? You don't have a nice face"
"Leave my face alone. I'm in"
"What are you up to?"
"Did I come into partnership with you? I see 50% of the Peach Pit"
"Wait, I've never talked about 50%"
"But you talked about equal risk"
"That's wrong too David – she took a sip of milk – I said I didn't want to be alone risking and if you wanted to get on the boat you had to risk the shipwreck with me. But I've never talked about risk quotas"
David was exhausted, he had wandered the car all night to find the reasons for his gesture, of his so radical choice. And now everything seemed to be called into question. Valerie realized her friend's difficulty, got up and went to meet him
"David, I can't give you 50% of the company because I didn't make the purchase myself"
"Ah no?"
"No David, I didn't have the money to take over the Peach Pit and restructure it; ah, and to throw it, because you know very well that at first you won't see something. I had to ask some friends in New York for a financial hand"
"I understand"
"I am their guarantee, they only know me; I must have the opportunity to do anything when I deem appropriate, without risking not being able to do so for a partner, any member, to veto me. I can't David, do you understand this?"
"Yes, I understand it - and then, how do we put it?"
"I can offer you 40% of the shares; the 60 remains in my hands. See it as a savings in the operation. And in any case, David, you will have the artistic direction of the place"
David was ringed by that offer, to Valerie did not escape and remarked the dose
"You will be able to choose the artists who will perform, draw up the calendar of events, follow their performances"
"What are you going to do?"
"I will take care of the financial part, the suppliers and I will be the hostess during the evenings; while we will take care of the staff selection together"
"Can I have my own performance space?"
"David, I already told you. Spaces and artists can be managed by yourself. What do I care if the artist's name is Mark Rose or David Silver? Of course, the evenings will have to be right, the box has to open and close all the time," Valerie smiled. And so David.
"But there is a though"
"And what would it be?"
"I have already written an artist for the inauguration, just last night; let's say a nostalgic evening, which bodes well"
"And who would it be? Let's hear"
"Ray Pruit"
"Oh my God" David laughed "Okay, I've never liked him, but it makes sense; I'm in"
"Are we partners?"
"We are partners" David held out his hand; Valerie smiled at him, took his hand and attracted him to himself "Come here, partner."
They hugged each other full of adrenaline and affection. That hug did not go unnoticed. A few hundred meters away, on the Pacific side, Dr. Zuckerman and Dr. Carson were walking barefoot, holding hands. Andrea was telling Philipe the reasons she had chosen a medical career, when she saw Valerie and David talking on the patio of a beach house.
"Wait a minute"
"What's going on?" Dr. C was intrigued
"Two of my friends"
"Are we going to say hi to them?"
"No, I want to see what they do"
"In what sense? Are they together?"
"they're not together, he's married to another friend of mine, but in the past he's been with this girl, Valerie."
"God I need a coffee"
"Yeah - Andrea smiled, while not losing sight of the couple.
She saw Valerie and David tighten; from that view it was not clear whether the lips were united or not
"I don't believe my eyes"
"Come on, from here you can't say if it's a hug between friends or a kiss between lovers"
"You say? I think I've seen enough to draw my conclusions; let's go away"
"Andrea but that's not how it works"
"In what sense?"
"Every time we spend a few hours in good peace comes some story of some of your friends to ruin our time"
'Coincidences'
"It will be, but it's twice out of two. Only one question"
"Tell me"
"How many friends do you have?"
"fortunately - Andrea laughed - that's what I like about you. You always make me laugh"
"And you still haven't seen me naked"
Andrea would have liked to say she couldn't wait, but the joke caught her off guard and began to laugh loudly, clinging to Philipe.
"But isn't that Andrea?" Valerie pointed to the girl, turning to David
"It looks like her to me;"
"I don't recognize her from here, you?"
"I don't think so, they're leaving; ANDREA! ANDREA! SHe doesn't hear me"
"Andrea, they're calling you" Philipe was holding in her arms
"I hear them, but I pretend nothing happened; slowly, let's turn to the opposite side and start walking"
"Isn't it better to deal with the situation than to leave it to the imagination of building castles that then turn out to be paper?"
"I don't feel like it - Andrea stiffened - let's go please." And they set off looking towards the sea.
casa Walsh
"What happened?" Brenda turned the question to Kelly who opened the door for her.
"Woe, nothing but trouble," the friend promptly replied to her "come to the living room."
Brenda hadn't entered Walsh house in a while, since Kelly had made her decision and Brandon had left that house returning to his old apartment with Steve. Those four words exchanged at the Arnold's funeral had partially clarified the situation and Brenda was not willing to be dragged into the abyss of the quarrel with Kelly. Lately they had found their balance, they had begun to exchange confidences, then interrupted, then resumed. It was clear that she was standing by her brother's side. There wasn't just one person who made mistakes, but that was her brother. Twin brother.
Donna was in tears on the couch. Her sobs had just stopped as soon as he had seen Brenda come in and hug her tight.
She pulled her hair off her face.
"What happened?"
"David didn't come home tonight. We had a fight last night because of.."
"Because of?" Brenda repeated then turned to Kelly "because of?"
"Valerie," Kelly replied with a smile halfway between the villain and the sarcastic.
"Why?"
Donna filmed the story continuously interrupted by tears "he wants to work at the After Dark, he wants to put himself in society with her".
"Is this the problem?" Asked Brenda with a strange look passing her eyes from Kelly to Donna.
"I told him no, that I didn't want to, every time these two approached ended up going to bed together. Valerie doesn't look anyone in the face looks at Steve..."
"Steve?" Asked Brenda "what does Steve have to do with it?"
"Forget it, I'll tell you later," Kelly said.
"I thought he would stop there," Donna said, "suddenly I saw another man in front of me, angry, impatient, intolerant to anything I said. It wasn't him" Donna stared at Brenda in the eye "it wasn't him. Then he left and didn't come back."
Donna rested her head on Brenda's shoulder who welcomed her into her arms and gently caressed her.
"Okay Donna, you had a fight, he wants to change jobs and work with Valerie, but you are the mother of his son he is married to you. You don't throw things away so it's inconceivable to me" as she uttered this sentence Brenda looked at Kelly who looked back "not now"Bren. Not now.
They rang the bell.
Andrea took two steps inside the house dragging Hannah behind and repeated the same question as Brenda "what happened?"
That somewhat surreal situation suddenly made her laugh. The four of them together. Again. With their troubles. Hannah looked at them as if they were aliens.
"Can't I go out with James instead of staying here with you melodramats?" SHe asked his mother.
"Later,who knows you could learn something," Andrea replied.
"Of course not," Hannah laughed sarcastically.
"Where are the children?" Brenda asked.
"out in the garden. Grace and Ethan in the box and Sammy plays basketball. In fact, we'd better move out, I'll make something to eat. We think better on a full stomach."
"I'll help you," Brenda said.
"A big mess," Kelly said as she opened the bread bags in a box next to Brenda.
"Come on, I just wouldn't say, he just wants to change jobs, in short, to improve himself. If you don't understand it," Brenda said with a thread of irony.
"This is the second joke today, don't think I didn't notice it"
"Yes" laughed Brenda "sorry. I know Brandon spent the evening here after the funeral."
Kelly nodded her head and blushed slightly.
"Why do you blush?" Brenda asked her.
"Mah I don't know" Kelly started cutting tomatoes "ask your brother" she said.
"You mean that..."
"It's none of your business Brenda Walsh," Kelly said laughing and wielding the knife "anyway we've been together, we talked, we pulled out a lot of things, maybe for the first time we really managed to talk and then.."
"And then, it's okay it's clear from how you blush, I'm happy," Brenda said smiling at her friend "I knew it wasn't over":
"Believe me we had a really bad time, I can't afford to suffer Brenda. I am terrified of it. We decided to take some more time but I think the storm has passed. I hope so."
"If it weren't for Donna now"
"That worries me more," Kelly replied.
"Why?"
Kelly looked at the glass door overlooking the garden. She saw Donna sitting in the garden chair talking to Andrea and made sure she was far enough away to hear.
"About two years ago, let's say shortly after Ethan's birth, David and Valerie had an affair."
"What? Are you sure?"
"I saw them. David tried to say they were just friends. Brandon and Steve I think knew a lot more about it but the truth is that I didn't ask for anything. I didn't want to know anything."
"Why?"
"Because Donna had just had Ethan and because unfortunately mistakes are made by me and you know something about it, I didn't want to be the one to have to tell Donna. And if I had known I should have. SHe would never forgive me if she knew such a thing. I don't want to lose friends anymore."
Brenda shook Kelly's hand.
"Okay, we'll deal with this later. Listen, do we have ice cream?"
"How much do you want in the fridge," Kelly said.
Brandon and Steve apartment
Brandon opened three beers. He needed one for himself, one for Steve and one for David.
"And for you my brother" Brandon said laughing at Dylan "tonic crap water"
"Thank you," Dylan replied sarcastically, grabbing the glass.
"You are welcome"
In short," David resumed his speech "at some point something happens, something clicks inside, I don't know if can you understand me. I feel like I'm missing something."
"And that something is Valerie?" Steve asked sarcastically.
"I'm able to hold on my pants"
"UUUhhh but really?" Asked Dylan "it's not what we know."
"I can't continue to live that way. I am unhappy. Here I said it. I am unhappy"
"You're a married man," Brandon said, "I don't know, but have you ever heard about compromise? "
"This is not about you and Kelly, Brandon," Dylan sighed, "he's not talking about you."
"Okay," Brandon tried to calm down, "agree, sorry David, I was hasty."
David looked at Brandon for a moment, he knew the subject touched him live. The separation from Kelly came from something similar.
"I really want to do this thing," he said looking at him.
"Maybe it's not that bad with some time Donna will get used to the idea, you'll see that it's not that bad. You love her, don't you?"
David didn't answer the question "can I stay here with you for a little while? At least until I fix a couple of things"
"Ah great, since I had the apartment for me, first Brandon came back and now you"
"Yes, but sleep with Steve...eh the apartment is mine," Brandon said ironically, addressing David.
"Steve?" Brandon asked him staring at him.
Steve surrendered almost immediately "Of course. Only if you promise me that you will try to fix things."
"I just need to stay a little far away":
"You have a son David"
"And I'm not going to stop being a father."
"God how we are reduced," Steve ended as they looked at each other and sipped out of the bottles.
What do you think of the friends gathered like in the old days? Please rewiew