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Sorrow-Filled Breakfast
I sighed as I entered Mom's on Park Avenue that morning. I knew I didn't look my best and took a quick glimpse into my compact's mirror before spotting my friends.
"Amy!" Lisa Marie called, waving.
I squared my shoulders and headed for the table, taking the empty seat beside Trish. I exchanged glances with Candice, who sat directly across from me. She was the only one who knew thus far. After I had broken up with Edge, I'd called her, still crying. We'd talked nearly two hours about our respective exes and our former relationships with them.
"Gosh, why the long face?" Lisa Marie asked as she studied me.
Trish did the same and frowned.
"Amy, is everything okay? Did something happen?"
Candice stayed silent but eyed me with knowing sympathy.
"I broke up with Edge," I confessed on a sigh.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Trish said, reaching for me.
"Aww, so am I, honey," Lisa told me. "I actually liked him. What happened?"
The waitress came by with a cup of coffee for me. Since we were daily regulars, she knew what each of us liked. I thanked her and took a sip before replying.
"In a nutshell... he doesn't want to get married again. But he has issues with even being in my apartment all night." I gazed sadly down at the table. "If he can't stand staying all night, how could we ever live together?"
"He told you he didn't want to ever marry you?" my blonde friend asked incredulously.
"Not just me," I told her. "He doesn't want to marry anyone. Oh! But he did say he loved me."
"Don't they all," Candice muttered.
Trish shook her head.
"I don't understand. If he loves you, why wouldn't he want to marry you?"
Lisa gave her a look.
"Trish, not everyone on the planet wants to get married."
"I know, but-"
"Ladies, please," I cut in. I raised both hands to my head, massaging my temples. I had a small, dull headache thanks to all the crying I'd done on a mostly sleepless night. "Can we just... change the subject?"
Trish eyed me with sympathy and patted my hand.
"Oh... sure we can. How is your column going?"
I shot her a look.
"Well, thanks to the other night, I have loads of material for it." There was a slight edge in my tone - no pun intended. I felt bad for it and instantly apologized to my friend.
"Amy, it's okay. I know you're just upset," Trish assured me.
"Speaking of work," Lisa Marie interjected, "I've got another lunch meeting with John Cena this Wednesday and I fully intend to walk away from it satisfied."
Candice smirked.
"Why do I get the feeling she's not talking about the main course?"
"Oh, Lisa - that's so crass!" Trish snapped, a disapproving look dominating her face.
All of a sudden, I couldn't help but feel better. I even managed to smile for about a half-second.
"You see, this is exactly what I need, you guys."
"What?" Lisa asked. "For these two to poke fun at me?"
"Yes!" I answered, but then decided to better elaborate. "Not per se... but you guys really know how to take a person's mind off the bad things."
Trish reached for my hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.
"Oh! I have some news of my own," she said.
The rest of us looked at her unexpectedly, and she appeared somewhat animated and excited as she explained that she and Randy had finally - finally - consummated their marriage the other night.
"Well, it's about damn time!" Lisa Marie exclaimed. "I mean, you two have been married for about six months now."
Candice looked the blonde straight in the eye.
"How was it?"
Trish bit her lip, and by her facial expression, I could only guess it hadn't been all that great.
"Well... It was kind of hard to judge, because..." She seemed embarrassed as she ducked her head. "... it really didn't last longer than two minutes."
Lisa Marie gasped.
"You're kidding! You mean he is the two-minute man? That gorgeous hunk? I'm sorry," she said, shaking her head, "that's just a waste."
Trish shot her a dirty look.
"No, he never..." She snapped her mouth shut again.
Although I had an idea of what happened, I remained silent and merely listened.
"Are you saying he went soft, Trish?" Candice whispered. "Is that why it didn't last longer?"
The petite blonde hung her head and nodded.
"Aww, I'm sorry to hear that, sweetie," the brunette lawyer said. "If it's any consolation, I had the opposite problem with AJ." She shook her head, then, "There were times I was raw and hurting because he wanted to go all night."
Lisa Marie's face reflected great delight while Trish appeared upset.
"Great, Candice... Rub my nose in it, why don't you?" She crossed her arms over her chest.
"Now, when you say AJ wanted to go all night, was that a regular occurrence?" Lisa asked.
All of a sudden, my emotions got the better of me, and I broke into tears.
"Oh, Amy, honey..." Each of my friends reached for me, with Trish hugging me to her side.
"I miss him!" I moaned, sniffling and swatting at the tears that had made their way down my cheeks.
"We know, sweetie."
Lisa and Candice came around to the other side of the table to embrace me at the same time. I may not have had
Edge anymore, but I had my three best friends in the entire world.