Don't Kiss Me There

The ottoman was sitting on the floor, exactly where we had left it the night before Elaine went away. I had to stifle a gasp of surprise and think quickly.

"Yeah, right... I remember now. She called me... when she decided to move. Said she had this old leather ottoman... thought I might like it." I kept improvising. "Elaine said it had always seemed too masculine for her anyway... wondered if I could use it..."

"Well, there it is. Can you get it out to your car by yourself?"

As I walked over to the ottoman, Lisa looked around the room.

"I tried to clean up the best I could. I didn't have time to do it all. She may not get her deposit back."

I glanced over at the wall and could still make out the faint spatters where Elaine squirted that morning after she told me her story. Nothing that a coat of good primer wouldn't take care of.

I hauled the ottoman out to my car. When I came back Lisa was locking the door and putting the key back under the mat. She straightened up and lobbed an unexpected comment at me.

"Jay, I didn't know you and Elaine were that close."

"Oh, we're friends." I tried to think quickly. "She made good on her promise when I first met her at that New Year's Eve party awhile back. She got me on the guest list at quite a few clubs and concerts. And movie premieres, too, after she changed jobs. I took her out to lunch several times to thank her."

The truth, yes, but wildly incomplete. I fingered the spare key to her apartment in my pocket that I had planned to give to Lisa. No need to do that now I decided.

"That was nice of you." She looked at her watch. "So give me a hug. I've got a plane to catch."

"Lisa, here's my contact information. In case she ever changes her mind about leaving the 'witness protection program'."

Lisa laughed and took my card. "Well, that would be her decision. I'll stay in touch, but I promised Elaine I would never reveal her whereabouts to anyone. I'm sure you understand."

"Of course. She's earned her privacy. I still hope I hear from her someday." I didn't mention the book or the movie. I wondered what Elaine told her about why she went into hiding and what her future plans were.

I hugged Lisa and waved goodbye as she walked to her rental car. She got in and started the engine. I saw her roll down the window and motion for me to come over.

"I almost forgot. She wanted me to give you this letter."

I saw my name written in script in Elaine's handwriting. The envelope was thick with extra pages. Lisa lifted up her sunglasses.

"I really shouldn't say this about my sister, but I always thought Elaine had really poor taste in men. That crazy record dude. All those wrong types for her, like that guy Mark. The movie producer who's old enough to be her father. Others I don't even want to talk about."

She stared out into the distance and shook her head as the cavalcade of Elaine's failed relationships marched through her head. Lisa looked up at me.

"Too bad you two didn't give it a go. You would have been good for her."

She waved and drove away. I held the envelope to my heart, shielding it from the tears that were streaming down my face.

* * *

I waited until I got home to read the letter. That was a good call; I wouldn't have been in any shape to drive a car afterward.

It was long and heartfelt--and heartbreaking. Sorry, I don't want to share. It's about as intimate and emotional as a letter could be--very private.

I never saw or heard from her again. But there's always tomorrow.

* * *

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All characters and events are fictional; and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events, is strictly coincidental.