The Coffee Shop (22 page)

“There’s that patronizing tone again. Why do I get the feeling the men in white coats are on their way up here as we speak?”

“You have no idea how tempted I was to hire a couple of guys from the hospital to drop by. The look on your face alone would have been worth the cost.”

“Yep, that sounds like something you’d do all right.”

“No, seriously, Derrick, it’s all right. As I said, ‘I’m in the loop.’” He laughed. “God, I love saying that.” He laughed again. “But what is this all about? What’s got Annie so freaked out? Or should I be saying, what’s got you so freaked out?”

“Last I dreamed, you were not living two blocks away, Annie never wore suits or tied her hair back. And VP? That wasn’t even part of her vocabulary. When I suggested she tap into her unused potential that is not what I had in mind.”

“Wait, wait, wait, wait! You told her what?”

Derrick buried his head in his hands. “I know, I know, it was stupid.”

Brian was laughing so hard he was having a hard time breathing.

“It wasn’t like that. I could see this incredibly intelligent woman with so much untapped — ”

“Potential?”

“Yes. Okay. Yes.”

“And you thought, she was wasting it?”

Derrick didn’t say anything.

Brian started laughing again.

“You know, you finding my misery so hilarious isn’t helping just right now.”

“No, but it’s helping me. This was worth being dragged out of bed at eight on a Saturday. Let me guess, she didn’t take it the way you had hoped she would.”

“No, you could say it didn’t go as I had…”

“And she probably, oh threw you out?”

“I told you this already, didn’t I?”

“No, but I know you, and if I were Annie that’s what I would have done. Oh, but you fixed it, didn’t you.”

“I thought I had.”

“And next thing you know you wake up to this.”

“Look, when I made that suggestion I was envisioning her going into research, or something.”

“What difference does it make, as long as she is happy?”

“But is she? I mean just look at her for God’s sake? Who is she anymore? The hair, the clothes, leaving on business trips.”

The truth finally dawned on him

“Oh, dear God. We were walking on the beach, and I said something about looking out for the little guy, and she told me she wanted to be exactly like me.”

“She did?”

Brian laughed, and Derrick glared at him. “Hey, it’s not that funny.”

“Oh but it is. This is downright hilarious!”

“All right, all right, laugh it up. But I’m curious, whatever happened to you and Denise?”

Brian immediately stopped laughing. “Oh, low blow, even for you.”

“You seem to forget, I have no idea what has happened over this last timeline. So fill me in. I’m all ears.” Brian gave him a none-of-your-business, look. “Okay, then let me guess. She got serious, as they all eventually do, and you bailed. Or no, you did just enough to make her want to break up with you. That way you make her think it was her idea. Oh, you really are an evil genius.”

“You know, you really can be an ass.”

“What, because I know you? Hey I’m not the one pulling that crap on those women.”

“No, you just tell them they’re not living up to their potential. Oh, yes, what you’ve done is so much better than what I’ve done, by far.”

“I was trying to help Annie.”

“And I was helping Denise.”

“By making her realize life with you was a waste of time?”

“Yes, if you must know.”

“And you didn’t think to mention this to her the moment you met? I’m sure there are all sorts of women that feel exactly the way you do about commitment, and would be perfectly happy with an empty relationship full of meaningless sex.”

“You think?”

“Brian!”

“Hey, I’m not the one living with the woman from corporate hell.”

“Now I never said that. I love Annie, I am just…”

“In a stated of complete shock?”

“You could say that.”

Taking his cup with him, Brian walked into the living room and sat upon the couch. “All right, so you’ve altered the timeline.” He sat back. “Okay, now that’s a sentence I never thought I’d ever say.”

Sitting at the opposite end of the couch, Derrick stared at the carpet under his feet. “How am I going to fix this?”

“Look, who says it needs fixing?”

Derrick stared at Brian from across the couch.

“No, listen to me. She’s a big girl. She can make her own decisions. That she decided to become the person she is now, that was all up to her.”

“But it was what I said, what I did, that caused her to feel the way she did to change the way she does and sees things. This is my fault.”

“Fault? Okay I’m getting the distinct impression you’re not completely on board with this new Annie.” He thought about what he had just said. “Are you telling me you don’t like her?”

“What? I love her. How can you say that?”

“No, that’s not what I…You just told me you need to fix this.”

“Yes.”

“The word fix suggests there is something ‘to’ fix.”

Derrick just stared.

“You’re telling me you liked her better the way she was before?”

“I love Annie. That fact will never change.” Leaning forward he put his head in his hands. Dragging them down his face, he let his arms fall limp across his legs. “You don’t understand. When I met her she was working in a health food store. She wore jeans and sweaters, and her hair was always loose around her shoulders. She was this…this free spirit.”

“Careful, you’re starting to sound like a commercial about…” But then he shook his head. “Forget I just said that.”

“She was happy just the way she was. Why would she change like that?”

“Did it ever occur to you that she did it because she loves you? That she wants to please you, do something you can relate to, something you can have in common, that you can share?”

Turning his head, Derrick stared right at him.

“She wants to be a part of this…life you have. To be more like you, more…What I am trying to say is that she loves you so much she is willing to do anything and everything to make you happy. To please you. To be closer to you. To be more like you.”

“That’s crazy.”

“What can I say? I’ll be damned if I can figure out why a woman does the things she does.” He shrugged his shoulders. “She loves you. That much I know.” He turned toward Derrick, bringing his knee up onto the couch he stretched his arm along its back. “Is this new Annie really so bad?”

“I’d like it better if she was here, with me now. Instead of off on some business trip. Just what corporation does she work for anyway?”

Brian’s eyebrows arched. “You don’t know what…?” He set his cup on the glass end table. “You don’t want to know.”

“What?”

“Let’s just say…it’s best if I not say.”

“Okay, now you’re really freaking me out.”

Brian laughed. “Gotcha!” Shaking his head, he continued to laugh. “Man this is too easy.”

“Don’t you mean to say, beneath you?”

Brian thought on it for a second. “No.”

“Jeez, you are an as — ”

“Hey, let’s not start that again. Besides, I wouldn’t want you to do anything you’ll regret.”

“What makes you possibly think I would regret calling you an — ”

“Because you promised Annie you wouldn’t.”

Derrick drew back. “I what?”

“Don’t you remember? Oh, that’s right, all this alternate timeline sh — ”

“Hey!”

“What? I didn’t promise her.”

Derrick fell back against the couch. “I have to fix this. I never wanted her to do something like this for my sake. Never for my sake. If she wants to do it for herself, I’d be at the front of the line cheering her on. But…not for me.” He shook his head. “Not for me.” He sighed deeply, once more dragging his hands over his face.

“I tell you what, I’m going to take you out and get your mind off it. How does that sound?”

“You, taking me out?” A laugh escaped Derrick’s lips, and he stared. “Who are you, and what have you done with Brian?”

“All right, all right. Very funny. Ha ha ha ha. I am laughing so hard.”

“You know, if you said that with a little more conviction I might actually believe you.”

Brian punched Derrick in the arm.

“Ow! Hey, this is supposed to be helping?”

“Yes, actually it is. You haven’t heard of diversion techniques?”

“What? Like stomping on someone’s foot so they don’t think about their thumb they just hit with a hammer?”

“Well I wouldn’t use that example.”

“You do realize just how stupid that sounds? Don’t you?” He made a noise through his nose. “And just who says I’m in pain.”

“Okay, now I know you’re in denial.” Turning to Derrick, he opened his mouth, forming his words carefully. “Listen to the doctor, I know of which I speak.”

“Oh, here we go again.”

“What?”

“Okay, that’s it. That’s enough.”

Brian held his hands up. “I’m stopping. I’m stopping.”

Derrick looked at him as if some demon were about to come bursting out of his chest at any moment.

“Honest.” He started to cross his chest, and Derrick reached over hitting his hand away.

“Stop it!

“Hey. You’re messing with the code here.”

“This isn’t some back yard fort. And you are not ten. Although there are a few women that would argue that statement.”

Brian laughed.

Derrick shook his head. “You would find that funny.”

“Hell, yeah! Now get off that couch and get dressed. You and I are going out. And I am paying for it.”

“This, I would do just to see what it looks like to watch you actually pay for something.”

Derrick blocked Brian as he went to punch him in the arm again, and reaching up he pushed Brian’s face away.

“Oooo, buddy, you’re askin’ for it. Just you wait.”

The television was playing in the background of the bar, some commercial for feminine protection talking about being carefree, and Brian laughed.

“What?”

“Oh, nothin’.”

“No, with you it’s never nothin’.”

“Actually, pretty much most of the time my head’s filled with nothin’.”

“You tell your patients this?”

“Nah, then, I usually keep it to myself.”

Shaking his head, Derrick tipped the beer bottle back as he took a drink.