Suzanna Danna

Hi. What? Did I just post lyrics and a link to a song then leave for like a fucking month? Um, yeah, that was me. And I’d do it again.

Okay, so the weird thing is this. I posted that song because it was on one of my “Marly’s FUCK YEAH! Mix CD’s” and then this* happened.

*Keep your shorts on Maude, I’m getting there.

I had a very interesting weekend last weekend. The 8th – 12th. I saw someone I had not seen in almost a decade. We’ll go with 11 years almost to the day we first met face to face. How awesome is that? It was pretty fucking awesome, I’ll tell you what. And that’s all I’m gonna tell you. You cheeky monkeys.

That Tuesday, we both got on planes, one to go home and one to go work in Austin (Um, this one was me). Austin was kind of a beating in a very 6 year old girl with noodle arms throwing a sponge at you kind of way. And what I mean by that is… it was very irritating but not particularly harmful.

Thursday evening coworker and I caught an earlier flight but our luggage decided to hang out at a bar in the Austin airport for a while yelling “WOOOOO!” and catch up with us around 9:15 or so. Lushes. Freaking luggage was late for the flight WE were on and we had to wait in Dallas for them to arrive. As soon as my drunk luggage got there, demanded smokes and beer (which I dutifully picked up at RaceTrack… damn pushy luggage), I headed to I-35E (North) and to De’s house. Got there, hugged up her girls, her neighbor and her walked out the back door, sat on the big ass chair (DIBS!), lit a smoke, took a pull on a beer and relaxed for the first time since Tuesday morning.

Have I told y’all about De? I have all these “D” people in my life, Dre (what what!?), DJ (Trixie) and De. A few months ago DJ called and said something along the lines of, “Hi… I need to ask you a favor. You remember the first time we met?” “Like it was yesterday, mama.” “I need you to do that same thing for my friend De. She has no support system and the way you pulled me into the group… she needs something like that.” “What’s the catch?” “Some baggage.” “Enough to rent space?” “I wouldn’t say that.” “Okay, done.”

So, um small snafu. The very minute De accepted my (on bended knee… that’s for you Sarah!) “Will you be my friend on FaceBook?... please check, yes, no, or maybe… I will be stalking you until I receive your reply.” notice was the very week after the 20 year reunion (read 8/25/10…. Re: the licking.,.. PS… I’m sorry baby Jesus. And thank you for not letting me bite it big time when I hurdled that planter at a full run to tell Stacey bye and grab her boob… Also, sorry for grabbing your boob Stacey.) When De accepted my friend request on FB she was immediately bombarded with ALL the pictures of THE LICKING. (Seriously, baby Jesus… sorry.)

Let’s go ahead and go with the statement released by her lawyer on the matter of the restraining order: “I hear by proclaim that Holy Shit I am so scared of that sweaty woman with the curly hair licking people, please don’t make me meet her PUH-LEASE… no seriously, I mean it. I don’t wanna!” Annnnnd Scene.

Cut to DJ emailing me. “Um, what’s with all the licking?” “It wasn’t me.” “Shut up hooker, De is totally afraid of you.” “Damn. Way to go Sue. Awesome. High Five, ME…. Okay, I’ll send her a FB message try to smooth things over.

And cut to now and De and I are totally like THIS**, yo. (**Two fingers … INTERTWINED bitches!)

So intertwined that we are going to see DJ on FRIDAY for the WHOLE WEEEKEND!! OMG! PONIES!!!!!1111!!!!!1!!!1111(eleven) Thank you Southwest Air for the reward tickets. Also, yes, I fly so much I know the sky caps in three of Texas’ major airports. So that worked out well.

*In the interim, Marly called me as soon as I hit the ground on Thursday evening. I had gone down a few weeks ago just for some Marly and Me time. She was all, “Hey Hot Mama, we have an extra ticket to the BuckCherry/Three Days Grace/Nickelback concert tomorrow and a place in the limo for you. Come down.”

You don’t have to tell me twice.

I called in “dead” the next day and drove down to The Woodlands and had one hell of a Rock Star night. Filled with champagne, Red Bull and Vodka, BEER (omg, so much beer), Rock Star energy drinks, vodka cranberries, some tiny blonde chick humping my leg, walking, dancing, jumping, screaming, climbing stairs (the calf muscle definition… WORTH IT!) and a massive stretch SUV limo! WOOOOO! Then I came home Saturday and mumble mumble mumble.

The end.

Miss me? Leave me a comment.

PS… I got a shirt at the concert. It is black with a white design on it and in purple neon foil letters it reads, “Crazy Bitch”, fitting, no?

Eva knows that Nathan is off limits. It has been stamped on her brain. It has been shoved into her head and heart every time she sees his beautiful wedding band and the mention of his bride. Eva knows… but for some reason she doesn’t care. Sure, she respects the sanctity of marriage. Just not HIS.

He respected hers, while it lasted. Why can’t she share the same amount of respect for his? It’s wrong. She knows that her morals have been wrinkled ever since she and Nathan laid eyes on one another at the airport four years previous.

Four years ago Eva was traveling light and leaning up against the wall of the terminal gate when she felt eyes on her. She looked up and felt her mouth pull wide into a smile of pure joy when she saw Nathan across the dozens of people all waiting for their flight back to Atlanta. He gave a small wave, a wry smile… and before she knew it she was pulling her rolling briefcase along behind her. He met her in the middle and they laughed at such a wonderful surprise of seeing one another after so long.

Nathan opened his arms slightly and just like it had been yesterday, Eva stepped into them. She took a deep breath and with it came his familiar scent of sun, wind, expensive cigars, rich leather from his car and underneath all of that his personal smell of spice and an exotic musk that she swore she could taste on her tongue. Eva closed her eyes and stood back, lightly holding Nathan’s arm. “It is so incredibly good to see you!” she exclaimed. Eva’s right hand trailed down his arm, wrist, hand and that’s when she felt the band on his ring finger. She had completely forgotten that she was married for a moment and the realization of if made her stiffen her spine and let go of Nathan’s hand.

They caught up talking of their families, their spouses, their jobs, how long it had been since they had actually gotten a chance to really talk and both agreed that for the first time in a long time, they were happy that their plane was delayed.

She told him about her siblings, he did the same. They spoke of vacations taken with their families. She made him promise that when they got back to Atlanta that they would never go this long without catching up again. He promised, took her card, she took his… they took a self portrait of themselves, smiling into the lens of her camera phone. They boarded after an hour and a half delay and smiled shyly at one another as they took their seats in business class.

That was four years ago. Since their impromptu meeting in the airport they meet for lunch, they share emails, their spouses have met, they have vacationed together as a foursome and they used to plan monthly outings. It was comfortable sharing road trips and meals with Nathan and his wife with her husband. It seemed to take stress off of both she and Nathan because they could see one another and keep their relationship platonic… safe… secure… respectful when the four of them were together.

The tension between Eva and Nathan grew in leaps and bounds as she and her husband grew apart and then started resenting one another. There were no children to keep Eva and her husband together so they sold their small three story walk up in Buckhead and split amicably. Nathan was kind and yet respectfully distant during her divorce proceedings. Giving her time to get her head together and her sense of humor back; he kept his emails brief and his texts superficial. She moved into a small loft near Vinings and kept up her work schedule, traveling, seeing family, setting up lunch with Nathan or a dinner and movie with Nathan and his wife every once in a while.

When Nathan’s birthday rolled around this year they met up after work at a wine bar near her and Nathan’s old neighborhood in Buckhead. She asked him to park on the 2nd floor of the parking garage, the south side, forgetting to mention which parking garage and then meet her inside at a small booth just inside the front door. He came in a few minutes late, the legendary Atlanta traffic keeping him on the road longer than he expected. He was agitated and his cheeks were flushed and his eyes sparkled as he walked into the small wine bar. Eva’s breath caught in her throat when their eyes locked.

Nathan wove his way through the tables lightly to slide in next to her at the booth. She had already ordered him a thick hearty wine prior to his arrival to let it breathe. He had texted her about the state of traffic and when she asked if he would like something ordered he had said, “Yes, please, red, thick and jammy,” she had complied. He leaned forward brushing his lips across her temple as she squeezed his knee lightly in greeting.

Nathan picked up the glass, smelled the wine, took a sip and handed it to Eva. “Mmmm it’s good. Great choice!” “Happy Birthday,” Eva replied as she took a small sip of the offered glass.

The night went by in a blur of wine and champagne, cheeses and fruits, wonderful conversation and laughter. They lost track of time toasting to his birthday and to his good news, a promotion he had recently earned. They left a little later than expected and when she turned one way to go to the parking garage to retrieve her small compact car, he turned the other way. He stopped, spun around and asked her, “Where are you going?” “To my car,” she replied. “Didn’t you say 2nd floor of the garage? South side?” “Yes, I did.” And she pointed. Nathan pointed the opposite direction and then she realized her mistake. He laughed, “I wondered why I didn’t see your little car. Here, let me walk you to your automobile, madam.” He bowed deeply and offered his arm, she looped her wrist through his elbow and they walked to the garage, up the stairs and to her little car.

She offered, “Because you were so gallant and I told you the wrong place to park, let me drive you to your car.” Nathan accepted and slid into the passenger seat. They drove over to the adjacent parking lot, 2nd floor, south side and Eva pulled up behind Nathan’s car. He stepped out and she did too. He came around to the driver’s side to hug her goodnight and without a word from either of them; they came together with their heads tilted to the right, their lips parted, so close that a deep breath would have brought them together… then they closed the distance.

Years disappeared, all reality was gone, no responsibility, no jobs… nothing but the feel of lips touching, turning, parting and tongues caressing. Nathan kissed her truly and well, Eva responded and was rewarded with a small moan from him into her mouth. By the time they lifted their heads and pulled their mouths reluctantly away from one another traffic had backed up two floors down.

They laughed a little nervously. Nathan said, “Wow.” And Eva grabbed the frame of her car for balance. They hugged each other goodnight and tried to wave a “sorry!” to all of the people in the traffic jam behind Eva’s car. She had no idea how she got home as her mouth burned with the memory of Nathan’s kiss.

It still does.