Joy and Sorrow chapter 5 no fuzzy feelings here

Of all the colorful details of life that have faded out of memory, Karen remembers the night her brother Joel met her best friend Celeste. She remembers it partly because the everything in the joint they were eating at looked pre-World War Two, but the cuisine was like something straight out of Sicily. Also, Joel was forty five minutes late, and was oh so nonchalant about it.

" I lost all track of time working on a case," Joel sighed.

" How on earth do you lose all track of time with a Rolex that big ?," Celeste said.

Joel took a step back , face turning sullen, sizing her up and glaring across the checkered table cloth. Celeste was uncharacteristically irritated because she was starving and, had skipped lunch. She was anticipating the smorgasbord of food awaiting them. Said restaurant was rumored to have a hugely popular pasta sauce with pieces of cut up meatballs leftover chicken and mushrooms.

Another reason Celeste was so edgy is that she recently quit smoking cold turkey. Mr. Mysterious had begged her to do so because he found it utterly foul. He was supposed to join them for dinner and so far was a no show. Mr. Mysterious was the name coined by the women in their social circle for Celeste's illusive companion whom she was always gushing about.

Celeste never mentioned this man by name, but she had mentioned he was a boxer from the Soviet Union, was a Pisces, and had the most adorable handlebar mustache. That was all Karen was able to ply out of her, while they were scouring the stores for Holly Hobby paraphernalia to decorate the nursery for Karen's bun in the oven.

Half of their friends wondered if Celeste had dreamt the whole thing up. Karen was sure they were dead wrong. Her girlfriend had fussed over her clothes more than usual, wearing a lacy one sleeved white top and an aquamarine accordion skirt. She even smelled of Roses ,Roses. Celeste NEVER wore perfume unless casting made her. You didn't go to that much trouble for a fake relationship? or did you?

After they ordered, true to form, Joel started discussing the horrendous situation with hostages at the embassy in Iran.

" I think the U.S. Government is doing the best they can, biding their time , trying to think up a plan to get our people out of there," Joel said.

" Unbelievable! Have you seen on the news the unspeakable things they are doing to those people !" Celeste shook her head. Karen had never seen her friend this passionate about anything. It could been avoided, if we had minded our own business.We should have never let their dictator come over here to get cancer treatments. I bet anything it was all for oil."

" And you think you could handle it better ?," Joel huffed, red rising in his face.

" Well not me, just would like to see a woman with some moxy actually do something? Celeste said, rummaging her purse for cigarettes and looking crestfallen realizing she didn't have any.

" Oh, you're one of those ," Joel said with a sneer.

Then , thank God, the food came. Karen tried to smooth over the situation by talking about subjects of little importance. Remarking on how the elegant the violin music sounded against the backdrop of an Italian restaurant and how good the restaurant. Finally, she gave up and ordered a sauvignon blanc which complemented her linguine with clam sauce superbly. The two others ate in silence. Celeste kept staring morosely at the door to see if Mr. Mysterious was coming one last time. Her husband, Everett slurped expresso and stuffed pesto into his mouth. Sometimes missing the mark, exclaiming " holy shit this is good ," every five seconds.

It was hard for Karen and anyone to swallow with all that happened that night in 1979 that five years later, Celeste and Joel ended up falling madly in love. At their tenth wedding anniversary they snickered , as they told the crazy story of how they met the first time and hated each other's guts. Karen hadn't been pondering any of that, when she eased herself into bed beside a snoring, farting Everett that night. Or how much her own life was about to change. She was hoping in vain, to get some much needed shut-eye as the child inside her kicked vehemently, refusing to let Karen get comfortable