Smile when you're down and out

 

When Megan mentioned Gonzo, Bren remembered Megan with Garth. The good old days of college, evidently. It left her with a sigh now.

Gonzo was Garth's friend, and they (Bren and Megan) probably would have never known each other, otherwise. Funny, how one breakup meant a circle of friends being broken too. Bren hadn't meant to feel so melancholy, but then again she didn't want to think about Gonzo either.

As it was, he came into town this time of year to visit his folks, and somehow they always got together. She didn't like this rut, but after not having anyone intimate for so long it always happened. 

But this year was different. She felt as if she were on a new high of some kind. Except she didn't want this to be about Mario because she knew she'd glow up when she shouldn't. It wasn't like he'd asked her to stay after the party. In fact, he asked nothing of her.

Instead, she'd stayed behind to clean up and talk shop with Rico, but he soon left with his dad. Of course, Mario looked to be in limbo after finding out the news about his sister's pregnancy. Of course, everyone else was so elated. Especially, Mario and Caitlin, and Rico's dad.

Bren was almost on the brink of tears. Funny, how in her mind she'd worked it out that maybe this was the year she'd have Gonzo's baby. It was frightening now to think she was that kind of depressed. But something about having her own family made things better. In spite of the pandemic and vaccines and whatnot, she liked the idea to have someone in her life. Thankfully, it was only a fleeting thought, and yet she was certain she would have gone through with it until Mario showed up to fix her shower.

"Oh, it was so good to catch up with Megan," she'd said then. They were once such good friends and now they were practically strangers even if for months they'd lived down the hall from each other. Now there was Mario and she was certain it would become the same thing.

"Do you hear from your parents much?" Mario wanted to know as she was living.

"Not really." She didn't have her parents anymore, but she didn't want to say it, and she didn't know any of her cousins. She didn't really want to talk about it. She didn't need his pity.

"Well, let's do something before the new year," he then said. She couldn't imagine what.

"Sure," she didn't want to smile too much. "I could cook for you."

"I'll cook for you, but I want to go out and do something, you know." He looked as if he'd have to google it before he let her know.

"That's OK, I don't-"

"My dad can figure it out for me," Mario laughed. "He's so much better at this dating stuff than I am."

Bren only nodded. It was good to have plans. She just hoped Gonzo didn't unexpectedly drop-in, meanwhile.