Chapter 1 - In the Beginning...

 

BY

CARLY RYAN

 AND

 JADE LELANI PIERCE

 

  

 

 

This is dedicated to our loving husbands who were kind enough to allow us time to spend together, hard enough to critique, and most of all love us despite how much we drive them crazy with our friendship and idiosyncrasies.

 

 

CONFIANZA " (Noun " Spanish)

 

- is someone who you can unshakably rely on and divulge your soul secrets to without fear of revelation. It is an eternal bond between two friends that provides complete trust and unconditional support.  ~Unknown Author

Foreword by Crys

When friends share, they do it without thinking, asking or fear of retribution. Hair care products, makeup, clothes and uncountable other sundries have passed between friends for as long as there have been friends. Different stages of friendship give a person the right to the others' belongings according to the stage of their friendship. It is an unspoken rule of friendship. 

Each woman knows her spot on the scale with any particular friend by how and what she asks to borrow. An acquaintance must ask for even the simplest things. A closer friend may raid your fridge, or borrow your shoes without the necessity. A best friend can and will feel comfortable making themselves at home in your house. Literally, like a spouse, your very best friend is welcome anytime and knows you as well as you know yourself. They can read your thoughts and even decipher the reason why you did what you did, when you can't figure it out yourself.

But, even with the best of friends, there are some things that are sacred and it is understood that borrowing is not an option. Well, I'd better explain at least my part because I know Ely will tell her side. She always does.

IN THE BEGINNING...

ELLY

 

I felt a jolt run through my body as I was thrown forward only seconds after I had slammed on my brakes trying to get the last parking spot near the Academics Hall.  Since I was already late for Spanish class, I had been very happy to find a spot so close.

 

I looked in the rearview mirror of my brand-new, red, Chevy pickup that I had been working so hard to pay off.  I had purchased it as a “let’s pick-up hot guys” gift to myself but now some idiot in a small, Ford escort had just rear-ended me.  I felt the Irish flaring up red in me, the color of my cascade of curls that were pulled back in a sloppy ponytail. 

 

I do not need this, I thought clenching my jaw as I hit the steering wheel with my hand.  I couldn’t believe I was going to be late for the first day of Spanish 101, a necessary requirement for my degree that I had effectively put off until my senior year. 

 

I jumped out of my truck and came face to face with a slender, dark-haired girl with green eyes.

           

“Where did you learn to drive?” I demanded furiously.  “I’m late for Spanish class and now I have to deal with this!” I waved my hand toward the two vehicles.

           

Trembling, she looked like a gust of wind could knock her over

 

“Oh, my god, I’m so sorry! Are you ok? I’m late for Spanish class, too and now this! I can’t do this right now!!”  She rambled on.

 

“Well, you did rear-end me! Why don’t you try not following so close next time? You might not end up in another mess like this.” I ended my advice more gently beginning to feel like an insensitive clod as I noticed how shaken she was.

 

I watched as some of the shock fizzled out of her green eyes leaving them more of a green swirled with blue like a dark forest lake.  I think the realization of what had happened must have sunk through the fog of shock because she gasped.

           

“Please,” she begged “There’s no damage to your truck. Please don't report this, I’m a freshman and I really can’t afford for my insurance to go up.”

           

I inspected my truck. It looked like the bumper was riding a tad lower but that could have been just my imagination. I started to tell her we could talk about this later after my Spanish class but I looked up just in time to catch a glimpse of tears welling up in what were now deep blue eyes.

 

            Aw, s**t, I thought to myself.

 

 “Okay, “I said “don’t worry about it we’ll figure it out later.  By the way, my name’s Elyssa but everyone just calls me Ely.  It sounds like we both have a similar appointment with Spanish.”

           

Relief flooded her blue eyes and a grin spread across her face.

 

“I’m Crystal but you can call me Crys. We should probably get to class. Thank you so much!  I owe you one.”

 

            “How about letting me give you driving lessons?  I’ll feel safer.”  I chuckled as she let a small giggle escape.

 

            “Really, don’t worry about it.” I said waving her off as we parted ways to get in and park our respective vehicles.  I continued into the spot that I had been about to pull into when I was so rudely rear-ended and she into the only remaining spot located on the street.  She caught up with me as I was running to make it to class.

 

“So what Spanish class are you in?” She asked slightly out of breath from running to catch up. “I’m in Spanish 101”

 

“That would be my Spanish class, too.” I said still jogging along

 

“So you’re a freshman?”  She inquired.

 

“No, a senior, but I put off my language requirement until now.  I’m not very good at learning languages” I winced

 

“Hey, since I owe you one why don’t I help tutor you in Spanish?  I’m really pretty good at it; I took two years in High School.”

 

“Sure, I’ll think about it, but first I just want to get there”

 

We started running up the stairs as I lead the way.  All of a sudden, I felt Crystal’s knee catching me in the a*s, literally rear-ending me. I flew forward as she, in turn, fell back. Books flew everywhere like dust in a windstorm. We both sat for a moment stunned.

 

“Do you have a fetish for rear-ending people?” I finally asked.

 

We both looked at each other and simultaneously started laughing.  We laughed until tears streamed from our eyes. A few students stared at us curiously on their way to and from classes.  That was the memorable start to the beginning of my friendship with my best friend Crystal or just Crys for short. 

 

**********

 

A growling jolted me back to the present as I noticed my oldest, Travis, standing with hands on his hips glaring at his younger sister.

 

“Grrrr”

 

“Travis, what’s wrong baby?”

 

“Krista broke my Lego sculpture of Spiderman, she makes me so angry!” He uttered through clenched teeth.

 

“Honey, she’s just a baby.  She doesn’t understand that it’s important to you.” I tried to soothe him as I stared into the big, brown eyes of my 15 month old daughter who was busy slobbering all over a red, Lego piece.

 

“Come on, baby, give mommy the Lego.” She dropped the drool-covered Lego piece into my extended hand and toddled off to where Katie, her twin, sat happily playing with her own toys.

“What a good girl! Thank you!” I praised enthusiastically just as the baby books recommended.  I had never been good at being consistent in following those things, but occasionally I made an effort.

 

“Here, take the Legos upstairs to your room and make sure you keep your door shut so they don’t get into them.” I reprimanded Travis.  Travis grudgingly took the Lego piece I had handed him after drying it off on my shirt, gathered the remaining pieces off the floor and stomped upstairs.

 

“Watch that attitude, Travis!” I hollered up the stairs just as I heard the door slam.  I sighed and shook my head as I continued to watch my daughters playing while debating what to do next. Travis needed to be off to school soon so I prayed he was upstairs getting ready.  I already knew that might be too much to ask. Instead of heading upstairs in my current frustrated state, I decided what I really needed and headed to grab my cell phone off the counter.

 

I needed Crys!

 

As I dialed number 2 on the speed dial, I noted that it was only 7:30. I thought of Crys as it rang.  She was probably standing in front of her espresso machine silently begging it to brew faster.  I knew that eventually Crys would forgive my early morning intrusion, but I still prayed that the espresso gods would bless her with a steaming cup nearby.

 

“Hello” came the decidedly tired sounding voice through the phone.

 

“Well, aren’t we perky this morning?” I said as I laughed at her grumpy greeting.

 

I could hear a slight giggle and knew I was already half forgiven. She’d told me before that I was the only person, besides her husband, Brandon, that she would be happy to take a call from at any time of day.  I rarely used the privilege.

“I’m always perky. What’s wrong?” she said hesitantly.

 

            She knew me so well!

 

            “Not much,” I relayed the morning’s adventures in child rearing and finished with “It just seems like Travis would begin to understand by now that the girls are just babies and they don’t understand that his things are important to him.”

 

There was silence and I could almost hear her nodding as she guzzled her much needed caffeine fix.

 

“Honey, you know he doesn’t do well with change. He’s always been that way. Remember what the doctor said to us when he diagnosed Travis with Asperger’s? It’s just going to take a lot of patience.  You’ve obtained quite a bit of that now having to deal with the twins and Travis.”

 

Another sigh escaped from my mouth

 

“I know, but sometimes it’s just so hard!” I practically whined like a five year old.

 

“Well, why don’t we start thinking about taking that 30th birthday trip we had planned?  I know it’s one year late, but babies make you late for all kinds of things. On that note, I still can’t believe that the twins and Houston are over a year old.”

 

“I wonder which one he’ll marry.” I mused.

 

 “Good god, girl!  You are determined to make my son a member of your family so we’ll finally be related, aren’t you?” laughed Crys

 

“Well of course!  If we can’t be sisters or lovers then I guess I’ll have to settle for in-laws.” I sighed exaggeratedly.

 

“What do you say about the trip? Do you think Anthony will watch Travis and the twins for three or four days so you can escape with me?  I think Grandpa Joe would probably let us borrow his cabin if it’s still empty.  I know Brandon would probably be glad to get rid of me for a few days and besides, we both deserve a break.”

 

I agreed with her emphatically.  We both had 16 month olds who had been born less than 24 hours apart at the same hospital with the same doctor delivering all of them.  We hadn’t planned it but sometimes things just happen that way.  We were both excited at the time. Now we were just exhausted!

 

After having three little girls, two of her own and a step daughter, Crys was being exposed to the rough and tumble world of boys. It left her barely dragging and feeling used as a human trampoline.  I, on the other hand, was exhausted because I had twins and a moody 7 year old to deal with daily.

Krista, one of my girls, was very inquisitive and seemed to be able to find her way into just about everything she shouldn’t.  Katie, on the other hand, preferred to be cuddled and toted around all day.  I hadn’t had much experience with either kind of personality because all Travis ever did when he was a toddler was line blocks up over and over again.  A very independent little boy, he hated to be held and would get very agitated if I tried cuddling him.  It was definitely a shock to my system when my clingy and inquisitive twin daughters showed up.  So the thought of a road trip for a private weekend with Crys washed over me like a cool breeze on a hot summer’s day.

 

“Definitely, we should definitely go.  Let’s go this weekend?” I exclaimed loudly as I tended to do when excited.

 

“You are so very spontaneous, my dear, but let’s take this a little slower.  I know how disappointed you were when the guys objected to us leaving the babies last year, but we were still nursing.  Not to mention that Anthony was not ready to get stuck with the twins by himself.  Our only other alternative would have been to take them with us.  We both agreed that having three infants in tow was not a good idea for a 30^th birthday vacation.

 

“Don’t I know it!  Now that Krista and Katie are walking and into everything, I think this would be the perfect time for Anthony to spend a little time alone with them.

 

“I figured we would go up the weekend after our birthdays so we can celebrate our birthdays together, just you and me. So this gives us just a little less than a month to get some money together, organize our husbands’ and children’s lives for the weekend and make travel arrangements.” Crys, always the planner in our duo, suggested. “Do you think Anthony will let you go?”

 

“Hmmm” I mused “It would probably depend on where we’re going, what we’re going to do, when we’re leaving and how long we’re going to be gone. He’s pretty busy right now trying to get his siding company off the ground.”

 

“Well, why don’t you ask him and if he seems like he might then maybe we can talk both guys into letting us go out for coffee tomorrow night to plan some more.”

 

“That sounds good. Let me call Anthony and find out. That way I can call you back right away and let you know.”

 

“All right, hon. Talk to you later. Love you. Bye.”

 

“Love you, too.” I hung up the phone feeling a small streak of energy shoot through me at the thought of a road trip with Crys.

 

"Hurry, Travis, the bus will be here in 15 minutes." I yelled as the door opened and he tromped downstairs with a pajama shirt, dirty pants and his favorite blue hat with mismatched shoes and  socks.  I felt tension clench my neck muscles but blew out a long breath of air as I met Travis halfway up the stairs to help him get ready for school.  

Once Travis had made it on the bus and headed off to school, I stood outside in the slightly chilly air in my favorite grey, Mickey Mouse sweatshirt, jeans, sneakers and my red curls flittering around my face.  I pulled the scrunchie off my wrist and wrapped it around the mass of flame red hair in a messy ponytail.  I sat down on the front porch in the rocking chair Anthony had given me when the twins were born and pulled out my pack of camels.  As I sat smoking, the smoke twisting up over the railing and the hedge of greenery like a sinuous garden snake, my thoughts followed course.

 

The idea of a trip began to twist and turn through the fog of my morning brain. It grew as it swallowed more and more loose ideas for the trip.  After a few minutes, the whole plan for the trip had lined itself up.  Crys and I definitely needed a coffee break. 

 

Maybe she could meet me for coffee at our favorite coffee house that we typically frequented each Wednesday night.  Just as I thought I might call her back and ask her, a loud wail sounded from inside the living room. I set my thoughts aside as I went in to find out who was wailing and what was wrong so I could take care of it.

 

By three o'clock, I had finally finished the necessary housecleaning, lunch and laying the twins down for a nap.  Travis would be home in 45 minutes so I picked up the phone to call Crys just as it rang in my hand.  I answered it with a tired "Hello?”

 

"Hi, babe." Crys chirped cheerfully.

 

"Hey, I was just getting ready to call you." I chuckled remembering all the other times that one of us would call as the other one was getting ready to call. It was as though we could read each other’s thoughts.

 

 "What's up?"

 

"Not much, I've just been putting a few ideas down on paper for our trip.  Do you think we could get together tonight and do a little planning?"

 

"That's so funny, because I was calling to ask you just the same thing. I haven’t had a chance to talk to Anthony yet but I think as long as the kids are fed and in bed, he’ll be okay with it.

Crys sighed. "Yep, that's what I have to do, too.  Do you think we could sneak out by 9:30?" 

 

"I'll try.  Let me call Anthony and I'll call you back to let you know."

 

"Okay, well, I just talked to Brandon and he said it was okay."

 

"So Java Hut? Just so I can tell Anthony where we'll be." I added.

 

"Probably," Crys said thoughtfully.

 

"Okay, talk to you in a minute. Love you, girl."

 

"Love you, too." the phone went silent as Crys hung up.

 

I dreaded calling Anthony somewhat.  As much as I loved the man, he was constantly infuriating me by making plans and not sharing them until two minutes before they occurred.

 

I pushed three on my cell phone and held it down until I heard it dialing Anthony's number. After four rings, I heard a deep masculine voice that still gave me the chills after ten years of marriage,

 

"Hi, sweetheart, what's up?" Anthony answered.

 

"I was just wondering if Crys and I could go out for coffee at the Java hut tonight.  I'll make sure the kids are fed and in bed before I go." I added as an extra incentive.

 

"What time are you planning on going out?"  He said as loud saws and yelling were heard in the background.

 

"Probably about nine."

 

"That's fine.  Do you need any money?" I smiled as he said it knowing that he was always looking out for me.

 

"Maybe just a little for coffee."

 

"Okay, done.  I've got to go, babe. Talk to you when I get home. Love you."

 

"Love you, too."  I hung up the phone and called Crys to let her know everything was a go.

 

 

By nine o’clock, I was so tired that I could barely stand up.  After dinner I had hurried through bath time and story time, allowing one story for each child.  I then passed out hugs and kisses.  In return I received cries for the enchilada, an bedtime ritual consisting of wrapping up my child in a blanket and then pretending to eat them up.  It never failed to bring on a multitude of giggles especially with Travis. Once the bedtime festivities had concluded, I trudged downstairs where Anthony sat reading one of his W.E.B. Griffin books.

 

"The kids are in bed.  You okay with me taking off?" I asked feeling a little like a babysitter.

 

He nodded, "As long as I get my kiss first."

 

I trooped wearily over to where he sat.  I bent down to give him a light kiss on the lips but he grabbed the back of my neck as he deepened the kiss pushing his tongue lightly between my lips then ravaging the inside of my mouth with it. I felt my knees go weak as I felt his other hand run along the curve of my breast. I felt the crispness of a bill sliding into my cleavage.

 

I pulled back to grin at him.

 

"Okay, enough of that, anything else will cost you more." I stated. 

 

He grinned at me mischievously. "Really? I've got more where that came from" He waved his wallet at me.

 

"No, I'm leaving right now!" I stated determinedly as I heard him chuckle. I grabbed my keys, wallet and walked out the door. 

 

Ten minutes later, I walked into Java Hut and saw Crys seated at a corner booth.  Her ebony-colored hair was cut in a swag that hid her face as she bent over a piece of paper that she was holding.  I assumed it was the plan for our trip since out of the pair of us, Crys was always the one who had to plan everything..

 

"So, what are the plans?" I asked trying to peek at the paper she held and noted a map under it.  Her head jerked up quickly.

 

"Oh. Hi. I was just trying to figure out how much this trip is going to cost us."

 

I sat down and ordered a raspberry iced tea from the waitress who had hurried up when I sat down.

 

"So what is the damage?" I asked as the waitress walked away.

 

"Well, with an average of $3.75 a gallon for gas and the trip is about nine hours, which makes it approximately 540 miles one way.  If we take my navigator it will take about 36 gallons which is $135 to go one way.  How much does your truck get?" She peered over her reading glasses.

 

"I don’t know. The truck probably gets about 18 to 20 miles on the freeway."

 

"We're definitely taking your truck then that would make gas for round trip about two hundred. I called Aunt Evelyn about Grandpa Joe's cabin and she said it was still available and that we were more than welcome to borrow it."

 

I felt the weariness from my earlier activities slide off of me as the excitement for the trip emerged.

 

"Wow, I can’t hardly wait.  We should go tomorrow!" I suggested excitedly.

 

Crys peered over her reading glasses at me once again with a very cynical look. I had to laugh because I knew what she was thinking.  My spontaneous nature drove her nuts.  She had known from the beginning of our friendship that I was the impulsive one, blowing wherever the wind did, but she was the earth that grounded me.

 

"And where would you come up with enough money for food and gas by tomorrow?" Crys inquired practically.

 

"I could do it!"

 

"I'm sure you could," Crys said with a little amusement in her voice.  "I want this to be special and that takes planning. I do know how you feel though because I feel as if I'm long overdue for a break."

 

"Okay, I'll be good." I sighed. Suddenly something occurred to me.

 

"We're going to be there just in time for the St. Patrick's Day celebration in Butte. We have to go." I grinned with a twinkle in my eye.

 

"Hmmm..." mused Crys" I haven't been there since...."

 

"Since you and Brandon met." I finished for her as I watched her eyes go dreamy. I knew she was probably remembering the infamous St. Patrick’s Day from many years prior.