The Best of Friends (story by Jill inspire by Jennifer's photo)

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Jennifer gave me this photo on October 31, 2021. At first glance I figured that I would write something about the animal, maybe. But when I sat down to write and looked at the picture, the thing that really stood out to me was the eyes and the lashes. And then I wrote this ...


The Best of Friends

“I would kill small children for her eyelashes!” Jessa leaned in toward her best friend Camille. “Just look at them! Oh, my God!”

Camille laughed and casually leaned toward her right, pretending to reach for her purse. Then she leaned back toward Jessa. “Wow, you could put out a small forest fire by batting those things a few times.” She shook her head. “What I wouldn’t give …” 

“So, anyway, Rick …” Jessa said. 

“Yes, what about him?”

“Well,” Jessa adjusted the napkin on her lap. “Are you going to let him get away with it?”

Camille cleared her throat and then took a drink of water. She breathed out heavily and rolled her eyes. “I know I shouldn’t,” Camille said. 

Jessa nodded.

Camille leaned toward her. “But put yourself in my place. I’m accustomed to living a certain quality of life, you know.” She waved her newly manicured nails in Jessa’s direction.

“Oh, I know. I would kill Carter if he cheated on me. I really would.” She sat back in her chair. “But would I leave him?” She drummed her nails on the table a few times. “I really don’t know. But you have to make Rick pay a little for this though.” Jessa picked up her fork. “You know? Is there a piece of jewelry you’ve been eyeing up or a trip you want to go on?”

“First I have to confront him about it. I mean, he practically gave himself away to me by leaving his phone right there unlocked in the middle of a text thread with her. But I think that he thinks I don’t know about her.” Camille shook her head. “Ew, it’s just so disturbing. She’s just so young! It’s creepy, you know? I’m sure she sees him as just a bunch of dollar signs.”

“That’s totally what she’s seeing. No offense to Rick, but he’s not as good looking as he used to be.”

“Believe me, I know that. None of us are, sadly.” Camilled folded her napkin and placed it beside her plate then put her hand up to her cheekbone for a second. “That’s part of what’s so frustrating to me. How can I even compete with her, you know? She’s like 24, maybe. She’s younger than our daughter, probably.” She breathed out quickly. “I should leave him. I need to check the prenup and see what I would get out of it.” Camille shook her head. “I don’t know if it would be enough, but he sure as hell doesn’t deserve me.”

“You’re damn right he doesn’t.”

“How dare he!” Camille said slowly and then took another sip of her water.

Jessa shook her head a few times as she looked over Camille’s shoulder. “God, I wonder where she gets those lashes done. They are freaking amazing!”

Camille rolled her eyes at Jessa.

“I should just go ask her. Would that be weird if I asked her?”

Camilled stared at her best friend for a couple seconds and shook her head. “Do it,” she said and rolled her eyes.

Jessa laughed, stood and adjusted her dress, and started walking toward the other table.


—Jill Cullen (written 11.9.21)


 

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