| Road Trip Challenge: Part 7 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We easily found a table and sat down. When the waitress came I ordered beignets and café au lait for everyone. They loved the warm, soft, French doughnuts and after a couple of minutes we were all covered in powdered sugar. We sat around talking for another hour, letting the effects of the alcohol subside. Before we left the café we purchased a large tin of the chicory coffee for Anita. “Hey, let’s call home and tell them how much fun we’re having,” Jason suggested. We all agreed and found a pay phone just down from the Café. Jason used the calling card provided to us by Anita before we left and called the Circus. “Hey, Stephen. It’s Jason.” Zane elbowed him. “And Zane, and Cherry, and Nathaniel, and Rachel,” he finished laughing. “We just wanted to call and check in, is anyone there?” There was a pause while Stephen answered. “No way!” Pause. “You’re joking right?” Another pause. Jason burst out laughing. “Hahaha! Well, umm… tell them that we’re … Hahaha… doing ok…. Hahaha… everyone’s alive and well… Hahahaha… and we’ll be home by the day after tomorrow probably… Hahahaha…. Ok bye…” He barely managed to hang up the phone before doubling over with laughter clutching his sides. “What? What? Tell us,” we pleaded. “You’re never going to believe this,” he said between fits of laughter. “No, we won’t unless you tell us,” Zane said. Jason took a moment to catch his breath and then slowly stood up straight. “Edward took one for the team!” he said and then burst out laughing again. It took a moment for it to register with us then we gave a collective gasp “No!!!” “Yes!” Jason said… still laughing. “The ardeur?” I asked unbelievingly. Jason just nodded his head. Another moment passed and then we were laughing right along with Jason. “How did it happen?” Cherry asked. “Don’t know,” Jason said finally calming down. “Stephen was about to tell me when someone walked in. Guess we’ll have to wait to find out.” “Aw geez, this is bad,” Nathaniel said snickering. “They are so not into each other in that way.” We walked back to the Café and set off across Jackson Square, taking the left alley beside the Cathedral. Halfway down was Pirate’s Alley Café – where the people I had been friends with when I lived here gathered. I didn’t expect to see anyone I knew there at 4AM, so I was bit surprised to see one of my better friends sitting at a table by himself. He was hunched over scribbling furiously in his ever-present notebook, and I knew exactly what he was doing… he was writing his comic. “Robert,” I called excitedly. He looked up and a smile immediately spread across his face. “Rachel! Hey, how are ya?” He said happily, getting up and giving me a big hug when I reached him. “I’m good. I didn’t expect to see anyone here.” “Yeah, not too many people left around. I was just working on my next strip. People have been driving me crazy to get some new stuff out.” “Oh goodness,” I exclaimed. “Let me introduced you to my friends.” I saw Nathaniel slip behind Zane and felt an instant pang in my chest at his insecurity. “This is Jason, Cherry, Zane,” he shook each of their hands in turn. “And this is my Nathaniel,” I said grabbing Nathaniel’s hand and bringing him to stand next to me. “Guy’s this is my friend Robert Trithardt. He writes a comic book called Writhe and Shine (http://www.writheandshine.com). They all exchanged pleasantries and Robert invited us to sit with him. “So are you and Heather still together?” I asked “No, we broke up about a year and a half ago, then about eight months ago she moved back to Chicago,” he replied “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,” I said. “No, it’s ok. We’re still friends.” We sat in silence for a moment then Robert spoke again. “Hey, I’m DJing at Mythique tomorrow night after the show, you guys should come.” “Yeah, definitely. I was going to take them there anyway,” I said smiling. “So, what do they have good to drink here?” Jason asked of Robert. “Ever tried Absinthe?” Robert asked smiling. “No, but I’ve heard of it.” Jason replied. Three bottles of absinthe later we could barely see straight, much less walk without running into a wall or each other. Robert, being the most sober among us, managed to hail us a cab and give the driver the name of our hotel. I’m not quite sure how we managed to pay the driver when we arrived or how we got up to our room, or undressed, or into bed, but somehow we made it back safely. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Part 8 Index |