“What kind of trash is that. Utter nonsense. Now you have to wear a corset and have a whip in order to be loved?”
“I wish. If only you knew what I have to listen every Friday night before going out. She is never pleased. Now, I look too humble, and pale. Other times, vulgar, like a whore. She’s a true Madame Paradox. She makes me sick,” Elly rolled her eyes and took another sip of wine. “And now imagine me having to listen to this nonsense non-stop! And today it went on over the phone. God have mercy on my poor ears.”
While Elly was complaining about her granny Eva finished her glass.
“Another one, Madame?” asked the waiter who seemed to have suddenly popped out form the thin air, startling Eva. “Oh, my apologies. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“No worries. Yes, please. I’ll have another one. I’m not hungry though, thanks.
The waiter disappeared.
“He annoys the heck out of me,” Elly snapped. “Anyway. Just promise me you won’t be crying anymore! Otherwise I won’t be able to tell you the rest… of what I know… or keep learning about.,” Elly was now looking at her phone which she never turned off.
“How do you keep learning…?”
“Well, Instagram of course. Why do you even need one? Are you even subscribed to anyone? You never seem to know what’s going on.”
“You know I don’t like gossips!”
“I do know. But I can’t believe you’re not even slightly curious?”
“No. Besides, what you just told me is no gossips, it’s a sad, sad news. How could this happen?” Eva’s face fell, though this time she managed not to cry. “And what does Instagram have to do with any of that?”
“Come on. There is now a new hashtag. #RIPBella. So far, twenty-seven posts.”
“And what are they about?”
“Well obviously mostly bunch of hypocrites. I’ve literally been in shock since morning. How could people be like that. How could anyone hate a person, turn away from her, because of that story, you know; And now after she hanged herself, write how much they loved her and how much she meant to them. blah blah blah…”
“What? Hanged herself???”
“Yes, she did. The girls wrote she hanged on a strap from her silk negligee.”
“You’re kidding? Is that true?” Eva was in shock. She leaned back in her chair in an awkward position without seeming to care about how she looked. Her “24/7 perfect look control,” was now disabled. “When did it happen? Today or yesterday?”
“Hey girl, slow down on that champagne….,” Elly was looking at the empty glass her friend was still holding in her hands.”
“I can’t drink anymore. I was planning for one glass and Benedict’s eggs.”
“Eggs Benedict,” corrected Elly.
“Pardon?”
“You said… Benedict’s eggs…,” Elly said barely containing laughter.
“I couldn’t have said that,” Eva disagreed. “You misheard me.”
“Either way. Sounded weird,” Elly was now laughing.
“Elly, even if I did misspeak, you know what Chekhov said on the matter – Good breeding is shown, not by not upsetting the sauce, but by not noticing it when somebody else does,” Eva sounded clearly displeased, her voice cold.
“Ok, sorry.” Elly was trying to stop laughing. “I won’t argue with Mr. Chekhov. I completely agree. But you can’t deny the name of the dish, is weird. I am positive, you were not only one who misspoke about the eggs in such a way.”
“Elly! Will you stop it. It’s not the time…”
“Ok then…” Elly took a big sip of wine hoping it will help with the hysterical laughter.
“So, when did it happen?” Eva asked in a serious tone.
“Well… turns out, it happened three weeks ago but it wasn’t until today that everyone found out.”
“Oh my god. Three weeks, Elly. She’s been dead three weeks and we find out about it today? From Instagram? What kind of world are we living in? What kind of society? It hurts me to even think about it. Poor girl… She couldn’t take it. When everyone found out her secret and turned away.”
“For the first time, I am inclined to agree…,” Elly sighed and took another sip.
“Where is she buried?”
“Why do you ask?”
“What do you mean why? We will go say good bye. Today. Bring some flowers to the grave.”
“I don’t think it’s a very good idea, to be honest… we weren’t really close, were we? In fact, not at all.”
“What do you mean not at all? You can’t be so insensitive. We attended the same dinners on multiple occasions, sang karaoke together a couple of times, even danced together at that wedding of your weird friend… you know, the one with big teeth. That day, she gave me the flower bouquet she had caught and said she wished me luck finding a great boyfriend….,” Eva started to cry, overwhelmed with the memories.
“Come on, please don’t cry. You’re so sensitive, really. You’ve got to toughen up, I’m telling you,” Elly rolled her eyes. By then, it seemed Elly’s sadness had faded away and Eva was looking at her good old friend – invincible, overly confident Elly, with an immense self-control. “See…. good thing I told you to throw those flowers into the river.”
“Why?”
“What do you mean why? First, she hanged herself. Secondly, it isn’t exactly a god thing to receive flowers from a girl with a low level of self-esteem and social responsibility.”
“Elly!!!”
“Sorry. It isn’t really my place to say, I admit. Anyway, it was a good thing we stopped at the embankment and threw those flowers….”
“Is that why you were so insistent on me throwing the flowers away? I thought you simply didn’t want me to get married before you,” Eva said without a hint of emotion. “Just kidding,” she added.
“Look at you there, you told a joke. Not a very funny one, but nevertheless. I am happy. I was starting to worry what happened to you. Welcome back, you’ve been missed!”
“Elly, sometimes you’re so obnoxious. However, I want to tell you that I am happy to have you in my life as my best friend. I love you, Elly.”
“And I love you too, babe,” Elly said with a serious face,”. So, I guess we should get married then?”
“I think day after day the joke gets sadder and sadder,” Eva smiled, but there was a hint of sadness. “I guess, if