Free Spinster? by Nikki Mathis Thompson

     
    "So?"
    "So what?" Tess answered.  
    "You know what so," Willa huffed.
    "I haven't a clue what—"
    "Tess!"
    Tess laughed and decided to put her friend to of her misery. "If you're referring to the meeting with Wesley, then it went just fine."
    "Of course that's what I'm referring to, you biatch. And I better get more than 'it was just fine,' or I'm going to show everyone that picture of you passed out in your underwear."
    "You wouldn't!"
    "Oh, yes, I would. And may I remind you, you were wearing a thong." Willa was referring to the post company Christmas party photo taken two years ago. It wasn't Tess's finest hour. She may have tried to make out with the waiter passing out the champagne. In her defense, he was twenty and really hot. Plus, he had the champagne, so...
    "Stop trying to blackmail me. You know you'd never show it to anyone." Willa gave Tess a look. "You haven't shown it to anyone, have you?" Another look. "Have you?"  
    "I...may...have...shown...Ben," Willa admitted, her face cringing as if waiting for a hit.
    "What? Ben's seen my ass!" She must have said it pretty loud because a co-worker stuck their head into the break room with a raised eyebrow. "It's exactly what is sounds like, walk away," Tess said dismissing to the floating head.  
    "Sorry, Tess. I was a little tipsy when I showed him. It was just so funny. Your bottom half was on the couch and your top half was on the ground. Anyway, he said you had a nice one, if that's any consolation."
    Tess rolled her shoulders and pulled her cuffs down. "He thought I had a nice one?" Willa nodded. "Well, I guess I can let it go. But never, I mean never, show another living soul that picture. In fact, delete it immediately!"
    "I did delete it, right after the day I showed you...then laughed with Ben about it for a few hours."  
    Tess chuckled. "It was pretty funny. And if you get as hammered as I did, you deserve to have embarrassing evidence of the event. You noticed I only had one glass at the last holiday party. I learn from my inebriated misadventures."
    Willa laughed. "Yes, that's true. You never make the same spectacle more than once...Now, enough about your ass! What happened today? Was he still hot? Was he friendly? Did he remember you? Is he married? Did he..."
    Tess held up her hand. "Breathe, my friend, breathe. All will be revealed. Really, there's not much to tell. I went to his office and asked him some questions. Yes, he's still handsome, and yes, he was very friendly. No, he isn't married, but he has kids. He didn't remember me, as I suspected, but he seemed baffled that he didn't."
    "Oooh, he saw how cute you are and thought, 'why the hell didn't I pay attention to you?' Am I right?"
    "Exactly."
    "You better pray he doesn't have a year book in the attic," Willa added.
    "Oh no! I hadn't thought of that. I would be mortified...well, you know why. It doesn't matter anyway. The past is the past. I would way rather have been fugly back then and cute now, than the opposite."
    "You weren't fugly, Tess. So you had a quasi-ugly duckling phase a little later than most. You should have seen me in middle school. Let's just say, thank the gods of pre-teens for braces."
    "You had an ugly phase? Really?" Tess knew Willa was the type to say anything to make her feel better. So, she of course was doubtful.
    "For reals. Ask my mom. They called me 'field goal' all of seventh grade."
    "Field goal?" Tess asked.
    "Yes, as in can kick a field goal between my teeth."
    "Ouch. That may be as bad as chubbles."
    "Chubbles? Who called you that."
    Tess swallowed. "My boyfriend, senior year...I know, self esteem much?"
    "Tess, that sucks. What an asshole."
    Tess shrugged her shoulders and tucked a curl behind her ear. "It took me a few years of therapy and meeting a little fire ball named Rebel to convince me I was more than my high school persona. I'm way over it."
    "Oh, I know. You're one of the strongest people I know."
    "I'm no stronger than the next person. We all