Free Ticket 1207 by Robin Alexander

were back in that crappy apartment worrying about passing our tests.”
    “Why would you want to go back to that place?”
    “Because everything was simple.” Vera looked away. “I found another line on my face this morning.”
    Shawn tapped the table with her finger. “This is about you turning forty in February. Vera, it’s no big deal. The only thing that changed for me is that I have to wear reading glasses sometimes.”
    “Don’t you realize that’s the first part of the downhill slope? I don’t look good in glasses!”
    Shawn held her reply as the server arrived with an ice bucket and opened the champagne. She poured them both a glass and went to check on their salads. Vera stared at the bubbles, a pout marring her face.
    “It’s more than just the revulsion over aging. This thing with Jill could really work out, and there’s no one on the horizon for me.” Vera waved a hand. “I’m happy for you, and at the same time, I’m so jealous.”
    “Constant worrying is a sign of aging, too.”
    “Stop it, Shawn!”
    “Have you considered that you just haven’t been ready to settle down, and if I do, you’re going to feel like you have to do the same? Think about it. You only date men like Dustin who come into town briefly. If a guy is readily available, you’re not interested, no matter how good-looking or sweet he is.”
    “I like to be in a state of want. Too much of a good thing is annoying. You don’t like to be smothered, either.” Vera released a heavy sigh. “I’m ruining your feel-good first date glow.” She picked up her glass. “To you and Jill, may she live up to the dream.”
    Shawn raised her glass and stared at it. “This is kinda scary.”
    “It’s a café, baby, they don’t keep Dom on hand. You’ll have to settle for the cheap stuff.”
    “I’m not talking about the champagne. What if Jill is really everything I’ve dreamed of, but I’m not what she wants?”
    “Then she’d be a fool. Hey, go back to the voodoo woman and have her cast a spell on her if you have any doubts,” Vera quipped. “I may pay her a visit, too. Maybe she can make me young again.”
    Shawn sipped the champagne and contemplated the powder that Theo had given her.
    *******
    “All right, we’ve traded gifts,” Jill whispered to Rene. “I’m sneaking out the first chance I get.”
    Rene frowned. “They notice every year, and your mom bitches about how unsocial you are.”
    “She bitches endlessly anyway. I want you to promise to poison me if I ever become like that,” Jill said as she listened to her mother.
    “…and I marched right up to the manager and shook the rubbery celery in his face. I don’t think he even realized it was supposed to be crisp. They just hire these kids off the street and put them in charge. None of them know their asses from a hole in the ground.” Her captive audience nodded sympathetically as Patricia wound up for one of her usual speeches. “That’s the trouble with this country, too many foreigners, they’ll eat anything. We have to lower our standards because there’re so many of them here now…”
    Jill bumped Rene. “She always conveniently forgets that her grandparents came here from Portugal.”
    “She also forgot to put on her underwear. Unfortunately, I was standing behind her when she bent over to look in the oven. Somebody needs to tell her that dress is a tad too short,” Nadia said as she joined them. “Plotting your annual escape?”
    Jill nodded. “Oh, yeah, especially after hearing that. If y’all love me, please don’t tell Mom about her dress and take a lot of pictures to share with the family. That might be enough to put an end to this holiday tradition for good.”
    “Why wouldn’t we celebrate Christmas just because she forgot her undies?” Rene asked.
    Nadia shuddered. “If you saw what I saw that close to the food, you wouldn’t have to ask, baby.”
    “Stag again, I see.” Aunt Bertie staggered over to Jill with her