Free PALINDROME by Lawrence Kelter

the brakes. The car screeched to
a stop, and her head spun around as if it was mounted on ball
bearings. “What! So fast? Why didn’t you tell me? What
happened?”
    “We settled.”
    “You settled? You let him off? How could you?
He needs to be taught a lesson.”
    “Look, don’t judge, okay? The bartender never
got it out of his pants. He spent a couple of nights in jail, and
that’s all I wanted. I’m sure I scared the crap out of him.”
    “I have to tell you, I’m still unclear about
why you went out with him in the first place.”
    “I told you, Gabi, I thought he was
cute.”
    “He was totally flirting with you at
the bar.”
    “I know, I know, I’ll have to pick out my
next date more carefully, and I will, but for now can we just have
a little fun?” Gabi had no idea that Cooper’s attempted rape was
not against me but against Allie, the woman that I had copied. She
knew nothing of the fact that Ax and I had framed Keith Cooper to
teach him a lesson he would never forget. We had hoped that the
arrest and a few nights in jail would keep him from ever slipping
drugs into another girl’s drink again. Gabi didn’t know that Keith
had drugged me. This was justice as Ax and I had chosen to
administer it.
    “So you say you settled? How much?”
    “Enough for an all-day shopping spree and a
fancy new ride.”
    “You’re serious?”
    “Ever so.”
    “I don’t know, it may take me a little time
to get my arms around this. I mean—”
    “No problem, but can we go look at cars and
grab lunch while you’re weighing in on world peace and global
climate change? I made a decision. I’m good with it, and I want to
move on.” I gave Gabi a needy look. “And I’m counting on you to be
there for me.” I poked her playfully in the side. She laughed in
spite of herself and put her foot back on the gas, glancing at me
furtively as the car accelerated. It wasn’t her happiest face, and
I knew that I had violated an ethical code that all women shared.
The bottom line is that I had been the judge and jury in the case
against Keith Cooper. I had set the stage, put him on trial, and
decided the outcome.
    I reached over and hit the radio button. WBAB
was playing “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” Twisted Sister’s rebellious
anthem. Dee Snider, the lead singer was a Long Island boy, and the
regional radio station played the group’s marquee song about eight
hundred times a day. I looked over and Gabi was still cutting me
down with a disappointed glance. I accompanied Snider in my most
rambunctious singing voice ever, but Gabi did not look any
happier.
    “Do you hear what they’re singing? ‘We’re not
gonna take it!’” she said.
    “Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, I folded. Look, do
you want to stop somewhere and smoke a joint because you coming
down on me like this is not exactly a mood-enhancing
experience.”
    “Sound judgment: rock a joint and take an
expensive sports car out for whirl. And the hits just keep on
coming.”
    “Holy crap, Gabi. Look, I’m not the
criminal.” I was getting choked up. “For God’s sake, would you give
me a break?”
    “I’m just so surprised, Lexa.”
    I turned my focus toward my toes and noticed
that my ruby-red nail polish was starting to wear away at the tips.
“Look, Gabrielle, I’m sensing a lot of tension, and I really don’t
need any right now. I’m not saying that you’re not entitled to your
opinion, but there’s a time and a place, and this isn’t the time
and the place for me. So, maybe we should call it a day.”
    Though I hadn’t intended it, my suggestion
seemed to hit Gabi very hard. I saw the expression on her face turn
from accusatory to one of sadness. We drove for a few minutes in
absolute silence before turning off a residential street onto the
multilane mayhem of Nesconset Highway. Although I never verbalized
it, I knew that on some level Gabi had an issue with her
self-esteem and needed the company of a “popular” girl. Damaging my
best