Chapter 19: Kitt

Friday, March 17, 2023

Growing up in my family, St. Patrick’s Day had always been a time-honored tradition dating back to my parents’ parents’ parents’ parents. They had sailed from Ireland to America and never failed to celebrate this holiday of holidays by getting as shit-faced as possible and then not doing a damn thing the next day as they slept off a massive hangover. Even I had been allowed to drink a little bit as a teenager on St. Patrick’s Day. At twelve, I was given a shot glass of beer. At fourteen, a can of beer. At sixteen, a shot of whiskey. And at eighteen, my parents had allowed me to get good and drunk under their watchful eye. I wasn’t allowed to touch alcohol the rest of the year, but the rules changed on St. Patty’s Day.

My family had invited me to come home for celebrations, but I had to work the 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. shift the next day. I couldn’t let my parents or brothers convince me to get hammered. Instead, several of us from the ICU got together at the Dancing Irishman pub near the college campus. The place was packed. Everyone was at least buzzed, if not drunk. Everyone was singing and dancing. Everyone was wearing green.

Even I was a little buzzed after a beer and a shot, and though I had no intention of leaving anytime soon, I also didn’t plan on drinking another drop of alcohol. Across the bar, I saw Bethany and a tall guy talking very close to each other. About ten feet away from me, Janiqua, London, and two other nurses were shooting pool, laughing loudly after every cue shot. A few other nurses were chatting at the bar or throwing darts with the doctors.

As for me, I was being hounded by a college student who’d taken an interest in me from about the moment I set foot in the bar. She was cute and flirty, but I was more keen on having fun with my friends than hooking up with a rando and going home with her. At least for now.

“So you work in an ICU?” the girl asked. It was hard to hear her over the Irish rock music blaring from the jukebox, so I leaned in until my ear was about five inches from her mouth. “A male nurse?”

Bethany smiled knowingly at me from her seat a few chairs down. She could tell I wasn’t super interested in this girl and seemed to enjoy my inability to shake her off of me.

“Yeah,” I answered loudly. “Is that a problem?”

The blonde girl recoiled a little at my assertive question. “No. I’m interested in medicine too. I’m pre-med at the school.”

“What year are you?”

“A freshman.”

That got my attention. “What did you say your name was?”

“Gretchen. Thompson.” She pouted as she said her name, clearly disappointed I hadn’t remembered it. “Gretchen Thompson.”

I looked her over again. She looked like a prototypical teenager with a blonde ponytail, shorter than average height, and a wiry, muscular build. She was nursing the same beer I’d bought her ten minutes ago.

“Did I break the law when I bought you that drink?” I asked.

Gretchen grinned at me. “Maybe.”

I rolled my eyes. “Great.”

“But you won’t break the law if you take me home tonight,” she said with an evil grin.

I raised an eyebrow at her. “Forward, aren’t you?”

“I am when the guy is as hot as you are.”

“Let’s put a pin in that for now. I want to hang out here for a while with my friends, but we’ll see how things go.”

Gretchen raised her bottle and nodded. I left her and looked down the bar for Bethany, but she was no longer in her seat. Instead, I turned toward the pool table where Bethany and Janiqua half-danced, half-shot pool. I later scanned the floor for Bethany and spotted her with three other guys. The one who held her attention the most was the same guy as before, only now they sat at his table, which had ten beer bottles and three empty fry baskets piled atop it. This guy’s friends were either listening to Bethany’s conversation or talking to each other, depending on the moment.

I squinted in their direction and realized Bethany was wearing makeup. At least she was wearing more than usual. She had on green lipstick, green eye shadow, and other makeup stuff for which I didn’t have a name. She looked great. Coupled with an outfit far more revealing than anything I’d ever seen her wear, Bethany struck me as someone out to score that night. And rather desperately.

At the pool table, London was lining up her next shot. I put my chin directly above the pocket she was aiming for and made a silly face. London responded by suppressing a smirk and pretending to take her aim even more seriously. Then she shot. I had to get out of the way because the cue ball jumped forward, bounced off the six ball, and went right for my head. London covered her mouth and gasped. When the ball missed me, she broke into laughter.

“I swear I didn’t do that on purpose!” she said with her hand over her mouth. “Are you okay?”

I tracked down the cue ball by following the people getting out of its way. Then, I returned it to the pool table with a gallant flare. “I think that’s a scratch.”

Janiqua laughed and lined up her next shot. “Who’s that little blonde jailbait following you around?”

I glanced over my shoulder at Gretchen, who happened to meet my eyes at that moment and gave me a seductive smile. Then I turned back to my friends and said, “Her name is Gretchen. She’s a cheerleader at the college.”

“She looks like she could cheer for my little brother’s junior high basketball team.”

“Kitt likes ‘em young,” London teased.

“Need I remind you both,” I said coolly, “that she has been following me around. I’m here playing pool with the two of you.”

“So, does that mean you’re going home with one of us tonight?” Janiqua asked with a tone of implicit interest.

“Or both of us?” London asked.

Janiqua gave London an exasperated look. “You’re cute and all, girl, but I don’t eat pussy.”

“It doesn’t have to be like that,” London said. “He could just fuck us both side by side.”

“Good God, Kitt,” Sharon, one of the other female nurses, said to me with an appreciative look. “Are you really so good that women are willing to share?”

I shrugged. “Too bad you’re married.”

She glanced down at my crotch. “Well, if I ever get divorced, I’ll give you a call.”

London came around the table and put a hand on my shoulder. “Kitt’s not just good. He’s amazing. Like fireworks going off three times in one night, amazing.”

Just then, Bethany approached me from behind and poked me in the back. “Boo.”

I turned and smiled at her, though I was still uncomfortable with her makeup and revealing outfit. Her face was flushed from alcohol, and her eyes were watery and glassy. My eyes, on the other hand, seemed to want to travel to her cleavage of their own accord, and I had to force myself to meet her gaze.

“Hey!” I said. “Did you get that guy’s number?”

“Maybe ... Why do you ask?”

I shrugged. “Just wondering.”

“He offered me his number, but I didn’t take it.” Her eyes stayed fixed and unblinking on my face in her drunken state.

“Why not? You guys seemed to be into each other.”

Bethany continued to look into my eyes as though she was searching for something in them, but she didn’t say anything in response.

“What?” I asked.

“Do you think you can just fuck whoever you want, and it’s no big deal?”

“Excuse me?” Everyone at the pool table stopped to stare at us. I noticed this and immediately grabbed Bethany’s arm to steer her away from the crowd.

“Get off me!” she shouted so loudly it caused several heads to turn in our direction.

I instantly let go of her. “What are you doing?” I asked. “How drunk are you?”

Janiqua stepped up to us and got in Bethany’s face. “No way, girl. You don’t get to come over here and make a scene, and when he wants to pull you aside, you go and act like he’s some kind of rapist and you’re some sort of victim. You either need to cool off or leave.”

Bethany glared at Janiqua. “Sure, take his side because you’re fucking him.”

Janiqua moved her arm like she was going to slap Bethany, but Sharon grabbed her arm.

To my surprise, Bethany did not flinch but straightened herself up, defiant. “Go ahead and hit me. I don’t even care.”

“What in the hell is your problem?” London asked. “You are a nasty drunk, Bethany.”

Perennially peppy and perky London’s pronouncement had a greater effect on Bethany than anything Janiqua or I could say. Bethany’s big brown eyes welled up with tears. She looked up at me with guilt written all over her face.

“I’m sorry.” Then she repeated her apology to the other girls.

“It’s cool,” Janiqua said with apparent reservation. “Just relax a little. For once in your life.”

My phone buzzed in my pants, and I had to strain to pull it from my pocket. It was Katya. She’d sent me a picture of herself in a green bra and panties, hot but clashing badly with her blue hair.

Katya: Happy St Patty’s Day!

Katya: Give me a buzz if u need some <3 tonight! I’m horny.

I smiled and put my phone back in my pocket. Katya and I had only met once, but the sex had been so wild and hot. Janiqua, London, and Sharon finished their pool game while the dancing began to get more serious in the back half of the bar. The jukebox no longer blasted out jigs and Irish rock but some slick Irish house music. London and I danced together, and then Janiqua, Sharon, and other nurses soon followed. London was a good dancer. Usually, I would have been all left feet, but the Demigod of Sex knew how to move with confidence on the dance floor.

I danced first with London, then Janiqua took her spot, followed by Sharon. Eventually, Gretchen found me in the crowd and danced with us. Gretchen was pretty wild, almost making me blush with some of her moves, which London and Janiqua thought was hilarious.

Bethany joined us, too, accompanied by the guy she’d been talking to earlier. We were all good dancers, but no one held a candle to Bethany. Bethany had taken dance for years before giving it up after her dance scholarship was pulled when she declared herself a nursing major. I had forgotten how well she could move until I saw her grinding on the guy sensuously and seductively. I stopped and stared for about ten seconds before Gretchen pulled my face back to hers and began copying Bethany’s moves.

The guy with whom Bethany was dancing had literally tented his pants. He didn’t seem to care one bit. Neither did Bethany because she continued to rub her crotch and ass into his jutting cock, while he practically groped her. After the song ended, he led her off the dance floor, and I caught a glimpse of them making out at his table.

Gretchen used a finger to turn my head back toward her, then gave me an open mouth kiss, her tongue licking mine and flickering away. Janiqua and London both saw this, looked at each other, and mouthed, “Damn!” simultaneously.

Gretchen dominated most of my dance card for the following two songs while my friends found other partners or danced with each other. Someone put a slow song on the jukebox just as Gretchen said she needed to use the ladies’ room. I turned to go back to our booth for some water, but Bethany was standing right behind me.

“Want to dance?” she asked me.

“Are you going to get mad at me?” I asked her back.

She smiled, but her dimple didn’t appear. At least she had the decency to look ashamed of herself for her outburst earlier. “No.”

I took her hand and put my arm around her waist. Then we swayed together to the slow, steady tune of “With or Without You” by U2. I didn’t immediately meet her eyes, but then a thought crossed my mind.

“What happened to the guy you were just with?”

“Oh,” Bethany said with a frown. “He called me a tease when I said I didn’t want to go back to his place for the night.”

“Why didn’t you?”

Bethany’s frown turned to a face of confusion. “Because he wanted sex, Kitt.”

“What’s your hang-up? Sex is amazing.”

“It’s special. And I want to share it with somebody I love.” We danced in silence for a few seconds before she added, “What about me?”

I gave her a quizzical look.

She rolled her eyes and said, “How come you’ve never tried to have sex with me? You’ve slept or flirted with practically every woman in the ICU except me.”

“Because you’re my best friend.”

“So?” Bethany asked. “Do you find me attractive?”

“Come on, Beth. You know I think you’re attractive. But we’ve gone over this. Five years ago.”

Bethany’s dance step faltered. Her eyes fixed themselves on the floor. “So that’s what it is? I wondered. I wondered for a while.”

“Wondered what?”

“Why things between us never went from friends to more.”

“I thought it was what we both wanted,” I offered. “That’s how I remember it. You haven’t forgotten that night—”

Bethany shook her head but didn’t say anything more. The song ended. The next song was a fast one. Bethany turned her back on me, and I thought she was going to leave, but instead, she danced up against me the same way she had with the last guy. Gretchen was on her way back from the restroom and looking for me. I pulled away from Bethany, but she followed me.

Finally, I put my hands on her shoulders and said, “Hey, stop. I don’t want to dance like this with you. I’m sorry.”

Bethany looked like I had slapped her. Tears filled her eyes. She swallowed hard and said, “Fuck you, Kitt!”

“Fuck you, Bethany,” I shot back. “I haven’t done anything to you except be your friend like I promised I would be.”

Bethany looked like she wanted to say more, but she didn’t. She left the dance floor. Gretchen appeared a moment later and took my hand. We danced several more songs together. I tried to put Bethany out of my mind. Janiqua, London, and others stuck around for support, and we all had a great time.

Around midnight, Sharon tapped on my shoulder. I was sweaty and sticky but feeling amazing when she pointed toward the booth where Bethany had passed out. I shook my head and told everyone I had to get her home. Gretchen clung to my arm and tried to convince me to call Bethany an Uber. I said I couldn’t do that.

“I’ll call you later,” I told her.

“Later tonight?” she asked.

“Sure.”

Bethany’s eyes were slits when I reached her and hoisted her up.

“I’m drunk,” she told me.

“Yep.”

“Are you my shite in nining armor?”

I collected her belongings and helped her to the little 1992 sky-blue Toyota Corolla she’d owned since our sophomore year of high school. No way was I driving her home in my newer car. Fortunately, we made it to her place without any vomit. But she did fall to her knees and puke as soon as she got out of the passenger seat. I hurried around the car and helped her back to her feet.

“I’m sick,” she moaned. “Too many pretzels.”

“Yep,” I agreed. “That’s the problem. Too many pretzels.”

I helped her unlock her condo and get her inside. She stumbled quickly into the bathroom and threw up again. I found her on the floor, wrapped around the toilet. Thankfully, Bethany kept an immaculate home; if anyone’s toilet was worthy of being clutched, it was hers.

“You can go now,” she said. “I’m fine.”

“You don’t seem fine.”

“I don’t want you to see me like this,” she whined, her head back in the bowl.

I laughed loudly. “It’s too late now.”

“Ugh...”

I waited several seconds before asking, “Do you want to tell me what you were so mad about tonight? You’re ... I don’t know. You’re acting like you have feelings for me.”

Bethany glared at me through watery eyes, dripping mascara, and a little saliva or something on her cheek. Not her best look. “You’ve changed. I want the old Kitt back. Ever since you got all muscled, you’ve become a turd.”

I sighed. “Well, I like the new me better.”

Bethany groaned and wiped her face. “I am just so sick of hearing about how good you are in bed from Janiqua and London. It’s so annoying. Am I seriously missing something so great by being a virgin?”

I didn’t answer her.

Bethany stood up. “If I showered and brushed my teeth ... would you want to have sex with me?”

“I...” There it was again. The sex thing. Why was this coming up now? Was she so insecure about being a virgin? “I don’t think so, Beth. Remember our deal?”

“We kissed, Kitt!” Bethany cried. “We kissed. We kissed for five seconds, and then you got scared. You said I was too special—too good a friend—to do anything like that with me! I never said—”

“Your friendship means so much to me!” I said over her. “I am sorry if I think sex might ruin it.”

“Just sex?” she asked.

I didn’t understand what she meant. Her whole body sagged, and before I could catch her, she flopped her upper body onto her sink, elbows down, face in her hands. She was very pale. I grabbed her and led her toward her bed.

“I’m going to get you some medicine. Where’s your purse?”

Bethany mumbled something incoherently. I got up and found her purse on the floor where she had dropped it on her way to the bathroom. I grabbed it and brought it to the kitchen area. I filled a tall glass with water and fished for a small bottle of ibuprofen from the bottom of her purse. A slip of paper fell onto the floor when I removed the bottle. I knelt down and picked it up.

I usually don’t snoop, but something on the paper caught my eye. Comics. I unfolded the paper. It was a receipt from Collectible Comics. It was for Hulk #1, published in January 2008. The first appearance of Thunderbolt Ross as the Red Hulk. $330.49.

It was the Christmas present she’d given to me. When I opened it on Christmas, I’d protested that she had spent too much, but she insisted she got it on sale for barely $150. I’d bought her tickets to see Wicked the Musical with me in Denver for about the same price.

I returned the receipt to her purse and saw her phone flash with a notification. I clicked the power button and saw her home screen. London had texted Bethany asking if she’d gotten home alright.

But that wasn’t what caught my eye. It was Bethany’s choice of wallpaper on her lock screen. A picture of us graduating from nursing school together. Our faces were huge smiles. We were looking at each other. I remembered that day well. We had spent almost the entire day together.

My thoughts were interrupted when Bethany’s phone buzzed again. London texted a second time, saying that if she didn’t hear from Bethany soon, she would come over. I texted London from my phone, informing her Bethany was asleep. I went into Bethany’s room and sat on the bed next to her. I placed the water glass on her bedside table, placed two 400mg tablets of ibuprofen next to the glass, and then brushed her hair out of her face.