At the sound of the door buzzer Beth came running from her bedroom.
     “Is that you, Julie?”, she asked, pushing the listen button and waiting for an answer.
     “Are we still on for tonight?”, the response came.
     In answer Beth unlocked the main door, and a knock on her apartment came a few seconds later.  Beth let Julie in, and Julie wandered around the room for a minute with an appraising eye.  She nodded approvingly, then turned her eye to Beth.
     “You wear glasses?”, she asked, looking at Beth’s face.
     Beth answered, “I had to clean my contacts.  I don’t wear my glasses very often.  They look horrible, don’t they?”.
     “No, they look good on you.”, Julie reassured her.
     “Should we go get Avrianus?”, Beth suggested, slightly nervous of Julie’s scrutiny.
     “Sure.  Is anyone else coming along?”, was Julie’s answer.
     “No, I’m going on your invitation, so I didn’t want to impose.”.
     “Fair enough.  Let’s go then.”.
     The pair climbed the stairs, with a glance at Owen’s apartment.  They reached Avrianus’s door, and Julie knocked gently on it.  The sound of the occupant’s clumsy steps followed.  Avrianus opened the door, beckoning Julie and Beth inside.  They came in and each sat down on a comfortable chair in the living room.  Avrianus sat in the largest chair, which seemed all the more huge holding her small form.
     “So what are we going to do?”, Avrianus asked, and Beth also looked to Julie for an answer.
     “We’re just going to a nice little place I know.”, Julie answered.
     “It’s not a strip club, is it?”, Beth asked.
     “What?  No!”, Julie countered, “It’s just a pub.  Decent food, good drinks, and not too expensive.”.
     Avrianus suddenly jumped to her feet and rushed off to her bedroom.  Julie and Beth listened to her shuffling around, and she emerged with a bundle of bills in her hand.
     “Will this be enough?”, she asked, holding them out to Julie.
     Julie looked at the money, doing some quick calculations in her mind.
     “You’re not used to handling money, are you?”, she asked.
     Avrianus shook her head.
     “That’s enough for a weekend in Vegas.  You’ve got more than enough for a night out on the town.”.
     “Oh.  I should just take a couple of these, then?”, Avrianus asked as she peeled five bills from the bundle of hundred dollar bills.
     “That’ll be plenty.”, Julie nodded.
     Avrianus handed the money to Julie, and made her way back to her room with the rest.
     Julie turned to Beth, and said under her breath, “That was ten thousand dollars!”.
     Beth nodded, “Later I’ll have to tell you about the date she set up for Owen and I.”.
     Avrianus returned, and claimed her money from Julie.  She stuffed it into a purse she’d brought with her from her room, and sat back down in her chair.
     “When do we go?”, she asked.
     Julie pulled out a cel phone and said, “I’ll call the taxi.”.
     Avrianus was the first one up, and held the door open for the others.  They descended the stairs, and made their way the front of the building.  The taxi arrived five minutes later, and they climbed in.
     “Everybody ready?”, she asked after Beth and Avrianus found their seats.
     “I am!”, Avrianus said, and Beth nodded.
     Julie paid the driver, and gave him the name of their destination.

     “Julie, good to see you!  How’ve you been?”, the bartender greeted her as they walked in the door.
     “Busy at work, mostly.  Just out for a night with some friends.”, Julie answered.
     “You’re not bringing Owen?”.
     Julie shook her head, “Girl’s night.  I have to scope out his girlfriend.”.
     The bartender looked at Avrianus, and turned to Julie, “She is eighteen, right?”.
     “I wouldn’t bring her if she wasn’t.  What would my dad think?”.
     “True.  Find a table, I’ll be right there.”.
     Julie beckoned for Beth and Avrianus to follow her, and they made their way to a booth.  Julie and Beth sat across from each other, and Avrianus slid into the seat beside Beth.
     “Do you come here often?”, Beth asked.
     “Not really, but the bartender is a friend of my Dad’s.  They’ve known each other since high school.  I know I won’t do anything too stupid if he’s around.”.
     The bartender arrived, and rested his hand on the edge of the table, “What can I get you lovely ladies?”.
     “A Guinness is fine.”, Julie answered.
     “That sounds good.”, Beth agreed.
     They looked at Avrianus, who squirmed nervously in her seat.
     “I’ll have what they’re having.”, she answered.
     “Three Guinness.”, the bartender confirmed, and walked away.
     “Mr. Billings?”, Julie called after him.
     “Yes?”.
     “Could we have a pitcher then?”.
     “Sure thing.”.
     Julie turned to Avrianus, “You don’t drink, do you?”.
     “Only once in a while.  I sometimes have a glass of wine when I have supper with Jerome.”.
     “Jerome?  You said you weren’t seeing anyone.”.
     Avrianus straightened herself up, and explained, “Jerome is an old friend of mine.  That’s why is choose this town to stay in.  I’ve known him all of my life.  He’s like an uncle.”.
     “He owns the place Owen and I went to on our first date.”, Beth added, “Which reminds me, thanks Avrianus.”
     “Thanks?”, she asked.
     “For arranging everything for our first date.  We had a great time.”.
     “Jerome told you?”, Avrianus pressed.
     “No, I figured it out on my own.  I don’t mind, although I would love to know how he found out I like swing music?”.
     “I-I don’t know how he found out.”, Avrianus stammered.
     Mr. Billings returned with the pitcher and three glasses, which he set down in front of each of them.  Julie took the pitcher and poured for everyone, then took a sip of her drink.
     Beth spoke up, “Julie, do you mind if I ask you a question?”.
     “Go ahead.”.
     “You and Owen seem really close, and I was wondering…”.
     Julie shook her head, “No, we’ve never dated, much to my Mom’s disappointment.  She thinks Owen and I would make the perfect couple.  We’re just really close friends.”.
     “It’s not that I’d mind if you had, but I was curious.  I’m actually kind of surprised that he didn’t think Jerome might be related to you at first.”.
     “Why’s that?”, Julie asked.
     “Well, I hope you don’t mind me saying so, but you’re both black.”.
     “Oh,”, Julie said, and then replied, “that’s because my family isn’t.”.
     “You’re adopted?”.
     “Yup.  My Mom came to Canada as a pregnant refugee, and my parent’s put her up for three months.  She died giving birth to me, and Mom and Dad adopted me.”.
     Beth cast her eyes down, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”.
     Julie smiled, “It’s okay.  It’s not like it’s a secret.  My parents are great.  I’m happy they took me in.  Even if Mom thinks I should be married by now.”.
     “Already?”, Beth laughed, “But you can’t be much more than twenty?”.
     “Twenty one in two months.  She keeps telling me that they’ll pay for Owen’s and my wedding, and”, Julie slipped into a slightly different voice as she said it, “’People are open minded these days.  You and Owen don't have to hide your love’.”
     “You’re kidding me?”, Beth stared.
     Julie shook her head, “She tells me that at least once a month.  She’s even asked Owen a few times when he’s going to propose.”.
     Beth’s shoulders were shaking with laughter.  Avrianus started laughing as well, and fell over sideways landing on the floor.  Julie and Beth stood up and helped her back to her seat.
     “Are you okay?”, Beth asked while steadying her.
     “Heeheehee.  Fine, just fine.”, Avrianus said.
Julie looked and Avrianus’s drink.  A quarter of the glass was still full, and the pitcher remained untouched since she’d poured.
     “She’s drunk.”, she stated.
     Beth looked over at the drink, and shook her head.
     “She can’t be after that much.”.
     Avrianus flung out her arms, and fell over sideways again, calling out “Whee!” on her way down.  Beth caught her and looked over to Julie again.
     “C’est vrai!  Je n’est pas ivre!” ¹, Avrianus said, nodding her head vigorously.
     “Was that French?”, Beth asked Julie.  Julie nodded her head.
     “Ja, Französisch.” ², Avrianus confirmed.
     “Okay.  You’re right.  She is drunk.”, Beth conceded.
     “Heeheehee.  Yopparatteiru.”, Avrianus said, and grabbed for the pitcher, shouting, “Biru!”.³
     Julie quickly moved the pitcher out of her reach.  Avrianus picked up the glass in front of her, and Julie plucked that out of her hand.
     “I think you’ve had enough for now.”, she said.
     Avrianus looked at her dejectedly, and crossed her arms over her chest.  Her head slumped down, and she fell forward onto the table.  Beth shook her shoulder, and Avrianus groaned and said “avere sonno” ⁴, then began to snore.  Beth shrugged her shoulders, then started in on her Guinness.
     “So is it true that you beat Murray unconscious the second time you met Owen?”, Julie asked.
     Beth hung her head, “I hate to think of the impression that made on him.  I hit Murray with a folding chair, and then introduced myself.”.
     “I wouldn’t worry.  Owen told me about it.  I think he used the words ‘high spirited’ to describe you.  That’s the highest praise, coming from Owen.”.
     Julie paused and took a sip of her drink.
     She continued, “So, just what was this nickname that’s worth beating someone into a pulp over?”.
     Beth looked from side to side, then leaned over to whisper to Julie.
     “He said it during a night of drinking with some friends.”, she said as she sat back, “After that they all started calling me P.T..”.
     “I can see why you’d want to kill him.”.
     “I’m just glad it didn’t scare Owen off.”.
     Julie chuckled, “It was all he talked about the next day.”.
     Avrianus woke up suddenly, sitting upright and looking around.
     “Was I asleep?”, she asked.
     “So you’re going to speak English now?”, Julie asked.
     “English?”.
     Beth put her hand on Avrianus’s shoulder, “You were speaking in about four different languages.  It was French first, then German, then…”, she looked over at Julie.
     “Japanese.  I think it was Italian after that.”, Julie guessed.
     “I’ve never seen anyone get drunk so fast.”, Beth commented.
     “I’m sorry I ruined your whole night and now you’ll be mad at me and you want me to go!”.
     “It’s okay!  Don’t worry, just go easy on the drinking.  Please stay.”, Julie reassured her.
     Avrianus looked over at Beth, who said, “Of course we want you to stay.  If I got mad at every friend who’s had a little too much to drink, I don’t think I’d have a friend left.”.
     Avrianus smiled at them.  Julie pushed over the remains of her drink, and Avrianus took a sip.
     “So where did you learn to speak five languages?”, Beth asked her.
     Avrianus looked over at her, and thought for a moment before answering, “I’ve travelled a lot.”.
     She took another sip, then her smile spread across her face again.  She looked at Beth again, and suddenly said, “You and Owen are going to have such nice kids.  I like the name Megumi.”.
     “Now she’s rambling.”, Julie said.
     “I’ll be Aunty Avy, and you’ll be Aunty Julie.”, she said, pointing to Julie as she said it, “Then we’ll be sisters!  People won’t be able to tell, though.”.
     Julie reached over and took Avrianus’s glass away from her again.
     “That’s it.  No more for you.”.
     “Wait, Jerome doesn’t give me wine.  He said he’d never let me drink again after the last time.”.
     Julie looked over at Beth, “I think we’d better get her away from the alcohol.”.
     “I think so.”, Beth agreed.
     The two of them stood up, and they pulled Avrianus to her feet.
     “Where are we going?”, she asked.
     “We’re going to get supper.”, Julie answered.
     “Can we have chicken?”.
     Beth answered, “Why don’t we take her back to my place, and we’ll order in.”.
     “Okay!”, Avrianus answered.
     Julie let go of Avrianus and went up to the bar.
     “Is she okay?”, Mr. Billings asked.
     “I hope so.  That’s after one glass.  Could you call a cab for us?”.
     He picked up the phone and dialled the number for the taxi.  “Ten minutes.”, he told Julie.
     “Thanks.”, Julie said after he’d hung up, “How much do I owe you?”.
     “It’s on the house.  Get her home and make sure she’s all right.”.
     Julie flashed a smile, “Thanks.  I’ll say ‘hi’ to Dad for you tomorrow.”.
     “Tell him I asked when we’re going to the next game.”.
     “I’ll do that.”, Julie said as she rejoined Beth and Avrianus.
     Beth nodded, and asked, “What’s my share?”.
     “Mr. Billings put it on the house.  The taxi will be here soon, so why don’t we get a breath of fresh air?”.

     “Half an hour.”, Beth said as she hung up the phone.
     “Great.  Avrianus should be a little more sober by then.  We’d better give her some more coffee.”, Julie suggested.
     Beth went to the kitchen and poured another cup from the pot of coffee she’d made after getting home.
     “Did you want any?”, she asked.
     “Sure.  I’ll take it black.”, Julie answered.
     Beth came out with the two cups, handing one to each of her friends.  Avrianus stared at hers for a moment before drinking, but Julie started hers right away.
     “Thanks.”, she said after the first drink.
     “Don’t mention it.”.
     After she’d finished the cup of coffee, Avrianus interjected, “My head feels funny.”.
     “Are you sobering up a bit?”, Beth asked.
     Avrianus nodded, “I think so.  I didn’t say anything I shouldn’t have, did I?”.
     “If you did, you didn’t say it in English.”, Julie reassured her.
     “That’s good.”, Avrianus said, and slumped back in the chair Beth had put her in.
     “You don’t like to talk about yourself much, do you Avrianus?”. Beth asked.
     “Not really.”, Avrianus said nervously.
     “I was just thinking that we’ve known each other for a while, and I don’t even know your last name.”
     “Utarei.”.
     “Avrianus Utarei.”, Julie repeated.
     “So your Dad is Japanese, then.  Where did you grow up?”, Beth stated.
     “I travelled with my parents, but I was born on Shikoku.”.
     “Beth, if she doesn’t like to talk about herself, don’t ask too many questions.”, Julie prodded.
     “Okay.”, she agreed, “Just one more.  What do you think about Jim?”.
     “Jim?”, Julie asked.
     “Owen’s friend.”, Beth explained.
     “I know the name, but I haven’t met him.”.
     Beth continued, “From what Owen tells me, he really likes Avrianus.”.
     Avrianus blushed as Beth uttered the words.
     “Beth”, Julie pointed out, “you’re embarrassing Avrianus.”.
     “Jim likes me?”, Avrianus repeated the words, “Why?”.
     Beth and Julie both stopped and stared at her.
     “You need a reason?”, Julie asked.
     Avrianus nodded.
     “Okay”, Julie said, holding up her index finger, “first,  maybe it’s your naïve, innocent charm.”.
     “Your ability to instantly make friends.”, Beth added.
     Julie kept count on her fingers as they continued, “He could have a thing for klutzes, no offence.”.
     “Or short women.”.
     “Or brunettes.”.
     “It could be the accent.”.
     “He could be looking for a nice girl.”.
     “Maybe it’s all of them.”, Beth added.
     Avrianus continued blushing as they listed the reasons.
     “Do you want us to go on?”, Julie asked.
     “N-no.”, Avrianus declined.
     “So come on, what do you think of Jim?”, Beth prompted.
     Avrianus’s eyes shifted nervously for a moment, until a smile spread on her face.
     “Sore wa, himitsu desu.”.
     “What?”, Beth asked.
     “It’s a secret.”, Avrianus repeated.
     Julie held up eight fingers and said, “We can add mysterious to the list.”.
     Beth and Julie both started laughing, leaving Avrianus staring at them until she joined in herself.  They made small talk until the food was delivered.  Beth began getting everything ready until Julie stood up suddenly.
     “We should get a movie.”, she suggested.
     “Now?  The food is still hot.”, Beth countered.
     “We don’t have to go far.  We have an impressive collection right here in the building.”.
     Beth came out of the kitchen, and gave Julie an inquisitive look.  Julie struck a dramatic pose, pretending to hold a sword and pointing it at an upward angle.
     “We raid Owen place!  And we don’t return without a pile of videos!  Avrianus, you’re with me!”.
     Beth sighed and shook her head.
     “Bring back something good.”, she said as Julie marched out of the apartment.
 

1 That’s right!  I’m not drunk!
2 Yes, French.
3 Drunk.  Beer!
4 sleepy
 

Table of Contents