Small Talk
The woman with the Mamie Eisenhower bangs and Cleopatra eye liner took a sip of sparkling wine and said, “I think they should all go to jail. Every single one of them.”
Max glanced over and smiled. Her high child-like voice made his head hurt. He knew she’d cultivated that sound for years. What the fuck was wrong with some people? She smiled back at him and winked.
Walking though the room he picked up bits and pieces of conversations. Always the charmer, he’d smile and blink his eyes one time in a way that would seduce the dead. Well, the living too. He smiled at his own joke.
Just two hours before he’d been with Mehitabel, his hands in her hair, his mouth on hers, her legs around…
“Max?”
He turned at the sound of his name.
“Max, so glad you could make it. You seemed deep in thought. Hope I didn’t disturb you.”
“You’d never disturb me Marc.” Max gave his old friend a one armed bro-hug.
“So when is the wedding?”
“I’m not sure. We’re still working on it.”
“Don’t take too my man long or she’ll run.”
It had been almost two years since Max asked Mehitabel to marry him. Then again why hurry? He’d been involved with her on and off for the past one hundred and forty nine years, since she was twenty and he was twenty one. A few more years wouldn’t make a difference.
Max spoke with Marc a bit more and moved on towards the bar. He glanced over to where Tim Peoples stood surrounded by an audience.
“Oh my god, Max,” said a woman, breaking herself away from Tim’s group. “How are you?” She kissed him on the cheek. He gave her a hug and a dazzling Max smile.
“Great. How are you Lydia?” He hoped it was Lydia. It could have been Linda.
“Good. How about this house? Fantastic isn’t it.”
“Beautiful,” said Max. “I need to find out who their interior designer is.” He couldn’t believe those words just came out of his mouth.
“If I find out I’ll let you know,” said Lydia, then she squeezed his arm and moved on.
“Max,” Tim called out. “Come over here.”
Max cringed inside but smiled. “Hey, Tim. Good to see you.”
Tim leaned inclose to Max, “Check out the ass on that one,” he said as he pointed out a woman in a tight green dress. “That is my goal for tonight. Hey, did you hear about my new car?” Tim showed a picture on his smart phone to Max. “Eighty Thousand dollars worth of pure testosterone. What are you driving these days? Still wasting your time in that truck?”
Max’s friend Jayne took his arm. “Sorry Tim, I have to borrow Max for a bit.” She led Max away from the group. “Women used to find Tim attractive but not much anymore.”
“Being a douche takes the finish right off of those rose colored goggles,” said Max.
“Indeed it does. Where’s my girl tonight?”
“Mehitable? Um, she’ll might be here in a bit. She said she had a few things to take care of first.”
“She hates these things.”
“So do I.”
“Why’d you come then?”
“Had to. It was expected. If I didn’t show it would be noticed.”
Jayne shrugged. So far she was the only other Vampire there. Later there might be more. Max hoped there would be more. He hated events where he couldn’t be himself. Being charming was never a problem, it just wasn’t always enjoyable.
At the bar Max got a Martini that was all gin and an olive. Jayne ordered a Bloody Mary with an extra shot of vodka.
The two old friends scanned the room.
“So what do you think?” Max asked. “You hungry?”
“What? Dinner?”
“Sure. Dinner. I don’t think Mehitabel is going to show. We have to eat somewhere.”
“Let’s go somewhere else,” said Jayne. “The menu here is kind of boring.”
“Indeed it is,” said Max, downing his drink. “Let’s go.”
Jayne smiled and took his arm, as they went out into the night and away from a night of endless small talk.
~ end
Vampire Maman 