Light in the Shadows

bathroom, Maria made an effort to talk to her.  Maggie looked surprised, but she went with it and I felt I could let out a sigh of relief that maybe it was a crisis averted.   Let’s just put a tick by delusions on my list of crazy.
     
    ***
                     
    “How much time do we have until it’s time to leave?” Maria asked.  I looked at the time on my phone.
                    “Ten minutes or so,” I said. 
                    “I’m going to go change,” Maria said, looking suddenly self-conscious. 
                    “The guest room is upstairs, the first door on the right.  The bathroom is at the end of the hall,” I told her.  Maria picked up her bag and gave Maggie and me a small smile before heading up the stairs.
                    “She’s…something,” Maggie said in feigned politeness.  I sighed deeply and sat down on the couch.
                    “Sorry about earlier.  I don’t know what her deal is,” I replied tiredly, already wishing the night was over. 
                    Maggie snorted and sat down beside me, laying her head against my shoulder.  “She likes you, Clay.  It’s not that hard to figure out. Between the outfit from Tramps‘R’Us and the I-hate-you glare I’ve been getting since I showed up, I’d think that was pretty obvious,” Maggie said.  I didn’t say anything.  No point really.  I didn’t want to try to explain Maria’s brand of fucked uptness just now. 
                    Maria reappeared a few minutes later, this time dressed in a simple pair of jeans and red blouse.  She had scrubbed off most of the makeup and I was relieved to see her looking more like herself. 
                    “Okay, ladies.  Let’s get this show on the road,” I said, grabbing my keys.  Maria and Maggie followed me out to my car. 
      “You can take the front, Maria,” Maggie offered magnanimously.  Maria thanked her and climbed up front with me.  I gave Maggie an appreciative kiss on the lips and got into the driver’s seat. 
                    “Do you mind?” Maria asked, messing with the radio. I shrugged and almost took back my agreement when Maria picked a rap station and turned it up.  I caught Maggie’s eye in the rearview mirror and she stuck her tongue out at me.
                    I grinned and turned onto Davidson’s main street.  “Wow, it’s so small,” Maria commented, looking out her window as we drove past the string of shops that lined the center of town.  “How do you guys not lose your mind?” she joked.
                    “Cow tipping and making moon shinefills the free time,” Maggie replied blandly and Maria blinked in confusion, as though she were trying to figure out whether Maggie was being serious or not.  Maggie’s sarcasm took some getting used to, that’s for sure.
                    We pulled into the local diner and I noticed Daniel’s truck was already parked.  “Places like this make me gain ten pounds.  Just super,” Maria complained and I tried not get irritated by her whining.  How had I never noticed this less than appealing side of my friend during all the months we had spent together?
                    “That’s okay; the average American is ten to fifteen pounds overweight anyway.  You’ll just be fitting in with the general population,” Maggie quipped sliding out of the car after I opened the door for her.  I shot her a look and she returned my stare with wide-eyed innocence.  Maggie clearly hadn’t forgotten Maria’s earlier bitchiness.  This night had awesome written all over it.  Obviously I was sporting my own level of sarcasm this evening. 
                    We found Rachel and Daniel at a corner booth and headed toward them.  “Yummy,” Maria purred, catching sight of Daniel.  Maggie stiffened beside her. 
                  “Yeah and he’s very taken,” she warned, cutting Maria off so she could slide into the booth beside Daniel.  Maria grinned like a cat on the prowl and I groaned inwardly for the hundredth time since she had shown up. 
                    “Hi guys!  Took you long enough,” Rachel teased, giving me a smile.  Rachel and I had definitely become something close to friends.  She was a cool girl and I knew it made Maggie happy