I Still Dream About You

Beauty Secrets

SOMETIME AFTER MAGGIE REALIZED SHE WANTED TO LIVE, SHE began to reexamine her life and try to figure out why she had become so unhappy. Then one day, it occurred to her that although she had never purposely lied to anyone, she had been living a lie for years. Brenda thought Maggie was so good and virtuous, but she deserved to know the truth. She hoped it wouldn’t affect their friendship, but it was a chance she had to take.

She picked up the phone and called Brenda and invited her to lunch out at the old Irondale Cafe. She wanted Brenda full of good food before she told her. Brenda did not let her down. She had the chicken livers and the macaroni and cheese and lemon icebox pie. As Maggie was driving them back home, she gathered her courage, took a deep breath, and said, “Brenda, there’s something I think you should know about me… something I’ve never told you before. Something you might find quite shocking.”

Brenda said, “I doubt it.”

“Well… you might.”

“Oh, right. What are you going to tell me? That you’re really the midnight bandit who’s been robbing all the 7-Eleven stores?”

“Oh, no. Nothing like that, but it’s something I’m not very proud of.”

“What?”

Maggie took another deep breath. “Well, the man I was involved with in Dallas that I told you about… Richard?”

“Yes? What about him?”

“He was married.”

“And?”

“That’s it. He was a married man. I had an affair with a married man.”

“Oh.”

“The reason I didn’t tell you before is that I didn’t want you to be disappointed in me.”

“I see.”

“Oh, Brenda, I’m sorry.” Maggie looked at her with concern. “Are you just terribly shocked?”

“Well, yes. I am shocked, but not disappointed.”

“Really? You’re not?”

“No. We all make mistakes; we wouldn’t be human if we didn’t.”

“You wouldn’t lie to me just to make me feel better?”

“Of course not.”

Brenda was unusually quiet as they drove along, and Maggie began to wonder if she had made the wrong decision by telling her. They drove along for quite some time, Maggie getting more anxious by the minute, until Brenda said, “Maggie, do you remember the college professor I told you I had the affair with?”

“The one who broke your heart when you were a senior?”

“Yes… well, there’s a little something I never told you about, either. Or anybody else for that matter… not even Robbie or Tonya.”

“What?”

There was a long pause. Brenda said, “She was married, too.”

“Ahhh… no wonder it was so-” Maggie suddenly stopped when she realized what she had just heard and looked at Brenda.

“She?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Oh, Brenda… really?”

“Oh, yes, honey; married, white, and Jewish. What can I say? So you see, you’re not alone. Everybody has their little secrets.” She looked over at Maggie. “Are you surprised?”

“Well, yes… I guess I am.”

“Are you disappointed? You look funny.”

“Oh, no… I’m not disappointed. How could I be? I just feel… oh, I don’t know, flattered that you trust me enough to tell me.”

Now Brenda was relieved. “Whew, I’m glad that’s over. I’m a nervous wreck. I’m all sweaty,” she said as she grabbed an emergency Hershey bar out of her purse and took a bite. When she finished, she looked over at Maggie and said, “Well, then… now that both our cats are out of the bag, like the song says, ‘ ’Tain’t nobody’s business but our own,’ right?”

“Right.”

“Life is hard enough. I say everybody deserves at least one little secret, don’t you think?”

“I do.” A few minutes later, Maggie said, “Brenda, let me ask you something. Do you think I’m too old to learn to parallel park?”

“No, I do not. I think you can do anything you set your mind to.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely.”

“Oh, Brenda… you don’t know how happy I feel-like a hundred-pound weight has been lifted off my chest.”

“Me, too.”

“I feel so much closer to you now… do you?”

“Oh, yes.”

They both smiled all the way home. It was so good to have a best friend.