where the road ends

Years ago seemed to be last week and last week now seemed years ago. Summer was always the easiest time to for the three women to get together and let the road trip take away their many problems at home. But this summer trip would not take away but add to their lives, beginning when Pam asked Julia, "How did the meeting go with August and his promotion?"

Friends since elementary school, Pamela, Julia and Missy seemed to be triplets more or less friends. They were known as such around their small town and school as the Blonde Triplets. All of them had blonde hair and blue eyes, they were the small height, weight and even had the same middle name of Lake. When they graduated from High school they even attended the same college, attended each others wedding and even worked for the same law firms. Pamela and Missy married brothers while Julia married her college sweetheart. They began planning summer get a ways after they had their first child and that had been 15 years ago.

Julia stopped sipping her wine and looked at Pam, "What did you ask me?" Pam laughed, "The wine is not that expensive, you know how you get. I asked about the meeting with August." Missy was smiling about the comment Pam made about Julia and her love for her wine. It was no secret that Julia was a closet alcoholic, everyone knew but her. But when she saw the look on her friends face she sat her glass down, "What promotion?" Pam looked at everyone, "What?" Julia slammed her glass down on the table, "How did you know about his promotion? No one but me and him knew about it since it just happened today." Shaking her head she looked at Pam, "Are you the one he has been seeing?' Missy mouth fell open, Pam stammered, "I heard, I mean I seem to remember you saying something, Didn't you?" Julia sat staring at her long time friend and knew without a doubt she was the other woman.

Pam loved August from the moment Julia introduced them, she wished she didn't but she did. Oh, she fought feeling, flirted a little but when he came to her one evening to drop her daughter off he stayed longer than usual. August poured his concerns out about his wife drinking problem and she comforted him saying she would do her best to help him. And she did, within six months she was having an affair with him He called her this morning to tell her that he had gotten the promotion as GM.

Julia looked at her, "How long?" Pam continued to deny it but Missy could see she was lying. She shook her head, "Pam how could you?" Not knowing what to say Pam got up and walked to her room, Julia burst through the door screaming, "You have always been selfish, always lurking and now we see why. But did he tell you that the whole purpose for this trip was to tell you that we are moving to Canada? Did he tell you that? That I found out about the affair and he took the promotion to leave you?" Missy started to cry, "Leaving? When were you going to tell us that? Talking about selfish?"

Pam dropped her head, "You are lying. He told me that the reason for the trip was to get you down here so that when you returned home he would be gone." Julia gasped, reached out and slapped Pam soundly in her face. Missy grabbed her, "No stop this will not change anything." Shaking her head Julia began to cry, "How could you? I guess we will both see when we get home? How about we both not call him and see what he does?" Standing up Pam looked at them both, "I am sorry but I am not sorry for loving August. He has been so burdened with you and your drinking, your love for the bottle was more than he could stand. He hated the smell of wine, he hates the smell of you!" Both women gasped, Julia laughed, "Is that what he tells you so you can lay up with him? Did he tell you the reason why I drink? Did he tell you that I drink because he had a baby for someone else and it died? Oh I see he forgot to mention that, or that it was for one of his assistance and the firm had to pay her off?" No you just decided to believe wonderful handsome August who took everything I gave him and said its not enough. You both were so blind with your perfect lives you never saw mine falling apart."

Missy sat on the door steps her Julia's home and cried with both women. He was gone and had not taken either of the women with him. August had left a note of his undying love for Julia and how sorry he was for his decision but he did not love her anymore. Pam's cell phone, all three women looked at her, she answered, "Hello, August? Where are you?" She smirked and shook her head, "Oh so its over like this? I am glad I did not tell Jack, have a good life." Julia looked at her, "You only thought is that you are glad you did not tell your husband. Still selfish, my life is over and you are glad you still have your husband?" Get off my porch and don't ever come back again."

Three years Missy smiled as she reached across the seat to touch her daughters leg, "I appreciate you and your friends taking this road trip with me. I just wish, well I wish a lot of things but it won't change anything." Smiling her daughter looked in the rear view mirror at her two best friends, she missed Pam and Julia too. But luckily the affair did not effect their daughters friendship at all, if anything it strengthened their bond. Pam had divorced Jack and moved to Canada, it was rumored that she was now living with August. Julia was still bitter but in AA now and seemed to be happy as best she could. Those two did not speak anymore, Missy called them both but after a while Pam stopped answering and Julia ignored her calls.

Years ago seemed to be last week and last week now seemed years ago.