S2/01. Trash Talk
1.5 Linda West
Spring 1998, Linda's house, Windenburg
Linda watched her cup of tea. The afternoon sun drew golden circles on the clear amber surface and below it danced a few stray black tea flakes. How easy it must be to be one of them, dancing and not having to worry ever. Of course they could not, they had no brains and no consciousness that would let them. But what if they had, Linda wondered, would they worry about being poured out in the drain once the cup was empty and rinsed? Or would they dance even wilder, if they were aware that their life soon would change so drastically – well, not life, certainly, they did not meet the six criteria to be classified as such, however –
"– right, Linda?"
Hearing her name pulled her out of her mellow musings. "Oh – I suppose so," she hoped she had picked the right reply, but agreeing was usually never a bad choice.
"Education is the most important thing for a child," Delilah continued, "Madeleine, you'll absolutely have to insist on sending Brandon to a private school if you can afford it. Leroy and I will certainly be doing our best to get Mikey in somewhere once he's old enough."
She gently rocked the baby's bassinet.
Madeleine Sanford nodded with grim determination.
Oh, so they had finished discussing the best techniques for changing diapers, and which formula is the least likely to cause diarrhea, and had arrived at elementary schools. Possibly a natural development.
The other redhead giggled. "Oh – of course you would!" Madeleine's eyes gained a suspicious spark. "Say, if you've thought about it already," – Linda had not until this very moment – "does that mean you have met someone new – and noteworthy?"
Delilah had the same spark, except her eyes sparked maybe even a little more.
"I- uh..." Linda muttered. She certainly could think of a person or two she'd consider noteworthy, but she also understood that the question meant someone noteworthy to have a romantic relationship with. Have children with.
"I have not," Linda replied honestly.
Madeleine's face fell immediately. "Oh well, you will find the right one in due time," she added with notably less interest than before. "I must excuse myself now, my dears, but I have to prepare dinner for the boys and Jesse."
The women exchanged polite pleasantries and Linda and Delilah accompanied Madeleine to the door. As soon as it closed, Delilah sharply inhaled. Her eyes sparked even more than before.
"You have someone in mind, right?" She almost burst from excitement. "I noticed when you were hesitating. Oh – and I understand, you don't want to spill the beans before it's all safe and sound, of course, I'm all for going slow – well, Leroy and I didn't exactly go slow, but it's the better way, right – "
"Dee!" Linda cried out. "I have no idea what you're talking about!" She was completely lost. The last person she had dated was Brian, but he had been gone for a while, and everyone knew it.
Delilah flashed a pitiful smile. "About Frank, of course! You're seeing him! Literally everyone is – oh!" She stopped suddenly, hesitating before she continued. "It's actually quite ugly gossip... Leroy's friends think you and Frank – that's... and that's why he's not on Rosa's side. Oh, of course I told them to stop with that nonsense!" she added fiercely. "But... honestly, I think it's lovely that you two are dating."
Linda's heart felt suddenly heavy. She had not seen Frank, not in the last two weeks, and they had certainly never seen each other romantically.
"You have someone in mind, right?" She almost burst from excitement. "I noticed when you were hesitating. Oh – and I understand, you don't want to spill the beans before it's all safe and sound, of course, I'm all for going slow – well, Leroy and I didn't exactly go slow, but it's the better way, right – "
"Dee!" Linda cried out. "I have no idea what you're talking about!" She was completely lost. The last person she had dated was Brian, but he had been gone for a while, and everyone knew it.
Delilah flashed a pitiful smile. "About Frank, of course! You're seeing him! Literally everyone is – oh!" She stopped suddenly, hesitating before she continued. "It's actually quite ugly gossip... Leroy's friends think you and Frank – that's... and that's why he's not on Rosa's side. Oh, of course I told them to stop with that nonsense!" she added fiercely. "But... honestly, I think it's lovely that you two are dating."
Linda's heart felt suddenly heavy. She had not seen Frank, not in the last two weeks, and they had certainly never seen each other romantically.
"You are mistaken," she said, "we have never dated."
"But..." Delilah's face fell, "you two get along so well! I'm sure he admires you, he's always looking for you when there is a gathering," Delilah explained. "And you're always smiling when he's around. You seem to perfectly understand each other. It's just – perfect. If you haven't dated yet, you should definitely start to – "
"Delilah!" Linda had to stop her friend's enthusiasm. Delilah was probably right – maybe Frank and Linda could have been a perfect match, but she doubted that it mattered anymore. She wasn't even sure if they were still friends.
"But..." Delilah's face fell, "you two get along so well! I'm sure he admires you, he's always looking for you when there is a gathering," Delilah explained. "And you're always smiling when he's around. You seem to perfectly understand each other. It's just – perfect. If you haven't dated yet, you should definitely start to – "
"Delilah!" Linda had to stop her friend's enthusiasm. Delilah was probably right – maybe Frank and Linda could have been a perfect match, but she doubted that it mattered anymore. She wasn't even sure if they were still friends.
"I don't think he even still likes me." In a few short words she explained what had happened between her and Frank two weeks ago. "I haven't spoken to him since," she finished.
"Wait – why haven't I ever heard about mysterious married guy?!" Apparently that was the only thing Delilah cared about.
"Uhm..." Linda was a little lost, "he wasn't really important? Just a pastime..."
Delilah shot her another pitiful glance. "I'll let it go this one time, because it's been years ago. But next time you have to tell me about your adventures!" She giggled.
"Uhm..." Linda was a little lost, "he wasn't really important? Just a pastime..."
Delilah shot her another pitiful glance. "I'll let it go this one time, because it's been years ago. But next time you have to tell me about your adventures!" She giggled.
"As for Frank," Delilah sighed and took a meaningful break, "he'll come around. My brother-in-law is not an idiot – usually. I'd not be surprised if he weren't just a little disappointed that you may have dated literally everyone but him." She smirked mischievously.
Linda laughed. "I don't think it's that!" But for the moment she felt a little lighter. Delilah was certainly right and her misstep could not have had enough impact on Frank's friendship with her to destroy it.
"You never know what's in a guy's head!" Delilah tsked. "He is a little busy right now, but I know what I see, and that's a lot of chemistry. You'll see, before you know, you'll be married and seriously considering which school you want to send your children to!" She winked.
"Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself here?" Linda giggled. Delilah's prediction sounded horrible and hilarious at the same time. But surprisingly less horrible than Linda would have thought. Maybe even –
"Wouldn't it be nice?" Delilah smiled warmly. "And we'd be real sisters too. Well... by law, but still."
Forgotten were Frank and any potentially horrible predictions. Delilah's last words made Linda wonder if her friend had always felt a bit left out. She'd been an orphan since early childhood, and had no relatives. Of course, the West family had embraced Delilah with open arms once she and Linda became friends, and the blonde girl had spent a lot of time in their house. But it must have felt different to be just a friend, and not a family member.
"You never know what's in a guy's head!" Delilah tsked. "He is a little busy right now, but I know what I see, and that's a lot of chemistry. You'll see, before you know, you'll be married and seriously considering which school you want to send your children to!" She winked.
"Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself here?" Linda giggled. Delilah's prediction sounded horrible and hilarious at the same time. But surprisingly less horrible than Linda would have thought. Maybe even –
"Wouldn't it be nice?" Delilah smiled warmly. "And we'd be real sisters too. Well... by law, but still."
Linda wished she'd been kinder to her when they first met. Delilah only got the chance to attend Linda's prestigious High School by sheer luck of getting a "pity spot". The school let a few very poor teenagers study there as long as they worked hard and behaved well.
Linda took the other woman's hands. "You were always my sister, Delilah, and always will be" she said. "It does not matter who our husbands are. And I know Mae feels the same."
Delilah was visibly touched.
She blinked a few times, then giggled.
"Can't hurt if we're sisters in-law too, right? Make sure you get that man, okay?"
Linda smiled.
Linda smiled.
She was convinced Delilah read too much into Frank's feelings for her, but she actually wasn't entirely opposed to give it a try.
If Delilah was right.
