What is a Best Friend?

            Coming from a friend’s 21^st birthday celebration at Pat O’Briens, Sean pulls into Marc’s driveway in his two toned rust and dust 1993 Geo Metro. He stumbles out of the car, Hurricane in hand, and walks to Marc’s front door. Knock once, and no answer. Knock again, Marc swings open the door with joy to see his best friend, all with hopes that he remembered to pick up the desserts that Marc pre-ordered. Empty handed and covering up his intoxication, Sean tells Marc that he just happened to completely forget about the dessert. Miscommunication aside, the two pals walk to Marc’s kitchen, where Marc’s hopefully future fiancée Kara and Sean’s older sister Mary are having their own early night symposium on the latest Cosmo and People magazines. While the ladies talk about their unfortunate lives in comparison to A-List celebrities, Sean helps Marc clean the dishes from the three’s to be family dinner of Chicken and Andouille Gumbo with a side of freshly baked garlic bread. With the dishes completed and a girlfriend’s sweet tooth that even Willy Wonka could not solve, Marc volunteers to pick up their pre-ordered cheesecake.

            He gets into his prized 1998 Eddie Bauer Expedition and covers the slack of his best friend just like and good friend would do. Marc gets to Copeland’s Cheesecake Bistro, hoping that their Bananas Foster Cheesecake they ordered is still available and the restaurant still open. Much to his dismay, Copeland’s is closed, so he is forced to make a clutch decision. Winn-Dixie is right around the corner, so he ventures there to see what options are available. His perfect night of proposal is all falling apart like the end of a competitive Jenga game. With the Winn Dixie bakery closed with nothing out for purchase, Marc buys a six-pack of Abita Amber for him and Sean to enjoy if the girls are still complaining about their sex lives.

            Marc and his hemi engine roll into his driveway from a almost completely unsuccessful trip. He opens his door and accidentally knocks over the trashcan, awaking just about every dog in the neighborhood. He swings open his house’s weather beaten front door. His wallet hangs from the right side of his mouth and a six-pack at the end of his left arm. In his head is the image of his future fiancée along with the tune of her favorite song, Sweet Caroline. In his right hand are his keys on his index finger and an engagement ring in his palm. Marc walks into a vacant kitchen and a note from his sister saying that she felt sick and needed to go home, at which he hears the sound of a window from his bedroom slammed shut. He races across the house to his bedroom and keys open the door. He finds Kara lying on the bed nude and in tears, knowing of her actions exposed. The only sounds Marc hears are the lub-dub of his heart, the putt-putt of an ill cared for car speeding away, and the clink of the ring hitting the tile floor. They say nothing.