A Baumgartner reunion

“I can’t believe she’s old enough to drink,” I said, nodding toward the table where Janie was sitting beside her brother and sipping on a Margarita.

Carrie glanced over her shoulder at her daughter. “I know. She makes me feel old!”

“You’re far from old.” Gretchen’s gaze swept over Carrie’s outfit-unlike Gretchen, or me for that matter, her skirt wasn’t outrageously short, but it was white leather, and it showed off the long, tanned expanse of her strong, shapely legs. Her blouse wasn’t the midriff kind that Gretchen wore or the strapless kind that Gretchen had loaned me-just a short-sleeved navy silk, unbuttoned to a point that was just a little shy of inappropriate. She was dressed perfectly, as always-sexy, inviting, but not too slutty.

“Old enough to know better,” Carrie said with a wink, sliding her hand down to the small of my back. “But still-“

“Too young to care.” Gretchen and I both finished the sentence with her, and we all laughed.

“Mom, I want another one!” Janie sidled up behind us, holding her empty Margarita glass. “And Henry doesn’t have any money.”

“Take it easy, lightweight,” I said, raising an eyebrow at her. “You do know there’s tequila in those Margaritas, right?”

Janie rolled her eyes, but didn’t answer me. “Mom?”

“Tell them to put it on my tab.” Carrie nodded toward the bar. “Captain Tony knows me.”

“Is that Captain Tony?” Gretchen asked.

“The one and only,” Carried agreed.

I glanced toward the bar, where the bartender, wearing a goofy looking sailor’s cap, was drawing a draught of beer. “Looks like a character.” Carrie laughed. “This is Key West-everyone’s a character.” Janie was already talking to him and Captain Tony gave a nod in our direction before pulling another margarita glass out from under the bar.

“Has anyone seen Brian?” Carrie frowned, glancing around the bar. If the crowd dancing and milling around didn’t make it impossible, the dimness made it truly too difficult to locate anyone.

“Bathroom?” Gretchen shrugged.

“Speaking of which…” I spotted the ladies’ room in the far corner.

Gretchen smiled. “Want some company?”

“Not this time.” I left the two of them together, weaving my way through. I gave Janie a smile on my way by, but she pretended she hadn’t seen me.

The bathroom was small, and had clearly been converted from a one-person lavatory at some point- the outside door still locked, and there were two locking stalls painted pink inside, one handicapped, one not. I glanced in the full length mirror-the only mirror in the bathroom-noting again how short my skirt really was. Janie had made some nasty remark before we left about it, and it still stung, although the alcohol was making me feel a little more comfortable with its length.

Tonight I was determined to get Janie to come around, I decided, heading toward the small bathroom stall. That was my mission. I was hoping tonight’s alcohol consumption was going to help me with that, too. I hurried, lifting my skirt and pulling down my panties before I’d even locked the stall door behind me. I was wiping and just about to flush when the outer door opened.

“We can’t do it in here!” A hushed whisper and giggling.

“The door locks.” A masculine voice this time-oh no. I heard the lock click and knew immediately what was about to happen. What was I supposed to do?

Go out and excuse myself? Wait and sneak out after it was all over?

I decided to do the former, pulling up my panties and yanking down my skirt before reaching for the handle to flush, knowing the noise would announce my presence.

“Come here.” The guy’s voice again. “You know I always get what I want…and I want you.”

Oh brother. I pushed the handle, but to my surprise, nothing happened.

“Brian, you’re so bad.” The girl’s voice was low and teasing.

And the minute I heard the name ‘Brian’ I was alert, glad the toilet hadn’t flushed. The last thing I needed tonight was Janie freaking out about me being in the bathroom she’d decided to fool around with her boyfriend in. I had to make peace with her somehow, and I was sure discovering her in a compromising position wouldn’t help.

Of course, it wasn’t like I hadn’t seen them already, I thought, blushing at the memory. Not that they knew that… Okay, so I was stuck. I’d just wait it out, I decided, backing toward the corner of the stall.

“I can’t believe I ran into you tonight!”

My brain registered the words, but the doubt had already surfaced. I knew Janie’s voice, and that wasn’t it. My mind had clearly wanted to believe it was-

but the girl out there wasn’t Janie. And if that was Brian…

Common name, I told myself. Could be it’s not Janie’s Brian. Right? Right.

Only one way to find out…

“We’ve only got a few minutes,” Brian said.

It sounded like him. A lot like him. But I’d only really talked to him a few times, I told myself, craning my neck and trying to see them through the crack in the door. How could I be expected to know his voice? “Oh yeah, come on, gimme some of that…”

“Ohhh god, Brian, yes!”