Chapters - Episode 7 (The One Where Everyone Gets Fed Up)

Albie backed up against the bar.

"I'm not going over there," he declared.

Meg strained her neck to get a good look at the situation unfolding at their table.

"You have to go back," Meg said.  "What are you going to do - just leave your new girlfriend and Emma sitting there?"

Albie looked seriously afraid.  "You guys go.  Make up some excuse and get Denise out of there.  Alice can't know I'm here with someone else."

Meg whipped around and stared Albie down.  "We'll do no such thing.  This is your mess.  Be a man and go over there."

Tom was doing his best to stifle a laugh but it was no use.

"You think this is funny?" Albie asked, eyes fixed on their table.

"How could I not think this is funny?  I think I will order that other drink," Tom said, flagging down the bartender.  "This is getting good."

Albie took back the glass of wine from Meg and downed it in three large gulps.  "This is ridiculous.  I've done nothing wrong.  I'm going over there."

Meg and Tom stood firmly in place.  "Good luck," Meg said.

"Oh no," Albie said, grabbing her arm.  "You two are coming with me."

Meg and Tom did their best to hide their amusement but it was no use.  As soon as Emma spotted them she gave them a knowing look, willing them to rescue her.  Meg wondered who was worse - Denise or Alice.

"Hey, there," Albie said, sliding into the booth next to Emma instead of Denise.  "What are you doing here?" he asked, smiling at Alice.

Meg slid in next to Albie and Tom sat next to a very confused-looking Denise.

"I'm here with a few friends from work," Alice said.  "I should ask you the same thing."

Albie looked flushed, his face reddening more by the minute.

"Just here with all these guys," he said, casually.

"Babe, what's up?" Denise asked.  "Why are you sitting over there?"

Albie looked like he was literally going to pass out.

"Babe?" Alice repeated sarcastically.

"Yeah," Albie said, uncomfortably, "I guess we somehow switched seats around or something.  Switch with me Tom," he said.  "We're going to confuse the waiter."

Somehow, the whole scenario was still lost on Denise.

"Who is this?" Alice asked, referring to Denise.

Albie rose from his side of the booth and waited for Tom to get up and switch places with him.

"This?" Albie repeated idiotically, "this is our friend, Denise."

That perked up Denise's ears.

"Friend?" she asked.

Alice stared him down, not moving an inch.  Tom wasn't moving either.  No one was sure where to go or where things were headed.

Albie looked pained, extremely uncomfortable.

"Who is she, your new girlfriend?" Alice demanded.

Albie rubbed the back of his neck.  Never one to want to make a scene, Meg thought he might actually make a run for it.

"What's going on, Albie?" Denise asked, looking at Alice.

"Screw this," Alice said, "I can see you're too much of a coward to be honest."

Albie said nothing.  He was acting cowardly, Meg thought.

"And you guys," Alice said, eying Meg, Emma and Tom individually, "I thought you were my friends.  Thanks for lying to me about tonight.  I expect something like this from him, but not from you three."

With those uncomfortable parting words, Alice stormed off.  No one knew what to say or tried to stop her.  Another one of Albie's debacles, coming to bite them all in the ass.

"Sorry," Albie said to everyone.  "I didn't expect to run into her here."

"Who?" Denise asked.  "Will someone tell me what just happened."

Meg stepped in to explain.  "That was Albie's ex-girlfriend.  And our friend," she clarified, "although none of us acted like it."

"Are you okay, babe?" Denise asked, rubbing Albie's arm in an attempt to comfort him.

"Yeah," Albie said, dismissively, "I'm fine.  I'm sorry - forget about what just happened."

Denise nodded but Meg had had enough.

She took a deep breath and gave Albie a sharp look.  "I'm out of here."

Everyone looked startled as Meg dug her keys out of her tiny clutch and stood up to leave.

"What are you doing?" Albie asked, irritated that Alice's departure hadn't alleviated the situation.

"What does it look like I'm doing?  I'm leaving."

"I can see that," he said, reaching out for her arm, "but why?"

"Because," she said quietly, but firmly, "I cant do this with you anymore.  I can't get used to a different girl all the time, have you force us to accept and become friends with her only so you can dump her when you're short attention span fades." 

She looked at Denise and said bluntly, "And I'm sorry you had to hear that but it always fades."

"Meg," Albie said, "come on, don't be like this."

"No," Emma said, standing up too, "she's right.  I'm sick of being forced to befriend your constantly changing love interests only so we can look like the assholes in the end.  Did you see Alice?  She's pissed at all of use, not just you."

"And I can't say I blame her," Meg agreed.  "This is too much."

Albie looked at Tom.  "And I suppose you're leaving too, right?"

Never one for drama, Tom looked beyond uncomfortable.  "I think I'm just going to make sure they get to their car.  I'll talk to you later."

"Nice," Albie said.  "It's my birthday and my friends walk out on me."

Meg threw a few bills on the table to cover their dinners.  "Give that to the waiter for us."

~

Meg, Tom and Emma met at a local diner and ordered sandwiches and fries for dinner.  Dressed up and looking very out of place inside the overly-lit diner, it was a fitting end for a ridiculous evening.

Meg was home in beg by midnight.  After everything that had happened, she'd actually found herself enjoying the low-key dinner and conversation with Emma and Tom.  Of course, the main topic of discussion had been Albie and his escapades but it felt good to finally let loose and vent about her best friend while feeling entitled instead of guilty about it.

After changing her clothes and washing off her makeup, she crawled into bed feeling full and tired and just a tiny bit achy.

She'd just fallen asleep when her phone rang around one a.m.  Squinting her eyes to read the cell phone display, she saw it was Albie.  She picked up the phone but said nothing.

"Meg?" he said.  "Are you there?"

"I'm here," she said drowsily.

"Listen, I'm really sorry about tonight," he said softly.  "I know I just woke you up but I couldn't wait until morning to tell you."

"Alright," Meg said, eyes closed.  She felt around for the television's remote control and switched off the TV.

"Are you mad at me?" he asked.

"No," Meg said.  And she meant it.  Meg could hold a grudge but the one person she could never stay mad at was Albie.  Especially when he was being sincere, apologetic and very, very Albie.