Paullina Simons: Tully

‘That’s nice,’ she said, trying to get away from his arm.

‘I’m not letting you go till you dance with me, Tully. We’ve all been waiting for you! But I get the first dance, and “save the last dance for me! ”’ he sang.

‘I will, I will,’ she said, prying his arm off her. ‘Let me go change first.’

‘“Don’t go changing/to try to please me …”’ he sang drunkenly, bending closer to her. Tully ducked underneath his arm and saw Lynn Mandolini watching her from the kitchen.

‘Hi, Mrs M.,’ Tully said when she got loose.

‘Hi, Tully,’ said Lynn. ‘Who was that?’

Tully rolled her eyes. ‘Who the hell knows? Never talked to him before in my life. Rick something or other.’

‘He seemed to know you pretty well.’

‘He seemed to be drunk pretty well,’ said Tully. ‘There’s liquor at this party?’

‘Not anymore,’ said Lynn. ‘What are they playing? Listen to this noise.’

Music. The Stones? Van Halen? Tully couldn’t tell for sure. Ah, yes, The Who. There was a stone in their shoe, apparently, and they couldn’t get to it.

‘Pretty loud, huh? I rang but no one heard.’

‘Who’d hear you? And have you lost your key?’

Tully smiled. ‘Never had a key.’

‘Well, by God,’ said Lynn cheerfully, ‘maybe it’s time you got one.’

Putting her Marlboro out, she looked Tully up and down.

‘Let me take your coat.’ Lynn stared at Tully a little closer. ‘You’re a bit late,’ she said.

‘Yes, I know.’ Pause. ‘I got held up.’

‘Everything all right, I hope?’

‘Oh, yes, fine, fine.’ Tully became acutely aware of her swollen, bluish face. How well was it hidden behind the cake powder? My nose feels twice its size, Tully thought, I wonder how it looks. ‘Where’s Jen?’

‘Upstairs. They’re destroying the house,’ said Lynn, lighting another cigarette and downing her Alabama Slammer. ‘Simply destroying.’

Tully patted Mrs Mandolini on the arm. ‘It’s a good thing an eighteenth birthday comes only once, ain’t it, eh?’ she said, leaving the kitchen and heading upstairs. Rick something or other was still out in the hall, now milling around another more willing victim.

Jennifer had the master bedroom. Needing a bigger room for all her junk, she pleaded and pleaded with her parents until they gave in, or so Jennifer had said. Tully and Julie postulated an entirely different scenario. Tully said that Jennifer probably mentioned it once at supper, and Lynn and Tony immediately started clearing out of their master bedroom.

Upstairs, the noise was less deafening. Again, beer cans, plastic glasses, cigarette butts. The Mandolinis really should’ve waited to install a new carpet, Tully thought. And what a nice clean cream color it used to be, too.

Five or six people stood in the hall, shouting a conversation at each other. They nodded to Tully; she nodded back and pushed her way into Jennifer’s bedroom.

‘Hi, Tull,’ said Jennifer. Tully grunted, looking around the room. Jennifer peered into Tully’s face and at Tully’s clothes. ‘Hey, you okay?’

‘Great,’ Tully said. ‘Couldn’t be better.’ She nodded hello to Julie and Tom, who were sitting on the love seat. But Tully wasn’t that interested in her friends just then. Instead, her eyes were on someone in the room she didn’t know. A young dark boy, nearly a man, very well groomed, who looked up at Tully when she walked in. Unfortunately, there was some bimbo on his lap, marring the otherwise impressive view. Tully would have to ask Jennifer about him when she had a chance. But right now she needed to go and get changed. Trying to look un-selfconscious, Tully sauntered over to the drinks bureau.

‘Mmm, nice,’ she said to no one in particular. ‘I haven’t seen so much Coke and lemonade in a long time.’

‘You know, we are not allowed to drink if we’re not eighteen,’ said Tom from the couch.

‘Really?’ said Tully, irritated by his self-righteous tone. ‘Wow, thanks. I didn’t know that. That’s so helpful.’ She gave Julie a withering look that made Julie move a foot away from Tom.

‘But Tom,’ said Tully sarcastically, ‘did you know that though we can’t drink, we can go to Kmart and buy ourselves a teeny-weeny handgun with super-duper bullets?’

Tom made some kind of a noise. Tully continued in the same helpful tone. ‘And did you know, Tom, that not only can’t we drink even beer, but we can’t drink hard liquor until we’re twenty-one?’

Tom methodically rubbed his hands together.

‘But that’s neither here nor there, Tom,’ Tully went on. ‘What is here and there, though, is that I distinctly remember seeing you at a twenty-one-and-over club last summer, swilling those twenty-one-and-over cocktails down with an incredible twenty-one-and-over speed –’ Tully saw Julie’s astounded face.

‘Oh,’ Tully said quickly. ‘My mistake.’ She looked at Julie. ‘Ha! Must have been someone else. So many tall, skinny, freckled guys around. Of course. I’m wrong. Silly me, huh, Jule?’

‘Yes,’ said Julie, glaring at Tully. ‘Silly you.’

Moving away from them, Tully took a beer and peeked at herself in the mirror. My first party without Aunt Lena in a year and a half and look what I’m wearing. She sneaked a glance at the good-looking boy with the bimbo. He must’ve heard all that entire exchange with Tomboy. Yeah, but look how I look. Who cares what comes out of my mouth when I look like this? Tully wanted to speak with Jennifer before disappearing into the bathroom, but Jennifer was all over the place, in, out, in, out. She seemed to be enjoying herself. Tully was mildly surprised. Jennifer was usually a wallflower.

Propped up by a piece of furniture, Tully stood alone for a few minutes. Julie and Tom were kissing. Tully fought an impulse to roll her eyes. Tom held Julie with his right hand and a beer with his left. Well, I guess he’s eighteen, he can do those things, Tully thought. They weren’t the only ones kissing. The lap bimbo was making out with the cute guy.

Tully went over and sat by Julie.

‘What’s the matter?’ Julie asked.

‘Nothing. I want to dance.’

‘Let’s go.’

Tully rubbed her forehead. ‘Are there a lot of footballers?’

‘So many!’ Julie said. ‘You’re in luck.’

Tully ignored her. ‘Did Jennifer’s friend come?’

‘I think so. I haven’t been watching her every minute.’

‘Where is he?’ asked Tully.

‘Downstairs, I think.’

‘They spend much time together?’

‘Dunno,’ said Julie.

Tully shook her head. ‘How strange, don’t you think, Jule? I mean, don’t most girls like guys in the image of their fathers?’ Tully looked derisively at Tom.

Tom sat up straight. Julie laughed uncomfortably.

‘What kind of guys do you go for, Tully?’ he asked. ‘Do you go for guys who look just like your father?’

Julie stopped laughing.

Tully skipped one beat – but only one. ‘I don’t like to limit myself, Tom. I like all guys, but you should know better than most what kind I don’t like, am I right?’ said Tully. ‘Or am I wrong again?’

Julie was now glaring at Tully and at Tom.

Tom looked the other way, mumbling, ‘Oh, I’m sure you like all guys, I’m sure.’

Tully got up and walked out of the room.

‘Tom!’

‘Julie, calm down.’

‘What’s wrong with you?’

‘What did I say?’

Julie leaned close and screamed at him over the Stones, who were screaming they could get no satisfaction. ‘I’m sorry I ever told you anything about my friends, you shit!’

Tully, at this time, was demonstrating her offended feelings by pinching Jennifer’s behind on the way to the bathroom.