Z-A: A Troublesome Triangle

Break time over, the band returned to the stage for a final set. They mixed traditional with today's sound. Some Tom Petty, trashy Twisted Sister and Tin Lizzy, a crazy Tom Waits tune, a Tammy Wynette tear-jerker, some Turtles, a twangy Randy Travis/Travis Tritt medley, some Tool, and even backup for an audience member who did a passable Tina Turner. Set over, the band took a bow, high-fived and, tension relieved, took off.

After the trauma of making it through the tunes and their tablature, Xavier threaded his way through the throng to order a tequila from the bar. While passing through the thrashing, turbulent, some tumbling, some teetering, teeming thousands (or so it seemed), Xavier spotted a solitary woman, a face in the crowd. An unforgettable face, a blast from his past, quite a throwback. Actually, quite a tease, a tantalizing thrill! He approached her with some trepidation.

"Tiffany?"
She looked up at him.
"Xavier, you were terrific."
"Thanks. What brings you...?"
"Oh, things have been...troublesome, sorta tense. I needed a night out, some tranquility, just, y'know, therapy."
This was too tempting, worth taking a shot. Was he thinking, or reacting to a tidal wave of testosterone?
"You wanna go, I don't know, get a cup of tea somewhere?"
Forget the tequila. This was "teetotaling Tiffany".
"Sure, I'd love to take you up on that."

They trekked over to her parked Toyota Tercel. She knew a place, a glorified truckstop, where they could talk over old times.
Then, the unmistakable trill of the telephone. Xavier opened it, saw the caller ID (Wendy), grimaced, and said "Ah, hi there."
"Xavier, I've been thinking about what I said. I wanted to apologize. I was way too...terse. Can we...?"
"Who's that?", Tiffany interrupted.
"Who's THAT?", Wendy asked.
"Well, isn't this thorny?" thought Xavier. A tragic triangle, a tinderbox. Any response will take its tortuous toll.
He just needed time. He felt on trial, and for now, he'd "take the fifth".
Without a word, he touched the button that terminated the call.
"Just a telemarketer", he answered Tiffany.