Poison and Cure

X - Oliver

بسم الله
In the name of God
September 1st, 2004 11:21pm
Lawrenceville, GA, McAthens Library of Science

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"You're new here, right?"

A pretty young woman around my age smiles at me. She's wearing a teal ankle-length satin dress and an open white oversized fur coat; her feet are covered with white ankle boots with silver charms. Her make-up is barely there as her naturally pale skin peeks behind the rosy blush and red lipstick.

"Yes, I am. I accidentally lost the person I came with," I say, feeling intrigued at the sight. She reminds me of someone, but I can't place who.

Mr. Silas and I are attending another Medical Award show, this time he's a nominee, as usual, but his other friend whom I don't know is almost guaranteed to win the Award Of Influence.

"Oh, really? Well, you can stay with me if you'd like," she says, clasping her hand in an excited expression, "And I can show you around."

I hesitate, "I'd rather not wander just in case he comes back."

She nods, lifting the filled flute glass to her red-stained lips, "Yeah, that's what my husband wishes I would do when he wanders off. Say, have you ever met Edgar? Uh, Edgar Queen?"

"No, I haven't," I say, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, thank God. He's the worst."

"Ah."

"He's my husband," she states, looking displeased and highly pleased at the same time, "And we're not on the best of terms."

"Oh," I say lightly, wishing that she'd stop talking to me.

"He cheated on me with me. See, he didn't know it was me since this was entirely online, but when we met in person, he had the audacity to get angry at me when he's the one who cheated," she says, then immediately downing the beverage in her hand before grabbing another one of an approaching tray.

I nod, feigning sympathy, "Are you... Are you sure you should be telling me this?"

"Oh, I trust you. As I was saying, I cheated on him with him, too."

"Um..."

She nods, sipping a blueberry scented beverage from her glass, "Afterwards, he used handcuffs and we ha-"

"I think you may want to stop here."

"-x and turns out that's all we needed to realize that we were, in fact, perfect for each other."

"Your relationship sounds terrible," I say, my words accidentally falling out, "I'm so sorry, astaghfirAllaah."

"No, you're right," she says with a shrug, "But it's fun, and horrid people like us deserve each other. After all, it would be unjust for us to separate and ruin someone else's good soul, hm?"

"...I suppose."

"Are you married?"

"No, unfortunately," I exhale, glancing over at Mr. Silas.

"Do you want to be?"

"Yes," I say, before wondering why am I even answering a stranger's prying question.

"Really? Well, it's good that you're here, then," Adelaide says, nodding approvingly. "It's good breeding grounds at award shows. What's your type?"

"Um..." I glance at my employer again, seeing him conversate with a White man around his age, "Smart. Dedicated to Islam. Not much."