The Stacks

Chapter 13: Red, Red Wine

Song: "Red, Red Wine" by UB40 ft. Bob Marley

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The rest of the week was kind of a blur. All I could think about was seeing Harry again on Saturday. I decided not to keep anything from Beth from now on because things were moving quickly with Harry and I needed advice! Well, that and she was one of my best friends. She came home with me after work on Friday and I actually fed her; granted, it was only soup and crackers, but still, I resisted the urge to order out. However, we had stopped and bought ice cream on the way home even though it was rather frigid outside.

"So, are you going to his place?" Beth asked as we sat down to enjoy our soup.

The question made me stop and think. "No, actually. I think he's cooking dinner for me here. I haven't been to his place yet."

She sat up and gasped dramatically. "What if he really is homeless and he's trying to hide it from you?"

I shook my head. "Shut up, will you? If he was homeless, then how did he suddenly find a stash of clean clothes - nice clothes, I might add - and a shower to use every day?"

"Yeah, you're probably right. But do you think he's hiding something?"

"No, why would he be?" I asked, having no idea why she was so suspicious. "He told me that he likes to get out of the house. I assume that's because there are too many memories there."

"Okay, that makes a lot of sense," she admitted. "But you might want to ask him about it if he doesn't invite you over to his place, let's say by the end of the year."

"Fine, that sounds reasonable," I relented.

We finished our dinner and Beth got the ice cream from the freezer. She brought two spoons over to the couch, setting the tub between us.

"This is dangerous," I said after my first bite.

"You were just telling me that he's perfectly normal, and now you're saying he's dangerous?" Beth asked.

"No, you weirdo! The ice cream is dangerous, especially with the whole container sitting right here. I can't resist Butter Brickle."

"It's toffee crunch, you weirdo," Beth teased.

"Same diff, it has pieces of toffee in it, I call it Butter Brickle."

She scoffed, "What does that even mean?"

"I honestly don't know," I laughed in defeat. "My parents would always call toffee ice cream Butter Brickle. I think it had to do with some old-fashioned candy bar."

"Your family is weird," she remarked. She had been home with me numerous times, so often in fact that she was like a part of the family.

"You are so right," I nodded.

We ate in silence for a long time. Finally, I got up and put the stupid tub of ice cream away, against Beth's protests, because I could literally feel my hips starting to get wider. We started getting ready for bed, since she decided just to crash at my place for the night.

"So, don't you think it will be weird to have sex with him knowing he was married? " Beth asked, completely out of the blue as she washed her face.

"Um, A, we're not even close to that point yet and B, why would I feel weird?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, just because he was with one person for so long, maybe he expects things to be a certain way."

"How many ways are there to have have sex?" I laughed. I shouldn't have asked that question.