Misery County

Chapter 7 - Part 3

"Hey, Cassie, can I confide something in you?"

"Go for it, partner."

"When I was with Nevena this morning, I –" The words caught in his throat, like his own body was resisting him. "I almost spoke about what I – what we do."

"You were always the one to tell me not to tell anyone about these things."

"Yeah, I know. That's why I'm a bit surprised at myself. There's just something mesmerizing about her. Like when I look into her eyes, I just want to unload all of my problems, which is stupid because there's nothing she could do to help me with them anyway."

"Yeah, and you've always got me to unload your problems on anyway."

Eric was a bit taken aback by that comment. "Uh, yeah, I guess I do, though you know I'd never burden you with that. I'd never burden anyone with that. That's what makes it so weird that I almost spilled the beans with Nevena."

"I know I joked about this earlier, but in all seriousness, are you in love or something?"

"I'm definitely not in love. I don't know what it is. It's like there's some overwhelming chemical attraction that makes me put logic and reason to the side."

"Is that really healthy for you?"

"I don't know."

"But you're thinking about it clearly now."

"Yeah, I am. Thinking about it now, I can't even imagine what it must have been that made me the way I was last night and this morning."

"Eric, I know you're going to accuse me of trying to break up your happiness..."

"Oh, here it comes."

"...but don't you think that maybe you should, you know, not see her?"

"This again? Come on, Cassie. It ain't often I get such attention from attractive women. Weirdness aside, shouldn't I get to enjoy it on the rare moments that the planets align?"

"Hey, you're the one telling me that you become a blubbering fool around her. Frankly, I thought this was what you wanted to hear."

Eric grunted in disagreement.

"Well then what is it you want to hear?" Cassie asked.

"Good question. If I figure that out, I'll get back to you."

Their conversation was interrupted as a ringtone cut through the restaurant, the offending device vibrating in Eric's pocket.

"Let me get that real quick," he said as he pulled his phone out. "Hm, unknown number. I wonder who that could be."

"One way to find out, partner."

Eric answered the phone with his usual greeting. He was not at all prepared for the voice on the other end.

"Hey, stud, just calling to check in on you," came Nevena's soothing tones.

"Oh, hi, yeah, I'm fine. How did you get this number?"

"Well I'm fine too. Thanks for asking. You gave me the number, remember?"

"No, I –" Eric was getting distracted by Cassie making exaggerated gagging motions across the table from him. He fought to suppress a chuckle. "I don't remember that," he said through failed attempts.

"Perhaps good memory isn't one of your strengths."

"If these past two days have taught me anything, it's that you're right about that."

"Well then make sure you remember this. Tonight, my place, me and you."

"Tonight?"

Cassie was shooting daggers at him.

"I suppose I can do that," he said.

Across the table, Cassie threw her arms up in frustration.

"How wonderful," Nevena's voice came like a slither over the phone. "I'll be waiting for you then, lover boy."

Cassie miming herself hanging from a noose was as sure a sign as any that she'd heard that last bit. Eric cursed his hearing loss and the corresponding need to have the volume on his phone turned up to the max.

"Yeah, all right, see you th–" Eric was interrupted by the phone line being cut. "Uh, I think the connection dropped or something," he said to Cassie.

"That or your booty call needs to go through sensitivity training."

"Yeah, whatever. Come on, let's blow this joint. I could use some fresh air."