“Coop?”
“Yeah, it’s me.”
“Are you in jail?”
“No.”
“The hospital?”
“Nope.”
“Then, dude, I’m going to kick your ass at training tomorrow. It’s three fucking a.m. What the hell do you want?”
“Sleep eludes me.”
“What?”
“I can’t sleep.”
“And that’s my problem because?”
“Owens asked to resign or rather she told me she was resigning.”
Saint’s phone starts to make rustling sounds. I think I hear his wife Sabrina cursing me out in the background. He tells her that it’s me on the phone and that she should go back to sleep. I should feel guilty that I’ve woken her up too, but I don’t. I’ve decided it’s all Owens’ fault. She’s to blame.
“You called me at this time of night to discuss employee problems?”
“Yes.”
“You’re upset that she quit?”
“Fuck yeah. I’m pissed.”
“Did you think she was going to stay with you indefinitely? You probably suck to work for.”
“It’s only been three years not thirty! I’m in the middle of some of the most important work in my life right now. I’m at the prime of my career. I’m opening the school. I’m thinking of buying some other properties. She can’t leave. She picked the worst time to decide to leave.”
“So you hire someone else, Coop. Ursula is not the only capable assistant out there.”
“She’s the only assistant!”
Saint is quiet for a moment.
“Dude, you’re losing it.”
“I’m tired as fuck. Sorry.”
“Are you sure this isn’t about something else?”
“Such as?”
I get up and put on a baseball cap. Then I slide my cell phone inside of it next to my ear, so I won’t have to hold it. I start scouring the kitchen for something half decent to eat and end up slamming the refrigerator closed. All I have is healthy shit in here. No white sugar, no white flour my ass. I want Oreos.
“Do you have feelings for her?”
“Have you been hit in the head too many times?”
“Have you? You’re the one calling me in the middle of the night over some girl.”
