“That’s where your regular tattoo artist is, right?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s a parakeet.”
“I know what it is.”
“Why’d you get that?”
“They’re small birds with large personalities.”
“Like me?” I ask, slightly panicked.
It’s not that I have a problem with it, it’s just that I’m astonished by the sentiment if the tattoo was actually intended to represent me.
“Don’t read too much into it. I was on a five-hour layover and needed something to do, so I got the ink. I like birds and I like fish. The bird looked cooler.”
“Oh.” I switch back to our original conversation. “So you’re really not going to tell me what the deal is with Tiger and Proctor?”
“There’s nothing to tell, Mia.”
He’s being short with me.
“Why are you annoyed?”
“I’m not annoyed.”
“Mmm, I think you’re keeping something from me. You’ve never been the best liar.”
“I’m not lying. You’re just trying to create drama where there is none.”
“No worries, Bacchetti. I’ll find out exactly what’s going on when I go to the game Saturday.”
Rush’s neck stiffens.
“What game?”
“The one with Tiger. Remember, he invited me to that charity softball game at Yankee Stadium? It’s this weekend.”
I place a moist hot pad on Rush’s left shoulder and neck and continue my ministrations of his muscles on the opposite side.
“I um, I didn’t think you were still going to that,” he says, almost tripping over his words. “I mean you haven’t brought it up at all… at home.”
“There was nothing to talk about it. It’s not like it’s some sort of big black-tie event or anything, which I’d love to go to one day by the way, hint-hint. Maybe you’ll take me to the Espy Awards?”
“So you’re going to go?”
“Why do you sound like that? Yes, I’m going to go. Is there a reason I shouldn’t?”
There is silence between us as I remove the heating pad and place a new one on the other opposite side of his neck.
“I think it will be fun,” I continue talking. “I haven’t been to a softball game in years.”
“And so you don’t mind the entire locker room knowing that you’re going out with him, but it’s a problem if they know that we live together?”
I look around just to make sure no one is eavesdropping on our conversation, even though I know no one is scheduled to be in this room but us.
“Seriously, Rush?”
