“Laura…” I don’t need her to do that.
“No.” She shakes her head, then wipes her face. “I will earn your trust again.” I watch her walk right out the front door, turn right, and disappear.
Well, crap. She was supposed to close tonight. I hope she returns soon. I wanted to get a bike ride in. It’s been a few days, and I need it.
Except, she doesn’t come back. I close up shop and decide to stop by her place before I head home. Her place is dark when I step up on to her porch. I knock, but there’s no answer. I ring her doorbell. Nothing. I’ve tried texting her several times, but she’s not responding. Rubbing my face, I contemplate using the spare key, but for the first time in forever, I’m not sure I should enter her place.
That’s what we’ve always done. We barge in without asking. Maybe that was her thinking that night when she and Nate decided to invade my privacy.
Deciding against letting myself in, I walk slowly back to my car. My phone chimes from my purse. Hoping it’s Laura, I grab it quickly and see a text from Nate.
Nate: You done being pissed? I need a favor.
Well, crud. I think I am done but not sure I’m ready to see him just yet.
Me: Can’t say I’m over it, but what do you need?
It’s the least I can do, right? I can see what he requires and help if I can because he did that for me.
Nate: If you’re finished up at the shop, can you come to my place?
That does not sound like a good idea.
Me: ???
Nate:Please?
Me:Fine. I’ll be there in a few minutes.
He lives two blocks from here, so a few minutes is probably overestimating.
Nate:Thanks.
In my car, I try to reach Laura one more time. She doesn’t answer her phone. It’s worrying me. I fiddle with the bike spoke bracelet that Nate gave me. A bracelet I haven’t taken off since he gifted it to me. I stare down at it. I’ve been confused lately. And depressed, if I’m being completely honest here. Depressed about Travis––his text messages and his request to stop making my car payment. Depressed because I stayed with that jerk-off for way too long and that my rotten relationship with him is impacting my relationships now.
I sigh. “Maybe I should talk to someone.” I’ve contemplated therapy in the past, except now, I’m no longer covered by Travis’s insurance, so I’d have to pay out of pocket. I can’t afford that. Not with the impending doom of the car payment. It’s too bad I didn’t have a family too. Then, his excuse would be bogus. “What if I got pregnant?” Oh, goodness, that would be disastrous. Who would I ever talk into knocking me up? Nate?
“Ha.” No way would he want to have anything to do with that. And I’d never ask him since our relationship is tumultuous to say the least. One minute we’re talking and enjoying each other’s company, the next he’s saying or doing something so flucking enraging I can’t bear to speak to him. “No.” I’d never ask him for that. Besides, the trial will be over long before I could ever find someone to do the deed.
Except, what about artificial insemination?
Too expensive.
“And why am I thinking about a baby? Now?” Alone in my car, I groan at my outlandish thoughts.
Pulling away from the curb, I drive as slowly as possible to Nate’s house. “What could he possibly need?”
His door is wide open when I step up onto his porch. Still, I knock. When there’s no response, I ring the bell. There seems to be a common thread running through my evening. “Nate?” I say through the screen door.
“Back here.” He says from somewhere in his house. “Come in. Hurry.”
Oh boy. I open the door and step into his foyer. “Where are you?”
“Bedroom.” And then he coughs. “Down the hallway.”
I walk slowly because I’m a bit fearful about what I’m going to see. I step up to the first open door and peek inside. It’s a home office. Nothing fancy. There’s a desk with a computer and a lamp on it and an office chair. Not much else. The second door is closed, so I keep going. I peek inside the third room and see it’s larger than the office––probably the main bedroom. I spot him immediately. He’s on the bed, lying on his back, bare chested, wearing what I would assume is his underwear.
“Nate?”
