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CHAPTER FOUR
I don't think my week could have gone better. Not only was stress starting to be less on the job, but my brother, Ryan, was actually coming to see me.
He was going to be staying with me for a few days. I think when I called him drunk as a skunk about a week ago he became concerned for my well-being. I assured him I was fine, but he insisted he come catch up with me on the road so that he can check up on me. Who was I to argue? Him saying that couldn't have made me happier.
He was to meet up with me on Thursday night. We had already decided that he was going to get me away from my job and out into civilization again. I could hardly wait.
When Thursday evening rolled around, I was nearly bouncing off the walls with excitement. I had waited for this for so long and now that the time had finally come for me to actually get to hang out with someone, I wasn't sure what to do with myself. The first thing I thought of, though, was I needed to call Not Telling. I had to tell her.
As soon as I heard her pick up I started talking. "Okay, I lied, I'm calling on Thursday instead of Friday, or Saturday, or whenever it was I told you I'd call."
"Someone's of the giddy," she commented. She didn't sound as happy as I thought she would, but I brushed it off.
"Today has just been… it's just been… well, it's been one of the best I've had in a long time and I can't really get into details and all that shit, but I wanted to share it… with you."
There was silence on the other end. For a moment, I thought maybe she had hung up.
"Not Telling?"
"I'm here, I'm here. I'd ask you to elaborate just to hear you like this."
"I'm just…" My thought trailed off and I couldn't help but laugh. Pure joy was radiating through my system, just bursting to get out.
"Are you jumping up and down?"
"I was," I said, still laughing. I heard her laugh, too, then heard her emit a groan. "What's wrong?"
"No changing the subject. Not this time."
"I…kinda took my own advice," I said sheepishly. I flopped down on the couch, still unable to wipe the smile off my face. "I called for reinforcements."
"Reinforce…"
"My brother got here a little bit ago…" I stopped, afraid I may have said too much already. I wasn't ready to disclose any more information than necessary about myself. Hell, I didn't even know much about her.
"So you're going to go cause all kinds of trouble?"
"Maybe? What about you?"
"Eh…I'm just trying to get rid of this migraine,"
I closed my eyes feeling stupid for not recognizing she was in pain. "I'm sorry, here I am bouncing off the walls probably making it worse for you."
"Don't you dare hang up or I'll hunt you down and kick your ass and there goes your night out raising hell with your brother."
"Hell, it might be worth it just to see you try."
And would I! Just talking to her did all kinds of things to me…but to actually see her…
"Right, ya wimp, you'd never tell me anything that would help me find you."
"Wimp? Right, woman, you'll see. You're gonna eat those words…someday," I added, hoping it was just enough to keep her hooked. I heard her giggle on the other end."Anyhow, back to you," I continued. "Did you take anything?"
"The usual," she replied.
"Excedrin Migraine and Diet Pepsi," I rattled off, having heard her talk of this several times. I knew this mix as well as I knew her phone number. "Is it working this time?"
"It better," she muttered.
"Well, at least it isn't Motrin and Gatorade, or I'd know you were out drinking and being a shameless hussy." I heard her laugh and then groan again. "Oh wait…that was it, wasn't it?"
"Not yet. You're not the only one planning on going out and raising hell."
"Ah, tomorrow's Friday. Girl's Night."
"Damn straight."
"Poor Disabled Indian Girl too?" She had told me bits and pieces about each of the girls she hung out with for her Girl's Nights. It seemed we shared a lot without really sharing anything. We still didn't know specifics about each other, but we knew enough to get by, at least for now.
"She's driving."
"And this time, we can trade stories instead of me just living vicariously through you." I felt proud of that. For once I was actually getting to go out and have a life, rather than hear all about everyone else's interesting lives.
"You have adventures of your own," she pointed out.
"Yeah, but this time…" I stopped once again. What was it about her that made me want to just spill my guts when I was talking to her, but yet held me back every time I did? "Does it bother you?"
"Does what bother me?"
"Not…knowing, not really knowing. Does it bother you?"
"Sometimes," she admitted. "Sometimes more than you would possibly know."
"Interesting." I paused and thought about that, opening up a can of Dr. Pepper. "You know, I had a dream about you." Why was I telling her this?
"Did you really?"
"Mmm hmmm, it was rather intriguing." I took a drink as a smile came on my face once again. "I think that's another reason why I had to call you."
"Are you going to elaborate, or change the subject on me again?"
Might as well just spill it all…I had already dove to deep to back out now."You know how sometimes when you answer the phone you're kinda breathless? Those times when you say you had to run to get the phone?"
"Yes…" she said, sounding unsure about it.
"You've gotta stop doing that."
"And if I don't?"
"Are you forgetting? I have your number. I can find you," I said, a slight smirk on my face.
"Promises, promises," she teased. "I'll believe it when I see it."
"Bet me."
"You're a liar and a tease."
"One of these days I'm going to prove you wrong," I said. She hadn't replied yet when I heard someone knocking at my door, most likely Ryan. "Damn… guess we'll have to continue this some other time. Until later…"
"Wait a minute, hold up," she cut me off. "Does it bother you?"
"Does what bother…oh, the not knowing?
""Right."
I paused for a moment, but figured I might as well be honest.
"Yes…yes. Yes."
"What did you say?"
"You heard me. Until later, Not Telling."
I refused to say goodbye to her. I hated saying goodbye. To me, saying goodbye was like telling someone you weren't going to see or talk to them ever again. I had done that once in my lifetime…fairly recently actually, and I didn't want to have to think about it happening again.
"Until later, Not John."
I hung up the phone as I was walking towards the door. I opened it up and there was Ryan, with that same grin I knew was plastered to my own face.
"Ready, bro?"
"Are you kidding me? I've been ready. Let's go tear up the town!"
