43. "Are you drunk?"

Ring, ring.

"…Hello?"

"Lizzie!"

"…Red?"

"Are you sleeping, Lizzie? Wake up!"

"Red, it's four in the morning. What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Oh, it's not that late where I am!"

"So, are you gonna apologize for waking me and hang up the phone?"

"What? Lizzie, I can't hear you, it's very loud here!"

"Then why did you call me?"

"Because I missed you! I wanted to talk!"

"…Are you drunk?"

"Yes, of course, Lizzie, I thought that was obvious!"

"Well, perhaps it would be to someone who's working on more than four hours of sleep."

"Oh, you should sleep more, Lizzie!"

"Believe me, I'm trying."

"Oh…should I hang up?"

"…No, forget it, I'm awake now."

"Oh, good! I don't want to hang up yet!"

"Yes, I can tell. Where are you anyway?"

"Lithuania!"

"Are the booze good there?"

"Oh, yes, Lizzie! You'd love the beer I'm having, it tastes like apples!"

"Interesting. And how many of those have you had?"

"Oh, I lost count an hour ago! One of my associates, Harthur, is buying them for us!"

"Who's us?"

"Dembe and I! But he's had a lot less to drink than me, he's going to drive us back to the hotel soon!"

"Could I talk to Dembe for a second?"

"Don't you want to talk to me anymore, Lizzie?"

"Yes, I do, Red. Don't hang up, just give the phone to Dembe for a second."

"Oh, all right, hang on…"

…

"Hello, Elizabeth. I told him not to call you because you'd be sleeping but he's had quite a bit to drink."

"Yeah, I can tell. But it's fine. I just want to make sure you're okay to drive."

"I am sober, Elizabeth. I have only had one beer."

"Okay, good. I'm just checking, it's not like I can drive to Lithuania and pick him up."

"I understand. He will appreciate your thoughtfulness in the morning."

"Well, I certainly hope so."

"Will you indulge him now? He is not usually like this."

"Sure, it's not like I have work or anything in the morning."

"But tomorrow is Thursday."

"Exactly…Whatever, it's fine, I'll talk to him."

"Thank you, Elizabeth. He wants the phone back now."

"Put him on, Dembe. And please be careful. Bring him back in one piece, yeah?"

"I will."

…

"Lizzie? Are you still there?"

"Yes, I'm still here. Is Harthur still buying?"

"Oh, yes! He fell off his stool a minute ago! He's so funny, Lizzie!"

"Oh yeah? Why don't you tell me about him?"

"Okay! Well, first of all, he's got the silliest mustache, it looks like a handlebar! What is that called again, Lizzie?"

"A handlebar mustache?"

"Oh, yes, that's it! Well, anyway, he's been telling us the funniest stories about him and his donkey Gerard…"

"Mhm…"