Despite the fact that he actually didn't have much to do, the week went by faster than previously thought. Perhaps he should have started a leisure group after all, or at least enrolled in a continuing education seminar like some of his colleagues did, then his workday would last a little longer and his brain would be challenged more. There are sure will be appointments like this again in a month, so he wasn't really missing anything. Nevertheless, he had the feeling that he was not acting productively enough. It was probably just because others his age achieved more. Again he tried to shake off such negative thoughts, because it actually wasn't going badly for him. Yet this nonsense kept creeping into his head.
But for the next two days he should probably be thinking about something else. It sounded of course, like a nice weekend with his friend and he was looking forward to it too. Still, he now had to think about talking to Erica again. He didn't find the subject any better than his miserable life. Now he had practically promised Stan to talk to her again. Not this weekend, but still, he already realized that things weren't going to be done that easily. He also saw that his friend was right about certain points about the conversation at the bus stop. Still, he couldn't think of how or when to make it clear to this woman that he was sorry. After all, he couldn't very well invite her to a cafe or something and apologize again, only this time with a caramel soy latte or whatever she liked to drink. He was still firmly of the opinion that she didn't really want to see him again either, otherwise she would have called and thanked him for bringing the handbag. Well, actually he pushed the thing to Stan and this handed her the bag, but the result was the same. After all, he could have just left the thing where it was, because it didn't belong to him. But he would know that he saw the purse and then ignored it. Also a little bit, the thought nagged at him that Erica was doing this on purpose. But it sounded too absurd that she left an expensive accessory to test him. For whatever the reason. Surely he read too much into it, once again, and she was just tired that evening, so mishaps can happen. As if he had never accidentally forgotten his things somewhere. Yes, but not directly on the street.
On the other hand, the coffee shop seemed like a date. So on a romantic basis. He shook his head because he had met other people in places like this and wasn't romantically interested in them. The redhead didn't know why he was making such a big deal out of it. If his friend comes here, he'll ask for Erica's number and send her a message. If she rejected his idea, all he could do was delete the phone number and leave it at that. But then he was allowed to say to himself that he had tried it. That all sounded easier thought than done. Unfortunately, even if she agreed to meet again, he still didn't have the right words for her to understand that he was truly sorry for his past behavior. Keeping apologizing probably wouldn't help either and it sounded a little like his record had gotten stuck.
But for tonight, it was all about spending some time with his best friend again. Anyway, after all these years, he was still telling himself that Stan was still his best friend. He probably doesn't even want to know what the other person thought about it. They went through so much as a twosome, and in not infrequently as a quartet, and looking back, he didn't always act in such a way as to get the best out for his friends. Today he saw some things more clearly and yet some things didn't change.
The doorbell rang and he put the magazine down so that although it was open on his lap, he didn't read a line of it because his thoughts were elsewhere. He didn't want to redesign his apartment anyway so that positive energies could flow through better. So the magazine ended up back on the coffee table where he found it and he got up to open the door. His buddy was a little late and he could have read his book in the meantime. But surely that would have been for nothing, considering what was buzzing around in his head. He wouldn't have minded if Stan hadn't shown up either. At least he wasn't allowed to mention it, because how often had he been invited to barbecue parties and other stuff and he simply canceled because he didn't want to spoil the mood with his condition. Only now, it gradually dawned on him that maybe one just wanted to see him. Because since last week's event, he noticed that he missed a lot of this city. Well, not exactly the weirdness of this place.
"Um, hey Kenny?" He greeted this a bit irritated, because he hadn't really expected this one and he looked out again, but the expected guest was nowhere in sight. It wasn't that badly lit in front of the door either. Hopefully the blond man didn't come here as a substitute, because then the evening would be really oppressive. But that was also his fault, because he wasn't very good at maintaining contacts.
"Well, we look really excited. You probably wanted to be alone with Stan. Don't worry, if it gets too romantic, I'll fuck off again." The guy teased him in amusement, but after a light tap on his shoulder, this just went in.
"It's okay. Do you want a drink already?" Kyle offered after closing the door again, also hoping that the black-haired man wasn't thinking of a house party or anything when he invited him last week. After all, these things could well remain in the old days.
"First a coke, if you have something like that in the house. The other two are taking their time, huh?" The jacket was hung on the hook at the entrance and the man followed him into the kitchen, where he handed his first guest a glass and a bottle. He was aware that it was his father's stuff, but this didn't want to take that much sugar anyway.
"The other two?" As he grabbed a bottle of ginger soda, it dawned on him how Stan took his words. This drew the conclusion that the four of them would spend the evening. His stomach knotted slightly at the realization that Erica might show up too. That is, if she wants it. He hoped more that she was too busy for that today. But on a Saturday night, his chances that she would work seemed slim. But maybe she was going on a date with her lucky boyfriend.
"I mean Stan and Erica. Judging by your look, you probably wanted to stay just for two." Kenny said a little mock disappointed and marched back to the door.
"No, sit down. That was rude of me. I just thought you had better things to do than sit around the house with someone who doesn't show up that often. Except for the class reunion, we didn't see each other much and I thought .." The redhead was simply interrupted while he was talking.
"It's fine, already. You don't have to get on your knees in front of me. Life can be stressful, I know that myself." His first guest took his absence all the time very calmly. Well, as you get older, two years seems like nothing. Inwardly, he wondered if it really had been that long since he had to give up this sport. Both of them made themselves comfortable in silence in the living room.
"Okay, let's be clear now. You don't really have a problem with her?" Kyle looked into the other's face again because this seemed more serious now. The sentences sounded more like I hope you don't have a problem with her or you'll get one with me.
"Now what makes you think that?" Maybe he should have asked who is meant, but it was very clear to him that it was about Erica. Again. But maybe he could learn more about her from Kenny without questioning him too suspiciously. On his date with Heidi, he didn't really dare to talk about her. Her name wasn't mentioned often that evening, but the woman's facial expressions were enough to signal that he should avoid the subject. Something was up in the bush. Still, he found the meeting really nice and Stan made him nervous for no reason, because they were just two adults chatting about this and that while eating sushi. Nothing more happened, although she said he could get in touch if he stayed in South Park again. But he didn't mention tonight because he simply forgot. But if he felt like it, he could still contact her tomorrow. It should irritate him that this meeting with Heidi was so easy. But it didn't.
"Well, your behavior last week wasn't very friendly. You didn't really have to throw up because of her, did you?" The blond man inquired after he downed a large sip of his drink. The subject with Erica was also difficult for this, he thought to himself.
"No of course not. Besides, you didn't seem like my demeanor bothered you. Didn't you leave earlier too?" But when asked, Kyle didn't really remember exactly when that happened, because his focus was elsewhere.
"If I screwed up the night, Wendy would have jumped on me. She always goes to the trouble of organizing things like this with Bebe. A barbecue evening by the lake would have done the trick too, in my opinion." Was explained a little more casually and he had to agree with a nod, because this suggested place didn't seem so conscientious and formal.
"I guess Stan didn't tell you I still talked to her." He sounded a little like defending himself here, when he hadn't done anything. At least not in the present time.
"Oh, but I heard that from Erica. You're such a gentleman. Sneaking up on helpless women at night when they're alone." It was said as if he had done it on purpose and he really wasn't that type of guy.
"Listen! I didn't..." He raised his voice a little to be clear, but the other quickly cut him off.
"Kyle, I'm just kidding. This woman is anything but helpless. If you get too close to her uninvited, she'll let you know." Kenny leaned back on the other end of the sofa before continuing.
"But why did you ignore her in the first place? Were you scared of her?" Was asked now of him and he wasn't sure if he felt fear exactly when he thought of Erica. But maybe something like that.
"I thought she didn't even want to talk to me. When she saw me at the buffet, she didn't seem very enthusiastic and later I don't really know if anything changed. She is so unreadable, if you can put it that way." He explained the situation as best as he could, although he thought it was probably more complicated.
"Oh man! She was just nervous." The blond man laughed a little because he supposedly didn't understand the simplest things here.
"Because of me?" He asked a little irritated, because Erica was already very self-confident, so a man like him could hardly worry her.
"Of course. Ever since she heard you'd be at the reunion, she's been debating whether she shouldn't be there. Good old Butters persuaded her to just show up with him as a bodyguard." At least that explained to him why she was so attached to this guy at the beginning of the event and why he assumed at first that the two were married. At least not yet, because apparently they are already a couple.
"I don't understand that." He added, as that seemed a bit excessive for Kyle.
"You don't understand why a girl is afraid that that asshole that broke her heart years ago is still the same?" Kenny explained to him and he sighed in concern. Also to break eye contact.
"Fine. I understand THAT." A moment passed in which he tried not to take the statement from the other person the wrong way. Laying it out in the open was true, but he expected such things from Erica. Why was he so surprised that his first guest didn't treat him with kid gloves like Stan? Kenny and Erica were probably better at maintaining friendships than he was. His reaction from just now must have hung on him since he was a kid, because back then he didn't like it when Cartman had ideas and his other two buddies supported those things either. But today wasn't about stupid boy pranks. Too bad actually. As an adult, he knew how to fix most of the problems from back then. But no, now he was being served heavier chunks.
"Do you think I should really apologize again or just stick with this one conversation?" After all, multiple opinions on the subject couldn't hurt.
"Oh please, don't ask me that. I'm really bad at such consultations." But the guy next to him raised his hands defensively. The gesture to signal that this probably didn't want anything to do with it. He thought Kenny was too late for that as this was already bringing up the subject.
"Don't your proteges sometimes have trouble making decisions, too?" The redhead remembered what the other one did every day.
"Hm?" Then the guy looked at him in surprise, as if this hadn't expected it.
"You're still a street worker, aren't you?" At least Stan hasn't mentioned anything else lately. Maybe this was a little lost because he was too nervous about the big question for Wendy throughout the day.
"Yes, you caught me. You asked about me, how sweet. But I'm not single anymore." The man leaned over to him with a grin and slapped him lightly on the thigh.
"But pretty silly for that." The redhead commented with a rolling of his eyes and still had to smile briefly.
"But seriously, the job can't be easy." At least, Kyle wasn't imagining it to be like that.
"Sometimes like this, sometimes like that." Kenny leaned back again and looked elsewhere, as if this had to think of something that the guy didn't want to tell him. He had great respect for what the other did in terms of work with children. He didn't even have to ask, because he could imagine that the blond wanted to give others a better childhood than this had himself.
"And sometimes you get the latest trends." It was then continued in a cheerful tone and the painted fingernails were presented, which he had been noticing all along.
"Oh, that's why the green fingernails."
"Don't be jealous." There was another brief quiet moment between them, but the mood felt more relaxed now. At least that's what the housekeeper assumed.
"But if you absolutely want to hear my opinion, that is, as far as Erica is concerned, then yes. You really should talk to her again. She can be difficult and stubborn, but unlike before, she's gotten really nicer. At least I prefer her more now."
"Have you checked with Stan? He mentioned something like that too." He said a little clueless, but not really serious.
"Probably because he couldn't explain it any better either. Must have experienced it. Ok, not really a must, but you know what I'm trying to say." Kyle just nodded as if he understood so as not to waste all the time just chatting about her. It would only make him more nervous because she might show up today as well. But the truth was that he had no idea what was being conveyed to him here. He kind of wished he could handle the situation like he used to, but punching Erica in the arm and throwing 'Listen to me, fatass!' it in the face didn't really pull him out of the mess. His throat went dry, so he allowed himself the rest of his soda.
"Do you think she's attractive?" Kenny suddenly threw an unexpected question to his head that he almost spat his drink back into the glass because he wanted to inhale in repulsion.
"Excuse me?" Actually, he had no problem with the question, but with the tone of his interlocutor. As if things didn't seem tricky enough with Erica, there was no need to poke fun at it.
"You've understood me correctly." Was just replied and he was pierced with a sharp look. He tried, rolling his eyes in annoyance and shaking his head in the same mood. He was a grown man and things like that happen, but even with the blond guy, it occurred to him that it might be better not to say what he was thinking when he first saw her in the supermarket. You don't pour gasoline on a fire to put it out, because that's how the little detail struck him about how he felt about her appearance.