David found himself a cold soda while he waited for the popcorn to finish. When the phone rang, he grabbed it before the second ring.

"Elliot's"

"Sorry to call so late, Dave."

He smiled.

"Didn't I say you could wake me up if you wanted to?" Pulling out a chair at the kitchen table, he sat down and stretched his legs out.

"It's not that urgent."

"It doesn't have to be." From the back ground noise he could tell I was on the rode somewhere. The fatigue in my voice bothered him.

"Where are you?"

"I think I'm lost."

"Want me to come to the rescue? You could send up flares or something."

"One wrong turn in construction and I can't tell north from south."

"Well, that's easy. Go toward the tall buildings and you'll eventually hit the lake. It's large and very hard to miss."

My chuckle was better than the fatigue he had been hearing. "This is better. I just found Yorkshire."

A car horn blared in the background.

"Sorry for the tangent… why did I call you?"

He laughed, softly. "I don't care. I'm just glad you did."

"Tell me what you've been doing today while I try to remember."

"I had a quiet Sunday. Sis kabobs for dinner. There are leftovers if you're interested."

Instead of a comeback, I sighed. "You can shoot me anytime."

"What did you forget?"

"I have a fifty page screenplay due Monday.

"Ouch… okay, you got more than a little distracted. Which professor?"

"Douglas."

David smiled as Nanci came into the kitchen, he whispered to her, "It's Jaidyn."

Nanci smiled, finished fixing the popcorn, and disappeared with a full bowl.

He heard the radio turn on.

"I've got an offer for you…" David leaned forward, hearing the awkwardness in my voice.

"Read my screenplay before I have to turn it in? I'll pay you—"

"Don't even. I'll be there." The things he did for a friend. He paused… "Do you need to talk about Hallee?"

"No." I hung up the phone. I wasn't going to go there. Not yet. Not ever.