Earlier, 2:30 A.M
Nita awoke next to Him. Somehow they had progressed from the couch to the bed across the room.
"Damn." She sat up quickly as the night's events—the fervor, the entangled bodies, but most of all, Brandon's true identity—overcame her.
"Damn," she repeated, glancing about wildly.
He stretched lazily. "Okay. What would you like me to damn? After last night, I suppose I owe you a few favors."
"Damn you and me and this whole cursed situation." Nita shook with internal humiliation and rage.
"Oh, surely it wasn't that bad. From this end..."
"Stop it. What were you thinking? What was I thinking? Why—"
"You were lonely."
"What first the tree, now You?"
"Your emotions are easy to read."
"When did You become so soft? Why does it matter that I was lonely?"
"Don't worry about it."
"You're exploiting me."
"Do you want me to stop?" He asked, caressing her gently. Nita drew in a sharp gasp and arched forward, catching His lips with hers.
"I'll take that as a no..." He murmured into her ear. "One of the benefits of being all-knowing... I know exactly how to make it so you don't want to leave..."
"You're manipulating me."
He chuckled. "Get used to it, kid. Even the best relationships are one part compassion and four parts sexual manipulation."
"Where's the compassion?"
"You're enjoying this just as much as I am—maybe even more."
With effort, Nita wrenched herself away from Him.
"Attraction and physical pleasure aren't compassion."
"But they help."
"I'm leaving."
"Okay."
"And leave me alone. Don't try to keep me here or come after me later."
"Okay. You're free to go at anytime. I may have manipulated," He drew the word out sarcastically, "But I won't force. You'll come back."
"Never."
"We'll see," He smiled smugly. "We'll see..."
"No, we won't. There is no more we. There never was a we. There was only me and a bunch of lies."
"And a great sexual experience you'll want to repeat."
"Don't bet on it."
"Why not?"
"Oh, and I'm not supposed to let a little thing like our roles in the universe get in the way?"
"It hasn't stopped countless couples throughout history. I believe one of your playwrights—Shaw, if I remember his name correctly—put it best: 'The strongest sexual attraction may exist between persons so incompatible in tastes and capacities that they could not endure living together for a week, much less a lifetime.'"
"I'm sure You had nothing to do with any of those failed relationships."
"Never. I really am quite an amiable fellow, if quite often misunderstood. I always have everyone's best intentions in mind."
Nita snorted. "I'm sure Hitler did as well."
"Hitler. Nasty fellow. That is not the way death was supposed to be at all, not at all."
"Oh, really?" Nita raised a skeptical eyebrow.
"I told you, death is the ultimate mercy."
Nita snorted again.
"This is the most peculiar pillow talk," He commented. "Enough of it. Come back to me." He reached out and drew her towards him.
All her intentions of leaving flew out of her mind.
"I can't..." she started feebly.
"Yes, you can. I know you can..."
x-x-x-x-x
Present
"Oh, struck a nerve, did I?"
Nita reached for the doorknob.
"Come now. If you've already lost trust in yourself, what is a cinnamon crunch bagel going to hurt?"
She turned slowly to face him. "What?"
He waved a paper bag. "I just picked them up from the bakery. I know they're your favorite."
Nita began to laugh bitterly. It wasn't until a drop of salty fluid fell from her cheek that she realized that her laugh was not a laugh at all, but a sob of desperation.