Chapter 7

"So," she said, breaking through the quiet. "How'd you end up with a radio show?"

"Its something I've always been interested in." Especially after music and that odd station in Arizona saved me during the divorce. "And right after I moved here, I heard about this course they have at the station where they teach you the basics. After you take it, you can write up a show proposal. If they approve it, they give you an audition and, if they like what you do, a time slot. Me and Rolly got ours last winter. But then I got arrested. So that put us back a bit." I tried to say this comfortably, and it wasn't too hard. I'd gotten used to the idea that yes, I'd been arrested, but I'd never again. But it was hard saying that to Annabel, who, thought she had to know, didn't think of me like that. I hoped.

"You got arrested?"

She didn't know this? "Yeah. I got in a fight at a club. With some guy in the parking lot."

"Oh. Right." Maybe she did hear about it.

"You heard about it?"

"Maybe something."

"So why'd you ask?"

She flushed. "I don't know. Do you believe everything you hear?"

Why'd she blush? "No. I don't."

We drove without speaking for awhile, until she said, "It's not true, if that's what you were wondering."

What? "What isn't?"

"What you heard about me."

"I haven't heard anything about you."

"Yeah, right." What would I have heard?

"I haven't. I'd tell you if I had."
"Really."

"Yeah." She looked doubtful. "I don't lie."

Now she looked downright incredulous. "You don't lie."

"That's what I said."

"Ever."

"Nope."

She didn't believe me. "Well, that's a good policy…if you can stick to it."

"I don't have a choice. Holding stuff in doesn't really work for me. Learned that the hard way." A mental picture of Ronnie Waterman on the ground, that guy at the club. Ouch.

"So you're always honest." Yes, we've established this. She didn't believe me, so I turned it around.

"Aren't you?"

"No. I'm not." Wow. She wasn't afraid to openly admit that she was a liar.

"Well, that's good to know, I guess."

"I'm not saying I'm a liar." I raised my eyebrows. "That's not now I meant it anyway."

"How'd you mean it then?"

"Its just…I don't always say what I feel."

"Why not?" I was truly curious.

"Because the truth hurts."

"Yeah. So do lies."

"I don't…I just don't like to hurt people. Or upset them. So sometimes, you know, I won't say exactly what I think, to spare them that."

She still didn't believe me. She continued to not believe me as I told her that if she'd asked, I'd tell her whether or not her outfit made her look fat. As if that was possible.

"Still straight?"

"Um, no."

"Then…what? Right? Left?" She looked weird and was staring out the window. "What's wrong?"

"That's my sister," she said, nodding towards a car parked on the side of the street.

Annabel's sister was hunched forward and seemed to be crying. "Is…is she OK?"

"No. She's not."

I wondered what was wrong with her, but didn't want to ask. Annabel said she didn't want to stop, and told me to turn right. But then she started the topic again. "She's sick. She has been for awhile now."

"I'm sorry." And I meant it.

Now we were on her street. "Which one?"

"The glass one."

"The glass—Oh. Right." Her house was beautiful. It was all glass in front. I could see Annabel's mother in the kitchen. I could also see the dining and living rooms, and a hallway upstairs. "Man, that's really something."

"People in glass houses," she said, looking at the house. Profound. No idea what she was talking about though. "Well, thanks for the ride. For everything."

"No problem." And it really wasn't.

I saw her sister pull in and go inside, and I saw her mom inside looking at us. Who did she think I was? Would Annabel tell her? And if so, what would she say?

Annabel broke through my thoughts. "So when is it? Your radio show."

"Sundays. At 7."

"I'll listen."

"In the morning." That probably made a difference to her. Most people didn't consider 7am 'morning' on the weekends.

"7 in the morning? Really?"

"Yeah. It's not the ideal time slot, but you take what you can get. Insomniacs are listening, at least."

"Enlightened insomniacs."

Wow. I did not expect her to remember that. Or say that. "Yeah. Exactly." I smiled.

"Well, I guess I should go."

"OK. I'll see you around." I hope.