The phone rang. She debated between picking it up or letting it ring through to her answering machine. I need the money. I especially need the money if I'm going to have to buy half a hit…Manny won't sell me a quarter…he only did that once for me.

November 21, 9:39 pm

"Hi. My name's Cali, what's yours?"

"It's G-man, I'm hitting the pound sign to let you know I accept your terms of $3.95 a minute."

Why am I happy to hear that voice? God I'm glad I picked up. I wonder if he'd wait while I snort my hit?

"Cali? Are you there?"

Maia looked at the paper holding the powder and then the receiver. She put the hit on the side table. "I'm here G-man. I'm here."

House paused, something was wrong. "You sound distracted."

"It's been a rough day."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I had some unfinished business at work, but I can't deal with it until tomorrow anyway, so I came home to eat and sleep."

She chuckled, "And get off."

I'm too tired to beat off. Christ why did I call her? It doesn't make sense. "Yeah, and to get off."

"I think I owe you two fantasies."

He unconsciously sighed into the receiver, "Yeah, so you do. But, before you do that, what made your day so bad?"

Her shoulders fell. Maia didn't really want to relive her feelings of frustration, loneliness, anger, abandonment. But he sounded curious, "I'm going to be alone for Thanksgiving. It seems as if my past has made me a pariah. No matter what I do, people keep reliving my past, rubbing it in."

"Don't you have family?"

"My Dad is dead. My mother remarried and my step-dad hates me. He loves to rub my nose into my mistakes so we haven't spoken in three years. My only sibling lives in Argentina. My Mom, aunts and uncles are all in Florida now."

"What about friends?"

Maia put a hand over her eyes and almost started to cry, "Part of my past is what I did to my friends. I'm persona non grata around them." She swallowed hard holding back her emotions, "Hey, I did it to myself. I left myself cycle out of control and now I'm paying for it." Maia looked at the white powder in the paper square and felt guilt seep into her pores. It's exactly what everyone expects of me, to backslide.

"What about you G-man? Have you ever disappointed your friends and family?"

He laughed so wickedly it threw Maia for a loop, "My friends and family have no expectations of me, so I don't disappoint them." He paused, "They expect the worse from me."

She detected a hint of sadness behind the laughter. He wants to be loved, to have people care, but he can't let them for some reason. "I don't."

"Yeah," he chortled, "I'm paying you not to. You would if you knew me."

"Why would you disappoint me?"

"I'm blunt with the truth and devious with lies. I have little patience with 'trying to get in touch" with my feelings. And I am a manipulative son of a bitch, according to one employee."

He's just described half the lawyers in town. "Well, maybe you are. Do you enjoy who you are?"

"Most of the time. Sometimes though, when I know that I'm alone because of who I am, it…" House felt overwhelmingly sad, "It can get to me."

"I know what you mean. It got to me today and I was just about to do something really stupid. Something that would have proven to everyone what a loser I am." Maia stood up, the receiver tucked in her chin, and grabbed the square of paper. She walked to the bathroom and threw it in the toilet. She flushed, watching the paper twirl in the vortex of the water as it disappeared down the drain.

"Did you just flush the toilet?" House accused.

Maia laughed, "Don't worry, I wasn't on the pot talking to you. I just flushed temptation away."

"Drugs? I mean, besides human waste, the only thing really tempting that can be flushed down the toilet are drugs. Unless you're really a 300 lb. whale and you just flushed a chocolate malt."

"Damn, you're good."

He chuckled, "Which was it? The drugs or the malt?"

"You've seen my picture, you decide."

He smiled, "Ah, so you have a drug problem?"

Had, I had a drug problem. Now I have a sobriety problem. Now I have to learn to like who I am sober. "I've been clean for a long time now." The last fifteen months seem like a helluv a long time.

He shook his head, "Once an addict, always an addict."

Maia felt the sting of his words. Ettu Brute? No kudos from you either for managing to stay clean? "Maybe. Gosh G-man, I've just had an emergency come up. I'm going to credit you for this call. I promise to owe you three fantasies next time, but I have to go." I can't stand you judging me too…at least not tonight.

He was tired, but hadn't really wanted sex. This was perfect. He didn't have to pay. "Sure, I'll talk to you soon. Bye Cali."

"Goodnight, G-Man." She hung up.

November 21, 9:58 pm

She's upset over something I said. Telling her that she was an addict? She had said that no one let her live her past down. What did I do? I just did what the others had done. I'll call her back. House dialed her number and was disappointed when it rang through to voice mail. He hung up and went to bed.

Maia switched the phone to voice mail and grabbed her coat. She needed to walk, to get the desire for snow out of her mind. It always helped to walk. He put on a hat, coat and gloves and took off. As soon as she reached the sidewalk she realized what a stupid idea it was. This neighborhood was rough in the daylight, forget about the night. But Maia needed to walk, had to walk or she'd call her dealer. She forged ahead, suspicious of every noise and movement in the neighborhood. The fear quickly took her mind off the blow. After just half an hour, Maia was back in bed and ready for sleep.

House woke up to the phone ringing. He yelled into the receiver, "What?"

"You don't have to bite my head off. I'm just calling to see if you changed your mind? I'm sure my parents will be happy to set another plate at the table." Wilson suggested.

"They don't serve ham. I don't go anywhere on Thanksgiving where there isn't a Honeybaked Ham."

"We have turkey, can't you be like everyone else and join us? You've got a lot to be thankful for…you survived another year."

"I'll be grateful for a few hours more in bed. Tell the Wilsons that I'm giving thanks that they're taking you off my hands for a day."

"Okay, have it your way. Happy Thanksgiving House."

"Gobble, gobble."

House eventually got up, started the coffee and looked out the window. The streets were deserted except for the parked cars. Families were obviously huddled in their houses having their turkey dinners and watching the football games. House went into the kitchen and grabbed a bowl of cereal and a glass of whiskey. He sat down, turned on the television and then finished his cereal. He turned on a bowl game and watched until it became a runaway by the Trojans.

He turned on a movie, watching it until the phone rang next to him. He picked up the receiver.

"Hello?"

"Hi honey, it's Mom."

He smiled, "Mom, how are you?"

"Okay, I've had some problems with my knees, but I'm getting old. Ha, ha. How are you sweetie?"

"I'm fine, just watching some television."

"Don't you have somewhere to go for Thanksgiving?"

"Yeah, I just got back from Wilson's parents. We had turkey and all the trimmings."

"Oh, I forget you're three hours ahead of us. We're going to sit down for dinner in a few minutes but I wanted to call first. Your aunt Sarah says hello and your Dad wants to say hi."

House took a deep breath. "Give my love to Aunt Sarah and Uncle Martin. Are any of the cousins there?"

"Karen and Barb are here with their kids. Jeff didn't make it this year; he went to his wife's parents. They try and trade each year. Are you keeping busy?"

"Yeah, very. I've had more patients this year than usual. I'm getting more and more referrals."

"That's good isn't it?"

"Sure…it doesn't hurt. It's great. I'm doing well at work."

"Really?" She sounded suspicious.

"Really."

House heard a click, "Hey son, how are ya doing?" House heard his father's booming voice.

"I'm well Dad."

"When are you going to come out and see us?"

House put his forehead in his hand, "I don't know Dad. I was just telling Mom that I'm busier now."

"Well, we should be passing through your way next spring. They're having a reunion of my Nam platoon in Washington D.C. around Memorial Day. Your Mom and I are going to swing by and spend a few days with you."

House rolled his eyes and nodded to himself, "Great. Well, I better let you guys get back to your dinner."

His father sounded as if he was in a hurry to get back to the game, "Take care son. We miss you."

"Goodbye Honey. Happy Thanksgiving," His mother added.

"Bye Mom, Dad. I love you."

His Mom said, her voice soft and comforting, "We love you honey. Bye."

The phone went dead.

House leaned forward over the coffee table and stared at the amber liquor in his tumbler. He felt empty.

He looked at the phone. I'm not calling her; she hung up on me last time. She doesn't want my money so to hell with that. Let's see if Paula or Cheryl is available. House went to the desk and opened the drawer, pulling out a card for Coed Escorts. He dialed the number.

"You've reached Coed Escorts. We're not available today, our escorts are enjoying the Thanksgiving Holidays with their family and friends. Please call back Friday and have a happy holiday."

He hung up. No escorts for one of the loneliest days of the year? I should have gotten Paula's direct number.

House went over and picked up the remote, scanning his recorded programs and looking through the channel menu. Nothing piqued his interest. He knew that what he really wanted was to call her. Maybe he just wanted to call her because she had hung up on him. Whatever the reason, he wanted to talk to her.