Graduation Trip

Chapter 5

"So you just have to tell each other the truth?"

"Yeah, pretty much. Any question the other asks, you have to tell the truth. Like Truth or Dare, just without the second option."

Owen frowned. "Why don't you just tell the truth all the time?"

"Who does that?"

"Me."

"You tell the truth?"

"Yes."

"All the time?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"How do I know that you're not just lying right now?"

"Because you trust that I'm telling the truth."

"What if someone doesn't trust you?"

"Then how would you play your game, Macy?" Owen went back to his laptop. "You're trusting that they're telling the truth, right?"

"Yeah, but that's a game."

"Life is a game."

"A horrible one."

He raised an eyebrow. 'You? I figured yours was pretty alright."

"The game. I meant LIFE. The Game of Life."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Shrugging, Owen began to type. "So is that what you and Wes always to with each other?"

"Play LIFE?"

"No. Truth."

"Well, yeah."

"So it's your thing."

"Our thing?"

"Yeah. Like…the special thing you do with each other. That's how you know that you're in a serious relationship. You have something that's just for the two of you."

"What do you and Annabel do?"

"We do a lot of things."

"Like?"

"We go to carwashes and listen to music."

And he was questioning Truths?

"Do you do anything that doesn't involve music?"

"Well, recently, every night we call each other."

"Normal people do that."

"Neither of us answers though, just leaves a message on the other person's phone."

"Why?"

"It's just our thing."

"What do you say?"

"Whatever we haven't already told each other that day. Or if we're fighting, it helps to let the other person know what the one is thinking without interrupting."

"You guys fight a lot?"

"Enough. You and Wes?"

"Well…we used to. Not so much recently."

"Me and Bella do a lot, I guess. She just gets really mad when I get upset and do something stupid."

"She cares about you."

"Yes," he said, nodding. "She loves me."

The way he said it was odd to me. I just always figured that talking about love or even mentioning it was foreign to them. Wes had told me that he loved me before about three times. And really, since it was so rare, it just made it so much more special. But the sheer honesty that Owen had when he said it struck me too.

"I'm sure."

Owen closed his laptop before leaning back in his chair. "So do you play Truth with anyone else?"

"I have before, but not really. Everyone else thinks it's stupid."

"It is. Wanna play?"

"No. You just called it stupid."

"Honesty."

"That was just being mean and you know it."

"Well, if I've never played, I really can't pass judgment. So you wanna play?"

"Fine. You wanna go first?"

"You go. I don't know what kind of questions to ask."

I took a sip of my drink before setting it back down on the table in front of me. Wes, Kristy, and the others had all left me again when I overslept. Owen had too, though Annabel also just left without him.

"Well…I don't know…uh…How do you know Wes?"

"That? You get to ask me anything and you ask that?"

"Well, I was just wondering. I mean, you go to Jackson, right?"

"Yeah."

"He didn't."

"And?"

"You do not get to question the question, Owen. Just answer."

"Fine. One of his ex's went to my Anger Management classes."

"Oh."

He nodded. "Then he broke up with her and dated that chick he met at reform school."

"Becky."

Owen shrugged. "I never met her."

"So you're friends with his ex?"

"As shocking as this may seem, a lot of people don't like me."

"No, it's not that they don't like you. It's that they fear you."

"Oh? You know this how?"

I shook my head. "You're just so…muscular."

"I am not muscular."

"I was being nice. It's not like your fat. You're just…big. And you look mean. And you always have headphones in."

"So?"

"That makes you seem unapproachable."

"How?"

"How can someone talk to you if you can't hear them?"

He leaned back in his chair, staring at his laptop, which was blasting stupid music. We were once again out on the porch, waiting for our respective others to bring us back lunch.

"I never thought of it like that. Maybe I don't want to talk to other people."

"Probably not, subconsciously."

"Is that what you're here for? To study me?"

"No. I'm here because my boyfriend is being a jerk recently."

"Not really."

"You're just disagreeing because if you agree, that means that Annabel was a jerk too for leaving you."

"Actually, I didn't want to tell you this, but I was awake. Or at least she woke me up. I told her that I was still tired and to just let me sleep."

"So only I have the jerk for a boyfriend."

"I actually think that he forgot you."

"Even better."

"I mean, he and Kristy were talking about something and seemed really into their conversation."

I frowned. It's not that I thought that Kristy was after Wes or anything, because I didn't, it was just…I mean, she did have a thing for him before I did. So I'm sure if he reciprocated…though she is my friend so…I don't know.

"Oh."

"You say that a lot when ever I mention Wes talking to some other chick. Oh. Like it's a shocking statement that he's been with someone before you or has friends other than you."

I took a second to respond. "Okay, enough of that. Back to the game. It's your turn. Ask me something."

"Fine. Uh…What's up with that shit you used to talk about Annabel?"

That threw me for a second. He didn't seem to be angry with me, but rather curious. I just stared at him.

"I really don't know what you're talking about."

"You must. She's mentioned you before."

"I don't know why. What did she say?"

He shrugged. "Stuff. You hang out with some bitches."

"Honestly, except for this past year, I have been pretty out of it in school. Since my dad…passed. If I'm hanging out with someone that's starting shit with her, then I'll apologize to her, I guess."

"Don't."

"Why, Mr. Honesty?"

"There you go again, turning my words on me."

"Why, Owen?"

"She didn't exactly tell me anything. I…observed it while at school."

"Mr. Honesty isn't telling his girlfriend something?"

"It's no secret that I know that those girls mess with her. If she asked, I would gladly tell her."

"Sounds an awful lot like withholding the truth."

"It doesn't matter anyways. That's why I thought that you haven't liked me all this time."

"What do you mean?"

"I took care of it."

"…How?"

Owen sighed. "Does this count as your question?"

"Sure."

"I told them to shut the fuck up. That's why I got suspended the last week of school."

"What? They went and told on you?" Now I was racking my brain, trying to think of who he could possibly be talking about.

"No. I told them in class. They were talking again in my homeroom. I told them to shut the fuck up or else I'd deal with them in my own way. Apparently, that's a threat."

"Apparently."

"You sure they're not your friends?"

"I don't know, Owen. Who?"

"Uh…it starts with an A…Amanda. Yes, Amanda and Bethany."

I just stared at him. "You think…no. God, no."

"Really? I saw you guys together before I thought-"

"They were friends with my ex, sort of. I worked with them at the library. They in no way are my friends. They hate me. Probably more than they hate Annabel."

He pulled off one of his rings and rolled it in his hands. "Annabel thinks that I got suspended for something else. I'm not sure what. You know how people just spread shit around the school."

"Yeah, I know."

"I wasn't even allowed to go to graduation."

"Seriously?"

"I got my diploma and everything, I just wasn't allowed to walk."

"I didn't like it that much, graduation."

"No one does. Well, Bella did kind of because her older sister came down for it."

"My mom and sister came, but after we had an open house to get to."

"After I just went with Annabel's family to dinner. My mom allowed that, if only because Mrs. Greene wanted me to go."

"I thought that she hates you?"

"She doesn't hate me," he said with a face. "She just doesn't like me. Currently."

"What are you planning to do to get back on her good side?"

"I just give it time. As long as Bella doesn't mention me punching that guy down here-"

"See, for an honest person, you sure do hide a lot of stuff."

"I don't see it that way. Annabel might be a liar and that's between her and her family."

"I don't know. You seem kind of shady."

"Shady," he repeated. "I'm shady."

"You seem like a cheater," I said, now just poking fun at him.

"I am not a cheater. I would never do that. Ever."

"Chill, Owen, it was a joke."

He reached over and typed something into his computer and the song changed.

"I'm just saying that I wouldn't."

"I wouldn't expect you to."

"Good. Now is it my turn?"

I shrugged. "Yeah, I guess it is. Go ahead."

"Why do Bethany and Amanda hate you?"

I sighed. Was he going to be stuck on this? "I don't know. I guess they just were mad that I was dating Jason. Oh, and they thought that I was too stupid to even grace their presence."

"You? Stupid?"

I shrugged. "I'm sure everyone's stupid in another person's eyes."

"Nah, not you. You're going to college, huh?"

"Yeah. Are you?"

He shook his head. "No. I think I'm going to stay around here for awhile."

"Is Annabel going?"

"Yeah."

"So you guys will be apart?"

"At times. It's alright though. We can deal."

"I'm sure you can."

"Your sarcasm has gotten old."

"No, I'm serious," I told him, frowning. "I mean, you sure do enough for her. I never hear about you getting in trouble for yourself. It's just clear that you really care about her. That's rare, for the guy to be the caring one. And for it to be a guy like you-"

"What do you mean?"

"You just seem like you would be…cold."

"Better to see than actually be."

I didn't know if Owen knew me enough yet to know anything about me and was taking a dig, or he was trying to make some other sort of joke. That's all that jokes really are anyways, interpretation.

"Yeah, I guess so."

He smiled at me and I smiled back at him. Then my cell rang and I had to answer it.

"What, Wes?"

"…I just wanted to know if you wanted a burger or what?"

"Yeah, that's fine." I glanced over at Owen, who was now on his laptop again. "You want me to ask Owen what he wants?"

"No. Annabel says she already knows."

"Oh, right, that's probably because he got woken up and asked if he wanted to go."

Wes groaned. "Macy, I didn't wake you up because you would have gone whether you were tired or not."

"And? I'm not a kid, Wes."

"When you're at home over the summer, you still have to wake up early every day. I just figured this week should be about sleeping late for you."

"Then why didn't you stay with me?"

"Because all summer I will be sleeping in. I went running this morning."

"Still. Before you left, you could have told me that you were leaving."

"Then you would have tried to come, we would have had to wait, and we all know that you take forever to do everything."

"Oh? I take forever?"

"Yeah."

"Who almost missed my graduation because they couldn't…what were you doing again?"

"That's different. I was finishing your graduation present. I could have, gee, just not given it to you."

"All those stupid statues you have in your yard and you had to make me one?"

"…I don't like where you're taking this conversation. You want to talk about stupid? Because there's plenty stupid shit that you've done."

"Don't curse at me, Wes."

"And don't expect lunch from me, Macy."

When I hung up, Owen pretended not to notice that I was upset. I took a deep breath before speaking.

"You want to go out to lunch?"

"So where did you and Annabel go last night?"

"One question and you use that?"

"There will be more questions."

"How do you know? How does this game end?"

"Well…when Wes and I play, we say that if you refuse to answer a question and it's asked back to the other person and they answer, they win."

"But what if the question doesn't apply?"

"…Don't poke holes in this. The real way is if you don't answer, but the other person answers a question, they win."

"Then prepare to lose, Macy, because I always tell the truth. Who wins more? You or Wes?"

"Really, we only ended a game once and I won."

"Once? You're more truthful that I thought."

"It's turned less into a game and more into conversations." I sighed, pushing around some stuff on my plate. We had gone to some Mexican restaurant, because Last Chance was so out of the question. "We do it all the time."

"Do you call each other and do it too?"

"Oh, yeah. Sometimes we do it until we fall asleep." I blushed a little at that, but Owen was just staring at me. "Don't you and Annabel ever do that?"

"No."

"Oh."

"There you go with oh again."

I made a face at him. "Anyways, you never answered my question."

"What was it again?"

"Where did you guys disappear to after the party?"

"Oh. Well, Kristy was annoying the whole walk there and when we got to the house, I saw some guys from a band I knew. I told Kristy, but I don't think that she was listening."

"Probably not."

"Why doesn't she like us again?"

"I don't know, really. I think though that she just doesn't like your music."

"That's no reason to be rude to Annabel or me."

"I know."

"Especially Annabel. She doesn't like my music either."

"You sure are worried about Annabel getting along with other girls constantly."

"She gets real nervous around people that she doesn't know. I just try to make her friends."

"You can't force someone to be friends with your girlfriend."

"I can try."

"At the very least, you can threaten them not to talk shit about her."

"Exactly."

When the check came, Owen paid for me. He claimed the reason that he wanted to was because I had allowed him and Annabel to come with us on the trip when I didn't have to. He had to pay me back somehow. I let him, if only because I didn't know how to tell him no.

When we got back to the beach house, the others were there. Owen had texted Annabel and told her not to bring him food, but I hadn't Wes and he was clearly pissed at me.

"Where were you?" Wes was sitting on the porch steps when we walked up. He stood, clearly pissed at me. "I called."

"My phone died."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

He crossed his arms as Owen and I walked up. "And where did you go?"

"Just to eat," I told him as Owen walked passed him and went in. I stopped in front of him. "Why are you so mad?"

"You know why."

"No."

"I was waiting here for you."

"And? I was waiting for you this morning."

He let out a slow breath. "Still. You did it to get back at me. I was trying to let you sleep."

"Maybe I didn't want to sleep."

"Macy, knock it off."

"Wes, it's not that serious, alright? What? Are you going to stay mad at me?"

"Maybe," he said, staring at me.

"Fine. I have better things to do than deal with you anyways."

"Good."

"Good." I shoved passed him and going back into the house.

"What's your biggest fear?"

"Righ' now? Runnin' out of beer," I told Owen, turning my can over only to find out that it was completely empty. He just smiled at me. "I'mma go get another."

"I think you've had enough."

"You don't know me."

"I know that. I could know you, if you would keep playing."

"Playin'?"

"The game. I asked you a question."

"Oh!" I moved to lay on the ground. "Fear…Spiders."

"Really?"

"Yeah." I closed my eyes because the sun made my head hurt. "Wes kills 'em for me now…not now! I hate him."

"Why?"

"He's mean."

"You didn't tell him that we were going somewhere, so that's on you."

I made a face at him. "I don't wanna play with you anymore."

"Macy, I just meant that you guys clearly have some sort of pent up anger with each other. Every few hours, you're fighting and then making up. Either you're both childish or your both really scared."

"Scared?"

"Yes."

"Of?"

"Losing each other. At the end of summer, you're leaving and he's staying. That has to be scary to you."

"How do ya know?"

"I could tell by the way you spoke about it at lunch." Owen, who was sitting with his back pressed up against the house, said, "It's okay that the two of you are scared. That's a big relationship jump."

"What do ya know?"

"Not a lot, I'll give you that. You're the smart one. Drunk, but the smart one."

I just groaned as Wes and Bert came outside.

"Are you okay?" Bert asked, walking closer.

"Mace, are you sick? Why did you just let her lay here, Owen?" Wes got onto his knees next to me and felt my head. "Macy?"

I swatted his hand away. "Stop."

"She's drunk, not sick," Owen told him. "All she's done is drink since we got back from lunch."

"No." I opened my eyes just to glare at him. "Wes, bring me a beer."

"What? No."

"Bert?"

He started to go back in to get one, but his brother said, "No, Bert."

I frowned. "Yes, Bert."

"No."

"Yes."

"Bert, I'm your brother. Do not give her anymore alcohol. You can have water, Macy."

Bert hung by the door, seeming uncertain.

"There's a twenty in my room that says yes, Bert."

He shrugged at his brother. "Sorry. Money talks, Wes."

"You little brat. She's not drinking anymore." Wes tried to lift me up off the ground, but I swatted his arms away. "Macy, let me take you inside."

"Why?"

"You can't just sleep out here."

"Not sleepin', Wes. I'm talkin' to Owen."

"I would really appreciate if the two of you stop doing that for the time being, actually."

Owen frowned, but said nothing as I finally let Wes help me stand. I almost fell and busted my face on my mom's favorite chair though, so he just tossed me over his shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Kristy, who was at the stove in the kitchen, asked. "Is Macy okay? Are you?"

"Yes."

"No," Wes called to her as he headed to our bedroom. Annabel, who was on the couch reading a book, stared at us as we walked by, but said nothing. Wes gave her a nod, but also kept his mouth shut.

When he got to our room, he put me down on the bed, slammed me really, before yanking the covers down.

"That hurt, Wes."

"Shut up."

"No."

"Now I have to tuck you in, like a little kid, because you fucking act like a little kid."

"No."

"Shush." He pulled the blankets back up around me. "There. Now go to sleep."

"I'm on your side. I don't wanna be. Your pillow smells bad."

"Get used to it, because I'm about to hold it over your head."

I crossed my arms. "Why ya mad at me?"

"You drank too much and now have ruined anything that I had planned tonight."

"Like wha'?"

"Nothing, just go to sleep. Now." He kissed my head. "If you need to puke, call me. Do not fall and hurt yourself. I don't feel like dealing with your mom being mad about you breaking something."

When Wes left, suddenly the room seemed dark. Then I realized my eyes were closed. I tried to get up, but I felt too sleepy, so I just went to bed.

When I woke up, a few hours had passed and once again, nearly everyone was gone. Annabel was there though, making dinner.

"Finally up?" She asked as I walked into the kitchen.

"Yeah," I said, going to get a coke. "I've got a headache though.'

"I'm making mac'n'cheese if you want some."

"Thanks." I sat down at the table, sighing. "Where is everyone?"

"Owen and Bert went to go buy something. A shirt to match one of his hats or something. Then Wes and Kristy went out to eat and Monica might have gone with them, but I'm not sure. She doesn't really talk that much."

"Kristy does enough for both of them."

"They do seem close. Or at least Kristy makes them seem close."

"They've gone through a lot together," I said, laying my head down on the table. "Though, I guess we all have. Gone through stuff, I mean. Wait, I don't know you like that. I've heard stuff, but…I mean…I don't hang out with Bethany and Amanda."

Annabel didn't look away from the stove. "Who?"

"You…Owen…Never mind."

I expected her to ask me what I meant, but Annabel just acted as if the conversation never happened. When she finished making dinner, she got me a bowl and brought it to me. I mumbled thanks, but just picked at my food. Annabel sat down next to me and ate quietly for a few minutest before getting up and going over to the cabinet.

"Here," she said, coming back over to me with a bottle of aspirin

"Thanks," I mumbled, taking it from her. Annabel nodded before sitting back down. Other than that, we said nothing to each other the rest of the night.

When Wes and the other's got back, I was in the shower. The second that I stepped out of the bathroom though, I was drug to Kristy's room.

"What?" I complained as she made me sit down on the bottom bunk with her. Monica, who was sitting on her sleeping back filing her nails, glanced at me, but said nothing.

"What happened with you and Wes?"

"What are you talking about?"

"All he did was bitch about you at dinner," Kristy told me, pulling her hair back into a ponytail.

"Mmmhmm," Monica agreed.

"What did he say?"

"That's not important."

"I think it is."

"What's important is why he was so mad."

"I don't know."

"Yes, you do."

"Apparently you do, so just tell me."

Kristy just stared at me. "Tell me what's going on with you and Mr. Tall, Dark, and Brooding."

"…I thought that we found out that he got back with that Auden chick?"

"Not, Mr. Everything. I was talking about Owen."

"Oh. I think we need a better person to come up with the nicknames."

"Macy."

"There's nothing going on. Why? Does Wes think there is?"

"I think that we all know there is."

"I was drunk and talking to him. So what? You guys were the ones that didn't come outside."

"Before that."

"When?"

"Every single night we've been here practically, you've stayed up with him."

"We've been here four nights, not including tonight."

"And you have two, right?"

"No. One. Right? I don't know. I don't keep count. There's hardly anything to even count."

"Doneven."

I glared at Monica. "What do you know anyways? If anyone's been disappearing, it's been you."

She went back to her nails.

"And," Kristy went on, "Wes said that the two of you went on a date."

"What? When?" I was not feeling well enough for this.

"Lunch. You two went out to lunch."

I rolled my eyes. "As friends. You guys all went out."

"As a group. You guys went alone. Together."

"It was not a date. I would have known if it was a date."

"You didn't even know that Wes liked you for the longest time."

"Owen is very happy with Annabel."

"Is he? Is he really?" Kristy looked to her sister. "He is, after all, taking Macy out on dates."

"Mmmhmm."

"You guys, it was not a date," I said, now slightly embarrassed. "We were just talking. I mean, he paid, but-"

"He paid? He paid?"

"Only because-"

"Macy, I can't believe you! This whole time, we thought you were little Ms. Perfect with Mr. Bad boy-"

"You really do suck at nicknames-"

"When the whole time, you were playing Wes. And with one of his friends."

"Shut up, Kristy. If they hear you-"

"They need to hear me! You're sneaking around with-"

The door opened and Bert came into the room. "Owen and I bought-"

"Get out," Kristy told him, but Bert just frowned.

"Fine. Whatever. I'll tell you later, I guess."

As soon as she was gone, Kristy said in a much softer tone, "You had better stay away from him."

"It's not like that, Kristy. We were just playing Truth-"

"Wait, not only did he pay, but you also played you and Wes's game together?"

When she laid it out like that, it seemed wrong, but I knew that there was no malice intent on the part of me or Owen. That's all that mattered. Right?

"Wes'."

"What?"

"Wes'. It wouldn't have been Wes's."

"This is not the time for a spelling lesson."

"Grammar, really."

"Macy, you're trying to change the subject. Are you going to tell Wes?"

"Tell him what?"

"That Owen paid?"

"Kristy-"

"Are you?"

"No, I don't think so."

"See? That proves it."

"What do you want me to say? Yes, I went out with Owen today. No, it wasn't a date. Yes, I played Truth with him. No, I didn't consider it the same as when I played with Wes. Because it wasn't. It was...different. We're different. I'm friends with him, I'm dating Wes."

"You started out friends with Wes."

"Owen has Annabel."

"Wes had Becky."

"They were on break. And I didn't know her. I know Annabel."

"How well?"

"Well enough. She's nice."

Kristy groaned. "You think that everyone is nice."

"You always say that. And it's not true. I don't think that...Jake's nice."

"Jake. The drunk. Amazing. You're a real judge of character, you."

I made a face at her as Monica got up and left to room, no doubt to smoke. Sighing, I looked past Kristy, at the dark wall. We hadn't turned on the lights and could only see from the moon shining through the window.

"I am not into Owen, Kristy. At all. I'm with Wes, I'm staying with Wes, and have no plans to leave Wes."

"Good." She smiled at me. "Owen is a major step down from Wes anyways. I mean, I would have to take you to a shrink if that ever happened."

Bert came back into the room again. "Can I stay?"

Kristy sighed. "Fine, I guess."

I stood and walked out of the room, headed to my own. I was in the hall, passing the living room, when I heard Owen and Annabel talking. Wes was right. For some reason, I did like spying on the two of them. I peaked into the living room, but it was dark and I couldn't see anything.

"Yeah, she sure did get drunk this afternoon."

I heard Owen laugh. "Yeah. I like her though. She's…alright. I mean, she's better than Kristy."

"Kristy just hates us for some reason."

"Macy said that it's my music."

"Maybe." I heard a blanket rustle and the couch squeak. "Wes seemed really mad at us today too."

"Not us. Me. And Macy. I think."

"Why?"

"I don't really know. We went to lunch and came back and he was mad. I think that it was because she didn't call and tell him."

"Oh."

"Yeah. I paid for her and everything, you know, to make up for them putting up with us."

"That was nice of you."

"I just feel bad, like we're in the way."

"We only have tomorrow and then we leave, right?"

"Yep."

"They can deal with us for that long."

"Not us, me."

"They don't like me either. Or at least they don't pretend to." Annabel moved again and the couch squeaked.

"Hey, Bella?"

"What?"

"Remember how I told you that I got suspended for getting into a fight? Well, I didn't tell you, but you assumed?"

"Yes."

""Well…There are these two girls, Bethany and Amanda, who were saying things about you and I told them to shut the fuck up. That's why I got suspended."

"…Why are you telling me this now?"

"I felt like I was lying. You know I don't like that."

"Macy said something about them. I didn't really get what she was talking about though."

"I mentioned it to her."

"She's nice."

"Who? Macy?"

"Yeah."

I heard him kiss her. "So are you."

Suddenly, I felt someone tug me back, away from the doorway of the living room. I would have probably screamed, had a hand not been placed over my mouth.

"You," Wes whispered harshly in my ear, "have got to leave them alone."

I let him drag me to our bedroom, where he finally let me go.

"W-"

"Shut up." He left the room again and I went ahead and changed for bed. When he got back, he just got into bed next to me, not saying anything.

"Wes-"

"I said to shut the fuck up."

"You are not going to-"

"Shut up. I mean it."

I tried to get up, but he just reached over and held me down.

"Wes, let me go."

"No. Go to sleep, Macy. We'll talk later, alright? I'm not going to talk to you when I'm mad."

"Then let me go and I'll go sleep somewhere else."

"Like where? The living room?"

I frowned. "No. My mother's room."

He let go of my arm. "Fine. Go."

He knew that I wouldn't. I knew that I wouldn't. Instead, I just put my back to him, which really wasn't odd. We weren't very cuddly or affectionate if it didn't have to do with kissing. We weren't one of those couples that had to hold each other. That was odd for both of us.

"Don't I at least get a goodnight?"

Wes didn't say anything for a long time and I was almost asleep when he whispered goodnight to me. I barely heard him, but it helped me sleep, if only because I knew that he wasn't that mad at me. That was good.