I'm sorry for yet another delay. Real life continues to be crazy. Thank you for your continued patience. :-)
"You know I read the other day that algebra is up there with the most commonly failed college class."
Eric looked up from his notes. He had a test later and was not feeling optimistic. If his quiz the other day was any indication, his concern was justified. "Where did you read that?"
"The bookstore has some of those teen magazines. I skimmed a few on my break. They had articles to reassure incoming college freshmen."
"Oh. So it's okay if I'm stupid, because at least I won't be alone in loser-ville? I'll just be the oldest one at the table?"
Angela transferred the French toast to a plate and turned off the stove before she walked over to him. "Hey, what have I told you? I don't like it when you talk like that. You're not stupid. And you're definitely not a loser."
"You saw my quiz."
"And? It's one bad quiz. Considering how long it's been since you've really done algebra I don't think it's the end of the world."
"Maybe not yet, but it could be the beginning. A bad quiz leads to a bad test, then another, and another, until suddenly I'm wondering how the hell am I going to pay for a fifth year of college."
"You just need to get out of here with that train of thought. You passed how many of your classes at the end of this year? How many?" She paused for a few seconds, pretending to wait for an answer. "That's right, all of them."
"Doesn't matter right now." He shook his head. "It's bad enough I wrecked our summer, but if I-"
"Whoa, what are you talking about? Who said anything was wrecked?"
"Is this honestly the way you wanted to spend your summer?"
"Is this how I wanted to spend my summer? Let me think." Angela pondered his question. "You're right. This is definitely not the way I thought things would go."
"See?" Eric was confused when she sat in his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. "What are you doing?"
"It's even better than I imagined."
"Are there a lot of old books in that shop of yours'? I think the dust is going to your brain," he said, lightly tapping a finger against her temple. "How is this better? I have summer school four days a week, I'm still working at the Student Union and for my dad, and you're working. We don't exactly have a ton of time to spend together like we thought we would."
"That's all true but I'd take quality time over quantity any day. What matters is I have a boyfriend who cares about me and it turns out I'm pretty crazy about him, too."
"He sounds like a lucky guy."
"He's not the only one who's lucky." She tightened her hold on him and pulled him closer. "Got it?"
"I hate that we can't take that road trip. We were going to throw a dart at a map and then get into the car and take off."
"We can go next year. It will be one hell of a way to celebrate your graduation."
Eric still couldn't believe they'd been together for a few months already, despite his nearly screwing it up. It was comforting, if a little scary, to know that Angela was already thinking farther ahead. Not that he didn't let his mind go there, but he hadn't said anything out loud to anyone besides Jack or Jason. What if she didn't feel the same? "A year…that's a long time off." He'd leave the graduation comment alone for now. He had to pass first.
"I'm not going anywhere."
He kissed her gently. "Me either."
"Good."
"And if I fail summer school, too, it won't make a difference?"
"Eric, you won't-"
"Just…please? Yes or no."
"No, it won't matter." She kissed him once more, hoping to give any reassurance he seemed to need. "I promise."
"Okay."
"You want that French toast now? It's probably cold, but I can stick it in the microwave for a few seconds."
"I'll eat it cold." They sat together for a few minutes in amiable silence, eating breakfast. "How about I come over Thursday night and watch a movie?"
"Sure. Whose turn is it to pick?"
"Mine and I already have the perfect one."
"Perfect? You've definitely got my attention. I'm intrigued."
"Prepare yourself, because I am going to introduce you to the cinematic saga known as The Godfather."
"Wow, showing me your favorite movie. This is a big step."
"Technically, Part 2 is my favorite. The original isn't bad, but Part 2 is a masterpiece."
"Sounds like fun. I'll buy dinner and you can get the snacks."
"It's a date. Any junk food requests?"
"Caramel corn."
"Okay." He glanced at the time. He had to run back to the apartment for a few things before his class. "Can you go over a few more word problems with me?"
"Sure." She pulled his book closer and looked over the page. While she'd always done fairly well in her math classes there was a reason she gravitated towards English and writing. "Some of these are rough."
"You're telling me. And for the record, I was much better at math before all these letters got involved. When it was just numbers, I was golden. Why couldn't the alphabet just leave the calculator alone?"
/
/
"I'm sorry, but Topanga's meditating with Cherry and Medusa right now."
"With who and what?"
"Cherry and Medusa, they're friends of ours'."
Cory sighed into the phone. Of course Topanga had friends already, friends with names even weirder than her own. He didn't want to think she was avoiding him, but whenever he called she either wasn't available or could only talk for a few seconds. "I guess I'll try again later. I'd ask you to have her call me, but either you're not delivering my messages or-"
"I've told her every time you called," Nebula said, quick to defend herself.
"Oh. So she just doesn't want to talk to me? Is that it? Does she even want to get married anymore?"
"Cory, I don't…just give her some time, okay? Her whole universe got knocked upside down. It's going to take some time to recover."
"You've bounced back pretty quick."
"Excuse me?"
"I know you took off a long time ago, but they're your parents, too, Nebula. Why doesn't it seem like the divorce is hitting you as hard?"
"I learned a long time ago that Jedidiah and Chloe weren't the pretty, carefree picture they liked to portray to the rest of the world. I saw them for the hypocrites they are. And believe me, it took a while to bounce back."
"What does that mean?"
"Let's just say there's a reason I left how I did and leave it at that."
"I don't get it."
"You're not supposed to right now."
"But-"
"I'll make sure Topanga calls you back."
"You promise?"
"Even if I have to glue the receiver to her hand and dial the number myself," she said.
Somehow he didn't imagine that going over well with his bride-to-be, at least Cory hoped she still wanted the title. Still, the picture was enough to put a smile on his face. "Thanks, Nebula."
/
/
"He ate the bagels I brought back from my favorite spot in New York. I'm almost positive I kept them on my shelf in the fridge, too. Then there's the hot water."
Eric continued to make his lunch, half listening to Jack's grievances. He only hoped the whining didn't push out the information he'd studied earlier.
"…how difficult is it to leave enough hot water for all roommates?"
"Not very?"
He noticed how nonchalant his friend's demeanor was. "Are you even listening to me?"
"You're making it really hard not to."
"So do you think you could ask-"
"No."
"No?"
"That's right. No. Now who's the one not listening, smart guy?"
"Eric, come on! Be reasonable."
"I was more than reasonable by not smacking the both of you when you let Cory move in without asking me first." He shook his head. "Don't expect me to do your dirty work now. I warned you."
"But-"
"Didn't I warn you?"
"Yeah, but-"
"But nothing. This is on you, Jackie. You're the one who brought the puppy home. That means you deal with it when he chews up your shoes."
"Bagels."
"Whatever. The point is if you want Cory out, you have to take him back to the pound."
Jack rolled his eyes. "How many dog analogies do you have?"
"Not sure. I've got one about putting Old Yeller out of his misery, but it still needs some work. Get back to me in a few hours. I should have it worked out by tonight."
"It's easy not to get bothered by this when you have a girlfriend who has a whole house to herself."
Eric smiled. He had been spending a lot of evenings at Angela's lately. Mostly it was just so they'd be able to see each for a little bit between their crazy schedules. More often than not he wound up spending the night. If he was being honest he'd admit part of the reason he stayed away was because he wanted Jack and Cory to get on each other's nerves. They made this arrangement without consulting him. It was the least they deserved. "Hmm….crowded apartment with my brother and roommate or empty house with my girlfriend…tough call."
"Okay, fine, I'd probably be doing the same thing." Jack sighed. Most of the time Cory wasn't that bad, hell they'd even had some fun. It turned out they had similar taste in music and books. But when he was annoying, he was annoying. "Yesterday he said he could create an entire box of crayons out of the colors in Topanga's eyes."
"Fourteen?"
"Seventeen."
"Wow, surprised it took him this long to come up with three more. He's slipping." He tossed his lunch into a plastic bag and headed for the door. "I have to go before I'm late."
"What about Cory?"
"We'll have the food talk again later. I'm sure it wasn't on purpose. He doesn't normal steal other people's food. He's a pain in the ass, not a thief."
/
/
"Angela, I'm going to be in the office for a few minutes returning a couple calls. Can you watch the front of the store?"
She put the last of the books she'd unboxed on the shelf. "Not a problem, Renata." Mid-afternoon tended to be the slow part of the day and even if there was a rush, it was generally nothing she couldn't handle. It wasn't the most stimulating work, but she did enjoy it here. Renata and her husband were really nice and laidback as far as bosses went. They did also seem very interested in building a website and online book review section. She didn't know a whole lot about website building, but she was willing to learn. Writing up the book reviews were the intriguing part. Of course both of these opportunities came with raises. So long as the rest of the summer went well, she had no reason to expect she wouldn't be asked to stay on.
When the bells above the door chimed, Angela was very surprised to see Cory stroll in. He'd never come in here before. "Hey, Cory, what's up?"
"Meditation apparently. It's all the rage."
"Huh?"
"That's what Topanga is doing every time I call. She's meditating, doing yoga, or off becoming one with nature…whatever that means," he muttered. "I don't think I want to know actually."
"I can only speak for yoga, but it is a great way to clear to your mind and help you focus."
"Do I look like I'm here to talk about yoga?"
"You haven't told me why you're here, so…"
"Oh." He slumped against the counter and rested his head in his hands. "Sorry."
She waited for him to say something else, but he didn't continue. "You look so down, my friend. Why?"
"I feel like I'm losing Topanga and I don't know what to do. I came here to see if you sold any books on meditation."
"In the self-help section," Angela interjected, "in-between horror and supernatural."
"I was going to send her one as a way of showing her my support, but I don't think it's going to do any good."
"For what it's worth, I think letting her see you're interested in what she's doing is helpful. It lets her know you care."
"I guess. If she ever talks to me again I'll be sure to let her know."
"What do you mean?" She listened as Cory lamented his inability to reach Topanga, about how more often than not his calls and messages through Nebula went unreturned. It was odd. While Angela hadn't talked to her best friend every day, they hadn't gone more than a few days without a phone call between them. "I'm sorry. That's rough. I'm sure Topanga just needs some time and space to work things out."
"She's five hours and three hundred miles away. How much more time and space does she need?"
"It's hitting her hard, Cory. Having the picture perfect family ripped away from you is a pretty big blow. She's not going to snap out of it just because it's inconvenient for you. This is about Topanga. Not you or the two of you as a couple. Her."
"I know! But I want to help. And how can I help if she won't let me? Your parents are divorced. How long did it take you to get over it and bounce back?" He knew immediately from her expression that he said the wrong thing. "I'm sorry, I-"
"My mom split when I was nine and my dad is forever busy being a good little soldier. Most of the time I think I'm over my mom leaving, that I'm doing okay, but every once in a while something comes along- usually something small and stupid like her favorite song on the radio, a bouquet of pink roses, or seeing her favorite cereal at the store. When that happens I get the wind knocked out of me all over again and I remember the truth. My mom didn't love me enough to stick around and my dad, for as good a man as he is, doesn't know how to not put the army first."
He stared at the floor, wishing for the hardwood to envelope him on the spot. He certainly had a knack for saying the exact wrong thing. Or at least what he meant to say never came out right. "I'm sorry, Angela. I didn't mean to…"
"Sound like an asshole?"
"I deserve that."
"Yeah, you do."
"Me and Topanga were going to spend this summer planning our wedding, aka the launching pad for the rest of our lives. It was going to be nothing but Happily Ever After after that. Now she's in Yogaville with her sister and I got myself stuck in an apartment with Eric and Jack and-"
"You don't like living there?"
"It's not working out the way I thought it would. Everyone seems annoyed by me. I feel like I'm in the way everywhere I go and no one wants me around. I don't have Topanga or Shawn. Would you believe I actually thought about tracking down Shawn and tagging along with him the whole summer?"
She smiled. "Yeah, I can buy that."
"But he's working, not just fooling around. And as much as I hate that he's probably dropping out of college, working and being a photographer seems to make him happy. I don't want to wreck that for him. He deserves to be happy."
"That's very mature of you, Cory."
"Whatever," he mumbled. "I don't know what to do now, though."
"Make the apartment work. If there are issues with Eric and Jack, fix them. If it's been a tricky adjustment period, talk it out. Maybe they don't realize something's not right. But you have to communicate, too. And no offense, you haven't been the easiest person to be around lately."
"Could you talk to Eric and-"
"No."
"But-"
"No. It's your mess. You fix it. You and Jack are my friends, but Eric's my boyfriend. Don't ask me to play mediator and pick sides. You won't be happy."
"Fine, but he can be such a-"
"Uh, no, bad mouthing him to me will end even worse for you, got it?"
"Loud and clear."
"Good. You know, I think you're looking at this the wrong way. Maybe this is the time to focus on you and what you want. Shawn's working, Topanga's bonding with her sister, but what about you?"
"What do you mean? I don't know what I want."
"What about that flyer I saw you with a while ago, the one for that documentary contest for NYU?"
"Oh, come on, that was just a thought…a whim…a passing fancy." He dug into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. Inside was the crumpled piece of blue paper. "I don't know if I really even want to do it."
"You carry the information in your wallet." Angela took the paper from him. "It's okay to want something of your own, Cory. You can go after a dream that has nothing to do with Topanga."
"Or Shawn?"
"Or Shawn, yes."
He sighed. It had been so long since he thought about what he wanted. He didn't even know what he wanted to major in. It felt wrong to consider something without Topanga in mind. "What if it's a disaster?"
"Then it's a disaster. But at least you tried something. Would you rather try and fail or look back in a few years and wish you tried?"
"I don't even know what I'd make a movie about!"
"It says here you just have to submit your name by the end of this week, details to follow."
"You really think I can do this?"
"I think you owe it to yourself to give it a shot. You already know you can make a documentary. You've done it before."
"You're right. I'll call them today."
"Good." It was a relief to see him look even slightly enthusiastic about something. "Just one suggestion though."
"Shoot."
"No roommate stuff. If I catch one camera on Eric and I so help me…that thing will end up where the sun don't shine."
"And here I thought you were going to say you'd get Eric to beat me up."
"I can fight my own battles."
"I know."
"But rest assured I'd give him whatever was left you."
It was comforting to know his brother had someone willing to fight for him and alongside him. He deserved it. "Understood."
/
/
Jack was going flipping through the channels on TV when Eric entered the apartment. He tossed his bags down and dramatically threw himself across the couch. "Long day?"
"I want a time machine so I can go back and kick my own ass for being so scared and lazy. I'm definitely paying for it now."
"What happened?"
"What didn't? My history professor wants everything to be written in essay answers, even the homework. I understand the tests, but the homework?"
"They have to make sure you understand the material."
"I know, but they're making me do so much work. It's worse than regular school. I'm only taking three classes, but it might as well be a full load."
"That's because they have to fit an entire semester worth of material into two months, if that."
"Yeah…definitely gonna need that time machine." He kicked his shoes off and hoped they landed under the coffee table so he wouldn't trip later. "And the Student Union was weird today, too. I accidentally gave the Ethics professor artificial sweetener instead of regular sugar and you'd think I poured arsenic in her coffee. I had to listen to a twenty minute lecture on the evils of the artificial sweetener world."
"Weird. What about at the wilderness store?"
"Do you know the difference between a double sleeping bag and a two person sleeping bag?"
Jack thought it over for a few seconds and made a face. "Is that a trick question? They're the same thing, right?"
"Thank you! I spent almost an hour explaining that some moron who waltzed in during our busiest time." He took a deep breath and leaned his head against the back of the couch, closing his eyes. "At least I only have one class and working with my dad tomorrow. Then I can relax a little. Hey, can I borrow your collector's edition of The Godfather?"
"Why?"
"It's my turn to pick a movie for me and Angela and she's never seen The Godfather so tomorrow night I-"
"She's never seen The Godfather?! That's just wrong."
"Right! Clearly I have to fix that. But you've got the nice collector set, so…can I borrow it?"
"Don't break it or mess it up in anyway."
"I would never commit such a crime against a roommate."
Jack shook his head. "That's the worst Brando impression I've ever heard."
"I know, but it's a yes, right."
"Sure. So I guess you're not interested in going to a Yankees game tomorrow night? My stepdad's company gets box seats and they have a couple extra tickets."
"Sorry, next game thought, count me in for that." He looked up when he heard fumbling at the front door. "Here's an idea, why don't you ask Cory?"
"Really?"
"Sure, he's a huge baseball fan. He'll love it. Besides, you're the one who invited him to live here. This will help you be better friends."
He had to admit it wasn't the worst idea in the world. He'd float the idea and see how Cory responded. They hadn't talked much since he snapped at him over his missing bagels. When the door finally opened the reason for the struggle was apparent. Cory's arms were full with grocery bags. Eric seemed content to remain parked on the couch, but Jack jumped up to help. "Hey, what's all that?"
"I felt bad about eating your bagels. I wasn't paying attention to what shelf they were on, but that's not an excuse." They set the bags on the counter. "I'll be more careful."
"Are all of these bagels?"
"No. Besides the bagels I tried to remember everyone's favorite foods and brands: frozen pizzas, cereal, soda, cookies…all kinds of stuff."
"You didn't have to do that."
"I know, but you guys are being nice enough to let me live here and I really appreciate it. I haven't been the easiest person to be around lately. I'm going to try to be better though. I can't let the drama with Topanga and missing her and Shawn consume my whole life because it's driving me insane." He looked around the room in disbelief. "Wow, can't believe I just said that."
"How is Topanga," Eric asked.
"The second I actually get her on the phone for longer than two seconds I'll let you know. According to Nebula she's reeling, processing, and doing a lot of meditating."
"Sorry, man."
"Yeah, that sounds rough."
"Thanks. I'll survive though…or I'm going to give it my best shot. And I'll try not to drag you guys down with me when I'm feeling miserable."
Eric got up and joined his roommates in the kitchenette. "If you need to talk about all the crap going on with Topanga we're here. Just because Shawn's not around doesn't mean you don't have anyone to talk to."
"He's right."
He smiled, for the first time feeling included as a roommate. "Thanks, guys. Something…or rather someone made me realize that I haven't been helping our new living situation and I don't just mean eating food that's not mine." He looked at his brother. "That girlfriend of yours' really has a way of cutting through the crap and making you see things you don't always want to."
"Tell me about it."
"I'm glad you have someone in your corner who loves you enough to pull no punches and fight for you, even against your own brother."
"Love? I…what do you…you think…love?"
"It's so obvious! You love her, too, right?"
"Well-"
"Wait a minute," Jack interrupted, "you haven't told her yet?" Weren't they just discussing this with Jason a while back? "Why?"
"It's complicated. I almost blew it when I lied about summer school. I hurt her bad after promising we'd always talk about stuff."
"That was weeks ago. You worked it out."
"I know, but…I want it to be right. I want her to believe me."
"Eric, look at me. You're talking to a guy who has spent the last forty-seven years of his life in a relationship doing just about everything perfectly and lived by the right moments and look where it's gotten me. My fiancée ran away and I'm stuck in an apartment with you two! No offense," he added in a hushed whisper in Jack's direction.
"What's your point?"
"My point is…forget the right moment. The next time you see Angela tell her you love her."
/
/
"So, did you get it?"
"Yep." Eric smiled and held up a bag. "I got The Godfather right here."
"Not the movie, silly."
"Don't worry, your caramel corn is here, too."
"Eric, be serious."
"But how can I be serious when you call me silly," he teased. She was wearing his 76ers shirt with an old pair of faded jeans with holes in the knees and it was almost enough to stop his heart. There was something comforting about seeing the person you cared about…loved even…in your clothes. It said something that even words couldn't convey. Even if words could convey it, did he trust himself to pick the right ones?
"Hello? Earth to Eric?" Angela tugged on his arm, startling him back to reality. "Are you okay?"
He shook his head. "Yeah, fine. I'm fine."
"Are you sure? You completely spaced out."
"It was just a really long day. I'm glad we have tonight and tomorrow for just us."
"Me, too."
"You ready for the movie?"
"Not until you tell me if you got it."
"Got what?"
She practically stomped her foot in frustration. "Your algebra test! How did it go?"
"I got a B."
"Seriously?" She threw her arms around his neck. "Yay, you."
"Don't get too excited. One point lower and it would've been a C."
"Doesn't matter, a B is a B. I'm so proud of you."
"It helps to have good inspiration."
Angela shook her head. "I don't-"
"Hey, it works for me, okay?"
/
"Oh, so is this where the phrase, 'sleeps with the fishes' comes from?"
Eric nodded. "I think so. I still can't believe you've never seen The Godfather movies."
"Sure, cause my dad was going to let me watch this stuff when I was a kid. I've always been mature for my age, but the horse head in the bed alone would've landed me in therapy." She leaned back against his chest and pulled his arm more tightly around her. "I can't promise I won't have creepy dreams tonight as it is. And I don't even like horses!"
"We can sleep with the light on if you want," he said, kissing her cheek. "But you're right. These movies can be traumatizing. I didn't see them until I took film classes in high school."
"You took film class?" Her film class in senior year is where she met Shawn and started to really talk to Topanga and Cory.
"I thought it would be an easy A."
"No such thing."
"I'm learning that." Eric paused the movie, something she said just registering with him. "I'm sorry, did you say you hate horses?"
"Hate is probably a little strong, but they're not my favorite."
"Why not? "
Angela shifted around until she was lying on her back, looking up at him. "They freak me out."
"But you can ride them. If they go fast enough it's like you're flying."
"Or you're seven and at the petting zoo on a school field trip riding what the staff swears is the calmest, steadiest, gentlest pony in existence. Then out of nowhere the thing gets startled by a leaf or a bee and throws you. Trust me, not so much fun really flying from a horse."
"Were you hurt?"
"Sprained my ankle when it got caught in the saddle thing, otherwise I was fine, just terrified."
"I'm sorry that happened, but I don't think it's a reason to write off horses all together. Isn't there some saying about getting back on a horse or something?"
"Or you could be smart and stay off when the damn thing throws you off. Why are you taking this so personally? I wish the animals no harm, I just don't like them." She rolled her eyes, trying not to get too annoyed. "I know you mean well and come from a family of fixers, but not every less than perfect detail needs to be fixed, okay?"
"Sorry. You're right. It's a birth defect. Blame my parents. They made me this way. I'll try to be better about it."
"Okay." She kissed him quickly before settling back on the couch. "Come on, let's get back to this masterpiece."
/
/
Eric awoke the next morning and found that, while Angela wasn't asleep on his arm, she had at some point wrapped herself in the sheets and completely stolen all the covers. He could be annoyed, on any other morning he would be a little bit. They slept with the window open last night and there was a cool breeze. But all he could think about was his conversation with Cory and Jack the other night. What was a right moment? Weren't all the moments they were together right ones? They were certainly the greatest of his life so far.
"Sorry, didn't mean to steal the blanket."
His gaze wandered over to her and he felt himself grin like an idiot. She unraveled herself from her cocoon and put half the sheet back on him. Sure, it wasn't a big gesture, but it was the little things, the little moments where they took care of each other, those were the best moments.
Angela draped her arm over him and rested her head on his chest. "Let's just stay here all day."
"Sounds perfect to me."
She raised her head to look at him. He was uncharacteristically chipper for someone who just woke up. "What are you smiling at?"
He took a deep breath and ran his fingertips along the side of her face. "I love you."
Eric tried to imagine how he thought this moment would go, but nothing prepared him for reality. It was as if he was watching one of those flip books play out before his eyes. Angela experienced every emotion from pure joy and elation to horror before he could grasp what was happening.
"Oh, is that the time," she exclaimed, jumping out of bed. "Work…I'm going to be late for work."
"But it's Friday. You're off on Fridays, remember. That's our day."
"Renata called me last night and asked me to fill in." She ran back and forth between her closet and dresser to gather clothes. "It was very last minute."
He knew that was a lie. The phone didn't ring at all last night. "Angela, if you don't feel the same-"
"Have you seen my shoes," she asked, cutting him off. "The brown flats?"
"They're right behind you."
"Oh. Right. Thanks."
She picked up her shoes, grabbed her purse, and flew out of the room. If she was hoping Eric would leave her alone however, she wouldn't be so lucky. He was right behind her on the stairs.
"Angela, wait a second."
"Later. I'm going to be late."
"I'll give you a ride."
"Don't be silly. You're in your underwear. I'll take the bus." She got one shoe on and struggled to get the other on while going to the door. When she got the door open she ran into a wall…well, not so much a wall as a person. "Daddy?"
"Hi, sweetheart."
She dropped her purse and welcomed his hug. "What are you doing here? You weren't scheduled until next week."
"I managed to get a few extra days to spend with my daughter and I couldn't very well pass that up, could I?"
She held him tighter. "I'd kill you if you did."
Alvin finally realized they were not alone. "Um, Angela?"
"Yes?"
"What's with the half-dressed boyfriend?"
She pulled away and squeezed past him, getting out the door. "Later. I have to go to work. I'll talk to you later, daddy, bye."
Before he could say another word she was out the gate and half way down the block. Seeking an explanation, he turned his attention to Eric. "What was that?"
Eric shook his head. Less than ten minutes ago he and Angela were cuddled together, wanting to spend the entire day in bed. "I guess I picked the wrong moment."