Page 147 of Pretty Little Thing

Thirty-Six

Clive

If I ever find myselfin a situation where I’m allowed to choose the fate of my worst enemy, spending twenty hours on a bus might be somewhere near the top of my list of punishments.

Nora abandoned me in New York and I had to get back home to Chicago somehow. I don’t blame her, obviously. The punishment matches the crime.

It gave me a chance to think. To plan what the hell I’ll do next. My life-saving, salaried position at Black Book isn’t an option anymore. I’m lucky if I still have my job at the gym after no-showing my shift yesterday. If word of this gets back to Judy, I might lose my job at Red Brick, too. There’s certainly an argument to be made for me mistreating my sub. Instant blacklist.

So, it’s back to square one. Whatever that is.

At least I still have my car.

And a few extra dollars in my pocket so I can get a cup of coffee.

The barista eyes me with suspicion. Either that or the scent of coffee beans doesn’t quite mask the stench of bus on my suit. I don’t really care, in the end.

I sit down in a booth and watch the city rush by through the window for who knows how long.

“Wow. You look like shit.”

I look up to find a man standing over me in thick, black sunglasses and a leather jacket. He slides the glasses off with his non-bandaged hand and I recognize him as Nora’s friend’s ex-husband.

“Thanks,” I mutter.

“Robbie,”he reminds me.

I nod, not really caring.

He raises his drink — a large frappe with a hot pink straw sticking out the top — and takes a long sip. He swallows it down and stares at me for another awkward moment before nodding.

“Sure, thanks. I’d love to sit down,” he says.

He lowers onto the bench across from me.

“No,” I say. “I’d like to be alone right now, if you don’t mind.”

“I do mind, actually. I mind very much.”

I exhale. “Why?”

Robbie pockets his sunglasses and sits back, easing into a more comfortable position. “You’ve stumbled into a very interesting family here, Clyde.”

“Clive,”I correct.

“Yeah, whatever,” he says, shrugging. “I really don’t care. I care about Nora and when it comes Nora, Trix, and Melanie, Clive, you are vastly unprepared for what you’ve signed up for.”

I glance around. “Well, I don’t mean to interrupt this speech you’re clearly proud of, but Nora and I are over.”

“No, you’re not. And here’s why.” He sits up and takes a quick sip from his pink straw. “What you’re experiencing right now is a phenomenon I like to call The Gray Zone.”

I raise a brow. “The what?”

“You woke up this morning, looked around, and the bright, colorful world you went to sleep in was gone,” he says. “The grass isn’t green. The sky isn’t blue. Everything is just drab and shitty. You have a job but — screw it — you called in sick. They’ll manage without you for one damn day. You’re in need of a shower but — fuck that. Why bother? You’re hungry but — whatever — you’re gonna die eventually anyway. Why not speed it along? Are you with me so far?”

“… Yeah, sure.” I nod.

He smiles. “The Gray Zone. Guys like you and me spend a lot of time here, so we learn really quickly the various ways to inject a little color into our lives; Drugs, sex, alcohol.” He raises his coffee. “Caffeine, or as I like to call it: All of the above.” He takes another long sip from his pink straw and admires the cup. “Damn, that’s good caramel.”

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