Page 34 of David's Love

“Hey. Is everything all right?” she asks in one breath.

“Yes. Everything is good,” I say, calm and smiling. “What are you doing?”

The noise in the background hints at her watching TV.

She turns the volume down.

“Nothing,” she murmurs.

“What were you watching?”

“Some stupid show. They said it’d be funny. And they lied, of course. What’s up with you?”

“I have a little bit of a problem…” I start, still mulling over my plan.

If I fly to New York, I better start putting my plan in place tonight.

This is going to be a stretch.

“Bad problem or good problem?” she asks.

That has always been her belief.

Not all problems are the same, and she might be right.

“It’s a good problem.”

“Go on.”

I sigh.

“Everybody seems to organize a Halloween party this year.”

“Who’s everybody? And what’s wrong with that?” She says right away. I love Halloween. Even I will have a few people over my house that night.”

“What people?”

“I don’t know. People. You can come here, too.”

“Well, that’s the problem. I can’t be in several places at the same time. Plus…” I say and stall.

“I’m listening.”

I give her the scoop on the two parties.

“And why can’t you go?”

“I might go to Thea’s party. I also have something else to do that weekend.”

And here comes the difficult part.

Will she believe me?

“What exactly do you have to do?”

“I’m flying to New York.”

I wince like I have pain in my knees.

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