Page 61 of Tell Me What You Want, Or Leave Me

Flyn wants to go on the rides, and Marta and I offer to go with him. I do need a little air. When we leave the tent, the mob engulfs us. Marta looks back at me, a little worried, but I let her know I’m right behind her. Flyn immediately finds his way onto one of the rides while Marta and I wait.

“Oh man, those people are goners,” I say, pointing out some guys who are drunk off their asses.

“They look like Brits,” Marta says. “You know, they probably tried to drink alongside some German and don’t realize that the beer at these festivals is much stronger than usual.”

I laugh.

“I mean, if the smallest mug is the size of a book, what can you expect?” says Marta.

We go with Flyn from ride to ride. When we get back to the tent, Eric winks at me, and Frida takes me by the hand and makes me climb up on one of the tables to sing a typical German song. Amazingly, I know this tune, and Eric and his mother beam up at me.

As I start to come down off the table, a man comes up to help me.

“Do you know you’re a very pretty woman?” he says, taking me by the waist and helping me down. I thank him and walk back to my group, but, as I get nearer, I stop and feel the fury rising within me when I realize Amanda is standing right in front of Eric. What is Amanda doing here?

I hate that woman!

My neck itches. I scratch and curse in Spanish so no one will understand me. Suddenly, she notices me. When Eric sees her discomfort, he follows her gaze and lands on me. Annoyed, I turn around and run right into the man who was flirting with me seconds before. I realize he’s drunk as a skunk.

“Hello again, beautiful.”

I don’t respond.

“Let me buy you a beer.”

“No, thank you.”

I turn again. I’m pissed. Very pissed. And then someone grabs me by the waist again. Goddamned drunk. I lean away and launch my elbow back with all my might. I hear a grunt and turn back to see Eric, hunched over.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Oh my God, I’m so stupid. I’ve hurt him!

I’m stunned. He recovers, takes me forcefully by the hand, and drags me to the side of the tent.

“What was that about?”

I’m about to respond, but he doesn’t let me.

“If this is about Amanda, she hasn’t done anything. She hasn’t tried to flirt with me or in any way embarrass herself, because she likes her job and knows I don’t want her to be a problem. She finally gets it. Do you?”

I have no plans to respond. I’m still pissed. Eric waits...and waits...and waits...and I see he’s getting frustrated.

“Fine, I get it,” I finally say.

His face relaxes, and he touches my hair. “Sweetheart, you’re the only thing that’s important to me.”

He’s about to kiss me, but I pull back.

“Did you just pull the cobra on me, Mrs. Zimmerman?” The look on his face, his voice, and laughter finally relax me.

“Be careful or next time, I’ll pull the viper on you. Understood?”

Eric cracks up and hugs me. We go back to our friends, and I’m amazed to find Graciela sitting on Dexter’s lap as he holds and kisses her. It looks like beer helped these two find their nerve.

“Everybody kisses everybody here except me,” says Eric.

This amuses me, and I grab him by the neck.

---