Page 14 of One of Them Girls

We get into her car and get on the road.

“So you like hiking and dancing. What else is there to know about you?” I ask to fill the silent car.

“Coffee. I need coffee before I can take too much talky. We’re stopping by the diner to get some.”

“Coffee it is.” I try to suppress my laugh.

“Laugh all you want, Avi. You won’t be laughing when I bite your head off because I haven’t had my coffee.”

“Avi?”

“Shhhh.”

We make it to the diner in five minutes and get our coffee and a couple of breakfast sandwiches to go. Once back in the car, she blows on her coffee before taking a large sip.

“Heaven. This is heaven.”

“Can we talk now or am I still in the danger zone?”

She takes another long sip. “Now you may talk.”

“Why thank you, your majesty,” I jest.

“That’s right, loyal subject. Bow to the queen of crazy.”

“I don’t think you’re crazy.”

“All women are crazy. It’s what level of crazy that you need to worry about.”

“Ah, so I should be worried I got in a car with the queen then.”

“That’s right. Maybe I’m actually planning to drive you out to the desert to murder you and defile your corpse before leaving you to the vultures.”

“Oh. Wow. Drink more coffee. You’re not you when you’re cranky,” I tease.

“Watch it, Avi. It’s still early.”

“Where did this new nickname for me come from?”

She shrugs. “Xavier’s a lot to say. I think it’s cute. Avi. Rolls of the tongue.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever had anyone call me that.”

She glances at me with a smile. “Good. It’s just for me then.”

“Well, shit. I feel like I should have a special nickname for you now. Cass? Dra? Dre?”

She bursts out laughing. “A lot of people call me Cass. Dra? Really? Dre doesn’t even make sense.”

“Sorry, I’m not quite creative as you.”

“What about Adra?”

She laughs. “Whatever you want, Avi.”

“Adra it is. My own special nickname for you. I better not hear your friends calling you this.”

“I can assure you no one has ever called me Adra. It’s all yours.”

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