Page 32 of True Sight
Is there a point to this afternoon interlude? You didn’t seriously text us to let us know about your lunchtime coitus.
Malcolm:
“Coitus”? What are you, some 45 year old soccer mom who drinks wine to forget she hates her kids? Jesus Conrad.
But no, that’s not why I texted. We’re going to be twenty minutes late tonight. There’s an event at the bar that’s running late and Ophie and I can’t leave until it’s done.
Figures as much. Malcolm’s always late for one reason or another. And when he’s late, we start late and then it takes even longer to sit down and get started because the girls have to fan over one another as if they haven’t seen one another in a hundred years. ThenIlook like an asshole when I try to get everyone back on track because if everyone doesn’t shut up and sit down, we would be playing till 2:00 a.m. every week. But does anyone ever see that? No. They don’t.
I can feel my blood starting to boil with the annoyance of it all and then hear Henry’s words in my head. ‘I’m starting over. Whenever things get hard, I like to start over.’He’d said it the first time I officially met him and did this weird shoulder thing. Recalling it, I set my phone down, close my eyes, and try to repeat what I remember him doing. Sucking in a breath, I hold it in my lungs for a second before pushing it out and shaking my shoulders as I do. When my lungs are completely empty, I take a few normal breaths and open my eyes. Oddly enough, I feel a little better. This isn’t the first time Malcolm has been late and I know it won’t be the last—at the end of the day, it’s really not that big of a deal.
No problem. We will see you when you get there. Just be safe coming over.
Hank:
We will see you when you get there?
Kolbi:
Just be safe coming over?
Malcolm:
No problem?
Kolbi:
And for once, I’m with Malcolm on this one.
Conrad, are you sure you haven’t been body snatched by a middle-aged woman?
Hank:
That was a very out of character response for you Conrad.
Malcolm:
Guys don’t question it, I’m enjoying not having my head ripped off.
I shake my head at my phone and chuckle at their responses. Only they would be surprised at my sudden change in tone. Anyone else would just be grateful and move on—not my friends though, they have to question everything.
I’ll see you dick lickers tonight.
Now leave me alone, I have a glass of wine to drink
After a full dayof coding and a walk around the block later, Annie and I are heading to game night. Ever since taking her for the first time a few weeks ago, she’s been my plus one. I figure after two years of my friends bringing their plus ones to game night, I can too.
Even if my plus one has four legs and fur.
Typically what happens is Annie will follow the girls into the living room, cuddle up with one of them for theevening, and sleep until it’s time to leave. She never barks or bothers anyone andneverinterrupts the gameplay which I can’t say the same is true for the human non playable characters who like to attend every Wednesday night, or ‘NPCs’ if you’re a gamer and know what that means. There was once a time where I called Bailey an NPC which Hank did not take lightly. I was annoyed she kept showing up, and he was pissed I was annoyed. But we talked it out and got over it quickly. He couldn’t understandwhyI didn’t want her to come and honestly, neither did I back then. Now though, thanks to the stellar head shrinking Hanna’s been doing on me, I can assume it has something to do with my control issues. These days, I don’t care who comes to game night.
We pull up to Kolbi’s place and Annie hops out after me, trotting up to the door like she knows how to do. It didn’t take much to train her and she already knows that if her harness is on, she has to stay close. I always walk her on her leash even though I know she won’t go far because that’s what responsible pet parents do. They leash their dogs in case other dog walkers have nervous or anxious pets who don’t want to be approached by other people or dogs. All the research I did on proper dog etiquette after bringing her home told me as much. I reach for the doorknob and swing the front door open, letting her bounce down the hall. Kicking off my shoes just inside the door like I always do, I follow in after her. By the time I reach the end of the hallway, she’s already found Bailey and Magnolia who are standing in the kitchen, kneeling down to say hello to her.
“Hello, my sweet angel. How’s our favorite girl?” Bailey coos, rubbing Annie’s head and causing her butt to wiggle out of control.
“I missed you this week, I’m so happy you’re back,” Magnolia adds, matching the intonation of Bailey’s voice. “Jack,” she calls out to Kolbi over her shoulder without looking at him.
“Yes, flower?”
