Page 44 of Hello, Listener
“Here you are, you two,” our waitress announces while cheerfully bringing us our entrees. Thalia and I give her a polite nod and follow her swaying hips as she walks away.
“I think it’s nothing you should worry about.” I lean in and match my volume to hers.
“I-I’m not worried.” She grabs the giant hamburger in both of her hands. I study her as drops of grease make a small puddle on the plate next to her fries. She eagerly takes the hamburger into her mouth and clamps down through the bun and the patty. Casually, she wipes the grease off the bottom of her lip with the back of her hand, smearing some of her lipstick in the process. “I’m more interested to see who it is and why they went through all of the trouble with everything they did.”Even with oil running down her chin, she’s still so fucking beautiful.
“Why do you think he did what he did?” I probe while dipping a single fry in a blob of ketchup. “He?”Choose your words carefully, Alan.
“What makes you think it was a man?” I internally sigh at her question with a bit of relief.
“I guess there weren't any real witnesses that we know of. It could be either a man or a woman.”Nice.I look at her as I take a bite off the end ofmy fry.
“That’s what I’m saying!” She takes a drink of her milkshake by wrapping her mouth around the tip of her straw.Oh, the places I would love to have your lips.
“So, let me rephrase my question. Why do you thinktheydid it?” I take another bite of the same fry.
“Well, it couldn’t have been just some nonsense reason. It had to have been done with passion.” The animated way she moves her arms in her explanation is addictive to watch.My listener has turned into my little crime solver.She swallows another bite of her hamburger and continues to tell me what she thinks of the mysterious killer in New York City.
“A random killer wouldn’t just cleanly remove someone’s eyes, let alone their fingers. They had to know what they were doing, and there had to be a reason; people like that don’t kill without a motive.”You have no idea.
“Do you have any suspicions as to who it could be?” I press, wrapping my hands around the cheeseburger in front of me. The view of her porcelain neck in my grip replaces the greasy buns in my mind. The fantasy of her exposed breasts and the sounds of heavy breaths underneath me blocks out the small pause she makes in between bites of her sandwich.
“No fucking idea,” she says as she swallows another morsel. My eyes zoom in on her throat closely until she goes in for another.
“Oh, come on, little crime solver. You don’t have any clue?” I glance up at her as I take a long drink from my straw.
“Like you said, it could be anyone.” Her lips turn into another upturned smile.
Peering down at our empty plates, her eyes go from wide and animated to discouraged. She takes a sip of her now cold coffeeand sits in silence.It’s okay, listener. I’m not ready to leave you either. I could talk to Thalia for hours on end. Before she has a chance, I grab the check on the table between our empty plates and pull my credit card out of my wallet before handing it to the waitress who is standing next to our table. Her rosy cheeks light up when I flash her my smile before she walks back to the register.
“Did you get enough to eat?” I ask, holding my head in my hand, propped up by my elbow on the table.
“Yes, thank you.” She looks up after glancing down at her phone screen.
“Please don’t tell me you’re ordering an Uber? Thalia, I can take you home.” I reach my hand across the table and graze my fingers against her hand. She appears almost shocked at the feel of my touch. My nerve endings feel as if they’re purely static electricity.Did you sense that too?She straightens in her seat.
“That’s okay. I don’t want to make you do that.” She places her phone in her purse.
“Please cancel the ride. I really don’t mind taking you home. What, you’re just a few blocks away? Not to mention, there is a killer on the loose. I can’t let you get in a car with someone you don’t know.” My knee bounces in anticipation.I’m not ready to see you go.
“Are you sure you don’t mind?” She reaches back in her purse, scrolling on the screen.
“Of course. I can easily take you home.” I rest my hand on my thigh to calm my bouncing knee.Please just be with me a little longer.
“You know, I appreciate this, Alan.” I love the way my name sounds leaving her lips.Say my name again.
“Of course. What kind of gentleman would I be if I didn’t offer you a ride home?” She gives me a small smile, and we both reach for our jackets, checking our booth to make sure everything is accounted for.
“Ready?” I test as we both slide out of our booth. I walk up behind her and wait for her to lead us out of the front doors. She flinches just slightly as I touch the small of her back.What else can I make you do?
I quickly move to her side, making sure I open her door before she can. She nods with her adorable small smile and clutches the strap of her purse before sliding into the passenger seat. Like a desperate idiot, I climb into my seat and shut the car door.Now that I have you here, what the fuck do I do?
“Okay, where do you live?"I already know.I turn on the ignition and place my hands on the wheel.
“Turn that way.” She directs, pointing left.
“I’m Not Ready to be Alone”
Alan’s silver Lexus comes to a stop while we both sit in silence. The tension between us is thick as we wait for one of us to start talking. He has to notice the way I fidget with my keys and look down towards my lap.He notices everything.
