Page 101 of Sharkbait
“Working a shift at the bar.”
“Get coverage.”
“Why?” I whisper back.
Wally winks. “Because you’ve got plans.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Louise
"Why is this the first I’m hearing of this?” I ask Mabel as she hands me a bowl of popcorn.
“I talk about Family Movie Night all the time!” she says.
“You don’t, though. You certainly have never invited me before.”
Mabel busies herself with placing two Cokes down on the coffee table alongside a bowl of wings with little wet wipes and an empty bowl for the bones. I place the popcorn down beside it all.
“Well, up until recently, you’ve been an extremely busy person,” she explains. “I didn’t want to stress you out with extra invitations that you’d inevitably have to turn down.”
I give her a look.
“Okay, truth be told, it’s usually just Wally and me for movie night. But now that I’m wearing clothes at home—for the most part—we’re opening things up to friends. The more, the merrier, right?”
“Surrrrre. So who’s coming?”
“You know. Friends.” I always know Mabel is up to something when she has a hard time looking at me.
It’s then I realize that she only put two Cokes down.
The doorbell rings.
“Coming!” Mabel’s voice echoes throughout the hallway as she runs gleefully for the door.
She flings it open to reveal James and Wally standing side by side like sexy soldiers.
James looks nervous.
“Hi,” he says.
“Hi. Welcome home.”
“Thanks.”
“Okay, well have fun, you crazy kids, don’t wait up for us, see you later bye!” Mabel rushes the words out as she grabs her purse from the hook and promptly pushes Wally outside while Wally pushes James inside.
The door slams behind them, leaving James and me alone in the foyer.
It’s quiet for a moment.
“Do you hear crickets?” James asks.
“Oh yeah. They’re not real crickets, though. It’s that dumb bugfather clock over there.”
“Bugfather clock?”
I point at the green, freestanding clock by the bathroom.
