“If he didn’t make me come, like, ten times in one night I’d be able to ditch him,” she says, the volume of her voice much too loud for the subject matter. She gets a look from a guy sitting at the next table and just gives him her patented glare that would freeze boiling water. He quickly becomes interested in his beer bottle.
“So anyway, he calls me and I think he’s going to ask me out, but it turned out it was just a booty call. And then I find out that he’s been dating this other girl and called me to bang right after he dropped her off.” She drains her martini glass and pouts.
“Why are the worst guys for you always the best at getting you off?”
“No idea,” I say, nursing my own drink. The temptation to go wild and get blasted is totally there, but I’d rather not show up back at home stumbling drunk. Not that Sylas would care.
“I’m getting another, you want?” I shake my head and she goes off to get another drink. In addition to the long legs, she also has a high alcohol tolerance and can still walk straight even if she’s blitzed.
My phone rings and I cringe when I see that it’s Dad. There’s only one reason he’s calling. Lo arrives back with her drink and I say that I’m going outside to take a call. I move away from the front of the door so I can hear him and have a little privacy.
“Dad?” I say.
“It’s done,” he says, his voice totally cold. The martinis start churning in my stomach and I think I’m going to throw up.
“Did it go well?” I ask, my voice sounding like it doesn’t belong to me.
“Yes, fine. I’ll be home tomorrow and we can discuss details in person. Goodbye, Saige.” He hangs up and I nearly collapse on the ground. Now I know what happens to Sylas when he has his episodes. My chest feels like it has something pressed on it and I can’t seem to take a deep breath. I tell myself the same things I tell Sylas and start breathing slow and even. The horrible feeling passes and I’m able to unstick my feet from the sidewalk and go back into the bar.
“What’s wrong?” I couldn’t hide what’s going on from Lo if I tried.
“I have to go. Something came up and I have to go take care of it. I’m fine, I promise. I’ll call you later.” I try to walk away from her, but she snags my arm and I’d have to really hurt her to get her to let go.
“No. You are you going to tell me what’s up. Something has you spooked. What’s wrong?” I know she’s only doing it because she loves me, but I don’t need this right now. I need to get home to Sylas. I need to figure out some way to tell him that his father is dead once and for all.
“Look, it’s something with my dad, okay? I can’t talk about it right now,” I pull against her and her eyes widen. I may be small, but I’m a lot stronger than I look. I like to think if myself as compact, and not short.
“I swear to God, Lo. This is not time for you to be a nosy friend. Drop. It.” I don’t really care if she’s pissed at me. There have been many other times that I’ve had instances where I had to lie to her. But I was a lot better at it.
“Come on,” she says, and I shake my head. She looks around and then tows me outside. The only way to get free would be to make a scene and I don’t want to do that.
Lo pulls me out of the bar and down into an alley. What is it with me and alleys? She finally lets go.
“Look, I know you have a secret life, Saige. I’m not an idiot. I know you have things you can tell me, but something has you upset and it has me scared. I really do worry about you. You’re my best friend and I love you.” I’ve never seen Lo this way. So serious.
“I’m not going to ask you to tell me because if you could, you would have.” That’s true. And it’s not even that I can’t tell her. My secret life isn’t mine to tell. If I told her about me, I’d have to tell her about Dad and that’s definitely not going to happen.
“I need to go, Lo. I’m not in danger, I promise. It’s not me.” She searches my eyes and I can tell she’s searching for the lies. “I’ll call you later, I promise.”
“You’d better. Let me get you a cab.” She steps out and back onto the sidewalk and raises her arm. Yet another reason Lo is a good friend to have is that she can get a cab faster than you can say “taxi”.
Before I get in, she leans down and gives me a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
“I worry about you.”
“I know,” I say, hugging her back. “I know. I love you.”
“Love you too. Be safe.” I get in the cab and wave goodbye.
The ride back to my apartment takes forever and no time at all. I want to get there and I don’t because the minute I get there, I’m going to have to tell Sylas. He’s going to know that something is up the minute I walk in.
I open the door and find him on the couch again.
“You’re back early,” he says, sitting up. He looks a little concerned, but then he sees my face.
“What is it?” The color drains from his cheeks and I know he knows without me having to say it. I put my bag down and go to him. I pray for a steady voice and the strength to do this.
“Dad called,” I say and he freezes.
“He’s dead,” he says in a robotic voice. He’s detached and I worry about him having another episode.
“Yes,” I say, confirming it. “I don’t have any other details, but he’s going to be coming back tomorrow and if you want, we can go to the house and get all the details. All I know is that it’s done.”
He’s not crying. He’s barely breathing. He’s not moving.
“Talk to me. You need to talk to me, Sylas.” I put both hands on his shoulders.
“It’s done,” he says.
“Yes. It’s done. He’s dead and you never have to think of him again. It’s over.” I want this to be happy news for him. Freeing news.
“It’s over,” he repeats.
“That’s right.”
He breathes for a little bit longer and I wait.
“Okay then,” he says and then gets to his feet. “How was drinks with Lo?”
What? That’s it?
“It was fine,” I say, warily as he goes to the kitchen and comes back with a glass of water. “Are you okay?”
He grips the glass and I’m afraid it’s going to shatter.
“Saige, if you ask me that one more time, I’m going to break something.” He glares at me and sits back down. There are stains on his sweatpants and they’re definitely the same ones he was wearing yesterday.
“Come on,” I say, holding my hand out. “Come with me.”
He looks up at me as if I’ve lost my mind.
“No.”
“Yes. Come with me Sylas,” I say, making my voice a little softer.
He looks up at me and I can see he’s on the verge of breaking again. But he puts his hand in mine and gets to his feet again.
“Let’s go.”
I should probably have let him change out of his nasty sweats, but I want to get him out of the apartment. He needs to get out of this cave he’s locked himself in. We both need to get out.
Sylas gets in the car and buckles his seatbelt without me having to ask him to do it.
“Where are we going?” he asks.
“It’s a surprise,” I say, turning the radio on. “You can pick the station if you want.” He flips around and finally lands on the classic rock station that was on when I turned on the radio. Figures. We’re both creatures of habit when it comes to music.
“Why are we at my apartment?” he asks as I pull into an empty space just down the street from his old apartment. I think of it as his old apartment, because he’s been staying with me. We never officially declared that we were moving in together, but we basically have been.