Last Chance for May

I just noticed it's the last day of May and seeing as I've yet to a go a month without finding something to post, I thought I better get on it. Here is an excerpt from my on-going Doc Saga which I write sporadically whenever mood and time line up. I think this part can stand alone.

xoxoChilly

Salt in the Wounds

I could dial her number in the dark.

“Hey, I’m too busy to pick up right now. Probably off doing something cool. Maybe fighting terrorists or something. Anyway, leave a message!” And then the inevitable, “The mail box belonging to Doc is full.”

Over the past couple days, dialing her number had become a compulsive act. I knew exactly how many rings it took for voicemail to pick up. So well I didn’t count anymore. I could just feel the correct length of time.

As soon as I hit end, my fingers started itching to dial again. It was ridiculous and I knew it. Every time I dialed I became less and less sure of what I would say if she did pick up. No, it wasn’t for me to say anything. What needed to be said, she had to say.

My phone rang. My heart leapt. I looked at the call ID and my heart stopped. The number displayed was meaningless to me.

“Hello?” I said, hoping it was a telemarketer I could let out some of my aggression on.

“Hi,” said Laura’s voice. “Why didn’t you pick up before?”

“I didn’t recognize the number.” When had I given her my number? She’d asked me out through Chance. It’s not like we’d spoken on the phone before. “I’m sorry,” I added for good measure.

“I think we should talk about what happened the other night.”

“I thought we had.” I talked, you yelled.

“I think we should talk again now that we’re calm.”

I’m anything but calm. “I think I said everything already, Laura. I’m sorry you had to witness that scene, but it does prove that I’m not ready to dat –“

“We should talk in person,” she said, cutting me off. “Now’s a good time, right? I’ll be right over.” Then she hung up.

Persistent is the word for Laura. Delusional is another word. I became aware of ringing in my ear “Hey, I’m too busy to pick up right now.” Speaking of persistent and delusional… “Probably off doing some—” I hung up and tucked my phone safely away in my suitcase.

I wish I could shake off the feeling of annoyance towards Laura. God knows none of this was her fault. My bad feelings should be directed at the person responsible. I feel awful that Laura had been put in such an embarrassing situation. If I could do the night over again…

Hell, I knew what I’d do differently! As much as I’d tried to avoid thinking about it, I had imagined how things would have gone if I hadn’t brought Laura as my date to the party. Still, it was senseless to fantasize about it. Even in my best dreams I knew nothing would have changed in the morning except Doc and I would have had sex. Not unless Doc had magically transformed into a mature women looking for a serious relationship. I think showing up at my friend’s bachelor party, performing a cabaret number then dragging me upstairs to undress me proves she hasn’t.

I left the room I was staying in and headed down the Kret’s massive staircase. When I was almost at the bottom, Sharayah called up to me. “Your girlfriend is on her way over.”

“Laura’s not my girlfriend,” I shot back. “Wait…How did you know she’s on her way over?”

“Who’s Laura?” asked Sharayah, looking confused. “Chance’s Laura?”

“Who were you talking about?”

“Doc,” said Sharayah, matter-of-factly. There was that heart leaping feeling again. “She called twenty minutes ago to say she was on her way. Twice she asked if you were going to be at the BBQ.”

BBQ? For the first time I noticed Sharayah was carrying a large bowl of potato salad. Now I seemed to remember someone mentioning a BBQ to me. Chris or Chance…It didn’t matter. Doc was coming! I could speak with her in person. More than that she’d checked to make sure I’d be here. Maybe she wanted to talk to me.

Without further explanation to Sharayah, I was heading for the front door. What was I going to do? Ambush Doc as soon as she arrived?

I didn’t have time to come up with a game plan. Even as I was opening the front door, I heard a car door slam. And there she was…

Standing on the walkway beside the van she’d arrived in, stretching out her body after the drive. Arms above her head, back arched, sun shining down on her face, wind in her hair. Yes, I know she’s beautiful, Lord. Thanks for the reminder.

I was standing dumbly in the doorway when Doc looked my way. When she noticed me, she smiled. And that smile. What more did I need from her besides that smile? And I was smiling back. I couldn’t remember why I’d been angry with her. It didn’t matter, I was descending the steps. In my head, I’d already reached her, lifted her up, was kissing her…

The slam of another car door snapped me back to reality. I stopped in my tracks ten feet in front of Doc.

“I wish we’d brought something,” said a male voice. He came around the front of the van from the driver’s side. It was that blond bloke from the night before. The one I’d seen going to Doc after I’d left her alone…half naked…oh god. “Maybe if you hadn’t burnt down my kitchen, we could’ve –“ He stopped midsentence, noticing me for the first time.

Doc wasn’t smiling at me anymore. She was looking at him. Before anyone could say anything, another door slammed shut. Behind the van, a car had pulled up without my notice. Laura was walking around the driver’s side, heading towards me with purpose.

“Hey, Brett,” said Laura. She hadn’t noticed Doc standing there with a look that could kill. Probably no more deadly than the look I’d just given the blond bloke. I could see trouble brewing. “Should we --?”

“Change of plans,” I said, grabbing Laura by the hand and dragging her back to her car. “We’re going to your place.”

“Okay,” said Laura, quite happily, but then she noticed Doc. “Hey, isn’t that --?” But I was already pushing her into the driver’s seat. Seconds later I was in the passenger seat, sinking low into my chair.

As the car pulled away, I caught a glimpse of Doc staring at us with her mouth open. Good. Let her get the wrong idea. I didn’t care anymore. She was the one who’d brought that pretty boy to the BBQ. Why had she checked to make sure I’d be there if she was bringing a date? To gloat? That’s mature. Of course, look who I’m talking about.

I became aware that Laura was in the process of chewing me out. Maybe she’d realized that was Doc back there. Whatever. She could verbally abuse me all she wanted, it wouldn’t make me feel any worse. Hell, she could push me out the door into traffic and I couldn’t possibly feel more pain than I was already feeling.