Page 15 of Something Tattered
"Everyone," Cassie repeated. "It's your big twenty-one, remember?"
In spite of everything, I had to smile. I still didn't know who this mythical "everyone" was, but it sounded like one heck of a party.
My smile faded with a guilty realization. Already, I'd postponed our plans by a full hour. Now, she was entertaining unknown party guests while I was stuck where? At some ingrate's campsite. That's where.
"So," Cassie was saying, "are you on your way?"
"Um, well, here's the thing…"
A knock on the driver's side window made me jump in my seat. I whirled to see the check ripper-upper, looking down at me through the glass.
On the phone, Cassie said, "What was that? Are you okay?"
I turned away from the window and said, "What was what?"
"You sort of screamed."
"I did not." I hesitated. "Did I?"
"Well, it wasn't abigscream or anything." Her tone brightened. "It was more of a yelp."
Oh great, so now I was yelping? Like a dog? Reluctantly, I looked toward my car window. The painter was still there.
I gave him an annoyed look.Yeah. That's me. The yelper. Deal with it.
Deliberately, I clutched the phone tighter and turned away. On Cassie's end, the music and clinking had faded to nearly nothing. "Why is it so quiet?" I asked. "You didn't leave, did you?"
"Heck no," she said. "The party hasn't even started." She laughed. "Since you're not here and all."
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I'd been planning to ask Cassie to come out here and get me. Now, I wasn't so sure. She didn't sound drunk, but she didn't sound fully sober either.
On the phone, she was saying, "I just ducked into the bathroom." Right on cue, I heard a distinct flushing noise. Cassie said, "Thatwasn'tme, by the way. I'm only in here, so I can hear what you're saying."
I gave an awkward laugh. "Well, that's a relief."
Still, I hated the idea of her hunkering near some toilet onmyaccount. I was just about to tell her that when I heard another tap on the car window.
This time, I didn't jump. And I didn't bother looking.
I already knew who the tapper was, and I knew exactly what he wanted – for me to just leave already.
Terrific.We had something in common. I wanted to leave, too.
If only I could.
"So," Cassie said, "are you on your way?"
I hesitated. "Hey, a question…By any chance, is anyone there still sober?"
"Yeah." Cassie laughed. "The bartenders."
I tried to laugh, too. "Oh c'mon, they aren't the only ones, are they?"
"Do the bouncers count?"
My shoulders sagged. "Not really."
"But don't worry," Cassie said. "I'm not getting sloppy 'til you show up." She paused. "Although I can't speak for the others." She lowered her voice. "Dorothy? She's on like her third fuzzy navel."
