Page 52 of Bazooka
I walked up to him tentatively, feeling like a deer approaching a lion. Why? Because when I woke up, I wanted to legit kill myself.
You tried to kiss him? Really? Are you fucking insane?
In my defense, I was shaken up. Visiting Pete’s brought the memories back, just when I started to forget. My body reacted in all kinds of ways that I couldn’t predict or control. Vomiting. Trembling. I could remember falling asleep with Bazooka beside me, only to wake up alone in an empty room.
I looked at him from under my lashes. “Do I need to apologize again?”
Bazooka shook his head and yawned. “No, it’s fine. Why are you up?”
“I couldn’t sleep anymore?” I offered. “The sun woke me up? Both?”
“How are you feeling?”
I shrugged. “Better, I guess. I’m sorry I freaked out last night. Your LD pals got quite a show.”
“Don’t worry about them,” Baz murmured, straightening up. “But you should probably skip going to the station today. Yesterday was stressful enough, so you should get some rest. I’ll head there now, but I’ll come back… around lunch, probably. I’ll try to spend the rest of the day working from home.”
“You don’t have to do that, Baz,” I protested. “Really. I’m fine.”
“I know I don’t, but I want to.”
After Bazooka left for work, I breathed a sigh of relief. I feared he would throw me out because of that kissing attempt, but he seemed cool about it, so… a weight off my shoulders.
The rest of my day was even better because the orders I expected had arrived. I was super bored the other day, so I did some online shopping. Okay, a lot of shopping. I was hauling the last of the boxes intothe roomwhen the doorbell rang.
I opened the door, only to see a gray-haired man in overalls standing in the doorway. He had pliers in one hand and a handsaw in the other, so I hoped he wasn’t here to bludgeon me to death.
“Hello,” he said with a faint accent I couldn’t place. “Is Mister Bazooka at home?”
I almost laughed.MisterBazooka.
“No, he’s not, I’m afraid,” I chirped merrily. “Can I help you?”
He didn’t seem like a homicidal maniac, so I decided to be forthcoming.
“Have you perhaps noticed water stains on your ceiling? The pipes are leaking on the floor above you.”
I turned around to inspect the ceiling in theroom.
“Nope, no flood here. Would you like to come in and check it out?”
“No need, dear. Just let me know if you notice anything. I live in the apartment below you. Matlock is the name.”
“I sure will. I’m Luz, by the way.”
“Nice to meet you,” he said, shaking my hand. “And you’re Mister Bazooka’s…?”
“Boyfriend, yup,” I replied, smiling widely. “Thanks, Mr. Matlock. Rock on.”
“God bless you. Please say hello to Mister Bazooka for me.”
MisterBazooka.
“Sure will.”
Whistling, I closed the front door and unpacked my stuff.
Said stuff contained:
