Page 79 of Just for Fun
I roll my eyes at him. “We don’t have fun drinking coffee.”
For a second, I fear that I may have gone too far. But then, Owen busts out laughing and fist bumps me.
The entire situation is so bizarre in my humble opinion. Aren’t older brothers supposed to want to kick the ass of any guy who might be sniffing around their sister? Not this one. He takesit a step further and gives me a congratulatory fist bump, for crying out loud.
“Hey, what’s going?” Zara calls out from the doorway to the bedroom.
Owen turns around, a happy smile on his face. “Hey, sis! I’m just hanging out with your boyfriend over here?”
Her eyes bug out. “Owen?”
The door to the bedroom slams shut, which seems to only amuse her brother more.
“She’s embarrassed.” He bends over and slaps a hand against his knee while howling with laughter. “This is great!”
I grab him by the arm and walk him toward the couch that’s in the living room.
“How about you take a seat here?” I say. “I’m gonna go put a shirt on.” I walk backwards. “Zara should be here shortly.”
He continues laughing. “Take your time.”
I turn on my heels and rush to the bedroom. As soon as I open the door, I can feel Zara’s panic.
“I can’t believe he came here without calling first,” she cries out when she sees me. She is standing in the bathroom, brushing her teeth furiously. A light robe covers her body, but not very well.
“Maybe he called and we didn’t hear the phone, babe,” I try to explain. “It’s no big deal,” I assure her. “He likes me.”
I grab my T-shirt off the floor and put it on, then start looking for my socks and shoes. I did wear some on my way here, didn’t I?
“You know why he’s here?” she whisper yells my way right before spitting the toothpaste out of her mouth. “My mother sent him here.”
By now, I have located the socks and shows, so I sit on the bed to put them on.
“I don’t know,” I shrug. “He thought you had the flu.”
She freezes in the doorway of the bathroom. This is probably not the best time for me to tell her that the robe she’s wearing is see-through.
“Oh my god!” She brings both hands to her face. “He went to my work and asked for me.”
I don’t see the problem. “So?”
She stares at me like I am stupid. “So now everyone at work is going to know that I lied when I called in!”
I can’t believe that’s what she’s worried about right now.
“Statistically speaking…” I pause to tie my shoes. “Most people who call in sick are actually not sick. They lie that they are just to have the day off.”
Zara starts pacing, both hands still on each side of her head.
“I will need to get another job,” she mumbles. “I might need to move, too.”
She reaches one side of the room and starts over.
“I have never been late to work in my life. I was never sick. I never called in.” She stops and turns crazed eyes my way. “And now I haven’t been to work infourdays!” she emphasizes the number, so I grasp the severity of the situation. “What have you done to me?”
Things are getting out of hand now, and I need to step in before she loses it all the way. I stand up from the bed and walk toward her.
“I helped you with the next logical step in your life, Zara.”
