Chapter 4
562 Words
Chapter 4
On the drive to Dad’s, I called Rick, my best friend. I’d texted him the day before, but since the reception was impossible, I hadn’t tried to call. Here, on the open roads, it wouldn’t be a problem.
“Marty,” Rick said when he picked up the phone. “How’s your dad?”
“He’s doing fine, but stubborn, like most old men.”
“How are you?”
“Besides the internet being piss-poor, and my dad refusing to admit he needs the help, and absolutely nothing to do for fun, I’m great.”
“It won’t be long,” he consoled. “It’ll go by quick. Will you be able to keep up with your assignments if the internet’s so slow?”
“I’ll figure out a way. I may have to call Dad’s provider and pay an upgrade fee. Anything to keep the connection consistent. It’s taken me the whole morning to download one file.”
“It’ll work out.”
I rolled my eyes. Rick was an optimist. “How are things there? I’m sorry I won’t be able to attend yours and Tony’s party this weekend. Bad timing, huh?”
“Don’t worry about us. We’ll have more than enough people without you there. But on that note, I’d heard Marco was now on the market. Too bad you won’t be able to scoop him up before someone else does.”
I laughed, but only to keep from sobbing. I’d had my eye on Marco for the past two years. Bad timing indeed. “Put in a good word for me. How selfless I am to travel all the way across the country to help my invalid father. He’ll eat it up.”
“I’m sure he will.”
“Everything else going all right?”
“Tony’s got a review coming up at work at the end of the week. He’s stressed. And we need to get Sammy to the vet sometime soon for shots. I can tell she misses you already.”
“I haven’t even been gone two days. Your poodle can’t miss me.”
“But she does.” His voice turned all soppy and sweet. “Don’t you, sweetie. You miss Uncle Marty, huh?”
“Damn, Rick, I never thought you’d be the type to go crazy over a dog.”
He made an affronted noise. “She’s not just a dog, Marty. Come on, you grew up in Farm Central, USA. You have to have a fondness for animals.”
“Not even slightly. I think they’re good to have for dinner.”
“Don’t let Sammy hear you say that, you monster.”
“Gross, I’d never eat a dog. I bet they taste disgusting.”
Rick harrumphed and wisely changed the subject. “If you’ve got nothing fun to do, how are you going to keep your sanity?”
“No idea.” I sighed. “I guess I’ll catch up on reading, or start a new TV show.”
“Don’t you have any friends you can see?”
“You know I don’t. I lost touch with everyone right after high school. But….” I guess there was Colten.
“What?” Rick asked, interpreting my silence for what it was. “An old boyfriend?”
“Of course not! There was no way I could have dated anyone here. I would have been kicked out of school.”
“Don’t exaggerate.”
“I’m not. You don’t understand the mindset here. It’s borderline toxic on certain subjects.”
“Then what were you thinking about if not an ex?”
“I ran into someone who was a year younger. He gave me his number.”
Rick made an interested noise. “Is he cute?”
“Incredibly.”
“You gonna call him?”
“Maybe.”
“You said you had nothing to do, well, here’s your answer. You should at least call.”
“I don’t know. He’ll probably talk about farming. I might be better on my own.”
“Only one way to find out. Give it a try. You know what I’ve heard about those farm boys.”
“I’m one hundred percent certain he wasn’t hitting on me, Rick. Probably being polite.”
“If you say so.”
“Listen, I’m pulling off the freeway so I’m going to lose reception. I’ll call you later. Tell Tony hi for me.”
“Sure thing. Bye.”
I hung up and thought about my chance encounter with Colten. There was no way he’d been flirting. People like that—like me—couldn’t last in a place like this.
- Writer
