The trouble with Debbie

chapter 15

Debbie burst out of the restaurant, holding back tears. How could she let another man disrespect her? She looked up and down the street for her car.

"where the hell did he park?!" she fumed. She held up her keys and pressed the fob. She heard a faint beep and looked to her left. She pressed it again and this time, she caught her headlights light up. She walked the distance to her car and got in. She was about to roll a joint but changed her mind. Better to do it at home.

"serves me right," she said out loud, "it's my own fault for getting involved with some random guy. What did I expect?" she took a deep breath and put her seat belt on. She half expected Keiron to come out after her and offer some kind of apology. But he had made his thoughts quite clear. She turned on the engine and drove herself home.

As soon as she got through the front door, her phone rang. She fumbled in her bag and pulled it out. It was Keiron.

She pressed the answer button but didn't speak.

"Debbie," he sighed, "Debbie I'm sorry. I was unfair to you and I was way out of line. Please, don't be mad at me."

Debbie didn't answer.

"I'm in a cab," he continued, "I'll be there soon, I'm just around the corner."

Debbie ended the call and sat on the sofa. A few minutes later, Keiron walked in.

"Hey." he greeted her cautiously.

"hi." she replied, not looking at him.

"I'm sor..." Keiron tried again.

"sorry. Yes, I heard." Debbie broke him off.

"I really like you Debbie," Keiron sat next to her, "I had no right to say what I said to you. It's not an excuse but seeing some guy making a move on you and then realising it was my ass of a brother... I just lost it. You really didn't deserve the treatment you got from either of us tonight, I am really sorry."

Debbie didn't reply and she still didn't look at him.

"I'm gonna go stay at my place," Keiron stood up, "I think you deserve some space. I'm gonna collect my things and go." he left the room. For about 35 minutes, Debbie could hear him moving around upstairs. This must be a new record, losing two guys in the same week.

Eventually he came back downstairs with his suitcase, "I left the keys on the kitchen work top," he told her, "you've got my number, call me if you need anything. Anything at all. At any time. Any day. I'll call you tomorrow, hopefully you will talk to me. Goodnight Debbie." Keiron waited for just one second before leaving the house.

Debbie let the tears she'd been fighting fall down her cheeks.

Klara called and Debbie looked at the screen. She didn't feel like talking right now. After 20 minutes, her front door opened and Klara walked in.

"hey," she sat down next to her, "are you okay?"

"I told you I did not want to be set up." Debbie fumed. Klara rolled her eyes.

"so tonight was my fault?" she asked, "I just left my friends sitting at the restaurant and drove here to check on you and your upset with me?"

Debbie frowned at her cousin. How could she not hear what she had said? How does she not understand?

"Klara, thank you so much for leaving your friends in the restaurant," Debbie replied, "I DO NOT WANT TO BE SET UP!"

Klara stood up, angry.

"You know what Debbie," she shouted, "I'm over your crap! I told you not to get involved with the florist, I told you to be careful with Keiron..."

"oh yeah," Debbie laughed, "because you were waiting to set me up with the king of creeps! This is all what I deserved. Thank you Klara."

"f*****g hell Debbie," Klara threw her hands up in frustration, "I'm sorry ok? I didn't know you were in as deep as you are with Keiron. That's the type of s**t you should tell me. I didn't know Ron is his brother and I didn't know he was a creep.."

"I told you I didn't want to be set up," Debbie sighed, tired of repeating herself, "that should have been enough information to NOT set me up! I wanted you to find out tonight that we were an item."

"were?" Klara calmed down.

Debbie didn't answer. She took a long sip of her drink and relit her joint.

"Debs, I'm sorry. I really am," Klara looked at her, "if it's any consolation, he seems like he genuinely likes you. From what I've heard so far from Tony, he had good reason to go off at Ron."

"yeah well he's gone now so everyone should be happy, I'm here, alone again," Debbie frowned, "bye Klara."

Klara huffed and walked out of the house.