The Courting

Ten

The house was a two-floor villa with a tidy kitchen, a small living room with a big TV and one bedroom downstairs, two upstairs. Felix explained that he had raided the house after his burned down. His sister, Valerie, was in the house now as well. She was a chunky girl, and short like her brother. She had a pretty face, but that face was puffed with swelling fat that hung off her chin like a plastic bag filled with water. She was tan, also like Felix. He hadn't explained in detail how he'd been able to stabilize his sister and convince her to stay inside the house, but Angelo guessed that, like himself, Felix had some demons of his own; things that he did to convince his sister that he was on her side. Of course, that was only a guess. In truth, Felix seemed like a passive guy. Angelo used to consider himself passive, as well, though.

They were all four sitting in the living room, sipping on mugs of coffee. Angelo was grateful for that, since his energy felt completely depleted.

"So," Felix said. "Why were you two running?"

Angelo tightened his lips, then leaned in to fetch the mug on the coffee table. He looked at Kim to stop her from saying anything about the killing, and hoped that she understood what his eyes were saying. Then he looked at Felix. "A fight broke out," he said. "All the women were attacking each other and we had to rush out."

Felix nodded. "I hear that. Seems like things are getting crazier out there by the hour. I saw some asshole driving a car through the street not too long ago, just pummeling over people. Can you believe that? I mean, what the fuck."

Angelo felt his face flush, and his hands went numb. The fact that he didn't drop his mug was nothing short of miraculous.

"Things are getting worse," Angelo offered.

Felix sighed. "Fuckin' right."

Angelo noticed the whole time that Valerie was staring at Kim, and she was staring right back. It made the room grow thick with discomfort. Angelo tapped a finger against his knees.

"No liquor?" Angelo asked finally.

Felix shook his head. "Not a drop. And believe me, I checked thoroughly. These people musta been religious or something. Well damn. They're probably meeting their Maker as we speak."

Angelo shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He almost draped an arm over Kim's shoulders--force of habit--but quickly retrieved it. He didn't need to backslide after everything he'd done to bring her this far. Though it could be debated, he thought he could sense a bit of change in the way she was treating him. Granted, this change was miniscule, probably imperseptable to anyone but him, but he felt it like the first hint of Spring. It made him feel easy, if only for a moment.

They spent the night there. Kim and Valerie insisted on staying outside, so the men didn't have a choice but to let them. They agreed on sleeping in shifts in order to keep an eye on the girls. Felix offered to take the first shift. And though Angelo felt possessive of Kim and didn't want her out of his sight for a second, he was too tired to debate. He slept downstairs where, through the window of his room, he could still at least see Kim and the others. Felix was sitting on an old wicker chair near the door, and Angelo could see him scratching his balding head from time to time. Kim and Valerie were standing only a few feet apart, constantly looking from the sky to each other. Kim had her arms crossed.

He watched them for about ten minutes before drowsiness weighed him down and he couldn't keep his eyelids open. The mattress slid under him like a seductive woman. The pillow kissed his warm, tired cheek and the blankets wrapped over him like sensual embraces. In a second, he was asleep. He slept for a satisfying three hours before Felix nudged him in the dark.

"Hey," he whispered. "Man, get up. Switch up."

Angelo stirred awake. He flinched when he saw Felix standing over him. He was rocking sleepily.