Chapter 52

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Capricorn
Chapter 52

Lunar Years of the Pig:
* 1923 (Feb. 16, 1923 - Feb. 6, 1924)
* 1935 (Feb. 4, 1935 - Jan. 23, 1936)
* 1947 (Jan. 22, 1947 - Feb. 9, 1948)
* 1959 (Feb. 8, 1959 - Jan. 27, 1960)
* 1971 (Jan. 27, 1971 - Feb. 14, 1972)
* 1983 (Feb. 13, 1983 - Feb. 1, 1984)
* 1995 (Jan. 31, 1995 - Feb. 18, 1996)
* 2007 (Feb. 18, 2007 - Feb. 6, 2008)
* 2019 (Feb. 5, 2019 - Feb. 17, 2020)
* 2031 (Feb. 16, 2031 - Jan. 30, 2032)
* 2043 (Jan. 29, 2043 - Feb. 10, 2044)

*

Ron sighed as he unlocked the door and walked into his apartment. When he locked the door behind him and turned around, he saw Carmen and her girlfriend in the kitchen. Her girlfriend was sitting on the island with a plate of pasta in her hand, and she was feeding Carmen, standing right in front of her, leaning against the counter. Besides, at work, he hasn't seen much of her. He hasn't seen much of anyone.

He hasn't heard from Missy. He hasn't heard from Adena. He hasn't heard from Craig, and he hasn't heard from or seen Carmen either, unless it was a quick pass in the hospital hallways. 

It's been over a week.

And the hospital hallways weren't the appropriate place to ask what the hell went on with his current roommate and ex-roommate. His curiosity was killing him. 

"Hey, stranger," he said to her as he dropped his bag by the door and walked into the kitchen space and to the other side of the island.

"Hey yourself," Carmen said to him, and then her girlfriend put a small forkful of pasta into her mouth. 

He kept forgetting what her girlfriend's name was. "So, um, what's your name again? I'm seeing a lot more of you here and there." Her back was facing him, and she turned to look at him.

"I thought I introduced you two. Damn, this is Nicki. Nicki, Ron. Ron, Nicki. Otherwise known as LALAAAAAA," Carmen teased her.

"Ohmygod stop it. I only go by my government out here in the real world," Nicki, aka LaLa, said as she swatted Carmen.

"That's where I know you from!" Ron said, putting two and two together. Or pretending to. "You dance at-"

"See? Only the vampires should know about my nightlife," Nicki said to her and swatted her again.

"No offense Nicki but I've been to every strip club in the state. I know about all of you. Dated some of you too. No judgment here."

"Yeah, Ron is cool. He helped me last minute with this place, and we're grateful, right?" Carmen reminded her.

Nicki sighed. "I wish everyone was like that."

"People are coming around," Ron said with a shrug. "So, um...you guys had some guy here last week or something? And left him here?" He hoped that quick segway wasn't too noticeable.

Carmen looked at Nicki. "You left him here?"

"He wouldn't wake up! I thought he was dead. I had to go, and I was gonna be late," Nicki said.

"I'm so sorry, Ron. I overslept, rushed out, and didn't have time to wake up either of them. I thought Nicki would take one for the team."

"I did. I brought him here," she said, and Carmen rolled her eyes. "Sorry, you guys, but I was going to be late to work. I made sure he was breathing."

"He didn't piss you off, did he?" Carmen asked him.

"No, it's funny because that's my old roommate. The one you just replaced. I thought he was bringing you back here because he was that far gone. But it's the other way around, huh?" he said with a chuckle. "Small world huh? So when he walked out of his old bedroom, I thought I was in the Twilight Zone. Can't believe he's back to his old tricks."

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