'Tis confusion!

drunk and giggly

After I finished in the bathroom, I headed back to Q's kitchen. He was on his phone, pacing the length of the kitchen. Two unopened beers sat on the table. Q motioned to one with his head, popped open the top, and passed it to me, then redirected his attention to the phone. I plopped down on the chair next to Benjamin. He stirred from his sleep, then looked at me and shifted his body so he was right in my lap. I scratched him behind the ears and he started purring. I continued to pet Benjamin with one hand as I drank my beer and listened to Q's end of the conversation.

" No man, that's fine with me, but let me just double check with ..yeah, hold on." Q pulled the phone from his ear and looked over at me. "So, Sal is excited about the party idea, but he wanted to know if he could bring Barbara along too."

"The girl who we brought gas to earlier today, that Barbara?  Ahh, so she's not a murderess after all, I guess? Of course it's fine. Like I told you, very few of my friends actually know anything about you guys, so I'm not planning on inviting too many people over. Not to mention, I don't want to totally destroy your house. If Sal wants to bring a date, that's totally cool."

"I figured you wouldn't care," Q replied. He put the phone back to his ear. "Yeah buddy, that's fine. Glad to hear you guys have hit it off so well. Too bad Murr doesn't have someone to take...wait, what? He what?...Who?" Q listened intently. "Hang on again, man." He looked over at me again. "So, I guess Murr's met someone as well. Did you guys all plan this out or something?"

"You guessed it. Surprise stalker-interactions all around!" I replied sarcastically. "Murr's got a girl too?"

"That's what it sounds like. Sal said her name is Emily, I think."

"Well, Emily is welcome too" I told him.

Q relayed the message to Sal. They stayed on the phone for a few more minutes, Q alternating between pacing and taking chugs from his beer bottle. After a little while, Q said good bye, then turned to me.

"Sal said to tell you hello, and he hopes he isn't imposing by asking to invite Barbara along. And," Q rolled his eyes "- he said to tell you he's sorry for even asking."

I snickered. "Really, it's fine."

"Yeah, but try telling Sal that. " Q finished his beer, then grabbed my empty one and threw it in the trash. "Want another one?"

"Sure."

He passed me one and we headed to the living room. Q settled down on the black leather couch and motioned to the spot next to him. I plopped down and felt myself start to sink into the cushions."

"It's nice, isn't it?" Q asked.

"Nice nothing. " I replied. "Feels like butter. I want one of these in every room of my home. So, did Sal say anything else about Barbara?"

"Not too much, really. Actually, believe it or not, Sal's car ran out of gas on the way follwing Barbara home, so he had to get her to fill his tank. Ironic, huh?"

I laughed. "Poor Sal."

"Yeah, I know, right? "Q said. "Anyways, he just said that Barbara was really nice, and he offered to buy her a milkshake or something. She accepted and I guess he's at her place now."

"Doing what?" I wondered aloud.

"Who knows..probably deep cleaning it, knowing that germaphobe."

I laughed. "How about Murr's mystery girl?"

"All I know about that one is her name is Emily, and James ran into her at the grocery store a couple of days ago. Quite literally ran into her,from the way Sal was telling it." Q grinned.  "I guess we can pick their brains at the party. I'm kind of interested in the details of this myself."