Last July

Chapter Five

I watched the rain pour outside my window as I walked lazily down the stairs. The smell of geosmin flowed through the window filling the room with a freshly cut lawn fragrance. Outside was obsidian black as if day was about to dawn. The only light besides the neighbors was Zeus' sword, which was long and threatening. I thought about going out when I woke up but seeing as I'd have to get wet first I changed my mind. Instead I went to the kitchen to see what I had in the house to eat, I just woke up and yet I was starving. I gathered a cup full of basmati, poured it into the boiling water after I washed it at the sink and chopped up a few seasoning to throw into the heating pot of oil, then glazed the meat I had in batter with some egg yolk before placing it into the pot. When the food was finished I grabbed a coke from the fridge and sat on my love seat watching the news. I hadn't been home this early in a long while. When the showers started, all I felt was my energy slowly draining and my eyes went heavy. It was the stupid rain making me feel lethargic as if I needed to sleep right now. Even Brian seemed somewhat affected and he preferred to hearing the rain while he worked. So we closed the shop and headed home -Him looking to go under something and I needing to close my eyes for what seemed like hours. I didn't expect I'd wake up after ten in the night, I honestly didn't feel that tired heading up the stairs this evening; yet somehow I felt like I hadn't taken a rest in decades.

The phone started ringing and I looked over trying to decide if it was worth it to move at this point. Sighing I got up balancing the dish and removed the receiver.

"Andrew?"

Gale's voice came softly over the phone but the way she said my name felt like she was expecting someone else.I

"Yeah, what's wrong?"

She fell silent.

"Nothing I just came back from the gym"

I glanced at the clock. 11:07pm.

"Why were you at the gym this late?"

She took a deep breath.

"I had a rough exam and I needed to find some relief" she took another deep breath. "how was your day? Hopefully better than mine"

I placed the dish down and leaned against the table.

"We closed early. Unexpected shower and oddly I had an unshakable urge to sleep"

She laughed. "My, my, the never sleeping Andrew going to sleep must be rough being in your shoes" I could picture her hand against her chest mocking me dramatically as she always did. "Are you pregnant?"

"Are you?" I asked.

"Really" she said. "When last have we even done something like that?"

No question there. We haven't in months, three and a half long months and I was starved beyond repair. My mind swirled a little just thinking about it and my pants tightening around the immediate swelling at my crotch.

"A long time. Too long admittedly" I said answering her question finally. "Are you sure you can't spare the time to come over this weekend"

She sighed. "No. I can't. In addition you'll be a distraction and I don't want that"

"I'll be a welcomed distraction" I said. "We'll have our own gym party"

"Really? And what would we do at this gym party?"

Her aroused voice made me forget my dinner as my appetite for physical food went and my longing for another heighten.

"Well that depends. What's really the problem you've got?"

"Oh gosh I just hate exercises. They always leave me in pain"

"Yikes!" I said in a sarcastic tone. "You've been seeing the wrong specialist baby. But I know an exercise that doesn't require you to move at all?"

"Why do I suddenly like the sound of that" she said. "Do I get to touch the trainer?"

"Anything you like baby".

*********************************

"Andrew?"

I took a deep breath and Brian stood beside me chuckling. The only reason I had for being in a good mood today was thanks to gale last night but that didn't change my usual grimacing demeanor. I continued working on the car handle as I finally got it to fit into place and took the screw driver to fasten it.

"Hey, there you are"

Heather bounded up to where we stood at the car staring up at us from the lift. I was seriously considering writing a note to keep her out, either that or I'd have to invest in some mechanism to alert me whenever she made her way up the pavement. I wonder if the little terrier was up to the task since he found it exciting to bother me in the mornings.

"Have you guys had anything to eat as yet?"

I opened my mouth to speak but brian got his words out before me.

"Nope. We're starving"

She beamed happily and I rolled my eyes.

"You're going to be poisoned one of these days eating her food. I can guarantee that" I whispered to him.

He shrugged. "At least you'd know who killed me. Do me the favor and avenge my death okay?"

"You brought it on yourself. I'm no superhero and you're no damsel in distress"

He pushed the door hopping down to heather.
"Don't be an asshole all the time"

I continued to screw the lock tuning them out until their voices faded away. I wasn't sure how much more of being away from gale I could actually take. Sure school was important but at this stage in our lives we were still living apart and I was getting too old for this type of thing. I'll take the blame for the better half of moving away to live here, but I honestly never saw myself living in the metro area for much longer after growing there my entire life. This place was a well needed get away and though I didn't exactly fit in with the town people, I could more than make due with having tolerated living here. Well, that is if by some miracle some strange guy walks into town soon enough and snatch heather from my case leaving me with peace. I'd even pay for their wedding. I felt that disturbed about her.

"Another one came again!" shouted Brian. "I'll toss it with the rest"

"Fine!" I shouted back testing the handle to ensure it was secure.

Those letters were coming in everyday and I had made it a part of my day every day to resist the urge of telling gale about them. I know what she'd say. She'd say it's a grand opportunity and that I should take it. She'd say it's a great opportunity for us. But another metro wasn't in my plans, neither future nor present. In addition that would only add another thousand miles to the already far distance between us. The relationship was already spreading too thin.