Bad Luck, Baby

1 - Bad Luck Begins

❧

It didn't take long to clear out my desk, and none of my co-workers met my eyes as I walked toward the elevator for the last time.

They're not your friends, I reminded myself. You don't have friends, remember?

In the parking lot, I sat in my little Nissan Sentra, staring at the dashboard clock. It was only 5:15 PM, and I'd been scheduled to work until nine. Jamie wouldn't be expecting me so early.

I briefly considered driving around in some random pattern, or going to a café, or something, but all I wanted was to go home. I knew Jamie had his online gaming session that night, and liked to have the apartment to himself, but he'd understand.

At least, that's what I imagined.

Reality proved a little different.

Jamie and I had met at a Pride Club meeting and been 'together' for about six months. We shared an apartment — an affordable little place that was cramped, but cozy; just enough room for the two of us.

At twenty-two, Jamie was the first boyfriend I'd ever had, though neither of us had explicitly stated that fact. We lived together; we slept together; of course we were 'together.' Right?

At least, that's what I thought until I unlocked the apartment door, coming home at an unexpected hour, and found Jamie in bed with another man.

Another much more muscular, much older man, who apparently knew his way around a rope or two.

Amid the ensuing crisis of tears and shouting, the other man extricated himself with surprising grace. Soft-spoken and polite, he got dressed and left with a quiet apology, and I felt certain he'd had no idea he'd facilitated infidelity.

Neither, it seemed, did Jamie.

"What the fuck's your problem, Ellie?" he shouted. "Give me some goddamned warning if you're gonna come home early!"

"What!? How the fuck was I supposed to know you were cheating on me!?" I screamed. "And I'm supposed to give you fair warning?"

"Cheating? What the fuck are you on, bro? I'm not cheating on anybody."

"Jamie..."

He saw the shock and pain in my face, and laughed with surprise and incredulity.

"Holy shit. You really thought...? Oh my God." He covered his mouth as he continued to laugh. "El... Jesus, I'm sorry, but..."

My vision swam, and I steadied myself by leaning against the back of the couch.

"What am I, then?" I asked. "What am I to you, Jamie?"

"Um... you're my housemate? My friend?"

"Friend with benefits?" I whispered, holding his gaze.

He lifted his hands in a gesture of helplessness. "I thought you were cool with it," he said.

Right. Mea culpa, bro. No big deal.

❧

For the second time that day, I found myself sitting in my car, staring at the dashboard clock.

This time it said 7:04, and I had no idea what to do or where to go.

Well, I did, but I didn't like it.

I had my dad's old house, but that was the last place I wanted to spend the night, especially after a harrowing and traumatic day.

Still, the bed in his old spare room was a far more attractive prospect than the uncomfortable seat of my crappy car.

So, with the light fading fast from the world, I drove the twenty minutes up into the hills outside of town, and parked in front of his old Craftsman bungalow.