The "I" In Lie

I. Saturday Night Again

"Why? Do you think I was doing something you wouldn't approve of? Did you think I was cheating on you? What, don't you trust me?!" She storms over to me, anger visible in her walk.

"I don't even know if I should trust you anymore! Why do you keep avoiding the question? Just tell me where you were!"

"I was at Pete's house, alright! He wanted me to look over Bronx while he ran some errands. Is that good enough for you?!"

"I don't think I believe you." She crosses her arms and looks the other way.

"Okay, so you ask where I was, I tell you, and you don't believe me? What the hell, Lisa?!"

"Look, if you hadn't been so..."

-

The rest of the argument is static to me. I furrow my brow and run a hand down my face, taking another drink, hoping to drown my suffering. Joe notices my mood (I honestly don't think he's seen me in any other way) and says something like he always does. Right on schedule.

"What's up, man?" He keeps contact with the display of beverage components and other drinks behind the counter. I sigh, causing him to break focus and look to me.

"The usual. Stupid and unnecessary fighting between me and Elisa." He waits for me to explain. "I came home a few hours later than I should have after babysitting for a friend, she wanted to know where I was, I wanted to know why, one thing led to another and now I'm here, trying to drink away my troubles." I laugh at myself before resting my shoulders on the counter, hiding my face in my hands. "God, I'm so pathetic."

"You're not pathetic." Joe slaps a hand on my back."You're just... Conservative." I look at him with a confused expression.

"... Conservative?"

"Yeah! Cause you... You know..." I groan, letting my head fall into my arms. "Come on, Patrick! The fact that your marriage isn't going too well isn't your fault. Entirely." Joe was never good at comforting.

"Gee, thanks, Joey. Glad to know I'm not the only reason my marriage was a mistake," I mumble out. I hear him making a defensive sound, a breath being taken to speak, then the same breath being released upon the realization that there was nothing he could say to improve the conversation. So he just ended it there, taking long swig from his mug.

"Patrick," I hear Victoria's voice. She spoke my name like she was choking, and that was her call for help. I could almost feel the pity fall from her mouth onto the back of my head. The word was cold and hard, which was exactly how my heart felt right now. After a moments hesitation, I move my eyes up her body and to her eyes. Her expression was saddened; her shaped eyebrows were slanted, running downward from her forehead, red lips held into a frown, warm eyes stabbing into mine.

"Yeah?"

"Cheer up. Please." Wow, how helpful. I feel so much better now, thank you Victoria. "I hate seeing you this way almost every night." I sighed.

"And I hate feeling this was, Vicky-T."

"... Only Gabe calls me that..." She mutters that to herself, trying to not make me hear, but I do. For short, Gabe Saporta is her boyfriend.

"Seriously, Trick. You need to start being more positive, even in negative times."

"Only Elisa calls me that," I say loud enough for her to hear. She jumps slightly, then turns to cleaning a glass as she blushes. Joe looks at her, then at me, and smirks deviously into his drink. "And it's a lot harder to feel okay than it is to say that it will be okay." While still cleaning the mug with an old rag, she looks back at me. I turn away to face Joe, but not looking at him.

"I know, but... I still want you to feel okay. Cause I care about you. A whole lot." Joe gives me a look, along with a wink. I ignore him and continue my conversation with Victoria.

"I know you do. And I care about you a whole lot, too. Which is why Gabe better not try anything, or I swear to God." I see a smile form from her lips in the corner on my eye.

"Anyway. You shouldn't let it get to you. Let yourself have a good time once in a while." I finally look back at her, and smile for the first time tonight. It's a weak one, but it's real. She smiles, too, seeming ecstatic that she made the smallest dent in my mood.

"Thanks, Victoria. I'll try my best." She leans over the counter and kisses my cheek.

"Good." She offers me one last grin, before walking over to assist the newest customer. I find myself in a better mood as I take another drink from my daiquiri. Joe's elbow nudges into my side, grabbing my attention.

"What?" I ask, a bit irritated.

"Did you not see that? Did you not see her?"

"What are you talking about?"

"She's totally got it for you!" I let out a sarcastic chuckle.

"Don't be stupid, dude. She's got a boyfriend. An awesome and caring boyfriend, who loves her to pieces." He gives me a doubtful look. "And so does she to him."

"That may be true, man, but I'm just telling you. The signs are obvious."

"Okay, what signs?" I don't like what Joe is getting at. It's inaccurate.

"The way she was looking at you, how she blushed when you mentioned that nickname was said by your wife, how much emphasis she had in her voice when she said he care about you, Patrick, she just kissed you."

"It was on the cheek, a nice gesture, and meaningless beyond caring." He rolls his eyes and pretends to ignore me. "I mean, sure, there was that one time, but we've both gotten past--" His heads snaps toward me.

"That... One time?"

... Shit.

I shouldn't have brought that up.