Standing By

Decoding and Creating

"Now that is a fair point," Chance admitted.

"I can understand that sentiment a lot better than being chastised for looking!" I told her through the bathroom door.

"If you'd said that in the first place, I think our response would have been much different," Scott told her gently, rapping on the door lightly.

"I'm sorry we made you uncomfortable, Kirstie," Rob apologized, prompting her to crack the door open.

"Were we, ah, really that obvious?" Austin asked embarrassedly.

She nodded. "Mmhmm."

"Ugh," Chance groaned, rubbing his hands over his face.

"Linzi did tell Diana people were starting to talk," Scott recalled.

I blew out a long breath. "OK, so we've publicly embarrassed ourselves flailing all over a couple of hot girls. Nothing we can do about it now. Wasn't the first time we've ever embarrassed ourselves, won't be the last. All we can do is move on."

Kevin bit a lip. "I didn't see any of this going on, but what did the girls say about y'all panting over them?"

"Nothing," Rob said. "Least, I didn't hear any complaints or recall being told to stop."

"Me neither." Austin looked a bit happier.

"Live and learn," Avi advised. "And hide out for awhile."

"I like that idea." Chance picked up a napkin, unfolded it, and put it over his head and face.

"Kirstie, we're all sorry we made fools of ourselves and made you uncomfortable," Scott apologized to her. "We got ourselves together now."

"Good." Kirstie opened the door the rest of the way and came back into the room. "Women do not exist solely for the visual enjoyment of men. Or physical. We're people. With minds and feelings. Respect us."

"Point taken," I promised, nodding understandingly at her. "You're right and we all apologize."

Adam sat up, still fiddling with the tie on his surgical scrubs. "And with all due respect, it goes both ways. I'm not complaining here, but neither of those nurses were watching where their hands were going or what they were doing. Honestly, they were fawning all over me in my wet clothes as much as these guys—and, well, OK, me too—were fawning over them."

"They were groping you?" Kirstie asked, astonished, as we all cackled.

Adam shrugged, putting his nacho cheese down long enough to spread his arms out. "Again, I ain't complaining, but yeah, both of their hands brushed against me. Sort of accidentally-on-purpose. Couple of times, giggling. Not enough to make a big deal about, but those girls didn't mind touching at me, so they sure as hell didn't mind these five gawking at them."

"Inappropriate behavior on their behalf," Kevin said quietly.

Adam shrugged. "Whatever. I'm not making a big deal about it, so no one else needs to. Just saying on these guys' behalves. No one out there was completely blameless, no one was particularly an innocent party, so just let it go."

The napkin fluttered to the floor off of Chance's face and head as he blew on it. "Well, at least I don't feel as bad for staring at 'em now."

We all laughed at that and put our attention into our food, Rob busily looking around for something.

"Um, well, my nachos kinda fell in the floor," he explained when Kevin gave him a curious look.

"You did lose half your lunch, didn't you?" Austin sympathized, looking down at his own nachos.