Spinning

Chapter 23: call the fire department

The concrete is cold under my bare ass. My dress is too short to sit in, but nonetheless I'm sitting on the sidewalk, ignoring the honks and catcalls as crude men pass by.

            Those goddamn shepherd dogs are Angela's. Were Angela's, in the words of Stone. What the hell? Why did he have them? Why didn't Eddie have them? I remember how eagerly they smelled and licked Eddie's rope bracelet... Angela's bracelet. And the goddamn dog bowl in their apartment. Was Stone good friends with Angela? Why was she a "blasted wench"?

My musings are cut short as I feel a presence behind me.

"I'd sit with you, but my undead womb precludes me..." Eddie's deep voice rumbles softly through the fall air. I give him a half amused grunt.

"Will you come back to the party?"

No, I don't want to go back in. My sobriety is a buzz kill. I shake my head in response.

"How about a walk then?"

No, too much effort in a dress I can barely stand in. I shake my head again. Eddie seems uncertain on how to proceed.

"The gumball machine girl was taking pictures of you." The sentence comes out abruptly. I feel angry at Eddie's bizarre behavior today, and this fact gives me a bit of dark satisfaction. I take his silence as musing over my words, and my satisfaction grows knowing Eddie will be uncomfortable with this information.

"...Well, at least I wore my good dress out."

Without turning around, I reach behind me and punch his calf. The black web around my heart loosens ever so slightly and I can't help but smile.

"C'mon, don't leave me alone. Chris keeps threatening to waterboard me with tequila. I don't want to drink."

"Why not?"

"No reason..." His answer is unconvincing. I sigh and take Eddie's offered hand to stand up, flashing some lady dressed as Cher in the process. Eddie eyes me with an expression I can't place. Amusement? Excitement? Jealousy? Admiration? He's too goddamn complex...

Eddie's hand wraps around my waist as he pulls me in to kiss the top of my head. I refuse to kiss him with lipstick on... that includes both of us...

"Lets say we head back and take our dresses off..." Eddie's eyes are hazy and I feel his hand travel lower and lower.... But I swat him away.

"Sorry lady, I'm straight. Dudes only." Eddie rolls his eyes and I head to find Chris and Susan to say goodbye.

"Hey S-dawg, we out. Great party, seriously. Let me know if you need help cleaning tomorrow."

"We couldn't have done it without the Duchess." She bows dramatically and I make a vampiric face in response. And then a thought occurs to me...

"So... random question... were Stone and Angela friends when Eddie and her dated?" Susan looks uncomfortable and alarmed by the question.

"Erm, I... No, they weren't. Why?"

"Stone mentioned her earlier and I was just curious. Felt awkward asking Eddie, ya know?" I chuckle to make it seem like the question was really of no concern to me. Susan seems slightly reassured and gives me a hug before I leave with Eddie.

Whatever moodiness Eddie possessed earlier in the day seemed to vanish, and I'm left spinning in its wake. Is Eddie mad at me? Jealous towards Adriano? Am I mad at Eddie for not telling me about the dogs? Or am I mad at Stone for lying about where the dogs came from? Why the hell does he have the dogs in the first place? He doesn't even like them...