Ruthless Creatures by J.T. Geissinger

“Yeah, right. Now you’re just making things up. By the
way, I saw Chris at the store last night.”
“Oh no.”
“Oh yes. He said to tell you he apologizes for anything he
ever did to offend you and hopes you’ll forgive him, then he
ran away. Now what do you think made him do that?”
Remembering my last encounter with Chris, I make a face.
“Kage had a little man-to-man chat with him after I told him
Chris had been driving by my house at all hours of the day and
night.”
“Exactly as I thought. I wish I had a man who’d protect me
from all the assholes in the world.”
“You could, but you’d get bored of him.”
“You get my point. Kage is gaga over you, babe. Cut him a
break. Now I have to go, because there’s a singles’ meeting at
the library that I’m late for. I hear there will be Bingo.”
She hangs up on me, which is her way of telling me not to
feel sorry for myself.
She’s the queen of tough love, but I suspect underneath
that steel armor she wears beats the softest heart in the world.
Not that I’ll ever know for sure, because she’d throw
herself off a cliff before she’d admit it.
I finish my glass of wine, then wander around the room,
opening drawers and running my fingers over brushes and
tubes of paint, my mind abuzz and my body so tired I can
barely feel my feet.
Then I lie on my side on the floor and stare out at New
York City until I fall asleep.
I wake up in Kage’s arms. He’s carrying me down a hallway.
Yawning, I mumble, “Where are you taking me?”