after that

Stive came by later, after I'd gotten back home and set the flowers nicely on the table.

I didn't see Moe before I left the park but I texted him when I got back. He told me I was an asshole for leaving him behind. It didn't sound like him, but I didn't care.

Stive wanted us to go the dog park. I reminded him he'd been banned but he said he just made that up to mess with me. He couldn't believe I believed him.

I told him I'd had enough of parks today. There were too many people out and about.

-They're your neighbors.

-Yeah, I've heard that already.

I didn't want to go out again. Weekends can be difficult to get through.

The job gives me somewhere to be and something to do.

I went into my room and crawled under my covers. The sun blasted its light even into my room.

Stive was still there.

-Don't do that, he called from the living room.

I wasn't doing anything, I was just under there.

It gets to be too much. Getting up helps.

I stood up to go back into the living room.

-Ok, I said as I stood in the small hallway between my bedroom door and the living room, where the kitchenette was. It was like a one-bedroom studio I guess.

-So what? I asked him. Saturday night.

It was bull chip. He knew it and I knew it. I looked around the kitchenette, I didn't really have anything to eat. ReadyI'm had found something to drink but I didn't really need that. It was just there.

-And if I want to take a nap until then, so what? 

There was a tiny bit of orange juice left I drank from the carton before putting it back in the fridge.

-Why would you put that back in the fridge? Stive asked me. He'd stood up.

-I don't need this. Who knows which one of us said it?

I knew what I said: There's never any women anymore.

There were two girls last summer. One barefoot and one prophetess. I'll tell you about them later, Stive didn't know about them anyway.

-It's always dudes, I went on.

-That's really up to you, he responded.

There was a knock on the door and Stive laughed.

I never liked visitors.

It was Moe, with ReadyI'm. He must've followed him. ReadyI'm was on the phone. It must've been Moe's.

-See? I asked Stive with a silent glare.

-What do you want?

ReadyI'm was telling someone where he was and describing who all was here.

-That better not be Skull.

-No, he's not picking up my phone, ReadyI'm said before going back to his phone conversation.

-What are you doing here? I asked Moe as they made themselves at home.

-He texted you from my phone didn't he? Moe asked.

-No, he called me an asshole.

-You are, ReadyI'm said again, interrupting his phone call. You left me behind.

-I didn't even talk to you at the park. Who are you on the phone with?

-Skull's girlfriend.

You've got to be kidding me. 

Stive started laughing again.

I'd had enough.

-It's time to go, I said, going to the door to open it for the crowd in my living room. Nothing is getting accomplished here.

-Give it time, Stive said.

On the phone, ReadyI'm was asking Skull's girlfriend what she was wearing, then when Skull would be back.

-Take your phone back, I told Moe.

-I need my phone back, ReadyI'm said, to us and to Skull's girlfriend.

-Go and get it, I said.

Skull might try to kill him now. I just didn't want any of these people in my house anymore.

-Please just leave me alone, I muttered. They probably thought I was talking to myself.

Eventually ReadyI'm got off the phone and handed it to Moe. He was ready to go and complain to someone else about the phone Skull stole from him.

-He's going to try to kill you, I blurted out.

-Not the only one, ReadyI'm laughed as he and Moe left.

I looked to Stive. He was still there, like he was in the beginning.

-Tonight, he said.

Yeah, sure. Saturday night. That sounds good. It's a classic. I rather be reading the newspaper.

-Why did you come? I asked him.

-The dog park. Keep up.

-I told you, I got banned.

-No you didn't, Stive insisted. You made it up.

I hadn't made it up. I knew that. I liked to feed the dogs.

-They didn't like the chocolate, I admitted to Stive.

-Are you for real?

-Just leave, I said, going back to my bedroom to hide under the covers again.

I think he did.