don't go there

"So it was sweet, was it?" Oliver did his best to put on his light weight jacket as he was leaving the pub from his last shift there. He was juggling his mobile a bit, but he could hear Ian brilliantly. He could tell it took all of Ian's wits to make a conversation with him.

He supposed they called each other to try to cheer each other up, but sometimes, it was a lost cause.

"What are you doing at the pub?" Ian wanted to know.

"Oh, you know, settle a debt, as it might be." Perhaps he wasn't best to mix exs in poker games. Louie always won. She loved taking his money and the best he could do was to take her shifts down at the pub.

"Are you really without cash?" Ian questioned.

"I make do. I'm not starving." Oliver sighed on his walk home in the dark. "Now tell me, was the bride, lovely?" He really did envy Eric even if he didn't know him. Eric just didn't know how good he had it, but Oliver wasn't going to dwell on it.

"You know, lovely, I guess, but she's preggers, remember?" Ian sounded indifferent.

"Yes, I know, you told me." Oliver couldn't think what to say next. He hated to take his chances on mentioning Kayla. "And that boss of yours, is she-"

"She's in her own world. Pissed, always." Ian told him.

"Right." He winced then as he dug for his key and went in to get up the stairs, quietly as possible. He had to think what to say if he did call Kayla. Had he called her? It felt like a slight dream to him. He must have been drunk. Probably so. He'd have to check his recent calls. Did he even have her number? "Well, I don't want to keep you."

"When are you, coming to visit?" Ian asked which sounded strange.

"Dunno. You know, really haven't-" He wanted to say the money, but instead said, "The time. I don't." But when he said it, it felt as if he were overwhelmed with tears. "Miss you. I do. Behave yourself." He hung up quickly before Ian could reply.