"I just don't get it," Alfie said while eating lunch with Steve. They were out at the picnic tables close to the park. Steve rode his bicycle over at lunch while Alfie walked over from the drugstore. "Why does Vic want to find Remi?" He winked a sun smile, as he went back to his sub sandwich.
"Oh, I guess she likes something to worry about," Steve shrugged as he bit into a chip. He'd gotten the sandwiches for them and Alfie bought some iced teas.
"Well, speaking of which," Alfie mentioned he was now a technician in the pharmacy so he didn't see much of Victoria these days. "I did see Remi not long ago."
"Seriously?" Steve acted as if he didn't know how Alfie lived through that. After all, Alfie slept with Remi as well as with Victoria's sister Melissa (who used to live together).
"Of course, she acted as if she didn't know me," he said he did have on his mask. "She was picking up a prescription and she was with this blond girl. I'm pretty sure they were together."
Steve gave him a nod. He said he guessed Victoria wouldn't know her, anyway.
"Look, she's never said she blames me, you know." Alfie shrugged. "I mean, I dunno why she doesn't have a gripe with me."
"Victoria's not like that." Steve was even lipped as he ate slowly, while Alfie devoured his ham and cheese with lots of veg sandwich. "She..she just wants to help people."
"By the way, how's your sex life?"
Naturally, Steve choked on the question. "It's..it's getting there."
"When? By the time your forty?" Alfie finished off his tea and reached for a water bottle.
"Um, well..there are just some things..I don't know if I should tell her or not." He winced.
"I see." Alfie kept his eye on him. "Like what?"
"Like if I don't take this one medication..I..I'll be psychotic."
"Well, don't stop taking it," Steve squinted a little bitter. "You don't want to scare her."
"Precisely."
"That's why nothing's going forward?"
"Well..we like where we are..why rush it?"
Alfie nodded. Maybe he rushed things with Poppy. They did fuss ever so often, but then they made up too. And make up sex was the best. Alfie couldn't help but smile about it.
These two are such opposites..and yet, I feel for Steve more.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting chapter!
ReplyDeleteI love this story, I want read more
Kisses ♥
you write very good dialogues
ReplyDeleteTake it slowly
ReplyDeleteVery interesting ;)
ReplyDeleteBeing in a comfortable relationship is important for things to move forward.
ReplyDeleteneed together, even slow...
ReplyDeleteHello!! I really liked this, thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteBlessings!!
Uy son una dulce pareja, te mando un beso
ReplyDeleteSuch a very good post!
ReplyDeleteRegards, Ellis. Have a nice week.
relationships are complicated...
ReplyDeleteEverything is so complicated ... nicely written.
ReplyDeletei think he should tell her everything
ReplyDeleteThings between them arent complicated! Just seems mysterious.
ReplyDeleteEllie, your characters have juicier lives than the soaps these days:D Love it:) I love how they all have these internal struggles, and give their stories so much more depth for sure.
ReplyDeletePS The Queen of Mystery sounds intriguing! I've not been watching as much lately after Squid Game so I've got a lot of catching up to do:D
I'm on team Steve, too. He must be so tortured over whether to tell Victoria about his meds. That's such a personal thing. And yet, if I were Victoria, I'd want to know. On a language note, I love the sound of this sentence: "He winked a sun smile, as he went back to his sub sandwich." Nice!
ReplyDeleteAs always, thanks for your comments. No more craft shows for me, though. That ship sailed a decade ago. Selling in person just wasn't for me, partly because of the expense and labor, partly because I'm not really a PR kind of person. I always wanted to read in the tent. So now I sell online only and read on my couch. :)
Oh, that's good about selling ONLINE. I used to go with a friend to CraftShows..just because..usually, at different high schools, but it seems they have grown so much..and more are cooperate vendors these days, add the pandemic and well..just not gonna.. I just had put in the little gest of Steve's problem since my co-worker told me this about himself. He's got so much going for him. And he's wonderful co-worker in so many ways, but he has a hard time with days and night. Oddly, we have another co-worker with the same problem. But he's an artist and once he's moved to work on a project..he just can't help himself and might work on something 3 days straight before realizing the time. He has gotten better. At least, he has a roommate now, but she can only do so much..sometimes.
DeleteAs for Steve, I often wondered what kept him from being with Simon and now I finally know.