“So you're just gonna up and leave me?”
“That's why I'm here now, Tam, I wanted to talk it over with you. But you haven't let me talk to you at all. It sure as hell feels as though you've left me.”
“You're the one who doesn't show up. Who spends all the time smoking up. I've been wondering why you married me. You never want to spend time with me. But the worst kick in the head was walking in to find you fucking some other woman in our bed.”
The look of horror on his face almost convinces her. Almost. But Tamara knows what she knows. She was there. “That was my tipping point, Q.”
“I've never been unfaithful to you, Tam. I just wouldn't.”
“In our bed!”
“Wait a minute, are you talking about Friday?” Tamara nods, unable to form words. Quentin shakes his head. “Jesus, Tam, that wasn't me. Mouse and Jose were here and we all got high watching Harold and Kumar. I passed out on the recliner and they got to messing around and ended up in our room. That's it. You don't believe me ask either of them. But then, hell, if you don't believe me there really isn't much point anymore, is there.”
He looks so angry. Is he telling the truth? Tamara feels her eyes filling. She wants to believe him. Is he playing her? She says, “I don't know what to believe anymore.”
“Look, Tamara, I've been miserable. I haven't felt good here at all. It's a waste of money for me to stay. Say the word and I'll pass on Ryerson and grab a job here. After you're done it'll be my turn, and we'll be together. It might be better if I just go to Ryerson now. Hell, it's not like you have any free time. And from the sounds of it, that's only gonna get worse, not better.”
Tamara is stunned. “Wait a minute. Why didn't you ever say anything about any of this before? This is the first I've heard.”
“I didn't really understand why I was miserable at first. It seemed easier to smoke up than figure out what the problem was. Made me feel better for a while. Kinda forget there's even a problem. It makes you think it's licked, but it isn't really.”
Tamara shakes her head. “What do you want to do?”
“I think Ryerson is the best choice for me now. But I don't want you to think I'm running out on you or anything.”
“We wouldn't hardly see each other.”
“We don't hardly see each other now, Tammy.”
“Not what I thought married life would be like.”
“Things are worse than I thought, but this isn't exactly unexpected. I mean not really. Neither of us have been having fun. Even if you never noticed how miserable I've been.”
“That is crap. You haven't been acting miserable, you've been acting like an asshole who's having too much fun getting high to waste his time going to class.”
“I deserve that but . . . I guess I thought you'd be able to tell.”
“How? By magic? It doesn't work like that.”
“I know that now. But that's what it felt like to me. I mean, you're the smart one. But when I started figuring it out how was I supposed to talk to you? You wouldn't let me near.”
She looks at him. “When would you leave?”
“I thought tonight. Give me a day to pack up and say my good byes, then I get a good night with my lady before I head out. Please tell me you're not doing an allnighter tonight.”
Tamara sees that he's serious. “We'll talk tonight?”
“Yeah. Hey, did you notice? I cleaned the place up for you. Think I can figure out how to make dinner for you by the time you get back?”
Tamara looks at him. Q is offering to make dinner. The world is spinning and she just doesn't know what to think. Maybe. Maybe they can start over. Make it work.
chapter 132 . . .
Barbie's blonde hair is back lit by the sunlight streaming through the library windows behind the reading table. Stacks of books fan out around her, some laid face down, others heaped in jumbles, paper bookmarks conspicuously protrude as she makes notes, drumming her fingers on her laptop until she feels the glare of the other patrons.
Digging in her purse, she extracts an HB pencil, now idly tapping the eraser end against her front teeth while she works. Her brow creases into a frown of concentration as she plows through a particularly weighty tome.
Suddenly her concentration slips. Blinking myopically she readjusts her focus to take in the wider world. Even the pencil stills as she looks around the room. It feels as if she's being watched, except everyone else seems caught up in their work. What gives?
Laying down the pencil, she looks again. She scans back and forth. Still nothing. But the feeling of being watched is even stronger. So she lifts her head and looks up at the second floor balcony that rings the reading room. And there he is. Jose, leaning up against the rail, is looking down at her.
“So gorgeous,” she thinks, smiling up at him, giving a little wave. He returns her wave with a crisp salute but doesn't smile, just looks down at her expressionlessly. Barbie feels her body betray her.
She uses both hands to indicate her ostentatious research display, then gives him a palms up pantomime “what can I do”. He shrugs and she tears away her gaze, lowering her eyes to her work. Concentrate.
She's got to get this paper done or she'll be in big trouble. But she is dying to look up to see if he's still watching her. Barbie pushes the impulse down. Hard. She picks up the pencil again, tightens her grip. No. Don't look, work.
Don't encourage him. Flip through pages. Pretend to work, real work will follow soon enough.
Someone drops into the chair beside her. Barbie's first thought is that it's Jose come down from above, so although her heart is pounding, she doesn't look.
But then she knows it's not Jose. Looking over she sees it's only Tamara. “Are you busy?” Tamara asks.
Barbie shakes her head in amazement, waving her hand at the reference materials.
“Of course I'm busy. I've got to get my term paper done or I'm toast. Is yours done?”
Tamara shakes her head. “Not exactly, about half.”
“It's due the end of the week.”
“I know.” Barbie is telling her when things are due? The whole world is upside down. “I thought I'd let you know Q's leaving. He's gonna switch to Ryerson. Probably make my work easier.”
Tamara gets up to leave but Barbie reaches out a hand to grab her arm. “Wait. Are you all right?”
“Could be worse.” Tamara nods tersely, although she looks on the verge of tears. “At least it wasn't him screwing Mouse.”
“What?” Barbie isn't following this conversation at all.
“On Friday night. It wasn't Q, it was Jose.”
“You're saying Jose slept with Mouse?” Barbie asks, not quite believing it. She thought— no, don't go there.
“Yeah, that's what Q said.”
“Don't tell me you can't tell Jose and Q apart”
“I was freaking out, and it was dark.” Seeing Barbie's agitation, Tamara realizes Barbie is jealous that Jose got it on with Mouse. “Hey, sorry. I didn't think it'd bother you. I kinda thought you'd be, you know, happy, if, I mean, Jose and Mouse . . .”
“Yeah, that's great. Takes the pressure off,” Barbie lies. “Look, Tam, why don't you go grab your books and get your research done. It'll take your mind off things.”
“Yeah, okay. I think I will.” She smiles wanly at her friend. Who'd have thought. Barbie may be flight, but she has really been a good friend. “Can I leave my stuff here then?”
Barbie nods, “Sure. Here, spread out on the table so nobody else takes your spot. We can talk at lunch, okay?” Thinking, Jose and Mouse?
Tamara nods, and does as she's told. Barbie watches Tamara head into the stacks and takes advantage of the moment to glance casually up at the balcony. Wishing he was there. Here. But he isn't. He's gone.
Lucky Mouse.
Barbie sighs, then turns back to her book.
chapter 133 . . .
No one is eating outside today because it's cold. Kate is trying to find them a table while
Nick gets their lunch. She's thinking they'd be better off to go home to eat as she cruises through the caf. There is an occasional empty seat but no place to squeeze two. This is nuts.
A flash of movement and she looks over and sees Adam waving at her. Oh look, he's at a corner table with his friend Dave and — joy oh joy — empty seats.
Great! Kate grins and gives him a thumbs up and looks back to see where Nick is at. Perfect. He's heading her way with a couple of bowls of soup balanced on a tray. And coffee. Nick knows she needs her caffeine fix. He's even stopped lecturing her about it. She beckons him to follow and she pushes on to Adam's table.
“Thanks Adam, you're a lifesaver.” Kate pulls out a chair.
Adam smiles shyly. “I am happy to help the computer club hostess.”
“Well, you sure did, big time.” She grins. “I was thinking we were gonna have to take our lunch home. I sure don't plan on having lunch in Nick's lab. Ever.”
Adam laughs while Dave raises his eyebrows.
“My husband's a med student,” Kate says while stacking abandoned dishes on her side of the table onto an empty tray.
Dave gets it. “I see your point.”
Nick arrives with his full tray and Kate asks, “You guys met?” as she carries the tray of debris to a clearing station.
Adam nods. “Hi Nick.”
Nick sets the tray down, and tells them “Thanks. I wasn't looking forward to lunch in the lab.”
“Yeah, Kate said.”
Nick comes around the table beside Dave, extending a hand. “Nick Stone, med school.”
Shaking hands, “Dave LeBlanc, engineering.”
Nick grins, distributing the tray contents. “This your first year?” Nick asks as Kate returns.
“Yes. It's much more intense than high school was.”
Nick laughs as Kate crumbles the sealed package of crackers into dust then sprinkles it into her tomato soup.
“You know, your accent sounds just like my friend Krys. Whereabouts are you from, Dave?” Kate asks.
Dave says, “I'm from Walkerton. But I don't have an accent.”
Kate laughs. “Sure you do. I guess it's not the same, then, because she's from a place called Paisley.”
“That would have put us in the same school. Paisley doesn't have a high school; they get bussed to Walkerton.” Dave says. Then he frowns. “I have an accent?”
“Just a little one.” Kate smiles back. “You mean I was right? Awesome.”
“What do you know,” grins Nick. “Henry Higgins.”
“I had no idea Christine ended up at Christie.”
“Not Christine, Krystal. In computer science.”
Dave nods. “It was a small school, Kate, and everybody knows everybody. We didn't have a Krystal, but there was Computer Chris. It would have to be Christine. Must be she's reinvented herself.” Dave shrugs. “I guess I would too if I were her.”
chapter 134 . . .
Kate walks into the computer lab, settling into her usual spot between Oscar and Maggie. As she fires up her machine, Kate leans over to Maggie, “I just had the strangest lunch.” Kate says, quietly.
“Wait a minute. Isn't this is lunch with Nick day? I don't wanna hear anything kinky.”
Kate rolls her eyes. “The caf was a zoo so it was lunch with a whole herd.”
Maggie grins. “That's why we went downtown. Much more civilized.”
“You may be better at planning than I am, Maggie, but I'm still better at digging up dirt.”
“Ooooh,” grins Maggie, “Sounds like I missed something good. What's the scoop?”
Just then Jake and Krystal come in and Kate freezes. Maggie says, “What?” Following Kate's line of sight she realizes the subject of the gossip has just entered.
Jake? She can't mean he's the rapist? Hard to believe. No way. Impossible.
It's got to be something else. Something with Krystal. How did Kate find out about Krystal? If anybody in CSIS had any brains, they'd be recruiting Kate. Begging her to sign on 'cause that girl would make an awesome spy.
Better keep it under wraps, it isn't something Krystal needs spread around. Maggie taps her keyboard and Kate nods an acknowledgement. They can discuss it in a private IM chat.
Jake sets down Krystal's laptop across the aisle in her usual spot beside Adam's place. Maggie wonders where Adam is. It isn't like him to miss class. This'd be his second time. What's going on with that guy?
Krystal smiles brightly, “Thanks Jake.”
Jake says, “No problem,” with nonchalance belied by the tell tale grin spreading from ear to ear as he leaves the room.
Maggie sets up the chatroom while Kate settles in, firing off invites to Oscar and Kate to participate just as the professor makes her appearance. Krystal has been plugging in her laptop but looks up as Gates announces the class can use the time to do project work or meet with her for individual consultations.
As Gates settles in at her desk, Krystal roots through her bag and pulls our a tattered paper notebook and heads over to join the line that's already forming She perches on an empty desk to reread some notes while she waits.
Maggie
whazzup k8?
Kate
You'll never believe it. I had lunch with Adam + his pal Dave.
Oscar
Right, Adam brought him along the other night.
Kate
Dave has a weird story to tell. He grew up in a small town, everybody knows everybody, and kids from the nearby towns are bused to Walkerton for high school.
Maggie
I hv work 2 do K8. This going somewhere?
Kate
Big time. Seems a redhead named Chris from small town Paisley told friends she was dying so they'd tell the guy she was hot for.
Maggie and Oscar exchange glances, then they all look over at Krystal talking to Professor Gates.
Oscar
So he'd pity her and give her a tumble?
Maggie
There's never been any question that the blonde is out of a bottle. Thought it was a fashion statement, not a disguise.
Oscar
Jake argued with Jose whether it was real blonde.
Maggie
Poor Jake.
Oscar
What happened? She get the guy?
Kate
Sort of worked, somebody told the guy, but instead of dating her he went to pray with her mom, and the mom set him straight.
Maggie
Holy shit that's . . . just . . .
Kate
Sick?
Oscar
Stupid, really. Y try it on again? Didn't work the first time.
Maggie
Different time, different place.
Kate
Nick says this is way beyond a prank. Only a sociopath would try to pull a scam like this. Twice.
Maggie
So Oscar told you?
Oscar
Guilty
Maggie
Just can't keep a secret, can you Oz.
Kate
Just as well. Y do u think Adam decided to cut.
Maggie
Maybe this Dave guy is just trying to do her dirt?
Kate
Can't see any reason he'd have to lie.
Maggie
Cold chills. I think I believe it. Need 2 hear it from her tho.
Kate
I wanna confront her. This is my last class today
Oscar
Can't believe I fell for it.
Maggie
It's funny, we weren't really friends until she was dying.
Oscar
I rather doubt we were ever really friends at all.
Kate
You guys believe it's all been a lie? even without talking to her?
Maggie
Yeah, I do.
Oscar
How could you lie about something like this? Inconceivable.
Maggie
I couldn't. You'd pretty much have to be a p
athological liar to pull it off.
Kate
Word Nick used was sociopath.
Maggie
it's not something that a friend would do, that's for damn sure.
Kate
She mustn't think very highly of us.
Oscar
I've helped her with a bloody lot of school work.
Kate
Me too.
Maggie
I guess between us we're probably getting her pretty good marks.
Kate
And poor Jake . . . it's not just the mooning over her, he's been like her servant, you know . . . She's coming back. What now?
Maggie
Shh then. Talk to her after class. I'm sure as shit am not leaving this room until I know for sure. And she isn't either.
Oscar
Sounds like a plan. Back to work kiddies.
Krystal resumes her seat and finishes setting up her work area. She glances at her friends, but they are all pretty wrapped up in what they're doing.
chapter 135 . . .
Although quite close to the roadway, the traffic noise is almost nonexistent due to the thick stand of trees. The path meanders through the woods, interspersed every so often with concrete stanchions bearing street lights. Even with cast off leaves providing a colourful carpet there's still more than enough evergreen stuff to muffle sound. Except for the occasional crunching as people hurry along the path.
At least the stump is still here.
Oh look, all the cigarette butts have been cleaned up. Very thoughtful of the police. Still, given a choice. he'd be anywhere but here. But there really isn't a choice.
Resting his elbows on his knees, deep in the forest shadow, he takes a drag on the joint he lit just a moment ago. He hears giggling and tenses but it's a false alarm. Just a bunch of girls. He doesn't want them. He only needs one. Just one.
The one that's got him by the balls and won't let go. He draws on the joint, sucking the smoke deep into his lungs and letting it out slow, watching expelled smoke drift upward through the trees. Not too much foot traffic. It's getting too cold. He rocks a little, rubs his arms. She should be along momentarily.
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