Saturday Morning
Saturday dawned clear and bright. I knew that I had slept late, but I wasn't sure how late. I could smell breakfast cooking, and my stomach growled. Dressed in only my long T-shirt, I stepped lightly out of the bedroom and followed my nose to the kitchen.
There, tending to a skillet full of bacon was Pauli, dressed much the same as last night, and nursing a Bloody Mary.
"Good timing Hooker, the bacon is just about done!" he said.
"Mmm...bacon!" I said, "Got a Bloody for me?"
"You know I do!" he said, handing me a glass.
I love Bloody Marys, and Pauli makes the best one I think I've ever tasted. So when I tell you that I
may
have sucked that first Bloody down a little quickly, I want you to understand, that it was just that damned hard to resist.
The bacon came off the skillet, and eggs were fried in the left-over grease. Add a couple slices of sourdough toast with melted butter, and the meal was a delightful way to break the fast. My first Bloody was gone, and Pauli mixed us seconds as we sat at the table and devoured our bacon and eggs.
"So, is the Bartender coming over today?" I asked.
"Not this morning" Pauli replied, "she had some thing to do for work."
"Too Bad" I replied, "she's an absolute doll!"
He just smiled and nodded, sipping his Bloody.
"I'm very pleased that y'all seem to be getting along so well" I continued, "I'll feel okay leaving you in her hands when I have to return to the Mainland."
"You know you're not going back there anytime soon" he said confidently, "island life is too good to leave!"
"You left" I replied.
"And then spent my entire life trying to get back out here" he said.
I considered his words. There were a lot of places that I
could
be, and yet here I was. Hanging out with my Bestie, drinking Bloody Marys on a Saturday morning, on one of the most beautiful Islands in the world. Life really didn't get much better than this.
But deep inside me, I knew that it could.
I didn't guzzle my second Bloody Mary, but nonetheless, my glass was empty again. "Pauli" I said plaintively, "My glass has a hole in it!"
"Geezus Hooker, slow down!" he laughed.
"I promise to sip my
next
one" I said, holding my glass out to him and trying my best to give him sad-puppy-dog eyes.
"Okay" he said, "but don't blame me for getting you drunk first thing in the morning."
I wasn't going to get drunk. It took a
lot
of alcohol to even get tipsy these days. I just wanted delicious Bloody Marys, and maybe some liquid fortitude to talk about what was in my head.
Pauli mixed me a third Bloody and handed me the glass. I smiled brightly at him and sipped the delicious beverage. We sat and talked about the events of yesterday. I confided in him that the fight had brought out some unpleasant memories from my in-game experiences.
"You know I'm always here for you, Brother" he said, "even if I seem a little distracted by your new appearance, I'm still your friend!"
"I know" I said, "and I'm sorry to burden you with this."
"Honestly, it's no burden" he replied.
I took a sip of my Bloody, "I appreciate that" I said, "and I appreciate you opening your home to me."
"Gurl" he said, "any time, mi casa es su casa, you know that!"
I looked down at the table top, "I just wish there was some way I could be as good a friend as you've been to me."
"Look here, Hooker" he started, "you came all the way out here to spend time with me, you've fixed my front porch light, you keep paying for beer (somehow), and because of your influence, I think I'm dating my favorite Bartender, who by the way,
encourages
us to fool around!"
"Yeah, but..." I started to say, and was cut off.
"No buts" he said, "except of course yours and the Bartender's, who I will reiterate, is just fine with all of us doing dirty, dirty things to each other! What more could a guy ask for? You are a fantastic friend!"
I smiled, "Okay, when you put it that way, I guess you're right."
"Of course I'm right" he said, "at least about this!"
There was a pause in the conversation while we both sipped our Bloodies. While I can't speak to his thoughts, my own were replaying our tryst from the night before.
"So, about last night" I said, "that was a lot of fun!"
He blushed, "I'm glad you enjoyed it!"
"Didn't you?"
He nodded, and a ghost of a smile crossed his face, "I wasn't the only one, our Bartender kept me up for another couple of hours sexting after that little video you sent to her."
I grinned at him, "Dude, she sent me a short video of her fingering herself" I said, "she's a keeper!"
"I know, right?!" he replied, "She's like the most perfect girlfriend I could hope for, I just know there's gotta be a catch."