Part 71 (1/2)
I sighed. ”I don't think she's not going to be able to take that option.”
”Yeah, well, I'll tell you what I tell everybody when I see an impending mess as bad as this one: tough s.h.i.+t. I'll try and pull some strings because it's you, but even if I found a used, compatible engine that wasn't going to absolutely crucify her bank account, this thing's gonna die from something else. I give it half a year... maybe a year, tops.”
”So, it's either spend thousands on an engine and buy some time, or spend at least that on a newer vehicle. Either way, she's out of pocket a substantial little sum.”
”Sure looks that way, bro.”
”Alright, Kevin. Thanks for everything you've done. I'll talk to her, and we'll sort it all out.”
”Later, dude.”
I hung up the line angrily.
As soon as the problem had happened, I'd known that it was going to take a miracle to fix it. Unfortunately, having her come back around had apparently filled the miracle quota for today.
I was still trying to figure out what to do when Clara came into view. She was climbing the wide steps outside, ducking into the union building and scanning for me. As she spotted me in the seating area, she stomped towards me with a look of clear, overwhelming stress painted across her face.
”What's the problem?” I asked.
Clara slumped down in the chair to my side. ”Just... unreasonable teachers,” she muttered. ”Couldn't they just consult each other on the homework front? Instead of bombarding us with it, all at once?”
”Pretty sure that's not how it works,” I chuckled lightly.
”Guess not,” Clara muttered before pulling herself to an upright, seated position. ”Alright, so, have you heard from your guy yet?”
My face immediately fell.
”Yeah, that's what I thought,” she groaned, slumping back into the cus.h.i.+ons. ”G.o.ddammit! Why is this turning out to be such a bulls.h.i.+t day? Everything's been going downhill since I saw you last...”
”Well, what can I do to make it up to you?” I asked her. ”Surely there's something...”
She caught my eye and chuckled. ”Maybe not tonight. I'm going to be buried under a.s.signments for the next day or two anyway...”
”Oh, you've got plenty of time before then,” I smiled. ”You seem stressed. Just give me an hour or two of your time to help you unwind, yeah? Wouldn't you enjoy that?”
Clara glanced over mischievously.
”Well... I suppose that could work for me.”
I made sure that it did...
Two hours later, after an incredible simultaneous o.r.g.a.s.m that left us both completely spent. We were laying together in bed. She and I were just the way I liked us best grinning together, drained from great s.e.x, without a st.i.tch of clothing on us.
I was already on my back again, and my lover was curled up against my chest. Absentmindedly, my fingers played with the hair on the back of her head.
”G.o.d, Dalton, that was just as incredible as before,” she murmured softly.
”Oh yeah? Satisfied, love?”
”Am I ever...”
With a satisfied groan, I glanced over at my alarm clock.
”Huh. It's later than I thought.”
”Is it?” She asked, lifting her head.
”Yeah, it's already half past five.”
”Half past five, huh...” Clara murmured. ”That's strange, I feel like there's something important that I've forgotten, something like...”
Her eyes widened.
”Oh no. Oh f.u.c.k. No. Please no.”
”What? What is it?”
Clara was leaping up from the bed, clearly frazzled. I didn't like how stressed she was getting, all of a sudden.
”Oh G.o.d, it's work,” Clara finally groaned.
”Work?” I asked. ”Wait... you didn't...?”
She'd forgotten to contact her boss.
”Yeah...” She held her face in her hands. ”I can't believe it. I completely f.u.c.king forgot to email Arnold last night, when I came home... and I stayed up talking to Natalie. I was supposed to be there over an hour ago.”
Clara dove for her phone and practically went catatonic when she saw her notifications. ”Oh s.h.i.+t. Oh s.h.i.+t, I'm in trouble...”
”I'm sure it'll be fine,” I told her. ”Look, just apologize to him, and everything will be okay.”
”That's not how this works,” Clara lashed out. ”Look, my car's a mess that's apparently broken down, now I've been totally distracted from my job, and for what? s.e.x?”
I didn't like where this was going.
”Clara, look. I'm sorry. I'll help you.”
”I don't want your help,” she muttered.
”Be that as it may... I know that you've had a rough time of things lately. Between the car thing, your job, school, our parents suddenly marrying, your feelings for me...”
She glanced at me with irritation. ”No, go on,” she snarled. ”Please. Feel free to rack up additional ways that my life is f.u.c.king up right now. Really. I want to hear them.”