Author: Tarabeth
Characters: Katie and Chris
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I flipped open my cell phone, as I watched TJ’s plane take off, and called the office. It was only 7:45, so no one would be there yet. I dialed in the ED’s extension, and prepared my best cough, “Uhh…” cough, choke, “Nina, I think I caught something this weekend,” cough, “I think I need to stay home today,” cough, cough, “call me if you need me.”So what if I had a report due to Chris today, it was only for the subcontract we have with the county and he didn’t have to submit anything to the state until Friday, so it would be fine.
I got home and tossed the yogurt, banana and grape nuts breakfast that Teej had packed me into the garbage. I chose to replace TJ’s bowl of regularity with half a pint of Half Baked and an unopened carton of Everything But the…
I plopped down on the couch, turned on Buffy and enjoyed my ice cream breakfast.
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BUFFY: How long was I gone?
SPIKE: Hundred forty-seven days yesterday.
Uh ... hundred forty-eight today. 'Cept today doesn't count, does it?
How long was it for you ... where you were?
BUFFY: Longer.
I sniffed and wiped a tear from my cheek. Oh, poor Spike.
Ring, ring, ring.
Damn-it who the fuck is calling now? I glanced down at the caller ID: Chris Robeson. Fuck!
I picked up the phone, “Cough, cough, hello?”
“Give it up. I know you’re faking, but I could send Syd over to check you out,” Chris stated with a small bit of anger in his voice. “Why didn’t you just call me and tell me the report wasn’t done?”
Fuck! “I’m sorry,” was all I could think to say. “I was really tired this morning.”
“Yes, I figured you would be; that’s why I asked you if you were sure you could have it to me by today. YOU assured me you could,” his voice was raising.
SPIKE: You didn't tell me.
You brought her back and you didn't tell me.
XANDER: Well, now you know.
SPIKE: I worked beside you all summer.
XANDER: We didn't tell you. It was just ... we didn't, okay?
SPIKE: Listen. I've figured it out. Maybe you haven't, but I have.
“You’re watching Buffy? I thought you were tired? Get your butt into the office and send me that report; I can’t do my piece until I have your data.”
“I can’t go into the office, Nina thinks I’m sick. I don’t want to get in trouble,” I whined to him.
“Oh, but not meeting important deadlines and letting down a friend are okay?” Chris asked.
“Ummm…. well, no, but the report isn’t due to the State until Friday. I’ll get it to you tomorrow. It’ll be fine. Chill out,” I told him.
“Chill out. I leave tonight for a conference in LA and I wont be back until Thursday afternoon,” he replied gruffly.
“Oh, I forgot. I will come to your office Thursday afternoon and help you finish it,” I apologized.
“It will take all night,” he informed me.
“I promise; I’ll be there.”
“You better. I will see you at my office at 2:00 pm on Thursday. I expect your piece of the report to be perfect.”
“It will be. Have a good trip. I love you,” I told him.
“I love you too, but I’m not very happy with you at the moment. Take care of yourself this week,” he said and then he hung up the phone and I erupted into tears.
Damn it, now what was I to do?
I needed to get out of the house, but I didn’t want to be spotted around town when I had called in sick. So, I decided a trip over the hill to Santa Cruz was in order.
It was a beautiful day and I could easily have made the drive with the top down on the jeep, but I missed her, I didn’t want to take the jeep. I wanted to take her car, besides it was her car we usually took topless to the coast.
I opened the kitchen drawer to retrieve her keys. There was a yellow post it attached to her keychain, “Don’t even think of taking the Jag out. If you miss me, call me.”
Fuck her!
That note hadn’t been there before this weekend. I usually take her Jaguar out once every couple of weeks just to make sure the battery doesn’t die. I tossed the note into the trashcan, pocketed the keys and headed out to the garage.
The drive over the hill was beautiful, it was clear and in the low 70s. I had a beautiful view of the ocean the whole way down from the summit. Once in town, I parked the car just off Pacific Avenue and proceeded down the promenade.
Santa Cruz can be such a great place to get lost, there is such a mix of people--surfers, hippies, students, stoners, tourists, everyone just seems to fit in, that no one notices you.
I wondered into Camouflage, it always seems to cheer me up, but looking at the lingerie, porn, and sex toys only sent a longing ache to my crotch and I missed her more.
I eventually found myself at the end of the avenue by the head shops, tattoo parlors, and body piercing studios.
I ran my hand over my breast and could feel the barbell in my nipple. I was really hurting and there wasn’t much that would make it go away, and that was when I decided that my lone nipple piercing would be much happier to be part of a pair.
Since it was before lunch on a weekday there wasn’t much activity in the shop and the piercer was able to take me right back to the piercing room.
I sat on the exam table and took off my shirt and bra. The piercer stood and examined by breasts for a while before he used his purple marker to determine the entrance and exit holes for the piercing.
I laid down on the table; he disinfected my nipple, grasped it with the forceps and then ran first the needle through my nipple and then followed it quickly with the barbell.
My lone nipple piercing was alone no more.
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