“Leo
and I have been having trouble. He doesn’t understand the pressure at work, I
have. Every time I’m home it just seems like we start fighting. It’s just where
I’m at right now, you know? It wasn’t even supposed to be my job, but the
company laid off someone, and they need someone to do the job. I’m on my way
home, this time, but I still have to teleconference and submit a plan,
tomorrow.
“I
already know it’s going to start another fight. And part of me wonders, is it over?
I mean, if we are just going to be miserable around each other whenever we’re
together, that’s not marriage, is it?”
She
looked at me for the answers.
“I’m
not married,” I said. “I can’t get past a third date, really. And it’s because
of my job, so I guess we have that in common.”
“Well,
you’ve got a fedora, so I’m guessing either archaeologist or detective.”
“Detective,
but, well, let’s say it’s a specialized kind. Doesn’t translate well to
relationships.”
“Out
on stakeouts all night and following bad people, huh?”
“And
sometimes it’s a little dangerous. But this is the long way of saying, I don’t
have relationship answers. I don’t think anyone does, but I heard something in
what you were saying.”
“What?”
I
shook my head. “Don’t know yet. But I think you need someone who can listen,
right now. Maybe I’ll be able to figure it out, later.”
“Again with your uncanny
instincts?” Nikki passed me the cocoa, and we adjourned back to the couch.
“Actually, that time I was lying. I
already knew what it was.”
“Why lie?”
“Because being a detective is about
being in the people business.”
“That is as cryptic an answer as
you’ve ever given.”
“Thanks.” I grinned.