"Hello?"
"Am I a horrible person?"
"Well, hi Terri! How are you doing?" Terri mocked. "Oh, I'm fine Louise! How's everything with you?"
"I'm sorry," Louise exhaled. "I'm really sorry. How are you doing?"
"I want to know why you think you're a horrible person."
"Okay, well, I went back to the office..."
"Oh my God!" Terri screamed. "He wasn't there was he?"
"Well, yeah."
"Louise! What did you do?"
"We just talked!"
"Are you sure?"
"I mean, it's not like I was going to do him in the copy room or something."
"Louise, this is YOU talking," Terri scolded.
"Okay, well, maybe if I still liked the guy, I would have done him in the copy room. But I don't, and I didn't."
"Why was he there?"
"Some of them went out to an Irish pub. He stopped by to use the bathroom."
"Oh, that's a lame excuse."
"Whatever, I didn't verify that he actually used the bathroom."
"Well, that's a relief."
"I can't believe you."
"Okay, I still haven't heard why you're such a horrible person."
"He confronted me. About Walter."
Terri's voice suddenly took on a tone of concern. "He knows about Walter?"
"He knows that I have a boyfriend. And that I did when we ... hooked up."
"What did he say?"
"He asked me why I didn't tell him."
"And you said - 'DUH!'"
"That's not funny!"
"I'm sorry, Lou!"
"I didn't know what to say. I mean, he's right."
"He knew all along?"
"He found out just before he left," Louise explained. "Someone at the office said something."
"Oh! That person is definitely coming off of your Christmas card list!"
"Be serious."
"Okay, so, do you think that's why he blew you off when he went back to South America?"
"I think it's a real possibility."
"So, maybe he isn't a player?"
"That would kind of change my opinion of the guy."
"But you don't know if it's true."
"I don't."
"I mean, he could have found out anytime. And maybe he's just trying to make you feel bad so you don't think he's so much of a scumbag."
"I guess," Louise admitted. "Anything's possible. I don't know. I'm tired. By the way, did you talk to Francisco?"
"He called me."
"Was the wicked blonde witch still there?"
"She and the kid went out to dinner," Terri explained. "Then she went back to her hotel. At least, that's the story."
"That's the story," Louise repeated.
"That's the story, morning glory."
"How did he sound? And what did the kid say?"
"Oh, he just told them that he's going off to school, to the university as planned. I guess for a while he was thinking about not going."
"Well, if your dad's rich..."
"I don't think Frank would look upon that too fondly," Terri said.
"I know," Louise assured her. "I was just kidding."
"Okay, so are you good with this guy?" Terri prodded. "Are things going to be weird in the office?"
"I have no idea," Louise said.
"When does Walter get back?"
"Day after tomorrow."
"Okay, don't do anything stupid!"
"I won't," Louise assured her.
"Call me if you need moral support."
"Okay."
"Goodnight!"
"Good night!"
'The Horse Farm'
Copyright © 2015 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
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