Just Us Box Set

And This Is Ed-11

May slid into June, and I buried myself in work. I’d been reprimanded for my behavior, and I’d apologized to my staff for setting such a bad example. They, in turn, patted me on the back for finally teaching those guys a lesson. Huh. Hadn’t realized anyone else had noticed what had been going on. And yes, I told them it was still wrong, though I was secretly pleased with their support. Liz had kissed my cheek and given me a high five, not in front of my employees, of course.

The suggestions I’d made to Titus were actually put in place, along with many others, and our budget was increased so we could replace some of our aging equipment and get new uniforms. The online portal for service requests was a hit with everyone, and it cut down wait time, miscommunication, and errors by a huge amount.

As for any interaction with Titus, I had no qualms dealing with him. I’d said my piece, and he’d played his hand. I knew who and what he really was, now, and I could move on. I simply treated him the way I did all the others, though I noticed that they weren’t messing with me as much as before. Not sure why, but no skin off my back.

Fourth of July weekend, I worked in the kitchen on Saturday at Meals on Wheels since they were short-handed. Then I did deliveries on Sunday. Monday, my staff and I had decided to go to the city fireworks show. We met at McCalls, a bar on the edge of downtown near the stadium where the display would be held.

Liz brought a date, and surprisingly enough, it was the moron I’d punched in the nose. I’d question her taste in men, but I didn’t want to get my own nose bloodied. Bryce gave me a genuine, lopsided smile and I nodded, then immediately dismissed him to go back to my conversation with Betty, one of the regulars for the night crew. She was telling me about her daughter’s asthma.

At eight o’clock, the show began. We all found seats in the nosebleed section and exclaimed over the colors and patterns in the sky. The entire event lasted an hour, and the fireworks, fifteen minutes of that. It was worth every second. Afterward, Liz and her date split, and everyone else broke off into groups to head out to parties or clubs, or wherever.

I decided to have another beer and zone out watching TV over the bar. While sipping my Heineken, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see Titus Leung standing there, looking too good in tight jeans and a blue short-sleeved shirt.

“May I join you?” he asked, gesturing to the stool next to me.

I shrugged. “Free country.”

He took a seat and I went back to watching…tennis, I guess. It was just something to stare at while I drank my beer.

“You out by yourself tonight?” Titus asked after he ordered a Dos Equis for himself.

“My staff and I hit the fireworks show. They just left. I’ll be leaving in a few myself. Taking a cab.”

“Oh.” He sounded a little disappointed, but what did he expect?

“Uh, you like tennis?” he asked.

“It’s what’s on.”

He heaved a frustrated sigh. “Are you ever going to talk to me again like a human being, instead of an automaton?”

“Dunno.” I finished my beer and placed the bottle on the bar with a cash tip. “See you at work.”

“Hey, wait,” Titus said, and grabbed me.

I looked down to where his hand lay, then glanced up at him. “Let go of me,” I said in measured tones.

He dropped my arm. “I just want to have a real conversation with you.”

“We can talk at work. About work stuff. That’s all the conversation we ever need to have.”

I walked toward the door. As I opened it, I thought I heard him say over the crowd, “I’m sorry, you know. I’m so fuckin’ sorry.”

Yeah, me, too.