Sorry, Napoleon, Jess is a little too tipsy to notice the irritation right off the bat. There's a loud "Fuck's sake, shut up, Rose!" in the background and the equally vulgar, twice as loud reply before Jess makes another go at conversation. "Thought you were coming by to paint? Or at least drink. Leo got SoCo on the way over, and we've just been--" Pause, recollect thoughts. "Why are you at home?"
"Busy." Okay, that's a lie, as the dead silence in the background can readily testify. "Didn't think it would be a good idea." Slightly more honest. "Have fun at the party?" What a smooth transition.
"Oh. Ended up ducking out of the wedding early, so I didn't go." Another pause. Bottles clink in the background, and the voices quiet. She's left the room. "Could've called to let me know you were busy, you know. Have to stave off Rose on my own."
"That's too bad. You missed out." He clucks his tongue. Uncomfortable topic, that, he realizes. Time to change the subject. "Figure you'd have plenty of help. With that Reynard guy, you know." Pause. "And Nava and everyone, too."
"Oh, Reynard isn't here." The phone slips awkwardly, a door closes. Rose makes some indistinct remark, muffled through phone and wall. "Had to go somewhere quiet, sorry. Nava left a bit ago. Um." And cue awkward silence. Jess, she isn't so good at the stoic reserve with several units of liquor in her. "You ok?"
"Gotcha." Was that a good thing? Awkward silence persists. And persists. Okay, dying sounds like an appealing alternative at this point. "Um." Is he okay? OKAY? Oh, Jess. "Yeah." Clearing of the throat. "I'm fine. Talk to you later?" Retreat.
Sorry, Napoleon, Jess is a little too tipsy to notice the irritation right off the bat. There's a loud "Fuck's sake, shut up, Rose!" in the background and the equally vulgar, twice as loud reply before Jess makes another go at conversation. "Thought you were coming by to paint? Or at least drink. Leo got SoCo on the way over, and we've just been--" Pause, recollect thoughts. "Why are you at home?"
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"Busy." Okay, that's a lie, as the dead silence in the background can readily testify. "Didn't think it would be a good idea." Slightly more honest. "Have fun at the party?" What a smooth transition.
Reply
"Oh. Ended up ducking out of the wedding early, so I didn't go." Another pause. Bottles clink in the background, and the voices quiet. She's left the room. "Could've called to let me know you were busy, you know. Have to stave off Rose on my own."
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"That's too bad. You missed out." He clucks his tongue. Uncomfortable topic, that, he realizes. Time to change the subject. "Figure you'd have plenty of help. With that Reynard guy, you know." Pause. "And Nava and everyone, too."
Yeah. Like that was any less uncomfortable.
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"Oh, Reynard isn't here." The phone slips awkwardly, a door closes. Rose makes some indistinct remark, muffled through phone and wall. "Had to go somewhere quiet, sorry. Nava left a bit ago. Um." And cue awkward silence. Jess, she isn't so good at the stoic reserve with several units of liquor in her. "You ok?"
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