Tête-à-Tête - Guest Post: Phillip
The animation glides on, perfectly depicting the anticipated result. Angles change smoothly as the pov shifts. Skyscape fades into -
“So, ace, whassup?”
What the fuck? “Hanrahan?”
“None other. Howzit hangin’, guy?” He smirks and settles into the leather chair to my right and kicks his feet up onto the glass conference table.
“Bob, I’m working here.” Or trying to. I don’t bother to ask how he managed his way past everyone; it’s usually a combination of some weird ninja invisibility trick and just plain scaring the shit out of anyone with the audacity to challenge him.
“Nice setup.” He nods at the full wall flat screen I’d been watching. “Business must be good.”
“Business is always good. What is it you want, Bob? Teri isn’t here, he’s at an offsite.”
“You think I don’t know that?” He swings his feet off the table and leans closer to me. “I know where he is, I know what he does. He’s the reason I’m here to see you.” He pauses to roll his lips into his mouth, glances away, returns his gaze to me. “I need you to watch him for me.”
Uh oh. Trouble in paradise? No fucking way am I getting caught in this lover’s spat. Better chance of surviving a nuclear blast at ground zero. “Um, Bob -“ He watches me, never blinking, seems to consider something then leans back.
“I’m out of town. Something I need to…deal with.” Not caring for the sound of that and definitely not the something that passes briefly over his tired tough guy features. “I need you to watch him,” he repeats with a weird emphasis.
Now I’m worried. “Watch him for what?” Something occurs to me, a remembrance of things past. “Is he in danger?”
“Teri?” Bob snorts a small laugh, pulls a pack from his jacket pocket, lights up a Marlboro and stands to stalk over to the view of midtown. “Not likely - at least not from outside. You’re his friend.” Jesus, that is one big fucking admission coming from him. “You must have noticed. He’s been a bit - off - since he’s been back.”
I have noticed. Teri’s never been what anyone would call a bucket of fun, but he has a sardonic wit that is almost a privilege to witness, a running commentary on the foibles and pretenses of our mundane existence. Not lately, though. Lately he’s been functionality personified, almost - and here I make my realization - like he was at the beginning, when we first met. Harahan must see something because his eagle staring into the sun demeanor sharpens.
“You have noticed it.”
“He has been a bit distant,” I admit. I don’t like sharing observations with Hanrahan. I don’t like being in the same room, living in the same city, inhabiting the same planet. He has a place in Teri’s life, though. I don’t understand it, don’t want to think about it, but if Hanrahan is worried, then I should be as well. I take a chance. Not as though he’d terminate my existence. Well not here, anyway. I think. Maybe. “Where was he, Bob?”
He extinguishes his butt between his fingers and closes the space between us. Bob grabs my chair back and twists me hard to face him. “Look, Mary Markham. Just because you dabbled with the dark side, don’t think you can handle what’s over there.” Bob may be a psych job but he’s seen shit I can’t even imagine. So has Teri. I pull my mind back from that precipice, but Bob doesn’t want to let me. “Princess, he’s….”
“Bob.” I stop whatever he was going to say, not sure I want the deep background. “What is it you want me to do?” I don’t expect what comes next.
“Pay attention to him. Let him know that somebody notices.”
“What?” Hanrahan sighs at what he obviously considers to be my blatant stupidity.
“Look, I can’t be here right now. Other commitments. Just. Pay. Attention. To. Him.” My blank expression exasperates him even more. “Look, I’m not getting into it with you. Fuck, this is beginning to look like a stupid fucking idea, but -“ he pauses, scrubs a hand over his face. Sighs. “Look, he’s a standalone, okay?” I nod. It’s true. “Well every fortress has its foundation. He’s lost part of his.”
“Raine. What happened with that?”
“Never mind. He’s dogshit. I’ll deal with that pile of steaming crap later. I just - I need-” Shit! Hanrahan really does love Teri! “I need to know he’s not alone. Fuck that!” He paces. “I need to know that he knows he’s not alone. You get that?”
No, I don’t but I nod anyway.
“He wants him back.”