stuff is still bubbling up
The book hit the wall with a satisfying thunk.
Abe appeared at the entryway near where the book hit, looking questioningly. He picked up the offending book, which looked to him like a perfectly normal book, although somewhat worse for wear at having been hurled at the wall so forcefully. He put it gently down on the coffee table and considered Nina. She was sprawled inelegantly on her stomach on the overstuffed sofa, head lolling on her outstretched arms legs kicking at the cushions. A plate with crumbs & a half empty glass next to her. He opened his mouth and shut it again, unsure what to say. They were not friends, they had a tenuous partnership in supporting Rodrigo, but they did not have anything in common.
If Abe had to name his Beatles paralell it would be Ringo.....the ugly one. He wasn't a bright shining star, he wasn't a face that graced bedroom walls. He early on learned to crack jokes at his own expense in interviews, otherwise he wouldn't be asked anything. He became the go-to guy to cover for the embarassment of the others in public. Behind the scenes he was the one they all talked to because he was so non-threatening, the one who paved over the cracks in hurt feelings and gave relationship advice. He was the one Rodrigo called out of everyone to let them know where he disappeared to. He had been hurt to find out that Rodrigo only called because Nina insisted, he resented her continuing place in their lives. Still, throwing books was out of character.
"Is everything okay?'
Nina raised her head and gazed balefully at him, "Stupid Book. Tells Lies. People don't act like that."
Abe nodded thoughtfully, not really understanding what was going on. On the whole he decided it was better to agree than to try to open a discussion he wasn't sure he would come out of alive. "Good thing you threw it away then, you can't have books lying to you."
Nina was warming to her subject though and was not about to let the subject drop, "People don't get happy endings because they deserve them. Life doesn't work like that, there is no fairness fairy who comes down and gives you stuff because you are a good person. Being good doesn't get you squat. Stupid book. Working hard and doing the right things gets you nothing. Nobody notices unless you are pretty or flashy or sparkly. Sparkly people get everything. Stupid sparkly people."
A graceless flail whilst on the subject of "sparkly people", whatever they were, sent the plate tipping off the sofa. Nina grabbed for glass and swallowed deeply before setting it down on the floor reverently, "Now you sit there and don't spill. If you spill I would miss you. I love you limoncello, even though you lie, too. You seem all sweet and refreshing, but you aren't. You sneak up on people and give them headaches and make them do stupid things."
Abe was quite sure he should leave now. Any time people started to talk to their alcohol, it was not a good sign, and he didn't want the anger towards the book to be transferred to him. He suspected he might count as a sparkly person. He backed slowly away back into the dining room. Nina's voice followed him.
"Just stupid. You know what is not stupid? pillows are not stupid. I like pillows, all soft and stuff. I'm soft. I'm a pillow!"
There were giggles, until there were snuffles and Abe slunk out of the suite, embarassed.
Abe appeared at the entryway near where the book hit, looking questioningly. He picked up the offending book, which looked to him like a perfectly normal book, although somewhat worse for wear at having been hurled at the wall so forcefully. He put it gently down on the coffee table and considered Nina. She was sprawled inelegantly on her stomach on the overstuffed sofa, head lolling on her outstretched arms legs kicking at the cushions. A plate with crumbs & a half empty glass next to her. He opened his mouth and shut it again, unsure what to say. They were not friends, they had a tenuous partnership in supporting Rodrigo, but they did not have anything in common.
If Abe had to name his Beatles paralell it would be Ringo.....the ugly one. He wasn't a bright shining star, he wasn't a face that graced bedroom walls. He early on learned to crack jokes at his own expense in interviews, otherwise he wouldn't be asked anything. He became the go-to guy to cover for the embarassment of the others in public. Behind the scenes he was the one they all talked to because he was so non-threatening, the one who paved over the cracks in hurt feelings and gave relationship advice. He was the one Rodrigo called out of everyone to let them know where he disappeared to. He had been hurt to find out that Rodrigo only called because Nina insisted, he resented her continuing place in their lives. Still, throwing books was out of character.
"Is everything okay?'
Nina raised her head and gazed balefully at him, "Stupid Book. Tells Lies. People don't act like that."
Abe nodded thoughtfully, not really understanding what was going on. On the whole he decided it was better to agree than to try to open a discussion he wasn't sure he would come out of alive. "Good thing you threw it away then, you can't have books lying to you."
Nina was warming to her subject though and was not about to let the subject drop, "People don't get happy endings because they deserve them. Life doesn't work like that, there is no fairness fairy who comes down and gives you stuff because you are a good person. Being good doesn't get you squat. Stupid book. Working hard and doing the right things gets you nothing. Nobody notices unless you are pretty or flashy or sparkly. Sparkly people get everything. Stupid sparkly people."
A graceless flail whilst on the subject of "sparkly people", whatever they were, sent the plate tipping off the sofa. Nina grabbed for glass and swallowed deeply before setting it down on the floor reverently, "Now you sit there and don't spill. If you spill I would miss you. I love you limoncello, even though you lie, too. You seem all sweet and refreshing, but you aren't. You sneak up on people and give them headaches and make them do stupid things."
Abe was quite sure he should leave now. Any time people started to talk to their alcohol, it was not a good sign, and he didn't want the anger towards the book to be transferred to him. He suspected he might count as a sparkly person. He backed slowly away back into the dining room. Nina's voice followed him.
"Just stupid. You know what is not stupid? pillows are not stupid. I like pillows, all soft and stuff. I'm soft. I'm a pillow!"
There were giggles, until there were snuffles and Abe slunk out of the suite, embarassed.