Hita - Anita Claire Page 0,50
the guys said he heard she was a bit of a prima donna.”
“So no one thinks she’s a prima donna, there’s just a rumor she’s a prima donna.”
He looks perplexed, then says, “Hita, forget I said anything.”
Getting home a few nights later, I put my key in the lock and start opening the door, and a loud angry conversation confronts me. It’s Kristi and Tim. They’ve been together now for almost a year. It’s the first time I’ve heard any raised voices from either of them. I stand in the doorway paralyzed. Should I leave, should I scurry to my bedroom and give them privacy?
I don’t want to be in the middle of this conversation. I close the door and stand on our balcony looking over the parking lot as I contemplate where I should go. It’s late, it’s dark, I told David I’d text him when I got home. I finally head down the stairs to my car. I don’t want to stay at David’s. I can’t stand using that bathroom; I’d have nightmares that some kind of primeval creature is going to crawl out of the dirty bathtub or toilet. I’ve gone as far as recommending that they all pitch in and hire a cleaning lady, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to clean anything. Double damn, my laptop’s on our dining room table, and I never use my work computer for games.
Sitting down in my car I text David: Do you want to join me at Starbucks?
David: Come over to my place.
I sit in my car pondering what to do as I watch Tim stomp down the stairs with a scowl on his face. I figure I can sit here for another five minutes giving Kristi some time to cool down before I enter.
David: RU coming over?
Hita: Never mind…Tim and Kristi had a fight…Tim just left.
David: I’m coming over.
I head inside to find Kristi sitting on the couch angry and crying. “Hey, what’s up?” I say.
“I think Tim and I broke up,” she says in a flat voice between tears.
***
David and I meet Meredith and Sam at Bierhaus in Mountain View for a double date. David picks me up at my place. Finding a table, we look through the beer list deciding what we’ll try. When Meredith and Sam show up, I ,of course, give them a big hug and air kiss, then introduce David. Surprisingly, David is real quiet. He never says a word during dinner. Both Sam and Meredith try to engage him. I think this is strange until I realize it’s the first time I’ve been with him where gaming isn’t the central theme. Our holiday party, dinner with Kristi and Tim, we’ve always talked about either games or science fiction; two subjects I’ve never heard Sam or Meredith talk about. Before tonight I thought David was outgoing and chatty. It’s strange seeing him out of his element.
Chapter 36 – The Reign of Terri
At work we have another big company meeting. It’s the typical boring meeting where the executives talk about revenue, cost, and numbers with a little rah rah thrown in to get us motivated. Flint talks about strategic direction, and how we need to stay focused on execution.
On the way out I stop to talk to Jessica who is manning the swag table. Megan comes over and starts whisper bitching about Terri.
“Did you see her?” she says with a dramatic eye roll. “Rumor has it she’s sleeping with Sid, but she’s all over Flint. I hope he has half a brain and stays away from that—”
Jessica interrupts, “Megan, not here, not now.”
Megan gets annoyed and leaves as Juliette joins us after filling up her water bottle with herbal ice tea. Something about that rant gets my mind rolling. I’m thinking to myself, Hita, there is something you’re missing. I barely finish the thought as it hits me.
Grabbing Juliette’s arm I say, “Come for a walk with me.”
She looks at me surprised. “Now?”
“Oh, yeah, now.”
As we leave the building, I say, “Flint has a thing for you, and Terri has a thing for Flint, while at the same time someone has a whisper campaign against you.”
“Well, maybe…so?”
“I’m such an idiot. It’s been right in front of me.”
Looking confused Juliette asks, “What?”
“I guess you weren’t there at lunch that day. Megan hates Terri because she started a whisper campaign against a friend of hers, Samantha.”
“What are you talking about?” Juliette asks in total confusion.
“Megan was telling us that there was this guy, Thor,