A change in mood

"Sorry," Kaila said formally.

"And DON'T apologize! Every time I try to talk to a woman these days it's Sorry this, and forgive me that, and I'm not worthy... are you actually averting your gaze from me?"

"Uh... " Kaila looked at me with a slight glimmer of recognition.

"Well Don't! It's like those miserable netorare stories, they're so depressing. Now knock it off!"

"Yes Dear." Kaila's face became a little more earnest. "So... uh... does Maria count as the grail? Because if she does, I'm the one who should be going and getting her with the girls."

"Ah, ah, I said nobody refers to us as..." Helen began, before she was suddenly cut off by Nikki shoving what looked like a cigarette in her face.

"Smoke that..."

Helen held up a finger, before grasping at the joint and bringing it to her lips. She held the smoke in her mouth before inhaling through her nostril, causing a curtain of smoke to flow from her mouth. She pursed her lips tightly, before breathing out a soft cloud and ending with a slight cough.

"Yeah, the... the girls is simple and easy. But it's so boring... as a collective ya know? I mean, even Grease gave the women a gang name too..."

Helen squinted at me with a bit of a pursed expression.

"I dunno, just can't see him in a pink jacket." Nikki commented, before gesturing with her hand towards the still burning item.

"Negotiations well under way I see. " I commented.

"Yeah, well you two took forever in there. And we finished everything. Except the laundry." Kaila admitted. "And... uh... yeah. Helen uh sez... Can I get that back?"

Nikki snorted around a lungful of smoke before giggling slightly and breathing out. She said nothing, merely extending the item to Kaila again with an elegant motion.

"I say that when you feel like the world just ended, totally time to get a little perspective." Helen explained. "Yeah, this is a big deal, but... I don't see anybody bleeding, and don't see any reason why anyone should start."

"Well, I ain't touching it, I have no intention of spending the entirety of my date in lock up."

"Don't be paranoid, Brent." Nikki laughed. "Come on, she arranges child care, sleeps with you, and drives to another city after work just to bust you on a misdemeanor? At best?"

I snickered at the idea. Outside, the sun was beginning to set, and there were a good two fingers between the sea and the sun. Let's see, figuring that it's October, that means... about five fifteen, give or take. Another hour or so till Maria showed up, if she was going to show up. I glanced at my phone, and saw no messages from her. Well, duh, of course she wouldn't have texted, I didn't give her my number.

"Anybody see where I put that note from Maria?" I asked the group. "I probably should text her to confirm we're still on. And, you know... let her have MY number."

"Shoot her a picture too." Nikki remarked. "Here, gimme your phone and I'll take it. She said she wanted one for her mom, remember?"