Stalk Mandy, twenty-plus years a co-worker, lover, and rival

Mandy is a lot of things to you. She's the main cook on your usual waitress shifts at the Atomic Truckstop Café (no truckstop any more, but the coffee and pie won't quit). Mandy helped get you the job. Mandy was dating Brian when you stole him away. Mandy is still your rival, even after twenty-plus years and two beautiful daughters with Brian.

And Mandy is one of Brian's lovers, even still.

And Mandy is your lover, off and on. But mostly on, almost every month.

You give her a call. You're pretty sure she's not on shift now.

"Yes, hon, that was me on the news, me and Cheryl?" you tell Mandy over the phone. "Poof, up in smoke. My guardian angel was really looking out. Everything gone on the whole hillside, they said. Just me, my car, and my phone. Naked with a phone. Sarah is going to have such a laugh over that."

Mandy chuckles. "So did you and Brian put in a hot tub that I don't know about?"

"Ah, maybe I shouldn't explain on the phone, Mandy."

"Well, it's not like I haven't seen you naked enough, angel baby," she says. "And you have some clothes over here at my place, in the OTHER dresser from Brian's extras. I'll bring your spare uniform early in the morning, with plenty of time before you have to get dressed for your shift. You gonna come in?"

"I got my car, hon, meet you at your place. I could come over tonight. This motel, well, it doesn't feel like any kind of home." The motel room is bland and dreary, easy-clean but all washed out, and the window looks out on a parking lot.

"My arms are open, angel babe," Mandy says. "I'll crack a bottle of red and change the sheets."

"Don't tempt me, Amanda Krieger," you say.

Mandy laughs and laughs. "Who else am I to you, Mary?" She chuckles. "I'll leave the light on. You gonna come dressed in that rescue blanket?"

"Martha Murphy's old clothes. You know my insurance agent, Chuck? He was my first real boyfriend. His wife's kind of big and tall. I thought they were divorced? So Chuck found some clothes from her old ones. But Martha showed up and well, she said that she and Chuck were gonna be un-divorced now this instant, and well, I'll tell you about it when I get there."

Mandy laughs. "God bless you, Mary, you're the best kind of trouble."

You pack up your little bag, put on your squishy foam shower shoes from the fire department, and check out of the dreary motel.

"No, it's good news, sugar," you tell the clerk. "My friend Mandy has a place for me."

The clerk takes your room key, flips her dark waves back and snaps her chewing gum. "Sign here."

You text Chuck. Staying with a friend instead. Might be a day or two.

Chuck sends back <3 Mary.

And so you're off to Mandy's.

Roll +COOL(0) to STALK Mandy: 11. Come right over.