Charlotte points out some things.

"So what's in your bag?" Charlotte asked, "Besides your cell phone charger that is." Her face took on a nonchalant expression and she directed the next statement to me. "I'm thinking Drive through? I mean, I don't want to really go out in public looking double effed."

"Yeah, drive through sounds good. " I replied. "What time is it anyway? Imogene, you've got the phone out. Can you check on what time Carl's stops serving breakfast?" Focusing on the mundane always seemed to help.

"It... uhm... wait, what?" Imogene responded. For a moment she seemed ready to argue, but then seemed to think better of it and quickly tapped at her phone. "They stop at Eleven. Seriously, Brent, I've got to get a change of clothes, and I can't go home!"

"So what time is it now? And What about Becky?" I asked. I think I was starting to get it. Every time I ignored Imogene's helpless act, it flustered her a little. I wasn't responding how this was supposed to go. I realized that Charlotte knew exactly what she was doing. Yes, it was a little underhanded, but according to her, my sister had been doing the same thing on me, so I figured I'd let it play out a bit further. Besides, my brain was still whirling from other things. I would have sworn I had just seen a damn wadi to my left, but when I looked again it was gone.

"It's ten forty five." Imogene's expression became slightly angry. "Brent, I can't go home!"

"Well, then you don't have to." Charlotte broke in. I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Charlotte was giving Imogene the same kind of look she gave to me. Come to think of it she gave that look to Helen and Kaila as well on occasion. The thought brought a bit of a thrill to race through me. Combined with the panic I'd been just feeling however, it wasn't the best combination. The thought that the woman I just had been with wanted to nail my sister... Well, I admit it, it was a hell of a turn on. If Charlotte hadn't taken the edge off earlier, I probably would be doing everything that Imogene wanted, just to get her on her way as fast as possible. Now, with it just on the level of fantasy, I could deal with. Accept the turn on, enjoy the turn on, and when I got back to the cabin, I planned on working out the problem in a vigorous and pleasant manner.

Unfortunately, my brain had other plans, and continued to decide to play central Asian greatest hits from my memory. I kept trying to focus on the pleasurable sensations and feelings, but every few moments they'd be replaced by an unwelcome thought. I hated when this happened. Just another part of my life, but one that usually lay dormant. With everything else going on in my head the last few days, it should have been no surprise to find good old trauma ready to drop in for a mental beer.

"But what about my car?" Imogene objected, taking no notice of the tension in my face. "Look, I appreciate the ride, but unless you can get my car out of impound, there's nothing I can really do with regards to the job hunt. I have to have a car to get to interviews and to do my ride share gig..."

Imogene began to delve into a lengthy explanation that I had heard many, many times before. I blanked it out while scanning the various signs, looking for a restaurant that looked somewhat viable. While mass produced crap wasn't my first choice, it was cheap enough to pay for three people and still have enough to pay for gas and the groceries that I still had to get at some point. The tight confines of the local cement walls which led to the drive through speaker were wonderful fuel for that sadistic part of my brain, which immediately decided to remind me of that time the truck ahead of me got blown up in just such tight confines.

"So, let me get this straight." Charlotte spoke several moments after Imogene had fallen silent after noticing that I had zoned out once again. "You're short on cash, You went to a club an hour drive from your house with a car that you depend on, and rather than park it yourself, you let your friend drive it. She screwed up and parked it in a handicapped space. And you're asking your brother to pay for it, and let you stay at his apartment?"

"Well anything's gonna sound bad if you say it like that," Imogene argued. "Look Becky felt so bad that she let me stay over last night. We had a real creep following us around the club too. I was hoping you would show up, but I got really scared." She directed the last to me. "Let me just stay at your place for a couple days till I can talk Dad down. I promise I won't get in the way, or make you and the girls deal with any of my drama."