The Next Morning

It sounded dirty. In a, do I really want to know, kind of way. Leviathan? Is that what he calls his, well.

Curiosity got the better of me, "What was that you said?"

"I never told her about...my...superpower." He managed to get out. "I grow, Sam, when I come into contact with water I grow. I think I reach about ten maybe eleven feet. My head has bumps constantly. I worry about the weather all the time. It's why I always have an umbrella." That was true. He did carry an umbrella more than was customary. "It's why I got this apartment." His arms flew out addressing his large two bedroom in a high rise that I drooled over.

"It wasn't for the view like I told everyone. It has that fantastic shower with all the spray nozzles everywhere. Its so big that while I'm showering and grow, I can still get clean. And I never told her. It's a pretty big thing, not telling the woman that I love about my superpower. I guess she wasn't the only one that wasn't truthful." At this point he was near tears. He was fighting the good fight, holding them off as best he could, but whiskey will have that affect on a person, even when they haven't been so fantastically traumatized privately as well as publicly.

"What are you going on about? I've known you for years. I've never seen anything like what you're claiming. Now, how about some coffee!" I had to cringe at the false cheeriness in my voice. He'd had too much to drink. That had to be it. It was all that Marianne's fault. She drove him over the edge. I was just going to have to hurt her.

Cut her brake lines? No, too lethal. I know, I would call up her superiors at the bank and expose her inner-office relationship. Then again, chances were they already knew about it seeing as everyone in Roger's office knew not to mention the opposing party. Sugar in the gas tank? If I was going that juvenile I might as well resort to bologna on the hood. Hmm, maybe. I'd figure it out.

But presently I did what any friend would do. I ignored it as drunken lunacy and put him to bed. Forgoing the coffee, I steered him to his bedroom, pulled off his shoes, threw a blanket over him, and went to camp out on the couch. Lasted about ten minutes before I remembered he had a guest room. I never said I was letting him drink alone.

Next morning opening one eye at a time, taking in my surroundings, sun shining through (are those really leopard print) curtains, I slowly remembered where I was and why I was there. Blurry eyed and dry mouthed, I was very happy to be the owner of a shop and could be late when I needed to be. Leah was scheduled to open with me. One quick phone call later and then off to the kitchen to make coffee.

I had the coffee brewing and a bagel in the toaster, when Roger came in. "Sorry, I just helped myself. Have to get to the store soon." I looked over at him, studying him, as if any signs that he's still crazy would be physically apparent. "You all right?"

"Hmm. Oh, yeah, fine." Not very convincing. Roger was avoiding looking at me. Did he think something happened last night. Oh geez, I hope he didn't think... No, it's been years since that happened. He knows better.

I took a sip of coffee. Mmm, much better. "You going to work?"

"Yeah. Hey, Sam? You...do you think? What I mean is. Can you not tell anyone what I told you last night?" I don't think I had ever seen Roger so nervous, not even before he proposed to Marianne. "You know, about my...power."

I think my jaw dropped down to my toes. "You mean you were serious?"

"Course I was. Not something I would joke about, is it?"