the bottle of rum and then got out two tumbler glasses from her shelf. She eyeballed a good glug of rum, and then added some coke from a can in the fridge. “Ta-da.” She handed him the glass and he smiled, holding it up in the air.
“I think this deserves a toast.”
“To?”
“To new beginnings and to healing.” He clinked his glass against hers, and then took a long sip.
Amber took a sip from her, and then opened the fire escape door. “There’s not much room, but I love to sit out here and just watch the sky change colors.” She inched out and then sat down, then patted the grated surface next to her. Mateo joined her and they sipped on their drinks, neither of them speaking for a few minutes as birds and insects emerged in the dusk. After taking another sip of his drink, Mateo cleared his throat and frowned.
“You know, I’ve always been able to work well with Christopher. We’ve known each other for such a long time. It only made sense that we’d becom e great business partners. He was really good at letting me do my own thing, which can be tough in any kind of partnership.” He thought back to his last unsuccessful relationship, and realized that he was now embarking on a new adventure, one that involved Amber, and one that would hopefully last much longer.
“I can relate. I once had a partner at the dance studio, and it didn’t work out. She tried to micro-manage everything, and I wanted to tell her that in order for this to work out for either of us, she would have to back off a little.” Amber spoke emphatically, recalling how miserable that experience had been for her.
“How did it end up?” Mateo asked.
“She ended up leaving. Moved to Brazil to do some sort of Portuguese dance troupe thing.” Amber shook her head. “Really, it was a blessing that she left, because it just wouldn’t have worked out between us. Sometimes I think that it’s better for creative types to just stay on their own, you know?” She looked at Mateo and he cocked his head in reflection.
“Well… yes and no. I consider myself creative, but I don’t want to spend the rest of my life alone.” He reached for Amber’s hand and took another sip of his drink. Amber sipped hers as, well, relishing the openness of their conversation, but not ready to take it any further.
“Well, not to change the subject, but…” Amber paused and started to get up from her seated position. “I have had enough visions that point to Christopher being responsible for Jeffrey’s death. First, I saw him out at the lake. Then, I saw him arguing, and punching Jeffrey in the face, then with a gun. Finally, I saw him threatening him if he didn’t retrieve a map. I’d like to call the police department first thing in the morning. I’m convinced now that Christopher is responsible for Jeffery’s murder, and I feel obligated to speak up.”
Mateo got quiet and then stood up, as well. “Does this certitude have to do with the vision you just had outside?”
Amber nodded her head and then frowned, recalling the violent episode she witnessed between Christopher and Jeffrey. She didn’t want to recount all the details to Mateo, but she did want him to understand her conviction in the matter.
“Well, if would make you feel any better, I’ll drive you to the station.” He raised his eyebrows and waited with anticipation for her response.
“That would imply that you would need to stay over here.” Amber said it so matter-of-factly that Mateo laughed.
“Well, I guess it would.” He ran his hands through his hair and then rocked back and forth on his heels, a habit he’d picked up over the years from art-negotiations that required an unfathomable amount of patience. “I’m harmless, and I can sleep right there on the couch.” He narrowed his eyes and pointed at the couch. Amber laughed. She wanted to tell him that his suggestion was
“I think this deserves a toast.”
“To?”
“To new beginnings and to healing.” He clinked his glass against hers, and then took a long sip.
Amber took a sip from her, and then opened the fire escape door. “There’s not much room, but I love to sit out here and just watch the sky change colors.” She inched out and then sat down, then patted the grated surface next to her. Mateo joined her and they sipped on their drinks, neither of them speaking for a few minutes as birds and insects emerged in the dusk. After taking another sip of his drink, Mateo cleared his throat and frowned.
“You know, I’ve always been able to work well with Christopher. We’ve known each other for such a long time. It only made sense that we’d becom e great business partners. He was really good at letting me do my own thing, which can be tough in any kind of partnership.” He thought back to his last unsuccessful relationship, and realized that he was now embarking on a new adventure, one that involved Amber, and one that would hopefully last much longer.
“I can relate. I once had a partner at the dance studio, and it didn’t work out. She tried to micro-manage everything, and I wanted to tell her that in order for this to work out for either of us, she would have to back off a little.” Amber spoke emphatically, recalling how miserable that experience had been for her.
“How did it end up?” Mateo asked.
“She ended up leaving. Moved to Brazil to do some sort of Portuguese dance troupe thing.” Amber shook her head. “Really, it was a blessing that she left, because it just wouldn’t have worked out between us. Sometimes I think that it’s better for creative types to just stay on their own, you know?” She looked at Mateo and he cocked his head in reflection.
“Well… yes and no. I consider myself creative, but I don’t want to spend the rest of my life alone.” He reached for Amber’s hand and took another sip of his drink. Amber sipped hers as, well, relishing the openness of their conversation, but not ready to take it any further.
“Well, not to change the subject, but…” Amber paused and started to get up from her seated position. “I have had enough visions that point to Christopher being responsible for Jeffrey’s death. First, I saw him out at the lake. Then, I saw him arguing, and punching Jeffrey in the face, then with a gun. Finally, I saw him threatening him if he didn’t retrieve a map. I’d like to call the police department first thing in the morning. I’m convinced now that Christopher is responsible for Jeffery’s murder, and I feel obligated to speak up.”
Mateo got quiet and then stood up, as well. “Does this certitude have to do with the vision you just had outside?”
Amber nodded her head and then frowned, recalling the violent episode she witnessed between Christopher and Jeffrey. She didn’t want to recount all the details to Mateo, but she did want him to understand her conviction in the matter.
“Well, if would make you feel any better, I’ll drive you to the station.” He raised his eyebrows and waited with anticipation for her response.
“That would imply that you would need to stay over here.” Amber said it so matter-of-factly that Mateo laughed.
“Well, I guess it would.” He ran his hands through his hair and then rocked back and forth on his heels, a habit he’d picked up over the years from art-negotiations that required an unfathomable amount of patience. “I’m harmless, and I can sleep right there on the couch.” He narrowed his eyes and pointed at the couch. Amber laughed. She wanted to tell him that his suggestion was
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