crack a coke.
"Are you a parking ticket? Cause you've got fine written all over you dewdrop."
"Drop dead, Susie." Her god-forsaken cackles float around like balloons from a child, I turn slightly to face the blonde with a smug look on her face, a light smile appearing on my cheeks. Her poor flat 'flirting' joke makes a loud appearance every evening, much to my amusement and dismay.
"What? I'm getting closer, be real with me Cher!" She bites back, you know, she does a pretty good impression of the guys I meet while serving, but it's not spot on.
I playfully throw a teasing remark back at her. "Closer to what, middle school boys? Maybe with your height." The look on her face says it all, I hate you. And perhaps a slight hint of agitation. "Gonna go grab another Coke, want one?" I get up from the plush couch and look over at her.
"Sure, dewdrop." She mumbles it so casually I almost jump, I grin, No you didn't.
I turn away from her slowly and move a little further, then call back. "No way, stop messing with me, and don't call me that weirdo."
"Or what?"
"I'm not listening, honey-muffin!" I fold into the fridge, pluck a pack of Coca-Cola between my fingers, and hear an eruption of giggles.
"Hurry up then, sweetheart!" I lift my head and crack a grin over towards her. Suzette was beaming right back at me, with a tight grip on the remote. As I shuffle back over to the sofa, she starts talking to me. "Flick the lights off," I give her a Really? look, "Please.." Her words slur with a childish desperation.
I flip the switch and plop back on the couch, and she starts switching through the channels. "You gonna pick something or what?" I gently tease her, she rolls her eyes at me.
"Yes just let me-" Her words cut off as the news channel blares over her, and we pause. The words Breaking News flare across the screen, and an anchor is blathering about something.
"I repeat the search parties for the missing, Annabelle Brownlow and Nelson Briar, are gathering tomorrow morning at Everly Hampton Park." Me and Susie stare blankly at one another as she goes on, "As for the search for the murderer, please for tonight and the next few evenings keep both your doors and windows locked up tight. And do not for any reason answer any unexpected knocks, police say they are not aware of his way for entering people's homes. Goodnight folks and stay safe, and now onto tomorrow's weather forecast with our weather man-"
She switches off the TV, my gaze flickers at her mouth agape, this isn't real. She chokes back a sob, this cannot be real. She grabs her phone tightly and dials a number. I can't help but stare, Nelson Briar is her long-term boyfriend. I crack open my Coke and quietly slurp, my eyes darting between the black TV screen and the forever ticking clock, I hear Susie sobbing in the kitchen. I hope both her and Nelson will be okay.
She stays on the phone for over two hours, each second that passes I ponder everything even more. Why him? Why her? Who is Annabelle Brownlow and why was she taken, why was Nelson taken? Who did this? Who did this, how could they? I only stop once I hear her trudge back to the living room, I turn to look at her, her eyes are wide and red, and she's fidgeting with her fingers. I reach up to her and pull her into a deep hug.
"Susie, I know this is scary, but I bet you, Nelson's gonna be alright." I can't help but sniffle and pull her in closer, she begins to cry hard into my sweatshirt.
"Thanks, Ch-Cher you're the best.." Her breath hitches and she stares up at me a sad frown plastered across her face, but I can't help but doubt my own words. What if he isn't okay?
