Seven Women: An Erotic Private Investigation

Chapter 13…

“I used to be a bouncy twenty-two-year-old,” Amelia says, “but now I’m not so bouncy.”

“Resiliency is the first thing we lose,” Sheila says.

“I was twenty-two when I met The Astronaut,” Amelia says.

“Astronaut?” Holly says.

Tasha turns, looking at the entrance. I know she’s wondering if Slater might come back, and I’m wondering the same thing. “Listen,” Tasha says, “we’ve been here for a long time.”

“We’re always here,” Cara says.

“I know, but do we always have to sit in the same place and same bar?” she says. “Why don’t we move about? It’s a big city. Since we’re being different and have Leonard on our hands, we might as well be different and go somewhere else, maybe several other places.”

“Like bar-hopping?” Holly says.

“Yes.”

“Hmm,” Holly looks around, “we could go somewhere more exciting; this place is kinda dead.”

“What do you think?” Tasha asks them all.

“Where will we go?” Lisa says.

“Plenty of places,” Sheila says.

Amelia says, “Is Leo coming with us?”

“Well,” I look at my drink.

“Only if he wants to,” my ex-wife says. “If he doesn’t have anything important to do.”

“Not really,” I say, and I know this isn’t the answer she wants, but I’ll be damned if I’ll give in to her subtlety. “I don’t have anything to do.”

“Do you want to bar-hop with the girls, Leeeeeooo?” Sheila says, giggling. “Be one of the girls?” She laughs. “I’m sure there are more stories to hear tonight; maybe repeats of stories already told.”

“I have to go to the bathroom first,” Lisa says.

“Me, too,” Cara says.

We all get up from the booth. My knees crack, but it’s not audible. I’m getting old.