Light in the Water

Tim looked up, surprised. “You do?”

“No, it was a joke.”

“Oh, real funny.” Tim found his shirt and put it back on. “God, that’s so disgusting. What possessed you to ask me to do something so vile?”

“I don’t know, okay. Jesus, I can’t help what I like and don’t like, you know.”

“Gina, we’re not talking about what you like to eat or anything. This is something that borderlines insanity.”

“Well, it’s embarrassing, y’know. It’s not something you say to people when you first meet them.”

“Right, ‘cause if you did, then you would’ve been locked up a long time ago.”

“It isn’t that bad. Look, couples do this sort of thing all the time. It’s perfectly natural.”

“No, it’s not. It’s nasty – you’re nasty!”

“Oh, that’s mature, Tim. Real mature.”

“Yeah, just as mature as you luring me into bed and then letting me in on how sick you are.”

“Okay, okay, I apologize. I sincerely thought you knew why I invited you over.”

Tim muttering to himself, “God, that’s so nasty.”

“That’s enough, okay. Look, I’m not about to make any apologies to you for the things I like and don’t like.”

“Yeah, it wouldn’t do any good. I’d still think you were disgusting.”

“Did you not just hear my apology a second ago? I said I thought you knew.”

“Yeah, and I would’ve known if you had told me from the get-go about all this. It would’ve been much better than you telling me now, that’s for sure. I still would’ve thought you were crazy, but I’d rather know then what I know now.”

“God, you knew what I wanted though. I know you did!”

“Now you’re not listening to me? For the last time, okay, I did not know!” Tim stopped dressing for a moment. “Look, you invite me over and all that, say you wanna fool around, that’s fine, I’m all for it. But once you start doing this crazy shit, no, I’m out. I won’t be dragged into it. You find yourself another psycho to play your little games with cause I will not be a part of it, ever. I’m getting out of here.”

Gina got out of bed, clutching the sheet against her. “Fine, go ahead, then.”

Tim entered the living room. Gina followed, saying “You really don’t know what you’re missing, Tim.”

“Stop it, Gina,” Tim said. “You need help. You really do.” He shook his head. “God, what the hell were you thinking?” He turned his back to her and walked out the door.

When he made it to the bottom of the stairs, the door opened and Gina walked out to the balcony, wearing a robe. Tim looked up at her. Gina saying, “You had to have known, Tim.” He didn’t reply, just kept on walking. “Why else would I keep giving you all that water? It was so you could ‘flood the cave!’”