Chapter 287

• Chapter 3 - Cherry
• Garry held up my car keys and I had a sudden realization for why they were there; they brought my car home for me. I invited them in for a beer as a way to say ‘thanks’. Garry was declining saying that they had to get going, but at the same time, Brian was saying, ‘sure’. In hind sight, offering beer to an alcoholic isn’t exactly the best idea in the world, but I wasn’t thinking clearly at that moment. Fortunately, I didn’t have very much and they didn’t stay long. We did talk about the accident and about Katie, but it didn’t make any of us feel much better.
• A few moments of silent reflection preceded Brian and Garry leaving and I prepared for Cherry’s arrival. I was just finishing straightening up my apartment when there was a knock at the door. I opened it and saw Cherry and Olivia at my doorstep. Just seeing Cherry there made me feel better already. She turned to Olivia and thanked her for the ride. Olivia asked her if she was sure about staying here and Cherry nodded and said that she was ‘fine’. Olivia told her friend to call her if she needed her for ‘any reason’ while eyeing me suspiciously. Cherry gave Olivia a hug, kissed her on the cheek, and told her ‘thank you’. I invited Olivia to stay for a few minutes but she declined.Cherry came in and as soon as the door was closed, she set down her overnight bag and gave me a kiss hello. I was starting to think she had me under some kind of spell because her kisses were nothing short of magical. If someone fired a shotgun next to my ear while I was kissing her, I’m certain I would not notice.