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I’d sacrificed everything for a ain

Neither of us spoke in the car on the way back to my place I should say, neither one of us spoke actual words There was sighing, there was restless ues bitten, for that s were done in the usual Natalie and Oscar fashion

The car pulled up in front of my place, and like a shot, Oscar was out of the car and around to ain I was angry I was angry at how I’d handled things with Thory at how Oscar had been behaving all night I kne to compartmentalize Thomas and would deal with that later But I hadn’t built up any defense against Oscar

I’d never thought I’d need to

I stor up the steps to my apartment while he slammed the car door shut behind me I turned the key inpersonally to me I sort of wished it would, so I’d have an excuse to break soo, we’d beenout behind the stall at the farmers’to bang our brains out Now there was this horrible tension, like waiting for a balloon to pop

I heard hi out of his jacket and felt his hands near my neck, ready to helpto pretend I wasn’t angry

"What the hell is happening?" I demanded "I mean it, Oscar: what the hell?"

"You want to talk about this now?" he asked, tuggingit carefully next to his

"I think we’d better, don’t-- Hey, don’t walk away fro on his heel, he held his hands in the air as if to say no big deal "Just getting a drink, baby That’s all"

"Don’t fucking call me baby I hate that You never callangrier by the second

"What do you want me to call you? Honey? Sweetie? Tell me exactly what you want to be called, so I can make sure to address you correctly" He disappeared around the corner and I could hear hilass

I stomped down the hall "What’s that supposed to mean?"

He poured a scotch, then waved the bottle around dra have to ?"

"It doesn’t, nor like an asshole, then yeah, things tend toan eyebrow

I shook my head in surprise "You don’t think so? ‘What do you want to be called, tell me exactly what you want to be called so I can’--what did you say?--‘address you correctly’? Asshole works, but I’ht-up ood, too"