“Dax, that’s not
fair.  I just wanna make it right.”  Kit pleaded, honestly wanting to finish that
dreaded conversation that had never really began.  Ivan had over heard just enough of a damning
conversation to send him skittering into the arms of not another woman, but
into the arms of a beer bottle.

            “It’s a little late
for that,” he spat on the oil-stained floor, a long smudge of oil alone his
jutting jaw made Kit want to wet her finger and rub that spot away.

            “I know,” she looked
down, “but I have to try.”

            Dax turned his back
and pulled a clipboard down from the wall, studying it intensely.  Ignoring her like she’d never been ignored
before.

            “Dax, please!  He’s not here, he’s not at the cabin, he’s
not at the apartment.  Please!  Give me some ideas, where he might be.  You know he’s skipping meetings?”  Kit offered, knowing that the information
alone should at least help her cause.

            Dax spun around, face
twisted in anger.  “Maybe he just don’t
want to run into you there, ever think about that?”

            “Yeah,” she scuffed
her toe in the grit on the cement, “I did. 
But Ivan, he doesn’t miss his home group for nuthin’, you know
that.  Not even for fear of seeing my
black ass.”

            “I know a lot of
things, Kit.  I know you’re bad for
him.  Always were.  I got work to do.”  Dax tucked the clipboard under his arm and
walked out into the garage.

            “Is he drinking again,
Dax?” she called after him.

            The young drag king’s
head swiveled to face Kit, lips thin, face pale, eyes flashing.  “If he is, he has you to thank for it.”  He grabbed a wrench off the bench and went to
work under the hood, swearing under his breath at the car, at Ivan, at Kit, at
everything in general.  It all sucked.

~*~*~*~*~*

Solitaire
Windy

In moonlight
A roughcut stone
In single setting
Worth not much
But for sentiment

The life she lives
Is the life she has
Not looking forward
Or behind to the same
Nothing to see
But a roughcut stone
A solitary life
That is hers