The U Turn 02:25

She was staring blankly at the padre's lowered face, but she was looking across the kitchen table again. Both glasses drained.

It wasn't the question she wanted to ask really, but it was forming itself in speculation.

"Do you have anything to drink?" she asked.

"You mean, like a shot?"

She had nodded, biting her lip, but her insecurity passed when he pulled out Rum, Scotch, and Vodka. Juggling them musingly by the necks for selection, he waited.

She pointed to the Rum. "Coke?" she added hopefully.

He shook his head. "We drink neat. Soda is a 'no.'" He laughed at her surprise.

"Just kidding, I have tonic." Only Silver drank straight, but Goldy didn't know that, and he omitted it, letting her dwell on the bad teeth evoked by the sound of Cola.

Not that he was judging her choice, or that he wouldn't pour out two, it if he'd had.

And he didn't hesitate to pour himself a mix, relaxing. "Ice?"

"Yes, thanks," Gold said lightly. "Did you ever feel you and Silver were on the rocks?"

"No. Never."

"Never?"

"Well, before it was official. I couldn't imagine being tied. What I'd have to give up."

Goldy lifted her brow in silent encouragement— give up what? He shrugged.

"Silver wasn't like that. She had an opinion. She gave it. Heard mine. We moved on."

"So, you didn't give up anything... or compromise?" she was relieved, actually.

"Not anything I wanted. Not anything I'd regret. It was easy. Yeah, I put myself to stuff I might not had realized I really wanted, but not because someone was abusing me over it. Added benefits. Things that were more doable than I'd thought. I felt really good, better than I have in a long time."

The padre was suddenly looking right back at her and closing the book. Tight.