number?"
"It’s not that hard, you know. There are people who work at the phone companies who will give private information if you pay for it."
"But I’ve got a disposable phone. I don’t even have a contract."
"Yes, but I do, and if she got a hold of my phone bill, she would see all the numbers I had called and received."
"Great!" Nina felt even more threatened. "Do you think she’s dangerous?"
"I’ve never seen her get physically violent with anyone."
"That makes me feel a whole lot better."
"If she starts coming around I’ll get a no contact order. I’ll change my number, and we’ll get you a new cell phone with a new number so you can get rid of that stupid throw-away and join the ranks of the technologically able. That'll put a stop to it."
Nina was a little reassured by his course of action. "Were you thinking of breaking up with her anyway? Before you met me?"
"I wanted to break up with her as soon as I saw her again. I was also completely miserable without you."
"How long did you wait after breaking up with her to call me?"
"A week."
"And in that week you managed to sleep with how many women?"
Joseph rolled his eyes, "Just that one you saw at the restaurant. And I really don’t think that counts because officially we weren’t together at the time. I was a little confused about what I wanted."
Nina was silent.
"Is everything clear between us?" Joseph said.
"Between us? Yeah I guess. I don't think everything is clear between you and Karen, though."
"I'll take care of it, Nina. I promise."
"Okay. Want some dinner? I’m cooking."
"What are you making?"
Nina headed toward the kitchen. "You’ll eat whatever I give you and like it."
After she left the room Joseph pressed the call button on the cheap little phone and waited again while it rang at the other end. After fifteen rings a man answered.
"What?"
"I’m sorry I think I’ve dialed the wrong number," Joseph began.
"No shit? This a pay phone you called!" The man slammed down the receiver.
Joseph slipped Nina’s phone into his pocket. He would buy her another cell phone and add her to his existing plan. He would also change his number too while he was at it.
Karen stood on a street in North Hollywood. She handed a woman twenty bucks and said, "You going to go smoke some crack now?" The hooker was haggard looking and well past her prime.
"I did what you asked. You and me are done. Now get the fuck out of here," she gave her a hard look.
Clearly reading a warning in her expression, Karen tossed back her blonde mane and walked to her car. Two for two. Now, I’ll just show up at that dive he hangs out at on Saturday nights. If she’s there he’ll see us side by side and boy, what a comparison that will be! She’d go to the mall later and buy something so sexy, every guy in the place will be drooling all over her. Then he’d see what he gave up!
"It's been more than a month. When are you coming home?" Trish asked over the phone.
"I don't know." Nina had no plans to return to Seattle anytime soon. "Why don't you come down here for a visit?"
"Hmm, I'm not sure if I want to come down there and party with a bunch of celebrities," Trish joked.
"Actually, it's not all that glamorous. Joseph is gone a lot during the day. I read and work on my book. I putter around the house, and once or twice a week we go out and have dinner or go to one of the clubs down here. So far he hasn't taken me to any hot parties."
"God, Nina. Did you just say putter? I never took you for the little wifey type. Does he have a maid?"
"Yes, he has an Ecuadorian woman who comes in once a week, and a gardener too."
"What does he do all day?"
"He starts a TV show on Monday. He also does voice-overs and he’s involved in some play."
"A TV show? Like, a sit-com?"
"No, it's a crime show."
"Another crime show? We've already got a hundred of them. Is it good?"
"I don't know, Trish. I haven't seen it."
"Ah. Have you guys talked about your
"It’s not that hard, you know. There are people who work at the phone companies who will give private information if you pay for it."
"But I’ve got a disposable phone. I don’t even have a contract."
"Yes, but I do, and if she got a hold of my phone bill, she would see all the numbers I had called and received."
"Great!" Nina felt even more threatened. "Do you think she’s dangerous?"
"I’ve never seen her get physically violent with anyone."
"That makes me feel a whole lot better."
"If she starts coming around I’ll get a no contact order. I’ll change my number, and we’ll get you a new cell phone with a new number so you can get rid of that stupid throw-away and join the ranks of the technologically able. That'll put a stop to it."
Nina was a little reassured by his course of action. "Were you thinking of breaking up with her anyway? Before you met me?"
"I wanted to break up with her as soon as I saw her again. I was also completely miserable without you."
"How long did you wait after breaking up with her to call me?"
"A week."
"And in that week you managed to sleep with how many women?"
Joseph rolled his eyes, "Just that one you saw at the restaurant. And I really don’t think that counts because officially we weren’t together at the time. I was a little confused about what I wanted."
Nina was silent.
"Is everything clear between us?" Joseph said.
"Between us? Yeah I guess. I don't think everything is clear between you and Karen, though."
"I'll take care of it, Nina. I promise."
"Okay. Want some dinner? I’m cooking."
"What are you making?"
Nina headed toward the kitchen. "You’ll eat whatever I give you and like it."
After she left the room Joseph pressed the call button on the cheap little phone and waited again while it rang at the other end. After fifteen rings a man answered.
"What?"
"I’m sorry I think I’ve dialed the wrong number," Joseph began.
"No shit? This a pay phone you called!" The man slammed down the receiver.
Joseph slipped Nina’s phone into his pocket. He would buy her another cell phone and add her to his existing plan. He would also change his number too while he was at it.
Karen stood on a street in North Hollywood. She handed a woman twenty bucks and said, "You going to go smoke some crack now?" The hooker was haggard looking and well past her prime.
"I did what you asked. You and me are done. Now get the fuck out of here," she gave her a hard look.
Clearly reading a warning in her expression, Karen tossed back her blonde mane and walked to her car. Two for two. Now, I’ll just show up at that dive he hangs out at on Saturday nights. If she’s there he’ll see us side by side and boy, what a comparison that will be! She’d go to the mall later and buy something so sexy, every guy in the place will be drooling all over her. Then he’d see what he gave up!
"It's been more than a month. When are you coming home?" Trish asked over the phone.
"I don't know." Nina had no plans to return to Seattle anytime soon. "Why don't you come down here for a visit?"
"Hmm, I'm not sure if I want to come down there and party with a bunch of celebrities," Trish joked.
"Actually, it's not all that glamorous. Joseph is gone a lot during the day. I read and work on my book. I putter around the house, and once or twice a week we go out and have dinner or go to one of the clubs down here. So far he hasn't taken me to any hot parties."
"God, Nina. Did you just say putter? I never took you for the little wifey type. Does he have a maid?"
"Yes, he has an Ecuadorian woman who comes in once a week, and a gardener too."
"What does he do all day?"
"He starts a TV show on Monday. He also does voice-overs and he’s involved in some play."
"A TV show? Like, a sit-com?"
"No, it's a crime show."
"Another crime show? We've already got a hundred of them. Is it good?"
"I don't know, Trish. I haven't seen it."
"Ah. Have you guys talked about your
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