Learning to Love by Jason Krumbine

Author:Jason Krumbine [Krumbine, Jason]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jason Krumbine

Chapter 8

Stephanie made a horrible choking noise and tried to wave Boris and his glass of thick disgusting brown liquid away.

“No, you must drink it all,” he insisted and produced a straw to make the process easier.

“It is so nasty,” Stephanie gagged. “It’s disgusting. I will literally die if I have to-”

Boris cut her off by inserting the straw into her mouth and pressing her lips closed around it. “Drink. All of it. Down to the last drop. You will feel better sooner rather than later. Guaranteed.”

I looked at Fiona, who’s face had finally returned to its natural pale state. “What?”

Boris’ apartment was insanely clean. Based on the exterior of the building, the stairs and the hallways, I had been ninety percent sure we were going to be walking into some kind of cockroach infested drug den. Instead, Boris, no last name given, kept his home so clean it was practically sterile. The floors were white tile. The walls were eggshell white. So were the cabinets and all of the furniture, too, for that matter.

I felt like if I breathed, anything I exhaled would dirty the place up.

Stephanie started shaking her head again. She was only halfway through the giant glass of the liquid that was so thick it was practically pudding.

“No, you must drink all of it. Are you not listening to me?” Boris said. “I feel like I am speaking clearly.”

I glanced down at the two mugs of black coffee that Boris had given Fiona and me and I felt so relieved.

“Okay, clearly you might think this is weird,” Fiona said.

“A little, yes,” I replied. “If I were more sober, I’d think it was a lot weird.”

“It’s not as weird as you think it is,” she said. “Sometimes, people get drunk and they need to sober up fast. Boris is able to provide that service.”

“That is not a real thing.”

“Oh, it’s a real very thing.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“We’re here aren’t we?”

I looked at Boris gently prodding Stephanie to finish her sludge. “Seriously?”

“He’s kind of a…what’s the word I’m looking for?”

“I have no idea because up until this very moment I wouldn’t have thought something like this was a real job,” I said.

“Oh, trust me, it’s a very real job.” Fiona pulled out a small mirror and checked her reflection. Some of her hair had a matted look against her forehead from all of the sweating. “He charges enough for it to be a real job.”

“He’s charging us?”

“Obviously he’s going to charge us, Em. This isn’t a free clinic in Harlem. I mean, I’m sure he’ll give us some kind of discount.” She smiled. “I don’t want to brag, but I’m something of a regular.”

“You’re right. You don’t want to brag about that.” I folded my arms, watching Stephanie. I couldn’t be totally certain, but I kind of thought her face was turning a dark shade of green.

“So what do you think she was supposed to be doing?” Fiona asked.

“What?” I looked at her.

“Your dad said Steph wasn’t supposed to go out with us,” Fiona said.

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