Absolutely Eric by Erica Pike

Author:Erica Pike [Pike, Erica]
Language: nld
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: MLR Press LLC; Print ISBN# 978-1-60820-659-9; Ebook ISBN# 978-1-60820-660-5
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

chAPteR 16

The phrase “Karma’s a bitch” is such a cliché, but it’s so true.

When I came back from my wonderful day with Alex, all

pepped up and ready with a breakup speech, I came back to an

empty apartment. I darted into the bedroom, threw all my stuff

into a bag within the space of a minute so I’d be done when

Rafael got back, but on my way to the bathroom I saw Rafael’s

body reflected in the blank TV screen. He lay sprawled on the

couch, his face shockingly pale and lifeless with a streak of throw

up down the side of his mouth that ended in a puddle of orange

and blood-red goo on the floor. I choked at the stench and tried

not to step in it while I nudged Rafael and called his name. Then

I panicked because I thought that the red in the puddle might be

blood. In my panic I knocked over a vase on the coffee table and

spotted a white line of something that looked like icing sugar

next to a rolled-up dollar bill.

I wasn’t allowed to go with him in the ambulance, so I took

a taxi to the hospital and was ushered into a waiting room while

they worked on him. That’s when Benji called to check if I was

free for a party at his place the weekend after the next.

“You’re sure it was drugs?” Benji asks as he strokes my back

and embraces my shivering body.

“I don’t know,” I sob. “It looked like it, like one of those

cocaine strips from Pulp Fiction.”

“You know you have to break up with him, right? You can’t

take responsibility. If you do then you’re in for years and years

of pain and suffering, deceit, and disappointment. I mean, if it’s

cocaine then it’s not easy to get out of your system. He’ll–”

“Yeah, I get it already,” I interrupt and pull myself out of his

arms. “I get it, but until I can get a hold of Fernando I’m all he’s

got.”

“Excuse me, Sir?” A blond, middle-aged woman in a white

140 Erica Pike

uniform stands in the doorway with a red clipboard. “Did

you come in with…” she scans the clipboard, “Rafael Hierra

Cordoba?”

I bolt out of my seat. “Yes?”

“We found his wallet in his pocket, but there was no insurance

card. Do you know if he has one?”

I run a hand through my tangled hair. “I-I don’t know. We’ve

never talked about it.”

“Are you his closest family?”

“I’m his boyfriend.”

“Oh,” the woman frowns. “Well, could you get a hold of his

family?”

“He doesn’t have one.” I curl my fingers into a fist. Benji

stands up and puts his small hand on my shoulder. “What’s

wrong with him?”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t give specifics since you’re not blood-

related.”

“Well, duh. Did you think we were? Do we look that much

alike?” I yell.

“Eric,” Benji whispers, squeezing my shoulder.

The woman purses her lips and folds her arms in front of her.

“Well, we need to know who’s going to pay for his stay here. We’d

like to keep him overnight.”

“I’ll pay!” I shout at the hag from hell who only purses her lips

tighter at my outburst.

“How much is it?” Benji asks in his most polite, calm voice.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.