“I don’t give a damn,” I snap back.
“That much is obvious,” he sighs, picking up a bunch of keys off the floor.
He’s going to lock the front door.
“Anyway, you can’t tattoo today. And even if I wanted to stop you from drinking, we’re doing it. You need to come down, man.”
He’s right. I can’t handle a tattoo machine with this burning anger inside me without risking hurting someone.
I nod in agreement. Kiran disappears into the back room. For a few minutes, I stay alone in the crushing silence of my shop. The ticking clock drives me crazy.
Kiran returns, a bottle of whiskey tucked under his arm, two glasses in one hand, and a stool in the other.
“You could’ve made two trips or asked me for help,” I say.
“Look like I need help?” he replies, dropping onto the stool.
I roll my eyes. He wants to be funny, but I don’t find it amusing.
He sets down the glasses and bottle on the table. I fill the glasses to the brim and down mine in one gulp. The burn in my throat warms my insides. Exactly what I need. I pour another.
“On a scale from one to ten, how bad is it this time?” Kiran asks, watching me.
I stare at my glass, hesitating on what he wants to hear. That it’ll be fine? That I don’t care about Andrew? That’d be a lie, and I hate lies.
“The number has so many zeros I wouldn’t even know how to say it.”
“Fuck,” he mutters.
I empty my glass again. Goodbye to my resolve not to drown my problems in alcohol.
“Yeah,” I agree.“It’s an unnameable shitshow. He left, my money’s gone, and he thinks I’m the asshole here. When all I wanted was what was his. I gave everything I had.”
“You sure you don’t want him back?”
“Yes,” I simply repeat.
“Are you at least going to file a report?” he asks, glancing at the empty cash register on the floor.
If I really wanted to hurt him, I would. But I know Andrew made sure no one can find him.
“I’d have to see him again for that. And that’s exactly what I want to avoid,” I answer.
Kiran nods, then takes a sip of his whiskey.
“Alright. As long as you don’t shut yourself in and drink every day, I’m good.”
I raise an eyebrow. He’s the one who locked the doors and brought out the bottle, not me.
He notices my look.
“Today’s an exception,” he clarifies.
“If you say so,” I shrug.
A silence falls. Neither of us has anything more to add. Honestly, I don’t want to talk about it. Words won’t change anything. What’s done is done. I just have to reorganize, like I always do. I’ll get through it. One day.
“What made him leave?” Kiran finally breaks the silence.
