["Both of you are at fault and the both of you are each other's problems."
Such was Berna's assessments as she prepared a comical amount of breakfast sandwiches to freeze and split with Amelia. The literature professor had reluctantly told her roommate and best friend about Dr. Dekarios of course, without delving into too much detail of their coincidental night after she ditched the afterparty. Berna looked thoughtful, but did not coax any other information out of Amelia.
"He sounds like the sensitive sort and surprisingly discreet. I'll say this now because you're absolutely terrible at reading people when you want nothing to do with them, but you can't pretend he doesn't exist.
You're colleagues now. At least act like that."
Professor Steinbeck balks at the memory and at the artist being right. So she gives it a try and after a cursory once over of the astrophysicist, remarks:]
You look quite dead.
[There's a beat. A small sideways as if she's realized she's said something wrong. Let's try again.]
I apologize, that was unwarranted. I want to say that you've probably seen better days.
[Better, but by how much... She starts rummaging in her large tote bag that's gotten bigger throughout the week.]
no subject
["Both of you are at fault and the both of you are each other's problems."
Such was Berna's assessments as she prepared a comical amount of breakfast sandwiches to freeze and split with Amelia. The literature professor had reluctantly told her roommate and best friend about Dr. Dekarios of course, without delving into too much detail of their coincidental night after she ditched the afterparty. Berna looked thoughtful, but did not coax any other information out of Amelia.
"He sounds like the sensitive sort and surprisingly discreet. I'll say this now because you're absolutely terrible at reading people when you want nothing to do with them, but you can't pretend he doesn't exist.
You're colleagues now. At least act like that."
Professor Steinbeck balks at the memory and at the artist being right. So she gives it a try and after a cursory once over of the astrophysicist, remarks:]
You look quite dead.
[There's a beat. A small sideways as if she's realized she's said something wrong. Let's try again.]
I apologize, that was unwarranted. I want to say that you've probably seen better days.
[Better, but by how much... She starts rummaging in her large tote bag that's gotten bigger throughout the week.]
Have you had anything to drink yet? Breakfast?