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Show All the Variables & Other Love Stories 111 Patrick slept all day. The warehouse had been busy, and he didn't get off work until six Friday morning. According to Angie's wishes, he kept his own apartment during the week-she refused to live with him-but spent weekends with Angie and Cleo. He finally woke at six o'clock in the evening and stumbled into the livingroom. He looked confused. "Where's my stuff?" he wanted to know. His toiletries and the change of clothes he kept in Angie's closet were missing. "I had to hide them," Angie said. "My mom came over, and I didn't want her to know you kept stuff here." Patrick stared back at her sleepily and said, "I can't find my stuff." A shower and change of clothes put him in his usual high spirits. Cleo was giddy to see him and burst with erratic laughter as he swung her through the air. He grabbed a handful of Angie's flabby ramp and kissed the top of her head. "What do you want to do tonight?" he asked. Angie shrugged, "Usual, I guess." "Usual it is," Patrick said, and showed her the B horror movie he'd rented from the small selection at the little grocery store across the highway. He got a discount for working at the warehouse that serviced it. There were perks to dating a warehouse boy, but Angie's mom couldn't see that. 'The Usual' meant that Patrick would exhaust Cleo while Angie made dinner. They'd eat in the livingroom while watching game shows on network TV. Then Patrick would put Cleo to bed-she wouldn't let anyone else do it if he was around, not even Angie-while Angie made popcorn. The movie would be followed by sex, of course |
