Categories > Books > Anita Blake > Friends
Chapter 5
"Caleb. Caleb!" Damn, why wouldn't they let him sleep? "Caleb!" It was Anita yelling from downstairs. She'd never quit; he'd have to get up before she came after him.
"I'm coming, I'm coming." Where were his clothes? She'd really be mad if he went down without getting dressed.
Downstairs Micah and Anita were waiting in the kitchen. Caleb's first thought was that he was in trouble again. Maybe not, Merle wasn't there. Anita probably had something for him to do. God, not babysitting Nathaniel again! Nathaniel wasn't so bad but the rest of them would be there. Gregory would be there. He'd already wasted too much time thinking about Gregory.
"Are you listening to me, Caleb?" Shit, Anita had been talking and he hadn't heard a word she'd said. She was getting louder. Micah was looking amused. "I said I need you to go out with Nathaniel. I was supposed to but I have to work. Micah can't do it either."
She wasn't really asking. She never asked, she just told you and expected you to do it. "Sure Anita, I'll baby-sit Nathaniel, it's not like I have a life." Micah's eyes narrowed and Anita looked irritated, like always. Caleb quickly added, "You know what I mean. I'll go with Nathaniel and make sure he stays out of trouble."
"You do that Caleb. It keeps you out of trouble, too." Anita's voice was lower, more intense. Now he'd really done it. He could feel Micah's anger, too.
"I'm sorry, Anita. I didn't mean to be rude." She looked surprised at his apology. Micah looked pleased. He might as well go all the way.
"I'm trying, Anita. I'm really trying. I know how important Nathaniel is to you. I promise I'll take good care of him." He could tell by their expressions that for once they were pleased with him. And he was surprised to find that he liked it. Maybe, he thought, maybe I can change. Another surprise. Yeah, and they would be one big happy family, like a weird preternatural Brady bunch.
Nathaniel came dancing into the kitchen. "Hey, Caleb. Anita said you'd go with me tonight? Thanks, I really appreciate it." Nathaniel smiled at him. It was hard to be mad at Nathaniel, he could almost think of Nathaniel as his friend. "Could you pick me up at Guilty Pleasures? I have to work." Nathaniel was moving around the kitchen while he talked. Anita watched with a happy smile. "You can watch my new routine."
"Sure Nathaniel. I'll be there." Now everybody looked happy, Anita, Micah, and Nathaniel anyway. Well, wasn't everything just sweetness and light today, Caleb thought. He'd had all the nice he could stand. He was going back to bed. Guilty Pleasures, he'd agreed to that? With his luck Gregory would be there. And Nathaniel would want a critique of his performance. If he had his own place this wouldn't have happened.
"Caleb. Caleb!" Damn, why wouldn't they let him sleep? "Caleb!" It was Anita yelling from downstairs. She'd never quit; he'd have to get up before she came after him.
"I'm coming, I'm coming." Where were his clothes? She'd really be mad if he went down without getting dressed.
Downstairs Micah and Anita were waiting in the kitchen. Caleb's first thought was that he was in trouble again. Maybe not, Merle wasn't there. Anita probably had something for him to do. God, not babysitting Nathaniel again! Nathaniel wasn't so bad but the rest of them would be there. Gregory would be there. He'd already wasted too much time thinking about Gregory.
"Are you listening to me, Caleb?" Shit, Anita had been talking and he hadn't heard a word she'd said. She was getting louder. Micah was looking amused. "I said I need you to go out with Nathaniel. I was supposed to but I have to work. Micah can't do it either."
She wasn't really asking. She never asked, she just told you and expected you to do it. "Sure Anita, I'll baby-sit Nathaniel, it's not like I have a life." Micah's eyes narrowed and Anita looked irritated, like always. Caleb quickly added, "You know what I mean. I'll go with Nathaniel and make sure he stays out of trouble."
"You do that Caleb. It keeps you out of trouble, too." Anita's voice was lower, more intense. Now he'd really done it. He could feel Micah's anger, too.
"I'm sorry, Anita. I didn't mean to be rude." She looked surprised at his apology. Micah looked pleased. He might as well go all the way.
"I'm trying, Anita. I'm really trying. I know how important Nathaniel is to you. I promise I'll take good care of him." He could tell by their expressions that for once they were pleased with him. And he was surprised to find that he liked it. Maybe, he thought, maybe I can change. Another surprise. Yeah, and they would be one big happy family, like a weird preternatural Brady bunch.
Nathaniel came dancing into the kitchen. "Hey, Caleb. Anita said you'd go with me tonight? Thanks, I really appreciate it." Nathaniel smiled at him. It was hard to be mad at Nathaniel, he could almost think of Nathaniel as his friend. "Could you pick me up at Guilty Pleasures? I have to work." Nathaniel was moving around the kitchen while he talked. Anita watched with a happy smile. "You can watch my new routine."
"Sure Nathaniel. I'll be there." Now everybody looked happy, Anita, Micah, and Nathaniel anyway. Well, wasn't everything just sweetness and light today, Caleb thought. He'd had all the nice he could stand. He was going back to bed. Guilty Pleasures, he'd agreed to that? With his luck Gregory would be there. And Nathaniel would want a critique of his performance. If he had his own place this wouldn't have happened.
Sign up to rate and review this story