Waiting for a turn in the tide

 Nic didn't want to admit it, but he might have been taking too much on. Maybe it was because all those interviews weren't so successful and he just let Mona have her way. She seemed to think the more they were together the better it would be for the both of them.

However, he thought he might be losing sleep. Yes, he would start the night out at her place. Some foreplay which felt more like a rehearsal for what was to come this summer and then all was cozy. She liked to kick in her sleep though, and sometimes, she could be so clingy in bed that he would scurry back to  his place upstairs and sleep til morning. Yes, he might have been the worst lover ever. Maybe he'd been out on his own for too long. But he liked being alone in his own bed. Of course, he hadn't told Mona this.

At the moment he was contemplating his future over black coffee. And then Tristan appeared practically sleep walking to get his own cup of coffee. He kept yawning, finally he looked back at Nic as he was putting away the  half and half and asked, "Aren't you supposed to be with Mona?"

"I have a lot on my mind," Nic shrugged.

Tristan nodded and took a sip of coffee. He yawned once more and told him of his troubles with his supervisor at work and how she wanted him to meet some guy who had flown in from South Africa. "I didn't know it would be her brother." Evidently, she thought Tristan could bring someone to the dinner that might be a date for her brother. "It was crazy." He shrugged. "But I told her right then that Dale was my girlfriend." He slightly fumed. "I hadn't meant for that to happen."

"Well, she's spent the night here, more than once," Nic looked at him as if what was he expecting.

Tristan fretted slightly. "It's just so..easy with Dale."

"Easy? And that's a problem?" Nic shook his head, no.

"It's just-"

"You know, you're happy." Nic practically snapped. 

Tristan nodded. "But isn't it happening too fast?"

Nic pressed his lips tight. He was wide awake now. "Timing is everything, and I think it's the worst time for Mona and me."

"How so?" Tristan looked at him as if he didn't know.

"Well, I'm trying to find a good job here, but I don't think it's going to happen." He shrugged.

"But..but if you have to move, you'll take Mona with you, won't you?" Tristan looked at him blankly.

Nic couldn't manage to say a word. He shook his head, no.