890. Effortless conversations

 "Do you really think you're cut out for the dance studio?" Justin was concerned. Also, he was fairly certain he had botched the stew in the crockpot. Anyone else would have opted for a cold salad on these hot days, but Carmen scarfed down a bowl of it, even if she was late for dinner. She'd been working overtime.

"It's all right." 

Her eyes looked sleepy, and her shoulders definitely needed to be rubbed. It was the least he could do.

"Are you sure? How are Derrick and Eric treating you?" He knew those two were only looking out for themselves. He doubted they were any help to her.

"They've been nice," she said. Eric would bring her iced coffee, and Derrick would sit at the desk and let her have an afternoon break.

"Really, you aren't just covering for them, are you?" He sat next to her at the kitchen table.

"I bring them breakfast, so you know. I guess it's all give and take." She yawned as if she couldn't get to bed fast enough. 

She got up then with her empty bowl to wash it out.

"Wait, I want to talk to you," he said.

"About what?" She looked at him blankly.

"I know all this novel writing hasn't gotten me anywhere." He promised he was going to start classes again and finish this time so he could get on full-time at the hospital in radiology. Of course, it would be more in maintenance than anything else with the machines there.

She sat back down. "But, but you had your heart set on  a real Wuxia novel."

"I know, it's just after talking to Randy today," he sighed. "It seems I'm not up on the latest trends in Chinese Wuxia. I don't watch the dramas like Randy, and he should write them."

"Write them?" Carmen looked at him funny. 

"He used to watch them with Cassie. It seems he listened to her a lot, and I guess old Wuxia stories were more rogue than they are now, due to the censorship. I don't know. I guess I'm not very good."

"But you are," she told him. 

"You might be my only fan," he said, and she kissed him then as if he was perfectly right. 

He put his arm around her. "Well, you know, I'm a fan of yours too."

"Well, you know, I'm not exactly the girl you met," She looked at him seriously.

"Oh, you're still the same." He grinned. His hand touched her thick stomach. "You look great to me. You always will."