Page 124 of Down Bad

He stops. “Why do you look so surprised?”

I open my mouth, choke, then manage, “I wasn’t sure if you’d answer or … or tell me to fuck off.”

“Why would I tell you—” He sighs. “You said SOS. What’s the emergency? You got a snake in your dandelions or something?”

“Worse.” I lower my voice. “My sister’s trying to fix my toilet.”

He lifts an eyebrow. “Sister? You mean the one you let win at chess? The one who needs ‘wins’ in life?”

“That’s her rental by the curb. She came in a couple days ago. Just please, like, come in, need me for something, say something, interrupt whatever sorcery is happening in my bathroom …”

“What am I supposed to do about that?” He eyes me. “I got the impression the other night we ain’t anything to each other.”

“Diego …”

He looks away.

I can’t help the feeling he’s not as angry as he seems. Like he’s just teasing me. Waiting for me to apologize. To grovel.

Should I apologize?

Should I grovel?

“It ain’t sorcery,” comes Connie from out of fucking nowhere, right behind me, causing me to fall back against the door. “It’s called cleaning trapped sediment outta your ballcock.”

Then Connie and Diego look at each other.

Something happens on both of their faces.

“Wait a dang sec.” She squints at him. “You’re the guy I just ran into at church.”

Diego says nothing, just staring right back at her.

I turn to Connie. “You guys … met already?” I look at Diego. “I didn’t know you were at church.”

“Outside the church in the sweltering heat,” Connie says, “if we’re going for accuracy here. What’s he doing here? How do y’all know each other?” Her voice changes to something suggestive. “How do y’all know each other?”

I cringe. “Connie …”

“We’re not boyfriends, that’s for sure.”

I look at Diego, mouth open.

“Hang on.” Connie takes a step closer. “Diego? Is that what I heard a second ago? You’re the hot mechanic?”

Diego lifts his eyebrows, caught off-guard.

I lift my hands. “Let’s not do this in my front doorway, please. I did not realize you two have already—”

“What’s goin’ on between you and my brother that has him all weird since I showed up?” asks my sister, squinting in suspicion.

Diego eyes her. “Have you considered yourself as an option?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she fires back.

“You’re driving him nuts. Why do you think he called me?”

“Driving him nuts? I just fixed his toilet ‘cause it was fillin’ up slower than molasses. Are you mistreatin’ my brother?” She takes another step toward him. “I may not look like it, but I got my black belt at twenty-two—”