Sixty-Five
Out of the fog Dude walks up to the brothel where Natasha works. He pushes the buzzer and the bouncer opens the hatch in the door. Seeing Dude he looks kind of surprised and does a quick scan of the place in front of the club, looking for Dude‘s taxi. He opens the door and Dude steps inside …
»Hey, Dude. Where‘s your car?«
»Accident. Natasha here?«
»I‘ll get her. Sorry about the accident, man …«
After a short while Sergej returns and motions Dude toward a hallway in the back of the lobby: »You know the way …«
Dude walks down the hallway. Stopping in front of a door he knocks and Natasha‘s voice asks him in …
Dude closes the door behind him. »Hello, Natasha. Hya doin‘?«
She looks at him a moment before she answers with a measured smile: »Always glad to see you, Dude, but I suspect that‘s not why you‘ve come, is it? Please, have a seat …«
Dude sits down on the couch and looks on as Natasha makes up her face. She catches his eyes in the mirror and holds them for a while …
»What you lookin‘ like that, Dude?«
»I love watching you doing yourself up.«
»Would you please cut the crap?«
»I‘m sorry …«
Dude stares at his hands, Natasha watching him in the mirror. Her voice has softened when she talks again: »What is it, Dude? What can I do for you?«
Dude shakes his head, looks about, and gets up from the couch. »I‘m sorry I came here, Natasha. I know I shouldn‘t …«
»Dude!«
Dude has turned toward the door. Natasha rises fast and blocks the door. They stare at each other. »What is it, Dude?«
Leaning with his back against the wall, Dude stares at the ceiling. »You still have that piece of metal?«
Natasha watches him for a while, then she walks over to her dresser. Opening her shoulder bag she takes out a rather heavy semi-automatic and hands it to him …
»What you need it for,« she asks in a quiet tone …
»Business.«
She stares at him and does some figuring out. »Need a second magazine,« she asks …
»Not a bad idea.«
Reaching into her bag again she hands him a second magazine …
»Thanks, Natasha. Appreciate it …«
»Need a place to stay?«
»Hadn‘t thought of that. You‘re smart.«
»Who‘d have thought that?« Natasha pulls a set of keys from her bag and hands it to him …
Dude bends forward as if to kiss her but Natasha turns her head to the side so his lips barely brush her cheek …
»I don‘t deserve you,« Dude mumbles as he walks toward the door …
Natasha abruptly turns her back on him, gritting her teeth, tears spilling from her eyes. Dude only sees her rigid shoulders as he turns toward her before closing the door …