CHAPTER 11: THE THREE STOOGES REVISITED

“You should have been there, man,” Louis laughed as he slapped Bowie on the back.

Nick grinned. “Yeah mate, Louis and I haven’t been able to stop laughing about it. She sure is some woman.”

Bowie looked at them pensively. “But you sure she’s okay now? I mean...that guy has dropped all the charges, right? She’s not going to be in any trouble, is she?” he asked worriedly.

Both Louis and Nick stopped laughing and stared at him. Louis brought his palm up to Bowie’s forehead.

“Oh my god, he’s running a fever.”

Nick cracked up. “Can it be true? Don’t tell me you’re interested in her?” he chuckled.

“Careful...” Louis added with a chortle. “She’ll climb all over you. Literally.”

But Bowie wasn’t paying any attention to them. He was looking towards the entrance of the pub.

Jessica couldn’t stop laughing. She had laughed when they were outside their office building. She had laughed on the way to Qbar. She was still laughing when they got there. And Flora? Flora couldn’t stop glaring at Jessica. She had glared at Jess when she started laughing and she was still glaring at Jess when they stepped into Qbar.

“Are you done laughing?” Flora asked a teary-eyed Jessica.

“No,” came the short, curt reply then followed by another round of laughter.

“You find my misfortune really amusing, don’t you?” Flora said sarcastically.

“Sorry, sorry,” Jessica choked in between chuckles.

Flora rolled her eyes.

“You and the gay community must really click,” Jessica laughed. “First Karen, then Hayden.”

“Ughhhh!” Flora screamed at Jessica in frustration and headed towards the island bar.

“Hi Flora.”

“Hi Nic, the usual. No. Make that a double instead,” Flora told him.

Nic looked at Flora questioningly .

“Bad day,” Flora sighed.

He smiled and nodded before turning around to prepare her drink.

Jessica came up and plopped herself next to Flora. She nudged her friend playfully. “Hey, you’re not pissed off, are you?”

Flora screwed her face up at Jessica. “Yes, I am,” she pouted.

The sight of Flora’s face made Jessica crack up all over again.

“Hrmmpphhh!” Flora grumbled and turned away to ignore her friend.

“Hey, what are you looking at?” Louis asked Bowie, following his friend’s gaze. “Ohhh...”

“They’re here,” Nick whispered as he tugged at Louis’ shirt.

“I know, I know,” Louis said as he wried Nick’s hand away from his sleeve. “Bo...hey, where did he go?”

“Hello there.”

Flora turned towards the voice. “What?!” she yelled irritatedly.

Bowie instinctively raised his hands up in surrender. “I come in peace,” he said anxiously.

Flora couldn’t help but smile at his reaction. “Sorry. I had a bad day.”

Jessica popped her head out from behind Flora and grinned at Bowie. “Hellooo...” she said with a wave.

“Hi,” he smiled at Jessica and turned his attention back to Flora. “I heard about what happened. Is everything all right now?” he asked with concern.

Flora sighed. “Yea, it’s all settled. I don’t have to go to prison, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

Bowie grinned. “You don’t know how glad I am to hear that.”

“Huh?” Flora eyed him suspiciously.

“Hello Jess.”

Jessica turned and saw the cheshire cat grin again. “Hi...uh...Nick is it?”

Nick beamed at her and nodded.

“I don’t believe we’ve been formally introduced,” Louis interrupted as he held out his hand. “I’m Louis. And my friend over there gawking at your girlfriend is Bowie.”

Bowie closed his mouth and scowled at Louis.

Jessica giggled. “I’m Jess. That’s Flora.”

“Oh, we know,” interjected Nick.

“Yea...how could you not? You arrested me,” remarked a sore Flora.

“Don’t mind her,” Jess chuckled. “She’s a little deprived of some ‘real’ men.”

“Har, har, very funny Jess,” Flora glared at her friend.

Louis looked at Flora with amusement. “So, you girls come here often?” he asked them.

“Occasionally,” Jess replied, which was of course, a lie. They were there every night.

“What do you normally do then?” Nick joined in.

Jessica shrugged. “Whatever that comes along the way,” answering to Louis rather than Nick.

Nick looked at Jessica and Louis who were carrying out their own conversation without him. Then he looked at Bowie and Flora who seemed to be occupied with themselves too. Sighing, he turned towards the bar. Nic grinned at him knowingly. “No luck, eh?”