07-16-2020, 07:48 PM
Was this Near's attempt at socializing? Hadn't he been sent to boarding schools that taught him better? Or was the lack of polish some blustering attempt at affecting class betrayal? Jude considered rising to the taunt of 'kid', then reconsidered. There were many proverbs about the sanctity of the journey, but Jude was quite focused on destination. Tussling over the wine would not change the fact that there was wine. He was exhausted with being guarded and delicate and indirect; all remaning energy went to maintaining his manners, to prevent self-sabotage. Some good it would do to drink three glasses of wine, then throw the fourth in Near's face.
"Bold of you to think my life isn't ruined," was his crisp response. He swirled the wine around the glass -- very carefully, since Near had overfilled -- and then gave it the requisite sniff. He turned over Near's rambling in his mind: the attack on sobriety, the nagging loneliness, the... grief? Was it grief? Jude felt a spark of irritation towards the ex -- for dumping Near. Had Farr Junior still been happily paired off, perhaps Jude would have come across the house alone, and saved himself a great deal of trouble.
His first sips were small, conditioned by habit and etiquette. But time was of the essence. It would be ghastly if he made himself sick, and yet, not throwing up was not among Near's conditions. "Just make sure you can drive tomorrow."
"Bold of you to think my life isn't ruined," was his crisp response. He swirled the wine around the glass -- very carefully, since Near had overfilled -- and then gave it the requisite sniff. He turned over Near's rambling in his mind: the attack on sobriety, the nagging loneliness, the... grief? Was it grief? Jude felt a spark of irritation towards the ex -- for dumping Near. Had Farr Junior still been happily paired off, perhaps Jude would have come across the house alone, and saved himself a great deal of trouble.
His first sips were small, conditioned by habit and etiquette. But time was of the essence. It would be ghastly if he made himself sick, and yet, not throwing up was not among Near's conditions. "Just make sure you can drive tomorrow."