Caught a boo-boo in the last chapter that I corrected. The detectives were saying Maliheh and Joni had a run-in 20 years ago. But I jumped the story 5 years into the future, so I had to make that run-in 25 years ago – duh! Makes me wonder what other stupid mistakes I’ve thrown in along the way. Hopefully, if my readers don’t catch them, I’ll catch them on my own when it comes time to do the final editing.

Man, I really felt like an idiot when I read the very first message I sent Maliheh on Facebook, and yes, for some reason I have saved all 12 of the messages I’ve sent in the last half a year to her, all unanswered of course. What an ass I was for exaggerating things out of anger like I did! I know it’s pointless to keep going over what can’t be undone, but she wasn’t “drunk,” and our “kissing” was just the quick friendly peck on the cheek she gave me on the way out.

I have been thinking of something a follower believes really happened that night. Did it? Is it really possible? Did I fall in love with her and not even realize it? Or was I that freaked out over it if I did know it deep down that that, along with other things I had going on at the time, caused me to behave the way I did? I suppose anything is possible but I don’t think I’ll ever know for sure just what happened. I’m not even sure what I’m feeling right now. But I must be feeling something because the thought of finishing the story makes me just as sad as it is exciting, for soon there will be nothing to smile about when I’m able to get into my stats. To me, as funny as it may sound, it was my only “connection” to her. Because she hasn’t spoken to me despite my apologies and keeping my word about behaving from now on, I have taken it to mean I’m still hated and haven’t been forgiven unless she’s waiting to see how the story ends. I assumed the only reason she came to my blog was out of curiosity where the story was concerned.

I don’t understand the pending friend invite, I don’t understand some of the things she said and did 20 years ago (almost 20), and I don’t understand what it is about her that captivates me so, but I’m going to miss her presence as silent as it’s been. And it has been much too silent indeed. Many times I’ve wished for her to say something, even if it wasn’t what I wanted to hear. It goes to show I’m not influencing her simply by what I desire her to do. Those who know me as an influencer have suggested I “pulled” both her and Nane towards me simply through force of mind. But Maliheh’s never spoken to me, and I hardly hear from Nane.

It turned out that the cooler wasn’t really broken, but that the water was just turned off to it. I wanted to strangle Tom at first before I knew that he deliberately turned it off because he was afraid that the foul smell we were smelling the other day was the pump burning up. But because it was hot out today and the temperature was steadily rising in here and the thing sounded funny, I called Jesse. Then I hung up when he didn’t answer.

A while later he called me and asked who I was. I told him, and also that I thought something was wrong with the cooler. He wasn’t home at the time but said he’d be here in an hour.

He first went up on the roof, opened the thing up, and said no water was coming up to it. Then he checked and found that the water was turned off, saying he hoped we didn’t burn his pump up, they cost 30 or 40 dollars, but he could understand people are forgetful at times, they do burn up eventually, and his just recently burned up. I told him I’d strangle Tom for it and he said not to worry about it.

He also asked for a nail for something I didn’t understand, and I climbed the ladder I’m supposedly too afraid to climb, and handed it to him. I think it had to do with one of the hoses binding. That may explain the strange swooshing sounds I was hearing too, like air bubbles or the hose being pinched. He also hosed it down to get the pads saturated faster and noticed the water leaking between the trailer and deck roofs. He mentioned doing the trailer roof next year. I thought that was to be before this winter, but I guess not.

He’s also full-blooded Portuguese, though he doesn’t look it. Especially with such light eyes. When he was pointing out that we don’t remember things as well when we get older, I said “I know. Trying to learn and remember so many languages is tough at times.” He asked what I knew, and said he doesn’t speak Portuguese, but his parents do.

Anyway, the cooler was up and running just fine in the end. No funny sounds or smells. Hopefully, it will stay that way at least for a couple more days till it cools down.