[Well at least he can admit it.] There's no reason for her to overreact. I won't make her cry so early in the morning. That makes a better mid-afternoon activity.

[A beat.] ...I guess jokes like that only work well if you don't do the thing in the first place...

[Erika trails off as she ponders the nature of kidding around as a friend would. Hmmm. Possibly more complicated than she first thought.]