CHAPTER 62: TEASE, TASTE AND TELL

DINER

EMMY

I can’t stop laughing.  “Oh you are so mean teasing them like that.”  I guffaw.

“Not teasing.  It’s being towed as we speak.  Should be in the Mount Gay Impound Yard in say, an hour.”  Slick stretches and then stands up and bends to touch her toes.  “Slept funny.”  She replies to my curious look.

“Oh nice!  It’s one of the best ones in the area.”  Lucy smiles.  “Why send it there though?”

Slick grins hugely and chuckles.  “Why’d you think?  I’ll give you a clue though.  Something to do with Jamaica and booze.”

“You got to give us a better clue than that!”  Claire objects frowning.

“Comic book store is after my mom.  And the impound yard is after…”

“Holy fuck!  You own that?”  I stammer.

“Well of course.  Where do you think I harvest the parts from?  My gran was born in Mount Gay Jamaica and she loved the rum.”  She rubs her back as she sits back down.  “So should I be extra mean and head to the apartment now whilst they are most likely frantically throwing stuff into bags or…”

“Spread the evil around is best I think.”  Brandon chuckles.

“Oh alright.”  She huffs dramatically.  “Does anyone know a good chiropractor? My fucking back is killing me.”  She grouses.

“Come with me.  I have been known to unkink a vertebrae or two.”  Blake guides her to the back office.

“Never…”  Lucy shudders.

“Yeah me neither.”  Mel replies.

CLAIRE’S APARTMENT

MICHAEL

Lindsay ran back to the apartment to clear her stuff out.  I’m too busy steaming about Claire, of all people, being in my room. It is still my room, despite what she’s done with it.  As I walk up the alley to the apartment, I decide just to check and my fucking truck is gone!

I run up to the empty space and there stuck on the post is a notice.  This vehicle that was here has been impounded for illegal parking.  It has been towed to Mount Gay Impound Yard. Please contact them directly.  Management.

I crash through the front door of the apartment almost hyperventilating.  “Gone!”  I croak.

“What’s gone?”  Lindsay asks, folding her stuff quickly and efficiently.

“Truck.”  I gasp and then take a couple of breaths.  “My truck is fucking gone!”

“Surely, they would’ve said where they’ve towed it to?”  She’s flying from room to room.

“Lindsay!”  I stop her from going to the bedroom again.  “Are you listening?  All my stuff is in there, well most of it and…”

“Michael!  Did you listen?  They’re redecorating from today!”  She steps closer.  “We cannot be here!”  She reiterates each word with a stab to my chest.

“Hey your nails are sharp!”  I whine, rubbing my chest.

“Pack!”  She snarls.  “Hopefully she’s gone with Claire to…”

The knocking at the door stops her tirade.  “Hey Slick, you in there?  It’s the decorators!”

“Call Claire!”  She whispers.  “And tell her to get Slick to call off the decorators as she’s still got to pack.  And make sure you don’t say anything else!”  She adds venomously.

I sneer at her and head to the bathroom and place the call.  “Claire its Michael. The decorators are here. Can you get Slick to call them off?   Just for now.  Lindsay and I are still here.  Thanks.”

OUTSIDE THE APARTMENT

KYLE

It was mean and childish but I enjoyed every minute of that!  I creep quickly down the stairs and back into the store.

DINER

CLAIRE

“What on earth is that fool jabbering on about now?”  I grumble.  “Can I go to the back?”

“Sure honey.”  Debs says as she flies past with a tray.

I knock on the door and Blake yells for me to come in.  “Slick have you sent the decorators round already?”

“Nope why?”

“Oh, just got a message from Michael to say that the decorators are outside.”  I watch Debs again flying round the diner.  “Slick, do-do you think that Emmy would hire me?”

She looks up at me in surprise.  “As a waitress or…”

“Well both.  I can cook and while the food here is really good, I think I could do better.”  I feel the blush coming up my neck.  “I was on the food line in prison and people would say nice things…”  I trail off.

“Well you can trial this week.”  Emmy’s voice startles me.

“Really?!”

“Yeah, Richard wants some time off and I was wondering who to get to fill in.  Go speak to him and he can show you the works.”

I almost run him over to get to the kitchen.

EMMY

“So, what do you think brought that on?”  I nestle Slick’s head in my lap and massage her skull.

“Don’t know.”  She sighs happily.  “But I think she would be great.  All everyone needs is a chance.”

“And some people take too many chances and still fuck it up.  And then can’t understand why people want to steamroller them for it.”

Part of me is sad to see the demise of the Brian and Michael friendship, but there is only so much that as friends of him, we were willing for him to take.  We have to stop this shit once and for all.

CLAIRE’S APARTMENT

LINDSAY

“I can’t see anybody out there.  Let’s carry on packing.”  I order but of course he’s just sitting there moping. “Fine.  It’s not as if you have a lot to fucking pack, just get on with it!”  I order again.  “I’ve booked us into a hotel uptown for the next four nights and…”

“Why?  Why not round here?”

I almost reach for him.  “Because we’re not supposed to live round here, remember?”

“Oh yeah.”  He replies, morosely.

“Look I have hired a truck and…”

“Fuck, my truck!  I need to call these fucking people and Slick... she has a fucking nerve!”

“Yes Michael, you do that.”  I tell him.

“Thank you Little Miss Sarcasm!”  He snipes.

“Finally you get it!”  I snipe back.  “Now can we please focus on packing and getting out of here?”

“Can you believe that Mother’s agreed to let her stay in my room?”  He bitches as he finally starts packing his things.

“Michael.  Please pack quietly.”

PHOENIX RISING DOWNTOWN

KYLE

My phone buzzes and I grin.  Look forward to it!  I reply back with a smirk and go about my inventory.  I head to the back office to find the spreadsheet I was working on earlier and hear the click of the door being locked.

“You.  Here.”  Brandon settles on my chair and pats his lap.  “Now.”

HONEYCUTT’S HOUSE OF FOOD – THURSDAY AFTERNOON

SLICK

We’re tasting for Grim and Twinkle and it’s just so very sweet!  Twinkle, keeps looking at Grim for confirmation.  This is despite him saying that he can have free reign over the food.  When they told me about the wedding rings, I wanted to beat Twinkle with cotton wool.  After all these years for heaven sake.

Brian and Justin are with us as are Debs, Jen and Daph.  Ben and Hunter are working and Mel and Lucy are on another date.  We bow down to our Princess Queens.

“We’ve got the wedding invites!”  Twinkle bounces up and down and Grim nods.

“Here.”  He hands them out reverentially and with a shy smile.  They are gorgeous and so them.  Silver card with black edging and gothic lettering.

“Framing, definitely framing.”  I sigh and gasp as what I thought was silver is actually holographic.

“Where did you get this?”  Brian murmurs.  “And does it come in gold?”

“My secret and yes it does.”  Emmy grins at him.  “I was thinking gold card with dark chocolate brown lettering but blue edging, something like this.”

“I love it.”  Justin beams.  “I just want that for my actual stationery.”

“What about the font?  It needs to be quite heavy but not too ornate.”  Brian looks thoughtful.

“Georgia or maybe Franklin Gothic?”  Justin suggests and gets a kiss.

“Definitely one of them.  Leaning towards the former though.”

“Okay let me get a mock-up of both.  Get that to you by Monday?”

“Done. Now back to the other grooms, this is their tasting.”  Brain orders.

“Speaking of food.  Whoever you have in the kitchen is a godsend that sandwich this morning was heavenly.”   Daph grins.

For the next two hours we taste, decide and reject and put on about 5 pounds each according to the DQ that is Brian.  But their dinner and reception food is sorted out.

“Slick, could you woman the fort for me for a minute, I just need to take the leftovers over... promised the bears.”  Emmy trills.  “Debs, Jen and Daph, can you help me?”  He waves away Grim and Twinkle’s attempt to help.  “No you two go home and see if you can fit into those suits of yours or find some way else to make happy!”

I’m left with Brian and Justin and look thoughtfully at them.  “Not on the day for them.  You get me?”

Brian nods and Justin kisses me on the cheek.  “We get you.”