Steve and Casey asked about my flight and how I was doing before Steve chimed in with, “Okay, well, we’ll leave the two lovebirds alone for a bit.”
“What?” Keeg asked, clearly surprised by their quick exit.
“Yeah, we need to pick up some groceries anyway,” Steve said.
“It’s true,” Casey added. “We’re down to one Hot Pocket and half a strawberry Pop-Tart. Well, more like a quarter of a Pop-Tart since I got to it last.”
“Aw, you saved the rest?” Steve asked. “That was considerate of you.”
“I’m pretty sure there was something growing on that last bit,” Casey said, cringing.
“And you left it in the pantry?” I asked.
“Okay, I guess you guys do have to leave to get those groceries, then,” Keegan said, clearly embarrassed by their commentary.
As soon as they left, Keegan offered me a tour of his place.
“It’s pretty quick, so not exactly a walk-through like a certain prince’s palace.”
“I like it. Must be nice getting to bump into your friends every day. Some days it’s like navigating a maze just to see my own family. Although, admittedly, I get to hide from them more often than not, which is nice too.”
He escorted me onto the back balcony, which overlooked a courtyard with a small pond with a fountain in the center. “Where’s your buddy Frederick?” he asked. “I thought you said he was coming too?”
“Getting all set up at the hotel. Figured I wanted to have you to myself for a minute. No, not like in a— Oh well, I guess I walked right into that one.”
“Naw, it’s all good, man. I get it. Like having you all to myself for a minute too.” He didn’t look away from me the way I expected he would. There was this confidence as he stared me down, like he knew exactly what he wanted from me.
His expression shifted as he slid his phone out of his pocket. “Sorry, my brother’s texting. One sec.” He read it before saying, “You mind if we swing by this bar real quick? My bro’s apparently helping the manager move some stuff around, and they need extra hands. He said it shouldn’t take long.”
“Of course.”
“Sorry. This is the kind of town we are. A guy needs help, the town pitches in. By the time I get there, there’ll probably be ten other guys who’ve already helped.”
“That sounds like a nice sort of town.”
“Yeah, Fever Falls is kind of great,” he said, leading me back inside and escorting me out of his unit, to the parking lot, where he led me to a car that surely had its day—such a very long time ago—with a fender bender and a couple of scrapes across the hood and sides. Keegan tucked his head low once again as he said, “Keep in mind this is as much as a kid could get at sixteen, but he’s been good to me.”
“He’s endured a great deal of abuse, it appears.”
“Well, I’m proud to say that I have not contributed to any of this mess, so it was all done before I got the car. I only take responsibility for when I’m late on an oil change.”
“It’s very…charming,” I added, and Keeg laughed.
“You can be honest, it’s a piece of shit. I’m fine with that, though. He gets me around.”
As we slid inside, Keeg seemed to notice me checking out his Garfield mats at our feet. “Again, those were not things I put in here. I’m just too lazy to change them.”
I enjoyed a laugh at Keegan’s embarrassment over his car, which took more than a few attempts to get started.
As we made our way through town, he pointed out different spots, offering a quick tour as he effortlessly navigated to our destination.
“So what do you think from what you’ve seen so far?”
“Of Fever Falls?”
“No, of Brazil. Yes, Fever Falls.”
“It’s much bigger than I imagined from the way you described it.”
