it was only a one-time thing?”
“It’s getting a little complicated—”
“Thought ya said you weren’t gonna let things get complicated?” Lorenzo was clearly enjoying this
now, pulling several bottles of alcohol out of the bags he’d brought, smirking contently.
Frankie groaned, scrubbing his hands over his face. He took off his glasses as he sighed, “I know
what I said!”
“So, Obadiah, being Frankie’s best friend in the whole wide world,” Lorenzo announced cheerfully,
“I am required to inform you that should you hurt him, I will make you disappear. I might even be able
to build a robot to do it for me.”
Snod scowled at the threat, standing up slowly. Frankie probably wouldn’t like if he hurt his friend,
but maybe just one little punch...
“But for right now, let’s be cool!” Lorenzo added quickly, grinning sheepishly and mixing up
something bright and colorful in a pitcher. “Tell me all about Obadiah. I’d love to know how you guys
met.”
“No,” Snod replied shortly.
“Wow. Isn’t he just a charmer,” Lorenzo said dryly, pouring a glass of the colorful concoction and
gulping it back. “I can really see how he just swept you right off your feet, Frankie.”
“Are you staying long?” Snod demanded. “I’d like to finish the movie Frankie and I were watching.”
Frankie narrowed his eyes, soothing, “Lorenzo is having some personal troubles, and he’s more than
welcome to stay.”
Lorenzo was positively smug.
Snod glared, retreating back to the sofa to watch the movie by himself. He grabbed the remote,
stubbornly rewinding the film back to the genie’s first song. He liked that one.
It would be nice to have a genie, he decided. He’d use all three wishes to make Lorenzo go away.
“So!” Frankie smiled gently, looking back at his friend as he urged, “Tell me about what happened
with Leslie.”
As Lorenzo launched into his sorrowful narrative about his heart being cruelly smashed, Snod did his
best to ignore him. He didn’t trust people easily, and even though Frankie had previously vouched for
this young man, Snod didn’t like him.
Lorenzo was too eager, too obnoxious, too loud.
