Rafe brought a saucepan of more ravioli to the table. “I’m making one final dinner. Oh, it’s the lastsupper!”
“I don’t think Jesus munched on Asda-brand ravioli,” Heath said. He acknowledged Louisa with a nod and nothingelse.
“I have all this food that I can’t bring with me on the plane tomorrow, and rather than have it go to waste, I decided to cook it all. One last flatfeast.”
Eamonn didn’t like hearing about Rafe’s trip home, but the aroma of the banquet before him overpowered those thoughts. He wasn’t sure if he was welcome here. He and Rafe were on very uncertainground.
“So when is your flight?” Louisa asked, taking aseat.
“Seven-thirty in the morning. And the van from my study abroad program is picking me up at four to make sure I get checked in ontime.”
“Four?” Heath checked the clock. “So you’re going to sleep in a half-hourthen?”
“Not quite.” Rafe sat at the table and poured ravioli onto his plate. “I’m going to be exhausted no matter what, so I’m going to make myself stay up. I can sleep on theplane.”
Eamonn backed away to the swinging door. “Well, I’ll leave you toit.”
“Here.” Rafe pointed to the fourth chair. “We can’t all eat this byourselves.”
He checked Rafe’s expression to see if it wasgenuine.
“There would be no dinner without you, Eamonn. I would be broke and eating scraps from the campus café. I wouldn’t know what Asda is or how to use an oven.” Rafe looked him square in the eye, and it froze Eamonn in place. “Thank you foreverything.”
“Are you sure?” Eamonnasked.
“Yes. It’s my last night here. I don’t want it mired indrama.”
Eamonn gave him a nod filled with more than Rafe could ever know. He took the empty seat. Louisa passed him aplate.
* * *
Rafe couldn’t leaveStroude without one final night at Apothecary. Eamonn led the way and kicked a bunch of wankers out of their usualbooth.
“You didn’t have to do that,” Rafesaid.
“Oh yes I fucking did. This is a special night,” Eamonn said, trying not to get mushy. He was trying to enjoy this night without mentally counting down the hours until Rafe’sdeparture.
Alfie came by and gave Rafe a free shot as a proper sendoff. “I’m going to miss your smiling face around here. I’ll probably never find a runner who was as excited about being a runner asyou.”
“Don’t be so sure,Alfie.”
“Since we’re friends of Rafe, we get free drinks for the rest of the year, right?” Heathasked.
“Keep dreaming. I only give free drinks when somebodydies.”
“Thank you for everything,” Rafe said. He hugged Alfie, who didn’t expect it, but seemed to warm to it quickly. How could anyone resist a Rafe hug? It was pure warmth, towels fresh out of thedryer.
A larger crowd shoved against the bar. Heath and Eamonn did their best to make inroads to the front. Heath nudged hiselbow.
“Y’alright?”
“Tell me, how’s the air quality up there? Are you suffering from oxygendeprivation?”
Heath shoved him, and Eamonn shoved back. He got sad thinking that this was their last night together, until he remembered that Heath wasn’t going anywhere. At least he would have Heath. Until the spring. Then they would all be going their separate directions. Eamonn’s path led directly to a cubicle, a box inside a company that makesboxes.
“How are you doing?” Heath asked. He tipped his head behind them, at theirtable.
Eamonn shrugged. “I’m trying not to think about it. Let’s just enjoy thisnight.”
