“My brother Gary or my ex?" I clarify.
“Your brother.”
I am unimpressed. “What did he want."
“Nothing. He looked like shit though. Worse than the last time I ran into him."
“Am I supposed to care?" My question is rhetorical.
“Not really. No more than the last time I told you about running into him. Should I save my breath next time?”
“I’ve got nothing to say to him. And nothing to say to my ex, Gary, either.”
Laz lifts a finger. “Did you finally do what I've been telling you to do all this time? Since the last time we had this conversation?"
“Yes."
“And how much did you get?" Laz asks, in an 'I told you so' tone.
“Actually, more than you said I would.”
Laz sits up higher on the couch, suddenly much more interested. “Like, how much more?”
“Let’s just say that I won’t be taking a part-time job like I did last year.”
Darla’s eyes widen. “Really. You sure know how to pick them.”
Laz switches back to unimpressed. “Please. Honey, if that boy is living on a ranch, struggling through college, then he is not going to have a bank account like Gary does. Hell, for all we know, that truck could be on payments until he retires."
“He spent five figures on a picture. Paid it in cash. Saw it with my own two eyes."
Both girls’ eyes dart to me. Gasps come out of both of their mouths. “You’re fucking kidding me.” Darla states.
I shake my head. “Nope.”
“And he’s in school, too?"
“That’s right.”
I’m dying to tell them about my latest plan. The mother of all plans. But the looks on their faces are just too delicious.
I’ll save that for another day.
Levi
As I pull away from that fucking circus, I rake a hand through my hair. What the hell am I gonna do now? Sure, we’ve made an agreement to not bring up the baby or anything else until she’s gone to the doctor, but still. I’m worried. For someone who was so distraught that they couldn’t speak about our issues, she sure seemed awfully loose with her friends. Now, I don’t know a thing about what a woman’s body or mind goes through when they’re pregnant, and before I judge, I should really figure that one out first.
The only way to do that, of course, is to talk to someone who is pregnant. I know it’s late, but as I drive by Cassidy and Crystal‘s house, I see that the light is still on. Knowing them, they’re still up working. Crystal answers the door five seconds after I knock on it. Her swollen belly is obvious under her T-shirt. “Levi. What a nice surprise. Come on in.“
“I hope it’s not too late. I saw your light on.“
She waves. “Please. I can’t eat during the day, so I eat at night. You hungry?”
“Actually, yes. I haven’t eaten dinner yet.”
“Well, sit down. Take a load off.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
