“I brought some beer and something else.”Mike was almost at the door of the apartment before Jamie dashed into the bathroom.
“How considerate ofyou.”Jamie could hear Joesph all but purr as he turned on the water and grabbed his washcloth.
Jamie dried his face and looked into the mirror and then around the bathroom.It was like he was looking at it for the first time.Some of the green tiles were cracked.The grout falling out in places.There was a rust stain in the sinkandthe shower.Joesph’s right.This place needs a makeover.Maybe...if I can get this all done, I can move on.Is it okay for me to go forward?Not look back.Stop questioning myself?God, I miss Mamaw and Papaw.
“I left some beer by the back door,” Mike said.“I thought it might go into the big refrigerator.”
“It’s called a walk-in,” Jamie said as he entered the room.“Yeah, it can go in there.What did you bring?”
“Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier,” Mike answered.“I thought you might like it.”
“What is it about German beer that I can’t even begin to pronounce?”Salzy stated as he went through the screen door.“We’ve got enough German beer to have a proper party.”
“Oh, and I brought,” Mike pulled a bottle of Don Julio tequila from a brown paper bag.
“Damn.”Jamie took the offered bottle.“It seems that great minds think alike.”He picked up the bottle of tequila that he and Salzy had purchased that afternoon.“I also got German beer.Hefe Weissbier to be exact.”
Joesph turned his back to Mike, as he picked up his portfolio case, and gave Jamie that knowing look, one eyebrow arched.Jamie could clearly read the “I told you so” expression.
“I’ll go and help Sal with the beer.”Mike looked around the apartment.“I’ve never been up here before.”
“I’m hoping that after the diner is done, I can start on this place,” Joesph said, as he wiped the dining table off.
“One thing at a time,” Jamie huffed.“We did discuss this.”
“Maybe Mike can recommend someone to do the deck you want to do,” Joesph winked at Mike.
“Let me help Sal with the beer, and we can talk about it.”Mike pushed the screen door open.
“What part of ‘one thing at a time’, don’t you get?”Jamie turned on Joesph, then ran his hands through his hair.“Just...let me have a break.Please!”
Joesph pulled Jamie into his arms for a hug.“I’m sorry.”He sighed deeply.“I just get carried away sometimes, and I want you to be happyandcomfortable in your new home.”
“It’s not new.”Jamie sniffed, his head resting on Joesph’s shoulder.“It’s always been my home.”
“I know, honey.”
Jamie only nodded.
“We brought six bottles of each of the German stuff and some Bud Light for Joesph.”Salzy elbowed the door open, bottles clanking together.“I’m sure there’s plenty of room in that old refrigerator.”
Joesph let go of Jamie and started looking through the cabinets of the kitchen, which were few.
“What are you looking for?”Jamie asked.
“Shot glasses,” Joesph stated, closing the last upper cabinet door.
Jamie started laughing.“You’ll never find those in Mamaw’s kitchen or anywhere else for that matter.Remember, she was a die-hard Methodist, anti-drinking woman.”
Joesph returned to another cabinet, the one that held most of the drinkware.He pulled out four smallish juice glasses; one had a small chip on the rim.“These will have to do then,” he said, holding them up.
“Oh hell.”Salzy sat down on one of the dining table chairs, hard.
“What?”Joesph said, setting the glasses down and putting both bottles of tequila in the center of the table.
“I’m in sooo much trouble,” Salzy said, shaking his head.
“Would you care to explain?”Mike asked, a puzzled look on his face.
