“What do you mean?”
“What do I mean? I mean, would you like to stay the weekend with us? We watch movies and eat junk food. Play games and that sort of thing.”
Chase looked hopeful for a moment and glanced at me and then back to Hollis.
“What about your workout stuff?” Chase asked.
“I’ll get up early both mornings and get some workouts done. I’ll be done before you even open your sleepy eyes.”
“But don’t you have a title fight next month? Don’t you have to train every waking second?”
“I do have a title fight. It’s my first.”
“I know. It’s all over the news and in the papers. You’re the youngest and quickest to get into a title fight. Dimitri talks about that a lot.”
“Who’s Dimitri?”
“He’s one of the photographers my model recruiter has me working with. Anyhow, your title fight next month is a big deal.”
“It is. But this weekend we can take off.”
“What about your jiu-jitsu training? I thought you were still doing that on Saturdays.”
“I usually do. But not this weekend. I want to spend some time with you.”
“Me too. I miss you and the Hulk action figure,” I said as I sat up straighter when I saw the waitress on her way over with the pizza.
While we ate, we talked about the games and movies we’d play this weekend. The Hawkins were very much into games of all sorts. When I moved in with them, every Friday was pizza and game night… Unless Hollis had football on Fridays, then game night was Saturday.
“What kind of games do you guys have?” Chase asked before he took a bite of his pizza.
We didn’t really have games, but we had cards. Hollis and I had decks of cards and card games all over the place. The main reason was because playing them calmed me down.
“We have some decks of cards and a few decks of Uno,” I said.
“We can combine the Uno decks and make a massive Uno game,” Hollis offered.
“Cards and Uno sound good,” Chase said. “Will Mom and Dad have cows if I stay with you guys this weekend?”
“No. We’ll stop by and talk to them while you get your bag packed. Patrick can help you.”
When we arrived at Charles and Kristin’s, Steve and Jacobi waited outside for us while we went in. All the lights were on, and both Charles and Kristin walked into the foyer as soon as they heard us.
“How was the Lakers game?” Charles asked.
“Good. We won,” Chase said as he headed for the stairs. Kristin looked sad when Chase left it at that and headed to the stairs, or maybe disappointed was the better word to describe how she looked.
“Chase is going to hang out with us this weekend. I think he just needs to hang out with us guys again,” Hollis said quietly. Chase gestured for me to come help him, and I climbed the steps while Hollis talked to his parents.
Chase’s room had changed quite a bit. He used to have Nintendo posters along with some WWF stuff on the wall. Now his walls mainly had USC Trojans things, Los Angeles sports teams posters, and a lot of TCF stuff. The back of his door had a poster taped to it of one of Hollis’ “stay in school” campaigns. He wore his black Team Dragon t-shirt and signature sea-green shorts. Hollis stood with his arms folded across his chest while balancing books on his head.
Magazines were strewn out on his desk with the corners folded to mark them. I smiled when I saw his red Worry Wart sitting out on his nightstand. While Chase got his duffle bag out of his closet, I crossed the room to his Worry Wart. It had definitely been used and worn. I picked it up and noticed it wasn’t covered in a layer of dust, as if it hadn’t been touched. I gave it a few gentle squeezes and looked up when Chase tossed the duffle bag on the bed.
What’s going on with you, bub?
“This guy looks familiar.” I held up his Worry Wart and saw his smile peek out as he began putting some clothes on the bed in a pile.
“Do you still have yours? Blueberry, right?”
