ARE YOU SUREabout this?” Dedra pulled to a stop at the red light.
Kenya tried really hard to keep from rolling her eyes. After all, her friend was doing her a huge favor.
Dedra shot a look at her before settling her eyes back on the road. “I really feel like you should take what Evelyn said seriously.”
“She just said that I had two weeks off work. She didn’t say that I needed to take time off of life. I needfun, Dedra. I need to get out of my apartment. Currently my only travels have been to therapy and then the lobby to get DoorDash.”
Dedra turned the wheel toward the midtown of Huntsville. “I get it, but I don’t know if I want to be an accomplice to what could potentially turn out to be another mistake.”
“Listen, I have several sessions of therapy under my belt and just another week or so left until I make it back to work. Consider this part of my therapy. I need to make sure my arms are still active, at least. I’ll keep my right foot as steady as possible. My left foot is strong enough to support me. I can even bowl from a wheelchair if they have one on hand.”
Dedra rolled her eyes. “Come on, Kenya.”
“It makes sense. At least to me.”
“I don’t think it does, but as your friend and someone whodoes not want to see you suffer—emotionally or mentally—here I am, driving you. I will regret this. And I probably already do.”
Kenya grinned. “But what a perfect night to do this since your boyfriend is out of town, right?”
“I guess, but you know I’m always super happy to sit on a couch reading a book.”
“And that is why you are taking me bowling. Because that just sounds pitiful. I want to eat some greasy chicken wings, some oversalted fries, and guzzle down a large Coke while I attempt to take some pins out. I need to get out my aggression somehow. I still can’t stand the fact that Vance is taking over my role at the investors’ tour.”
Dedra nodded. “I definitely understand that, but I feel like there are safer ways to do that in Huntsville besides going to a potentially sticky and chaotic bowling alley.”
Kenya rubbed her hands together. “Just the way I like them.”
“Yeah, as soon as I said the words, I knew you would disagree. This is right up your alley.”
“Look at you with the play on words. I’m impressed.”
Dedra shook her head with a laugh and pulled into a parking spot as close as she could find. “Wait. Do you want me to drop you off? Or do you get some kind of temporary parking sticker when you have an injury that makes you move as fast as a sloth?” Dedra snickered. She already knew the answer.
“Come on, I’m fine.”
“And you are also the one wearing the massive foot brace.”
SOLOMON SCANNEDthe area around the strip mall. “Should I be afraid to ask where we’re going?”
Ben ignored Solomon’s question as they walked past various storefronts in the outdoor shopping center of the MidCity district in Huntsville. “Have I ever steered you wrong?”
Solomon sucked his teeth like how his mother or father did when the kids had said something annoying. “I am already regretting my decision to come out today.”
Ben stopped and grabbed Solomon by the shoulder. “Nope, no take-backs.” He wagged his finger in front of his face. “You are all in. Plus, the guys are waiting.”
“What guys would you be referring to? The gym guys, the pub guys, or the aspiring entrepreneur guys?”
“Possibly a combination of all the above. But it doesn’t matter. Whoever was available tonight is coming, and we are going to bowl like it’s 1999.”
Solomon shook his head. He could already feel the stickiness of the floors, the lingering grease on bowling balls from french fries, and the heart-impacting fattiness of whatever else was served. He should’ve brought hand sanitizer with him.
“I already see your mind working, bro. You are getting a mental picture of every single germ that’s gonna be spread across every inch of the place.”
“You’re not helping.”
“That’s who you are.”
“Then why are you bringing me?”
