already?” was Robb’s question when Dave rapped on his door an hour later.
“Can I come in?” he asked hurriedly.
Robb stepped immediately to the side, allowing him entrance. Dave collapsed on the couch with sigh of resignation. “I have questions.” “Anything,” Robb encouraged, sitting down across from him with a perplexed expression.
“Any new customers recently? A woman with long black hair, very attractive?”
“Ah, not that I can recall. I feel like I would remember a smoke show.” Dave frowned, “You’re sure? No one has been hanging around or ordering black olives on pizza?”
“I mean, I’m sure someone has ordered black olives on pizza, but not on the regular...” he trailed off, cocking his head to the side in contemplation. “Do you remember when we got arrested?”
Robb raised an eyebrow, surprised at the conversations change in direction. “Yeah, I do.”
“And you remember I had those records sealed, right?”
“Right. For both of us.”
Dave watched his friend carefully. “My record was delivered to my parents last night.”
“Ouch!” Robb grimaced, “Who the hell sent your folks that crap? The super attractive woman?” “Possibly.”
“What’s her beef with you?”
Dave hesitated, all possible explanations sounded ridiculous in his head, he was sure they would sound no better spilling from his lips. “We work together and don’t exactly get along.”
“Yeah man, but that seems drastic.”
“She’s not above it,” Dave informed him. “A real snake.” Robb nodded very seriously. “I’ll keep a look out.”
Dave felt his body finally relax a bit. A very small part of him worried that Robb had something to do with this, especially the police report. But he could see now that his friend was concerned, dumbfounded by the information being thrown at him.
“Is there anything else I can do to help?” Robb asked, lighting a joint and taking a deep breath.
Dave watched the smoke as it sifted and danced through the air like wisps of unreachable thoughts.
“Distract me,” Dave encouraged.
Robb’s face lit up with his first boyish smile of the night. “That, I can do my man!” He handed the joint to Dave, who wavered, his mind thinking back to Samantha and Georgette’s conversation the other morning. His sister’s venomous last words, his parent’s outrageous selfishness and most of all he thought of Desiree, who he officially believed was his anonymous tormentor. But there was still space in his brain to consider he was wrong. And that was what made Dave accept the joint, and allow his mind the much-needed vacation it longed for.
An hour later, they were both laid out on the futon, a bag of Doritos between them. Dave sent Schworst an email telling him he had food poisoning after Robb begged him to blow off work and stay the night.
“Just like old times!” he reminded Dave with a grin.
Dave sent Georgette a quick text letting her know he would be staying at Robb’s. The two listened to some Zen music Robb put on and let their thoughts drift. Hours could have passed—Dave felt a content humming in his brain, the absence of reality was soothing.
“Remember when we were kids?” asked Robb.
Dave opened one eye, feeling the calm induced haze of weed slightly clear from his mind.
“Yeah,” he replied offhandedly, sincerely hoping that Robb wasn’t about to take a morose trip down memory lane. Dave hadn’t smoked in years—he tried to avoid that thought as the concept of drug-induced paranoia trickled across his mind.
“Life was so much easier then, wasn’t it?”
“I suppose,” he remarked with a slight edge to his tone.
“I mean, not that either of us had it easy when we were real young... but once we got into our teens a lot of that changed, you know?” Dave knew he was referring to his alcoholic stepfather dying. “All those times I thought I was invincible, unafraid of the world.” Robb turned and looked at him straight in the eye, “That’s what being young is all about. We think it will never catch up to us.”
“Has it caught up yet?” Dave murmured, his pulse beginning to quicken.
Robb laughed to lighten the mood. Dave knew he must have sensed his growing discomfort. “Ages ago, brother. I’m starting to look my age for the first time ever.”
“I hear you.”
They were silent for a few minutes. Dave tried not to think. Instead he attempted to center his mind on one single image, but Robb’s voice once against intruded.
“Man I miss the old burger joint sometimes, I really do.” “You’ve kept it almost exactly the same.”
“I know, but still. Maybe I should start serving burgers.” “I take it business has been good?”
“Better than ever. Crazy busy. The kids have been cranky little shits but they listen to the new cook so it’s been smooth sailing for this dude.”
“Can you let me know the next time someone puts a delivery in for my place?” Dave asked suddenly. “Just in case?” He knew it was an absolute long shot, he wasn’t even sure if the pizzas were coming from Robb’s establishment anymore.
Robb nodded, “I’ll tell everyone to keep an eye out.” “Thanks, Robb.”
“Hey, what are best friends for?”