“What are you doing? I’m going to tell him,” Ralphie announced.
Buddy looked at his lover. “Ralphie, I’m tellin’ him.”
“I’m telling him, it was my idea,” Ralphie returned.
“Maybe so but he needs it straight, no exaggeration,” Buddy replied.
“I wouldn’t exaggerate!” Ralphie snapped.
Buddy gave him the look he deserved for uttering such a lie.
Ralphie glared back.
“Would someone tell me? I don’t give a f**k who,” Hector cut in, losing patience.
“What do you drink?” Buddy asked immediately, taking charge.
Hector looked at the beer in his hand then back to Buddy.
“No, stronger. Bourbon, vodka, gin…?” Buddy explained.
Hector’s eyes went intense and Buddy pulled in breath at the power behind his look.
Then Hector muttered, “Shit.”
“Shit is right,” Buddy muttered in return.
Hector sighed then said, “Bourbon. Jack, if you’ve got it.”
Ralphie went to get the Jack Daniels and three glasses.
They had three more beers and made a major dent in the bottle of Jack by the time they were done explaining what Ralphie called The Night of A Thousand Horrors Accompanied by Lemon Drops.
A night neither of them thought that Sadie fully remembered.
A night where she explained about her Mom, her father and her life.
This, Hector didn’t seemed surprised about so Buddy figured he knew.
A night where she talked about Daisy, the Rock Chicks, going to see Lee Nightingale, Hector being there and how that made her feel.
This, Hector also didn’t seem surprised about but his mouth got tight and his face went dark, likely, Buddy figured, with guilt.
A night where she talked about having no friends and living her life as an Ice Princess.
This, Hector took in without giving anything away but still, the air in the room changed, almost like it had gone electric.
A night where she described, in detail, what had happened with Ricky Balducci.
After what little Buddy shared (but clearly it was enough), Hector’s entire body got visibly tight, his face went scary dark and Ralphie cautiously removed all bottles from his reach.
“Hold it together, Hector,” Buddy warned. “She’s in the next room.”
Hector jerked his head in what was supposed to be a nod while a muscle jumped in his cheek. He looked away and threw back a shot of Jack, pouring himself another the minute he was done and he threw that back too.
Buddy looked at Ralphie.
Ralphie bugged his eyes out at Buddy.