“Came to see if you’re still alive,” Zip replied, pushing in.
“That the Broncos game?” Heavy asked, pushing in too and staring at the TV.
“Naw, Broncos don’t start until three,” Tex answered.
“You want pizza?” Daisy asked.
“Fuck yeah,” Heavy replied, already sitting on the couch and reaching for a slice.
I stood by the door, staring at my ever-growing company and wondering how this had happened. I wanted a quiet day. I wanted to learn how to cook. I wanted to spend the afternoon at a hobby shop perusing skeins of wool.
“Crowe here?” Zip asked.
“They broke up,” Sniff informed him, eyes never leaving the game.
Zip hadn’t moved into the room. He was still standing by me at the door and his eyes turned to me.
“Girl, I told you,” he said.
“I don’t want to hear it, Zip,” I replied in a soft voice.
He stared at me a moment then he looked to the floor and shook his head. Then to my surprise when he looked up again he also lifted a hand and patted me on the shoulder. Then he got himself a slice of pizza and a seat on the couch.
Heavy wasn’t watching at the game. He was looking over the back of the couch at me.
“I don’t want it from you either, Heavy,” I told him.
He watched me a beat then nodded once slowly then looked back at the TV.
My cell phone rang. It was Ally telling me that she was coming over.
“Bring beer,” I said to her and stared at my living room, “lots of it.”
“Gotcha,” she replied.
“And some pop, Roam and Sniff are here.”
“No problem.”
“Indy, Jet and Roxie coming?” I asked.
“Negative, sister. They’re spending the day with their men.”
I felt a stomach twist.
“See you in ten,” she said in my ear.
I flipped the phone shut, beginning to get good at ignoring the stomach twist and I sat on the floor beside Heavy. He pulled at a lock of my hair. I looked up at him. He winked at me.
My stomach twist felt a little better at the wink but my eyes got blurry.
Then a knock came from the backdoor.
“Jules?” Nick called from there.
“We’re in the living room,” I called back.
* * * * *