AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I work every day,” said Niles. “I own a restaurant and so I work every day. It’ll be like that for the next several years. Even then, I’m probably not ever going to have a real day off, you know, ever. I’m good with it. It’s fine.” He nodded at Jeff. “Shots.”
Jeff laughed. “All right, I’m on it.”
Niles leaned across the bar, his snake tail stretching out along the floor. “So, tell me everything, and start at the beginning.”
“I’m going home,” said Valdemar.
“No!” said Niles to him. “You promised me a night out. We planned this, like women, with our digital schedules. Guys’ night at the Meck.”
“Yes, and it’s over now, and you’re not even paying attention to me.”
“You don’t have anything to tell me except stories about how, like, your kid yawned.” Niles shrugged.
Valdemar shook his head slowly. “What do I owe you, Jeff?”
“I got this,” said Niles. “I told you, my treat.”
“All right then.” Valdemar shrugged, backing away from the bar. “I’m out, then.”
“You are so lame and pathetic and sad now,” said Niles.
“I’m the happiest I’ve ever been in my life,” said Valdemar, walking toward the door.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” said Niles, saluting him. “I love you, Valdi. Text me when you get home safe.”
Valdemar flipped him off good-naturedly. “Love you too, man.”
Niles watched as his friend left and then turned his attention back to Essence. “You want kids?”
Essence let out a guffaw.
“What about you?” said Niles to Decker. “You want kids? Have kids? Maybe you have kids.”
“No kids,” said Decker. “But I mean, yeah, I want kids.”
“Like now or sometime in the distant future?” said Niles.
“I don’t know,” said Decker. “I guess… you know, you have to find someone with whom to have children with.”
“Right,” said Niles. “But assuming you found the right person, you’d do it nowish?”
“I’m thirty-three,” said Decker.
“Yeah,” said Niles. “Well, I’m thirty-two. So, we’re basically the same age. I don’t know if I want to have kids.”
“Okay,” said Decker.
“Okay,” said Essence.
Jeff set their shots on the bar.
Niles picked one up. “To Friday!”
Essence laughed. “To Friday.”
“To Friday,” said Decker.
They clinked shots.
