He didn’t answer.
“Yeah,” I said to his silence. “I figured. But I thought you should know.”
“Now I know,” he concluded.
Calvin 1, Sebastian 0.
Back to the beginning.
“Anyway. I won’t keep you.”
“Bye, sweetie.”
“Bye.”
I pulled the phone away and sighed.
The call ended and the time flashed on the screen: 9:30 a.m.
Did I have somewhere to be besides breakfast with Pop?
I frowned and tugged the restaurant door open. I walked down the aisles of little tables before sitting across from Pop.
He set his glass of juice down and gave me the Dad-Look. “No?”
I shook my head. “No,” I echoed. “I’ve barely managed to convince Cal to start talking tomeabout everything. He’s not ready for a therapist, which means he’s left undiagnosed and untreated. Which means no dog from Gwen,” I concluded. I flipped the menu pages maybe a bit harder than necessary.
“He’s scared, Sebastian. Be patient.”
“I know, I know,” I said while looking back up at Pop. “I’m just worried.”
He nodded and pulled his cell out. Pop held it far away and tilted his chin up, reading like he needed to wear bifocals. He started typing.
“Want to borrow my glasses?” I teased.
“Ha, ha. I can see just fine, mister.”
“Okay, but just so you know, this one is sugar and this is salt,” I said while reaching over to hold up the shakers from the tabletop.
Pop paused whatever he was doing to give me the hairy eyeball. “Thin ice, kiddo.”
I grinned widely. “You love me.”
“Uh-huh.” He finished typing and set the phone aside.
“What’s up?”
“Oh, nothing. Asking Jeanie at Puppy Pals for a favor.” One of the many shelters my dad volunteered at.
I was about to ask what sort of favor this mysterious Jeanie was doing for my father, when I suddenly remembered where I had to be. “Fuck!” I reached into my pockets quickly, fishing out the congratulatory note from yesterday.
Visitors needed a guide to Thebes. Tomorrow, 10am.
After the heart-to-heart with Calvin yesterday, I had all but forgotten the second address.
“What’s wrong?” Pop asked.
“No, it’s fine,” I said while quickly standing. “I just remembered I have somewhere to be.”
