Page 3 of Saved By the Pitcher

“Or French fries,” James added, grabbing one from Billy’s plate.

“Hey!” Billy protested. “Nadia can do that because she sleeps with me.”

“Charming,” Nadia said.

“Oh, Billy, you’re not going to get me to sleep with you by offering me French fries,” James snickered.

Billy scrunched his face. “Dude! So gross. I told you a thousand times that brother-on-brother jokes are nasty.”

James hooted out loud. “I just had to see that expression on your face. You crack me up when you get that look like you just ate poop.”

Billy rolled his eyes. “You’re one twisted, sick man, James. Anyway, since Maria never gets to go out, we figured we’d take her to dinner after the show.”

James nodded. “That’s nice. But you guys just said you’re having money problems.”

Nadia nodded. “By ‘we,’ Billy meant ‘you.’ Can you spring for it tonight? We’ll try to pay you back in a couple of weeks.”

James was paid quite well for his theater work, but his swankier West Village apartment sucked up most of those earnings. He did a mental calculation and surmised he had enough in his account to cover both the café lunch and dinner for all of them. He gave Nadia his assent with a smirk and a nod. “Fine, but it needs to be healthier than this place. I can’t keep eating like this if I want to fit into my stage costumes. And make sure the restaurant isn’t too expensive. I don’t have Father’s money.”

Nadia laughed. “Not yet. I keep telling you to knock him off already so you and Billy can inherit.”

Billy narrowed his eyes at her. “I’m sure Father’s cut us from his will since the thing from Victoria’s womb emerged.”

James grimaced. “She is our half-sister. We should try to be nice.”

Billy huffed. “You mean like when I saved and saved to buy her an American Girl doll for her spawn-day, only to discover later from Father that she used it for target practice when he took her to the shooting range?”

Nadia gasped. “Your father took an eleven-year-old to a gun range? And they let him use a life-like doll for shooting practice?”

“Never too early to learn how to handle a gun, Father would say,” James answered. “And people tend to do what the senator tells them to do. I’ll bet Lilah is already capable with a gun.”

“Great. Another school mass-shooter in the making,” Nadia grumbled.

Billy snarled. “She’d be an efficient one, too. Father confirmed her aim is excellent. She blew a hole through the doll’s head.”

“Why would he even tell you that?” Nadia snapped, disgusted.

“He said, ‘William, it’s time to get her a new doll’,” Billy recalled. “Well, fuck that.”

“Now that’s the brotherly love I was talking about,” James deadpanned.

“Whatever, dude,” Billy replied. “So, the server is a no-go?”

“Um, that would be correct,” James concurred.

“Why not?” Nadia pressed. “She seems to be your type. Slutty and desperate.”

James shrugged, ignoring the jab. “Not in the mood.”

Billy’s countenance became serious. “Maybe you should stop messing around and look for something meaningful. Bro, it’s been a couple of years since…”

“Don’t,” James warned.

There was uncomfortable silence for a couple of moments, then James signaled the server for the check.

Chapter Two

Mike Cooper held the phone to his ear with one hand and wiped his face with the other, becoming frustrated with his agent. “Bob, you’re not listening to me.”