Mikey and the Chickadee

Chapter 15 - Part 2

Each of us tossed one back, and a short time later, Marie appeared to have warmed to Mikey considerably. She smacked her phone down on the table and said, "You, my friend, have a little catching up to do."

Mikey indicated toward our empty pitcher. "I'll order another if you want."

"Let me," she insisted.

"No way," he said, quickly flagging down the server and pulling out his wallet.

As we waited for our next round, Marie leaned in toward Mikey. "Wyatt here says you are fluent in Thai."

"I grew up speaking it at home."

She nodded. "And would you care to join us on a trip to Bangkok and beyond?"

Mikey shot me a quick glance, then asked, "How do you know I'd be a good travel companion? We just met, after all."

"I'll take Wyatt's word for it."

I cleared my throat. "I never said anything about whether he'd be a good travel companion."

She heaved her purse up onto her lap and began to rummage through it. "You just take some time to think about it, Mikey."

"Okay," he said, laughing quietly.

"Behold," she said. "I've got to keep these lips soft. You never know what the night has in store." As she applied the balm she cast an ominous look around the table.

Sloan's hand beckoned for it and she passed it to him.

Much of the newest supply of beer was deflected toward Mikey, who gave in only because he had paid for it and because, I suspected, he saw that there was indeed catching up to do. He fielded several meat-and-potatoes questions from Marie, and one or two more once Sloan could get a word in. He handled both the inquisition and the alcohol handsomely, the former possibly aided by the latter.

The entire time I felt the subject of his parents swim just below the pine surface of the table, and just as I thought it had sunk out of reach, Sloan said, "Your folks are still in Corbin, then?"

"They're gone," said Mikey. A speck of hesitation followed. "But it's okay."

Neither Marie nor Sloan asked for any clarification. Sloan sat back slightly and said, "Sorry about that."

Mikey offered a subtle raising of his glass and drank. Each of us did the same. The moment was somber but short-lived, and five minutes later we had forgotten about it entirely.

"Give it back," Sloan was wailing to Marie, who had stolen his phone as punishment after he suggested she would be a terrible driver. "Please, give it back." He reached aggressively for it and she held it tightly against her chest. They both laughed wildly, but neither was ready to back down.

"No. Say you're sorry."

"Fine, I'm sorry."

Slowly she released her grip and he snatched it away, lifting the device above his head and waving it like a prize. After pocketing it he said, "All I meant was that I couldn't picture you behind the wheel."

"That's not how you put it."

"Alright. Fair enough. That's how I should have put it."

"It still sounds mean. You'd better dance with me at length tonight, and not disappear with another lady-friend like you did last time."

"I'll stay with you. Or better yet, I'll find you someone to disappear with instead. How's that sound?"

Marie appeared genuinely hopeful. "That sounds nice. Look," she said, gesturing over at Mikey, "we're boring the new guy to death."