Ghost Of You (Michael Berzatto X Black!OC X Eventual Richie Jerimovich)

22. Run Away Fast As You Can

2020-Chicago, Illinois

It was the calm before the storm. The Beef was two hours out from opening for the day.

"Hey, Angie." Marcus walked over to her. "Try this garlic bread."

Angie took a bite and her eyes widened. "Holy shit. Marcus, this is really good."

"Thanks. I've been working on it all morning."

"Put some on the table for family. We'll be out to eat in a minute."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Don't mind if I do." Richie grabbed a piece of bread and shoved it into his mouth.

"Good, right?"

"Fucking delicious."

"Mikey should try one."

"Where is he?" Marcus asked.

"I saw him in the alley earlier, but that was like twenty minutes ago." Sweeps said from across the kitchen.

"He's probably holed up in that office again." Angie sighed. "You guys set up. I'll get him."

Michael sat in the office, his eyes glued to the small plastic baggie in his hand. He moved around the small white pills and and held them out in front of his face. Almost as if he was trying to convince himself that they were real.

"You ready to eat?" Angie asked, opening the door.

"Fuck." He quickly closed his hand around the baggie. "Knock much?"

"Excuse me?"

"Sorry." He huffed.

"You good?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You ready to eat?"

"Uh, yeah. I'll be out in a second."

She leaned on the desk. "What's in your hand?"

"Huh?"

"The thing you just tried to hide from me."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Michael." She sternly said.

The look she was giving him was piercing. He met her gaze and sighed before opening his hand.

"I don't need you yelling at me."

"Where the hell did you get that?"

"And there it is." He rolled his eyes.

"If you had a relapse, you should've just told me."

"You know how pathetic it is to go crying to my wife?"

"It's not pathetic." She knelt down in front of them and held his hands. "You were sober for seven months. That's amazing."

"Yeah, sure." He scoffed.

"What?"

"Nothing."