I'm Scott Malkinson (Scyde)

37- Jealousy, Jealousy

"I just don't know how I'm going to be able to afford everything. The shoe shop hasn't made any significant profit in years," Clyde mutters as takes a swig of his beer.

He hasn't made it out to Zest quite as often as he used to now that he's the sole caretaker of his children. In fact, it's felt like ages since he's been able to sit at the bar and shoot the shit with Stan. He's missed this. Popping open a can at home just isn't the same.

"I mean, Amazon is really putting a hit on our sales," he goes on. "Everyone wants their stuff online these days. Nobody wants to leave their house and actually have to do shit, but seriously, some things are just better done in person. How the hell do you even know that a shoe will feel right if you can't even try it on and walk around for a bit?"

Stan raises a curious eyebrow, his gray-blue gaze locked firmly on Clyde as he mixes together some sort of fruity looking cocktail. How he continually manages to make the damn things whilst barely looking at them, Clyde will never understand.

"Did Jade's little crystal shop really turn that much of a profit?" Stan asks, placing the newly mixed drink at the end of the counter where one of his table runners quickly scoops it up and heads off with it. He starts on a new drink almost immediately, once again, barely looking at it.

"You wouldn't believe how much some of those earthy spiritual girls are willing to pay for pretty stone," Clyde replies. "I mean I thought the same as you, surely nobody would want the damn things when they can just go outside and collect rocks for free, but I was wrong. And then there's the spiritual readings that Henrietta does in the back room. I still think all that tarot shit is a load of bullshit, but people pay good money for it."

He sighs, leaning his elbow onto the counter and propping his head up with one hand. "I'm going to have to get a second job, or possibly rob a bank."

"You could sell drugs," Kenny puts in, giving him a friendly clap across the back of his shoulder. "I made plenty off of that back in the day."

Beside him, Marjorine makes a disapproving grimace.

"Aww Ken. Now don't you tell him to do something that'll get him into trouble," she scolds.

Kenny's mouth widens into a grin, revealing the missing tooth behind one canine, and snakes one arm around his wife's waist. The legs of her stool scrape across the floor as he pulls her in close, attacking the base of her neck with kisses.

"Jesus, get a fucking room," Clyde mutters, turning away from them. He likes Kenny and Marj, but he could do without the constant PDA. Even after all these years, they're still as obsessed with each other as they'd been in high school.

Must be nice, he thinks bitterly to himself before turning his attention back towards Stan.

"What's the employee discount like here?"

His question is met with a scoff.

"I'm not hiring, Clyde."

"Aww come on, you don't want me to end up homeless."

"Why don't you try over at Tweak Bros?"

This time Clyde is the one to scoff.

"You think I didn't? The fricken' emo kid at the counter looked me in the eye and told me that I definitely couldn't handle it. Can you believe that shit? This kid is like fifteen, sixteen max and thinks he can use an espresso machine but there's no way I'll ever figure it out. Judgmental little prick."

Stan and Kenny exchange a glance, suppressing their smiles as they look back at Clyde. For a moment he shifts his eyes back and forth between them and then lets out a defeated sigh.