All That Matters - A McCann Story

one

one

JASON

I sat at the head of the table with an unlit cigarette in my mouth. I reached into my pocket for some matches as everyone watched my movements.  I scraped the match against the packet in my hand and raised the fire to the cigarette, shaking the fire out as soon as my cig was lit. Inhale, exhale. I watched the faces watching me. They looked shook up, as if I was about to snap right in front of them. “I have a problem, you guys and the problem, is sitting right here at this table.” I leaned forward in my seat. “Now, I’m gonna make this quick because I have a date with my girl in about an hour. I wanna get her some flowers and some chocolates.” I turned to Ryder, my best friend, and looked at him. He wore this grin on my face. “You know how much she loves chocolates.”

“Yeah I do boss.” Ryder said, leaning back in his chair. There were two people at this table that knew they were untouchable. They grew up with me, they were my life, and Ryder was sure as hell one of them. The other one was Wang, he was sitting to the left of me, and grinning so hard I wasn’t sure his eyes were open.

“But back to what I was saying,” I started before taking another drag of my cigarette. “There’s someone that’s very disloyal sitting at this table. So before I take action, I’m going to ask you men sitting at this table. You five men…who it is.” I looked around at the table, watching their faces grow pale and watching them think back on all the shit they’ve done. “No one cares to speak?” I leaned back and dropped ashes on the floor of our warehouse. “Well that’s just to bad, ain’t it?” I chuckled and put out my cigarette. Ryder handed me the glock from behind his back. I pulled the safety back and said, “Trevor?”

His eyes snapped up to mine, and the kid looked like he’d seen a ghost. “Y-yes boss?”

“You mind moving away from our dear friend Grant for a minute?” Trevor scoot out of the way, moving as far away from Grant as possible. “Grant?”

“Yes boss?”

“Why are you being disloyal?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I slammed my hands on the table and shot out of my seat. “You know exactly what I’m talking about! Where is my fucking money?”

“I swear to God boss, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He stuttered moving back in his seat.

I wiped my chin and slammed the gun on the table. “Wang, take care of him for me.” I said walking away from the table. “I can’t stand looking at that fucking liar.”

His pleading was the last thing I heard before the gun sounded and silence rung across the hills.

LONDON

I saw Jason’s truck before I saw him. I raced down the stairs and placed a kiss on my mother’s forehead before running out of the house and into his arms. He picked me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist, kissing the life out of him. He’d been gone for two weeks to visit family and I missed the hell out of him. It was unfair what he did to me but I could tell that I had the same affect on him. “I missed you so much.” I whispered when he pulled away.

“I bet I missed you more.” He grinned. “Would your mom mind if you stayed over? My dad is out of town for the night.”

“I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.” I smirked. “But right now, I’m hungry so take me to get food peasant!”

“Ay, ay captain!” Jason chuckled marching in the direction to the passenger side of the car. He helped me in my seat and buckled my belt, kissing my forehead before he leaned away and closed the door.

*

We pulled in front of Joe’s Crab Shack that was about fifteen minutes out of town, and I nearly jumped out the car. Jason came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist as we awkwardly walked into the restaurant together. “You smell so good.” He muttered in my ear as we approached the hostess stand. I noticed Jessica, one of the snobbiest girls in my school was looking Jason and I up and down. She’s wanted him since I could remember. But then again, every girl in school wanted Jason. His dad owned this private company and brought in the cash. Jason’s mom was an alcoholic and walked out of his and Mr. McCann’s life when Jason was twelve. I knew how it felt because my dad was a druggy and left my mom two years ago. Well…more like he disappeared two years ago. My mom and I don’t know what happened to him. It took her months to finally get back out there and now she’s dating Charlie. I like him for her. “Table for two, please.” Jason’s voice, snapped me out of my thoughts. When Jessica hmphed and grabbed two menus he looked at me and said, “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine, I just started thinking about stuff.”

“Wanna talk about anything?” He asked, grabbing my hand as we walked towards the booth in the back of the restaurant.

“No, I’m fine.” I smiled, sliding into my seat.

He slid in next to me and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. When Jessica didn’t just walk away he looked up at her with a questioning glance. “What?”

“What can I start you guys off with?”

“I want a coke, and she wants a glass of water with lemon and a lime.” Jason muttered before turning his back to her and look at me. I watched Jessica give me a dirty look before she walked over to the waiting station. “I hope that was what you wanted.”

“Yeah, that was fine.” I whispered. Needless to say, I didn’t realize I had a lot on my mind until I started thinking about things.

“Talk to me London, you’re not usually like this.”

“I just don’t know anymore. I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?”

“I mean, I am confused. I am really confused.”

“About what? About us?”

I looked up at him, “No, we’re the only thing I’m actually sure of Jason.”

He leaned in and placed his hand on my cheek. “If you’re in trouble, we’ll figure it out. You should know I won’t let a damn thing hurt you. You do know that don’t you?” I nodded. “Good, believe me when I say, I will make sure you’re okay.”

“I believe you.”