A Different Set of Events

Chapter Seven

"Have you noticed anything strange about Angus recently?" Malcolm asked me. If I had I didn't know what it was.

"I don't think so, is he okay?" I asked worried. Malcolm put his hands up.

"He's fine, just acting a little different that's all." He cocked his head at me. "And he hasn't been acting this way until you showed up."

Uh oh. "What's he doing?"

"Whenever we go out to some club or diner, we pick up a few girls on the way right? Go out with them, have fun with them, you know. And every day these past weeks any girl that goes up to Angus he pushes aside. He gives an excuse, that something wasn't right about her. We always ask him about it and he gets mad at us."

"He's never done that?"

"Gotten mad, hell yes. Turned a lady down, hell no." I lowered my head.

"Maybe he needs someone to talk to, someone who isn't close to him who he can vent his problems to," I suggested. Malcolm smiled.

"Exactly what we were thinking."

"We?" I asked. He nodded.

"The guys and I thought you could get it out of him. Whatever's botherin' him. He won't get mad at you. Probably."

"He's gonna ask who put me up to it."

"Tell him you're concerned about him. I'll go get him." Malcolm left me to sit nervously. I don't want to bother Angus if he's upset about something, but we're all worried about him. Can't help if we don't know. But then there's the chance that I'm the cause. Margaret said it, the guys all probably think it, and Vee would say 'I told you so!' And the lie I've spun to them, that only makes things worse!

Angus frowned at Malcolm as he returned to the group. "She's all yours,"he smiled.

"Piss off," Angus said shoving past him.

"If you don't like her why should you care?" Phil called after him. Angus didn't answer. "Exactly."

I bounced my leg up and down deciding how to ask him. I didn't want to be blunt but I can't drop hints to save my life. Besides, Angus is smarter than that. I didn't want to get him mad at me either. We'd become such good friends over the week and one wrong word... Angus came sulking back and I figured they already pestered him. Great.

"Is everything okay?" I asked slowly. He sighed.

"Fine," he lied. Obviously not, bud.

"You can tell me if anything's wrong," I continued on thin ice.

"I'm fine. They're being stupid, there's nothing wrong with me."

"I knew that much," I told him sincerely. He put a hand on his face.

"We're gonna land soon, you should get your stuff," he told me before rushing away.

The car ride to our hotel was silent. Phil insisted that he drive since Bon who usually drove had gotten himself drunk and nearly passed out. I hate to think of what's gonna happen to him one of these days. Angus looked out the window the whole ride completely ignoring our presence. Malcolm looked out of his window once in a while eyeing his pissed off brother. Mark slept in the front seat next to Phil until we pulled over to use the bathroom. I think our hotel was somewhere in New York but I wasn't too sure.

Once we got there, Angus pulled me aside. "Is Oregon anywhere around here? On the east coast?" I shook my head.

"No, it's on the opposite side of the country." He nodded and turned away, a small smile creeping up. Malcolm saw it and gave me a thumbs up. This was gonna be a long trip.