Six Days in April

Chapter 1: Talk, Talk, Talk

Chezdon called Jayden the day after their lunch with Bryce and Austin. They needed to talk, to settle matters. Chezdon had been without any alcohol or drugs of any sort for more than 48 hours, and the experience of living without any chemical intervention was exhilarating. But there were many issues to resolve as Chezdon considered Austin's challenge from that lunch. Who did he want to be with, and who did he want as mates, and under what conditions?

"Hello, Chez. What's up, mate?" Jayden said as he answered his mobile.

"Jayden, how is your arm?"

"Not bad, Chez. The throbbing went away last night, and that helped things a lot."

Chezdon could hear a woman screaming in the background, and the sound of Jayden running somewhere. His mother's shrillness never ceased to amaze Chezdon.

"Hold on, Chez. I need to be somewhere in 20 minutes or so. We can talk while I walk, OK?"

"Sure, Jayden, whatever." Chezdon paused, then continued, "Jayden, look, we need to talk—just the two of us. Much as I would have liked to have done so yesterday, I couldn't do it with Austin and especially Bryce there. Maybe we could get together for dinner tonight or tomorrow night? My shout."

"Yeah, Chezdon, we do really need to talk. And I want, make that need, to be sure you understand just how sorry I am for having been a dickhead this past week. Talking over dinner would be a good start."

Relieved that Jayden was so open to the idea, Chezdon suggested a quiet place in Southbank where they could get a table and have considerable room around it without anyone in a position to hear their conversation. Jayden knew of the place and agreed to meet Chezdon there for dinner that evening. While Chezdon didn't think it would be an easy conversation, he knew that some things needed to be said and doing so in the aura of a pleasant meal might make the words easier for Jayden to digest. Hopefully, by the time he was done, he would still have a best mate, but Chezdon wasn't sure Jayden was interested in that deal. Jayden seemed to be in an "all or nothing" mode for the past couple of weeks. It was most un-Jayden-like, and Chezdon didn't welcome it at all. Chezdon told Jayden he'd make a reservation for 6 PM. Jayden replied that he's be at the restaurant at 6 sharp.

At 6 PM, Chezdon walked into the restaurant and told the maitre d' that he had a reservation under Morrison. "Yes, Mr Morrison, your party is waiting at your table. It is a quiet one in the corner, just as you specified. Follow me."

The table was, as the maitre d' had indicated, in the corner—a remote one. The restaurant had few diners, though it was still early in the evening. None of those diners was anywhere near the table where Chezdon now saw Jayden sitting while he tried to find a comfortable position for his casted arm. Such an inauspicious start to the evening, Chezdon thought. Things could only go uphill from here, right?

Jayden was sitting at the table trying to text with one hand as the other hand tried to hold his mobile. Watching him for a moment was amusing. Chezdon would have liked watching him for another minute or so when Jayden looked up and saw Chezdon standing there, a small smile on Chezdon's face.

"What the hell are you doing there just waiting?" he asked.

"Admiring your demonstration of why one should avoid a broken arm at all costs," Chezdon replied as he went to the table and took his seat.

"Chez, are we going to talk or are you more interested in watching my feeble efforts at using my mobile?"

"OK, mate. We'd best get going."

Their waiter came over to ask if they wanted to order anything to drink. Chezdon asked for the wine list, which the waiter produced and said he would return in a few moments to get their drink order.