"Hey, guys. How's it going?" Chance smiles as he looks up from some stock ordering that he was doing.
"Alright, I guess." Adam shrugs as he and Avi walk into the store.
"Just need to pick up a few things." Avi adds.
"Just help yourself. If you need help, just holler." Chance smiles then gets back to his paperwork.
"Chance, you have any fresh chicken?" Avi calls from one of the aisles.
"All my chicken is fresh, Av." Chance chuckles without looking up. He hears someone walk up to the counter. "Be with you in just a second."
As he looks up there is no one there. He glances around the store, only seeing Adam and Avi in the frozen food section.
"Guys? Did yall see someone else come in?" Chance asks them.
"Uh, no. Why?" Adam asks.
"I swear, I just heard someone walk up to the counter. Sounded like boots." Chance says. "And the floorboards creaked."
"I didn't hear anything." Avi says as he and Adam finish their shopping.
"Hey, uh, Austin told us that you guys have a date Friday night." Adam says. "That's great."
"Yeah, we don't get cuties like that in here often." Chance says as he rubs the chill bumps on his arms, glancing up at the air conditioner vent. "I feel cold air but I didn't think the air conditioner was even on."
"Probably the frozen chicken." Avi smiles, that was the only thing he could think to say. He knew that Chance's body was reacting to Tim's spirit.
"Listen, Chance?" Adam says as he bites his bottom lip. "Could you not say anything to Austin about Tim? We don't want to be reminded of what happened."
"Yeah, we don't want anyone feeling sorry for us." Avi adds, shaking his head.
"Uh, guys. I already did. I'm sorry." Chance says.
"You told him about Tim's wreck?" Adam asks, trying to keep his voice calm. He feels a cold touch on his arm. He could imagine Tim was fixing to start panicking.
"W..What did he say?" Avi asks as his heart begins to race.
"Nothing really. He just looked really shocked." Chance says.
"I would guess so. He's been talking to a f*cking dead man." Tim says just so his wives could hear him.
Adam slaps at him to be quiet receiving a strange look from Chance.
"Mosquito." Adam chuckles nervously.
"It was really nice of you two to let him stay for awhile." Chance says.
"Well, you know us. Just a couple of good ole boys who don't mind helping someone out." Avi rambles as he helps Chance sack the groceries they had gotten. "Just us two, uh, we're enjoying the company."
"Are you guys alright?" Chance asks, noticing their nervousness. "You know, if yall need someone to talk to, I'm here for you. Tim was my best friend and I feel that he would want me to look after you. I loved him too, you know."
"Yeah, I know, but we're fine. We are, really." Adam smiles and pats their friend's hand.
"And we know that Tim loved you too." Avi smiles.
"Yall need help getting this to the car?" Chance says after swallowing down the lump that was rising in his throat.
"No, we got it. Thanks." Adam says as he picks up one of the bags.
Avi picks up the other bag and they start for the door.
"Guys?" Chance calls out causing them to stop at the door.
"Yeah?" Adam asks.
"How are you two doing, financially?" Chance asks as he starts to walk over in their direction. He knew that Tim took care of them financially. He made good money at the factory so neither of his wives had to work.
"We're doing good. Uh, You might say that he's still taking care of us." Avi smiles.
"We got a pretty good lump from his life insurance at work. So we're okay." Adam nods.
"Well, if you ever need anything, please, don't be afraid to ask." Chance says, sincerely.
"Thanks." Adam says.
As Chance starts to walk back over to the counter, he thinks he hears another footstep. Definitely from a boot. He glances down at the guys' feet as they were leaving and notices that both Adam and Avi had on sneakers.
Was he going crazy?
~~
"What the hell are we supposed to do now?" Tim's voice comes from the back seat. "Austin knows."
"Why hasn't he said anything?" Avi asks.
"He's probably just been watching us." Tim answers.
"The only thing we can do is just tell him the truth. Just tell him everything and ask him not to say anything to Chance." Adam says.
"Speaking of Chance." Avi says as he glances around at the empty back seat. "You need to walk a little lighter, Cowboy."
"Yeah, I heard that step as we were leaving. And I think Chance did too." Adam says.
"You see him look down at our feet? We are both wearing sneakers." Avi comments.
"Sorry." Tim says.
They drive up into the driveway and stare at the house.
"So, what's the plan?" Avi asks. "You know he's probably in the living room."
"Maybe if you and Tim go in first, you distract him by asking him to help you put up the groceries. Tim can QUIETLY go upstairs and re-enter his body. I'll wait for him at the front door. He comes down, I give him the bag of groceries and we go into the kitchen." Adam says.
"Sounds good enough." Tim answers and Avi nods.
"But you have to be very quiet, Tim." Adam insists.
"Gotcha." Tim says as they get out of the car.
Avi grabs a bag of groceries and he and Tim hurry to the house.
As Avi walks in, he sees Austin getting up from the couch. He also feels a cold breeze pass by him.
"Hey, I thought I heard yall drive up. Need any help?" Austin asks.
'This is just too easy.' Avi thought.
"Sure, you can help me put up the groceries." Avi smiles.
"Okay." Austin says as he follows Avi into the kitchen.
Tim hurries into their bedroom and re-enters his body which was lying dormant on their bed. He gets to the top of the stairs just as Adam walks into the front door.
Adam smiles up at him, putting a finger to his lips.
Their plan was going a little bit too smoothly.
Adam just so happens to be carrying the bag with the frozen chicken. It had gotten the paper bag wet.
Before Tim even got half way down the stairs, the bag rips. Groceries falls onto the floor making a loud crash.
"What the??" Austin says, running from the kitchen almost tripping over the frozen chicken. He instantly sees Tim at the top of the stairs. A puzzled look comes across his boyish face. Wondering how Tim had gotten upstairs so quickly. "How did you ...?"
"Uh." Tim chuckles nervously. "I had to piss really bad."
*************
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