I Wonder If I Care as Much

Chapter Twenty Two

"One hell of a day it's been, eh, Ang?"

Angus didn't hear him. He twiddled his thumbs instead.

"Angus?" he asked again. "Angus!"

"Huh?"

Malcolm took the cigarette out of his mouth and set his cards down. "It's your turn. You feelin' alright?"

What could he say? No, he wasn't feeling alright. His head hurt, his mind was racing, and his cards were terrible. Not that he was paying much attention to the game anyway. He set his own cards down and ran his fingers through his hair. It was wet, as it started raining on his meditative walk. With Sherrie making a racket as she packed up her belongings and Malcolm not back yet, he needed a place to think to himself. And as soothing as the rain was, he'd have preferred to shower in the bathroom. "Mmmm."

"You're not sick, are you?" Angus shook his head, barely catching the concern in his brother's voice. Receiving a negative, Malcolm laughed off the worry. "Good, I'm done playin' if you're gonna chunder on me."

"No, Mal, I-" Slamming his hands on the table he stood up, and walked to the kitchen, leaving his brother at the table behind him.

"Don't go hulk on me now, I ain't cheated or anything."

"It's not the bloody cards, Mal!"

Malcolm set his cigarette on the ashtray and reached for his glass. His fourth glass of water, readying itself to be fifth. Angus made a comment about being glad it was Malcolm's own bathroom he was using the hell out of, that is, before his mood got the best of him. Malcolm grimaced, the water turning quite warm. "Ang, I can't help if you if you don't calm yourself down and get a proper sentence out."

"What a bloody fuckin' day it has been, Mal! An' it's still goin'! Just our luck, yeah? An'-an' God knows what the night'll bring us, maybe-maybe we'll just set this whole building on fire! Yeah! We'll just have a few more smokes an' forget to put 'em out-maybe one of the boys will quit. Phil's lookin' pretty bored with us, you think he'll quit on us, Mal? Do you?"

Malcolm backed away from Angus, whose face had come really close. "Angus, you're fuckin' nuts!" He backed away himself, staring at the other man, then putting his hands in his pockets and turning around again. "I'm sorry I've been gone today, what the hell happened?"

With a sigh Angus returned to the table, lit another cigarette and picked up his cards again. "I'd much rather hear about your day, Mal. Come on, what'd you do today?"

"I'm not gonna-"

"Come on, what'd you do, I want to know." Angus scooted his chair closer and took his turn. "Get my mind off things, will ya', Mal?"

Taking a drag, Malcolm shrugged. "I uh-" He cleared his throat. "I slept in...a bit later than I had hoped an' uh, decided to take a little walk to clear my head."

"Slept in..." Angus repeated, mumbling over his cigarette and his next play. "I'll bet, with a headache like that."

"Nah, that didn't happen till later." He bit his lip, eyeing Angus, who gave him a look. "Not-not a big one though, not enough to hinder my walk or nothin'."

"What'd you do on your walk?"

"Walked."

"Fascinating."

Malcolm laid down a hand. "Saw the park again."

"With the pond?"

"And the ducks."

"Huh. What'd you do there?"

"Sat by the fountain. Met a friend."

"Oh?"