Perseverance (The Resident FF) by Frances51163

CHAPTER NINETEEN: Playing Travel Guide

Saturday came around too fast for Conrads' liking. The intercom ringing woke him at ten a.m. and groggily struggling his way out from under the tossed covers he buzzed his friends in telling them to help themselves while he took a shower. Finally, dressed in faded blue denims and a brown sweatshirt, he emerged from the bathroom towel drying his hair as he walked over to the bed area barefooted to find clean socks and boots.

"You get any sleep?" Eric asked from the counter as he munched his way through a bowl of cornflakes.
"You talking to me?" Conrad checked as he sat down on the rumpled blankets.
"No Danny," Eric rolled his eyes.
"You look like you didn't get any sleep," Danny sipped his coffee, "did you?"
"Well I have to say I never knew ye were so interested in my sleeping habits."
"Now you know," Eric picked up the cereal box and refilled his dish and then filled an empty one beside him, "so answer the question?"
"I slept," Conrad hedged as he finished tying the last boot and went over to the large refrigerator retrieving a carton of orange juice.
"For about five minutes," Eric scoffed, "come on I've made your breakfast for you. Took me ages."
"Where is it?" the tired man looked at the empty hob.
"Here!"
"You went to too much trouble," Conrad grinned and pulled the bowl of cereal over accepting the offered carton of milk.
"Figured you wouldn't eat a proper breakfast," Danny watched his friend as he poured liberal amounts of sugar over the dampened flakes and walked over to the leather couch, "all that sugar can't be good for you."
"Hey it's my one vice, cornflakes loaded with sugar. Could be worse."
"Guess so. You alright for today or do you want a raincheck? You want to go back to bed that's fine."
"You ask me that after I've showered and am having my perfectly prepared breakfast?"
"Seriously Conrad we'll understand."
"Hell, ye were right. We haven't seen much of each other since ye got to Atlanta. Be good to have some quality time before ye head back to Texas."

"Actually about that," Eric looked at Danny before giving the man across the way his full attention, "the property we found here is actually bigger than the one we have in San Antonio. In fact it's the the type of property we were trying to find in San Antonio but couldn't."
"Aren't all garages the same?"
"Well yes and no."
"You've lost me."
"It's like saying all hospitals are the same," Danny put in, "sure they do the same things but there are differences."
"So what are ye saying," Conrad wasn't really sure he followed their logic but his weary brain wasn't up to trying to understand it.
"We're going to have the main business here and franchise out the one in San Antonio."
"Ye looked into this?"
"Yeah. Did the math. It's a solid business deal," Eric explained, "we've been approached before about giving a franchise but the timing was never right. We've chosen someone we trust to take on San Antonio."
"Guys it's yer business but aren't ye rushing into things a bit?" Conrad finished his cereal and brought bowl over to rinse before placing it in the half full dishwasher.
"We've thought it over. It's what we want to do," Danny rinsed his mug, "so what do you say?"
"Me," Conrad leant back against the counter and folded his arms, "it's yer decision."
"You're a partner now or did you forget signing the Contract?"
"No but that's in name only."
"No it's not. You insisted on making an investment of €10,000 so as a partner you have a say," Eric persisted.
"I'm fine with whatever ye want to do."
"Great and this means we'll get to hang out more," Danny beamed.
"Not sure about that," Conrad shook his head, "I'm usually working double shifts but yeah we'll be able to meet up."
"You bet we will," Eric affirmed not willing to let the younger mans' words dampen their enthusiasm.

After showing his friends around Martin Luther King Jr. Historical Park and the Olympic Centennial Park Conrad took the two men to a local downtown restaurant where they occupied the back booth. As usual Eric had ordered a large volume of food and as Danny and Conrad finished up he complained of being too full for dessert. His friends had no sympathy.

"Told you you shouldn't have eaten those snacks at Centennial Park," Conrad shook his head as wiped his mouth with a paper napkin, "your eyes were always bigger than your stomach."
"Ye could have stopped me!"
"Yeah right," Danny looked at his friend across from him, "you didn't need to order a starter you could just have had a main."
"But they were both nice," Eric pouted.
"Hey remember the time Andy bet you you couldn't eat five burgers with all the fixings?" Danny laughed.
"He lost," Eric nodded before becoming serious, "just wish I'd known he was in trouble."
"Yeah," Conrad sighed twirling his beer bottle on the table as the Waitress came over and took away the dishes.
"Ye reckon he was planning it a long time?" Danny asked softly once they were alone again.
"He had been at the hospital a week before checking out the roof," the Resident reluctantly disclosed.
"He did it at the hospital?" Danny feigned ignorance, honouring their promise to the Security Guards.
"Thought ye knew," Conrad frowned keeping his gaze on the nearly empty bottle between his hands.
"When did you find out?" Eric tried not to lie to their friend.
"I met him ..... before he ......,"
"Damn."
"What did he say?" Danny pried, hoping they could get the younger man
talking.
"Nothing much," Conrad sighed, "I should have noticed something was wrong sooner."
"How do you mean?"
"We met when I was leaving. Talked in the canteen for a while. He said he was there for work. Spoke about Fran and the kids. Asked me to look tell the boys how much he loved them next time I saw them. Should have known then he was saying goodbye!"
"Listen buddy what Andy did was his choice. Once he decided to do something he always followed through," Eric reminded.
"That's what Fran said too," Conrad spoke in obvious disagreement.
"She's right," Danny concurred, "so were you gone home when he did it?"
"Not exactly," Conrad straightened up and got to his feet checking his watch, "some Tour Guide I am! Come on we still have places to see."
"Sure," Danny and Eric agreed without hesitation, "so what's next on the list."
"Figured ye'd want to skip the Botanical Gardens so we'll go to Coca Cola World."
"Sounds good."
"And no you're not topping up on soda when we're there," Conrad chided forcing lightness into his voice although his heart wasn't in it.

For the rest of the day out Conrad put up a good front hiding his inner turmoil. Finally leaving his two friends after a drink in a bar close by he headed back to his apartment on foot. He shivered as the cold night air invaded his jacket and sweater. Walking along the sidewalk his thoughts once again returned to the night Andy had taken his life. He knew no amount of wishing could turn back time but he wished anyway. If he remembered anything of Andy from that fateful night besides the sight of his broken body it was how calm he had been. He hadn't been distressed or anxious. Conrad knew enough about suicide to know that most people, once they made the decision to end their life, became calmer for they had found a solution to whatever was causing their distress. He knew that there were various suicide prevention groups out there for people who wanted help. Problem was it was often too late when a person realized they needed help. He was familiar with the work of the Samaritans and at one stage had thought of volunteering but that was before he went to war, before his humanity was stripped away. The four of them had all killed and it didn't matter that it was kill or be killed or that they were in a war. They took lives. He took lives. Shaking his head trying to focus on something else he accidently knocked into a man who immediately started cursing before running away. Conrad was wondering why the man took off when he felt it. A sharp pain in his stomach. Frowning he looked down to see the hilt of a knife sticking out of his jacket. Before he could fully register the ramifications his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he hit the sidewalk causing several onlookers to come to his aid.

tbc