The Golden Boys

Chapter 30

On a Thursday night during the first week of June, a group of us all met for dinner at Linda's.

Sitting around our table was Chris, Matt, Kim, Jason, Greg, Xana, Bruce, Melanie, Stone, and myself. Oh, and a friend of Stone's I'd just met, named Mike.
We were having a last supper of sorts, because tomorrow morning Soundgarden would head out on their longest tour thus far.
They wouldn't be back till early fall.
They were thrilled though for the opportunity.
I had bitter sweet emotions at the thought of not seeing Chris for awhile.
After our first official date, we'd gone out a couple more times, but there just wasn't the connection that I used to be so sure we had.
Maybe our personalities just didn't mesh...Or maybe it was because the core of our relationship was founded on wanting what we couldn't have. When we finally could have it, it just wasn't as appealing.

Long after we'd finished dinner and consumed multiple rounds of drinks, I finally stood to leave. A couple others followed suit. I knew that I'd had a few too many to drink, but I still said goodbye to everyone, saving Chris for last.
His eyes were glazed over in a drunken way as well, but when he saw me approaching him they seemed to focus in more.

He wrapped one arm around my waist once I was within reach.

"Heading out?" he asked me.

I nodded. "I'm tired. I have to go in to work early in the morning too. Good luck with the tour... I know it'll be amazing."

"I hope so..." He sounded nervous.

"It will be!" I assured him with a smile that was probably too giddy.

He smiled back, and my heart still skipped a beat. But that was all.

"Bye," Chris said. "Be careful going home."

But when the cab picked me up outside of Linda's, it wasn't heading to my home.
It was heading to Tacoma. 

Forty minutes later, I hopped out of the taxi and walked, more like stumbled, up the now familiar path to Jerry's apartment.

I knocked firmly on the door and waited. No answer.

I pulled my fist back to knock again, but just as I started to, the door swung open. I caught a glimpse of Mike Starr standing there just as I fell inside.

"Heather, are you okay?" he asked, baffled.

"Mikey!" I blurted out, on all fours on the floor.

With a half empty beer bottle in one hand, he bent down and offered me his free hand. I took it and stood up, the room spinning for just a second.

"I think you're a little drunk," he said in a gentle but amused tone.
He released my hand.

"I think I am too," I agreed, dusting myself off.

"Can I get you anything?" he asked.

"No I'm okay, I'll just be going upstairs now," I answered with a grin, heading to the staircase.

His voice was abrupt: "Jerry's not here right now."

"Oh he's not?"

"Nope. I guess I'll have to do for now," he said smugly, watching me as he leaned against the wall.

Unsure of what Mike meant by that, I just smiled and walked into the kitchen.