The Ship in Friendship

6. A new Friday night

"Is here good?"

"Yeah."

Ash put down the box and sighed. He was helping Brock move some boxes to Lucy's house.

Ash didn't like Lucy's place. It was all flowers and napkins and tables clothes. Lucy is the type to keep standing at the door blocking your way until she's sure you've taken off your shoes before stepping inside her apartment.

"How's everything going, Ash?" Lucy was watching them put the boxes in the laundry room.

"It's alright."

"I hope you and Misty are no longer upset because I'm stealing this man over here."

"No, it's fine." The two men chuckled. "We got it through our heads now."

"You have the right to be upset. Brock is one in a million." Lucy hugged her boyfriend from behind, making him stop organizing the boxes.

"He's good. Take care of him." Ash smiled.

"Will do." Lucy and Brock shared a quick kiss. She then said, "How about your one in a million?"

"Uhmm, I don't know. I'm not sure."

Lucy blinked. "You're not sure?"

Ash shook his head. Brock and Lucy looked at each other, confused.

"I mean, I like – well, I can say I love Misty." Ash said. "But we can't get everything we want, right?"

"What do you mean?"

"Sometimes you have to go for what the mind wants, not what the heart wants." Ash seemed to avoid looking at them. He was making himself busy with the boxes.

"What are you talking about?"

"You can say I'm trying new things." Ash cleared his throat.

Lucy looked at her boyfriend. "Is this how men talk about masturbation?"

"No, no." Ash laughed. "What I'm saying is, I'm giving other people a chance."

"Oh."

"And you're doing that because you think they deserve a chance or you're just trying to get over Misty?"

"Look, Brock, I'm... I just want no problems – and I don't want to talk about this."

Lucy couldn't believe how good Ash and Misty were at creating problems out of nothing. Brock told her they were a complicated friendship but she didn't think it was this complicated.

"You're a big boy." Brock raised his eyebrows. "I wouldn't tell you what to do but don't come to me later looking for a whiskey bottle."

Ash looked at his digital wristwatch. "I've got to go."

"Okay. See you tonight at home."

"I'm..." Ash stopped at the door. He said, "I'm not going to be home tonight. Order pizza without me." And left.

Lucy and Brock stood there for a moment, not sure what just happened.

"Did he get over her?" Lucy asked. "Maybe he did."

"He did not and he just proved it."

"So, what do you think?"

"It's delicious!"

Angie smiled in satisfaction. She was seated beside Ash on her couch with her foot on the table, flashing her tattooed leg. The living room was messy. It has empty pizza boxes, taco wrappers, soda cans, a bottle of wine too – and plates full of what Angie calls 'Angie's little angels'.  They spent the whole time just eating and telling jokes, and they were getting comfortable with each other.