The Scene || Perrentes

Chapter 3

When I wake the following morning, Sierra's gone. I find a note in the kitchen.

Sorry, Tony. Got called into work, didn't want to wake you. Took a cab. When I see you tonight I'll just pretend that shit didn't happen. Deal?
-Sierra

And that, unsurprisingly, fills me with relief. I've never really dealt with the morning-after routine, and I imagine it's awkward.

That night, Sierra stays true to her word, casually ordering a drink and dancing with some friends. I tell Jaime we f.ucked again. He doesn't care once I explain that she wanted one more for the road.

"Good," he nods. "That means you're on your game."

But by the time I leave work, I haven't seen Mike. Jaime had better things to do than find out where he was, so I don't know when he'll be coming back, if at all.

Damn, that would suck if I never saw him again. Dumping Sierra would all be for nothing.

Monday, I spend the day relaxing in front of the TV, one of three days I don't work. That's typically all I do on my days off, but on Tuesday, I get a call from Jack.

"Tone!" he hollers. "Alex and I got the night off; we're going to hit some strip clubs. Want to come?"

I furrow my eyebrows. Strip clubs on Tuesday?

"Uh, are any of them open?"

"Yeah, don't worry. We checked. We found one with girls and two with guys. You down?"

"Um, yeah, yeah, sure. You got a car, or should I meet you there?"

"We'll pick you up. Hey, ask Jaime if he wants to come."

"He's not into dudes, but I'll ask him."

"Okay, cool. We'll pick you up in ten."

"Alright. See you later, man."

Damn. I have plans on a Tuesday. Is this what normal people do, or is it just sad?

After a second, I call Jaime.

"Hey, bro, what's up?"

"Uh, Jack, Alex and I are going to go to some strip clubs and you're invited. But only one has ladies dancing."

"And the others have what? Ladies playing soccer? F.ucking each other?"

I roll my eyes. "Dudes, jackass. Want to come?"

He sighs. "Shirtless dudes doesn't sound like any fun at all."

"That's what I thought. Homophobe."

"Homophobe?" he snorts. "I took a co.ck once and it was consensual. But not sensual. Meaning, no thanks."

"Alright, whatever, Himes. See you on Thursday."

"Later."

In the next ten minutes, I get dressed, put on a hat, and scrub the sleep out of my eyes. Admittedly, I was up until five AM watching Netflix. For that reason, I didn't sleep much; it's hard to keep your eyes shut in broad daylight. Maybe I'll grab a coffee on the way.

True to his word, Jack knocks on my door exactly ten minutes after he called. His Jeep is idling in the street with Alex sitting shotgun. Jack sports a loose t-shirt and shorts in the September heat. It was August only a week ago, so the temperature can still reach the nineties, but since it's the evening and it's bound to cool down, I grab a sweatshirt and follow him outside and down the stairs.

"Hey, Tony," Alex greets me cheerily. "We're going to have fun tonight, am I right?"

Jack throws in a "hells yeah!" and we're off.