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an excerpt

Henry waited for Jake and Bruce in the parking lot by Sutter’s Market. He gave a quick rub to his temple, an intermittent gesture, before going back to his daydream. Lana Christopher must have known he was leaving, because she kissed him with the goodbye of a sailor’s slutty girlfriend. Henry entertained the thought of her eager tongue in his mouth for another two seconds before the taste of dry mouth and cigarettes brought it all back to reality. She was drunker than any of them last night. Henry gave a short smile to Lana as she faded away.

He blinked himself more awake and then took in his familiar surroundings one last time. He wanted a mental snapshot, but needed to use his other senses to make up for his lack of observation. His fingers brushed over the eroded brick of the market he was leaning against, recording its crumbly texture. He took in the sleepy white noise of the town, clearing the chatter in his head long enough to really listen. The hush of the near distant ocean could never be replicated by holding a shell to his ear. Only coastal folks knew that. The seagulls were not ugly and irritating for once as they bantered with each other over breakfast. Oh, why didn’t they arrange to pick him up at the beach, instead of town? He needed to be there one last time, in the early morning when the tide was out and the breeze was gentle. He was close, but not close enough, to give a proper goodbye, and that made his heart ache.

Henry usually pulled himself together at the first hint of emotion, but no one else was around; he could linger at the sadness a while longer. He cleared his palette with his tongue as best as he could and took a deep breath. It made his head throb with a giant bang to a bass drum, but he maintained his concentration. The air freshened his mouth a bit, but didn’t taste quite salty enough. He wished the atmosphere would comply and give him a proper sendoff. Wouldn’t he be missed?

The bay answered him - he could smell the salt coming from there, even if he couldn’t taste it. Apologetically, he listened to its goodbye – ding, ding – and his smile lingered a bit longer this time.

The mist soothed Henry and pleaded with him to stay. The breeze brought it gently to his face and cooled him off like a fevered, sick child. Who would care for him like that again? Where he was going was dry, which could only mean it was cracked and brittle, bitter and unfriendly. Or was he only imagining that because he didn’t know who he would meet there?

He didn’t want to get his hopes up, but feeling like there’s nothing left, as if anything would be an improvement, was not good enough for him. He knew he would expect too much out of them, and he braced himself for the disappointment. That being established, he was satisfied, after all, he still had a best friend who never disappointed him. Jake consistently lived up to his standards.

How Jake ever really convinced Bruce to take them, Henry couldn’t figure out. He didn’t ask how, and Jake never offered so it was best left alone.