that.”
“I’ll just be a moment.” Then Kathryn paused and said, “Actually, is Helga home today? I’d love to say hello finally.”
“Oh, you know what? She’s not,” Andy said quickly. “ She was here, but…then she ran out to get a pizza for Jamie. He was hungry.”
At that, Kathryn made an unmistakably disapproving face and even slid Bardo a chastising look, albeit brief. “Hmph, well, times have sure changed,” she muttered under her breath (though Tragan managed to hear it), and then stepped into the bathroom.
As Andy walked back toward the sofa, Bardo whispered to her: “Hey, wait--you didn’t make me look like a good boyfriend.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s true, Andy,” Tragan agreed, sitting back down. “Sitting on your ass while you send your girl out for pizza? That’s kind of a scumbag move.”
“Yes,” Bardo agreed, slapping his own thigh, “ that’s what I’m saying!”
“I’m sorry!” she said softly, checking over her shoulder for signs of her mom. “I wasn’t thinking.”
With some measure of concern, Tragan looked up at Andy’s face, and met her eyes. “So…you really think…your mom wouldn’t be cool with me?” he asked. A beat passed before he qualified, “I mean, you know, as a roommate.”
Andy’s expression seemed to soften, as she tilted her head and studied him. “Tragan, it’ s not personal, believe me. She’s just protective. She didn’t even want me to move out, but she was being supportive. She’s sort of old-fashioned, you know?”
When Kathryn stepped out of the bathroom, Andy beamed a smile at her. “Ready?”
On their way to the door, Bardo piped up. “I’ll tell Helga you said hello!” Tragan nearly rolled his eyes. Apparently his friend was futilely trying to convince the woman that he wasn’t a jackass boyfriend. “We have a very good relationship,” Bardo insisted with a smile. “She, uh, always gets my pizza just right.”
Kathryn Delphin’s smile seemed strained. “Isn’t that nice?” she gritted out, as Andy led her to the door.
As soon as they left, Tragan burst out laughing.
“What?”
“Nothing, bro. Oh, game’s back,” Tragan said, reaching for the remote.
“Did I make it worse?” Bardo said.
“Nah, it doesn’t even matter,” Tragan told him as he un-muted the TV.
After a few moments, Bardo said, “So, buddy…do you have a thing for Andy now?”
Slanting his friend a suspicious look , Tragan sort of ducked the question. “Why would you say that?”
Bardo shrugged, still facing the screen. “I don’t know, it just seemed like you wanted her mom to like you.”
At that, Tragan barked out a laugh. “ I did? Man, what about you? ‘I’ll tell Helga you said hello’?”
Bardo held up a hand to explain. “Hey, if Helga existed--and was into me--and was willing to pay a little attention to detail--I’m sure she would get my pizza just right.”
Amused , Tragan said nothing, because if Bardo’s logic made him happy, who was Tragan to argue with it?
~
An hour or so later, Matt and Pellican showed up with two jumbo cartons of Buffalo wings. As everyone descended on the food, Pellican announced, “Just a reminder-- don’t forget --you guys are helping me move on Saturday.”
“Yep.”
“We know.”
“And just so you know, it’s going to be back-breaking and intensive work,” Pellican went on, “so plan on being there all day.”
Matt snorted as he pried off his bottle cap. “You’re really selling it, man.”
“I just want to be upfront with it and honest,” Pellican said. “I’ve got a lot of stuff, so be prepared to lift more than just pillows.”
Impatiently, Tragan interrupted, “I lift heavy shit all day long. I think I can handle it.”
Meanwhile Bardo pressed two fingers to his throat, looking mildly distressed. “I think I’m coming down with a touch of something.”
“Bullshit,”
“I’ll just be a moment.” Then Kathryn paused and said, “Actually, is Helga home today? I’d love to say hello finally.”
“Oh, you know what? She’s not,” Andy said quickly. “ She was here, but…then she ran out to get a pizza for Jamie. He was hungry.”
At that, Kathryn made an unmistakably disapproving face and even slid Bardo a chastising look, albeit brief. “Hmph, well, times have sure changed,” she muttered under her breath (though Tragan managed to hear it), and then stepped into the bathroom.
As Andy walked back toward the sofa, Bardo whispered to her: “Hey, wait--you didn’t make me look like a good boyfriend.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s true, Andy,” Tragan agreed, sitting back down. “Sitting on your ass while you send your girl out for pizza? That’s kind of a scumbag move.”
“Yes,” Bardo agreed, slapping his own thigh, “ that’s what I’m saying!”
“I’m sorry!” she said softly, checking over her shoulder for signs of her mom. “I wasn’t thinking.”
With some measure of concern, Tragan looked up at Andy’s face, and met her eyes. “So…you really think…your mom wouldn’t be cool with me?” he asked. A beat passed before he qualified, “I mean, you know, as a roommate.”
Andy’s expression seemed to soften, as she tilted her head and studied him. “Tragan, it’ s not personal, believe me. She’s just protective. She didn’t even want me to move out, but she was being supportive. She’s sort of old-fashioned, you know?”
When Kathryn stepped out of the bathroom, Andy beamed a smile at her. “Ready?”
On their way to the door, Bardo piped up. “I’ll tell Helga you said hello!” Tragan nearly rolled his eyes. Apparently his friend was futilely trying to convince the woman that he wasn’t a jackass boyfriend. “We have a very good relationship,” Bardo insisted with a smile. “She, uh, always gets my pizza just right.”
Kathryn Delphin’s smile seemed strained. “Isn’t that nice?” she gritted out, as Andy led her to the door.
As soon as they left, Tragan burst out laughing.
“What?”
“Nothing, bro. Oh, game’s back,” Tragan said, reaching for the remote.
“Did I make it worse?” Bardo said.
“Nah, it doesn’t even matter,” Tragan told him as he un-muted the TV.
After a few moments, Bardo said, “So, buddy…do you have a thing for Andy now?”
Slanting his friend a suspicious look , Tragan sort of ducked the question. “Why would you say that?”
Bardo shrugged, still facing the screen. “I don’t know, it just seemed like you wanted her mom to like you.”
At that, Tragan barked out a laugh. “ I did? Man, what about you? ‘I’ll tell Helga you said hello’?”
Bardo held up a hand to explain. “Hey, if Helga existed--and was into me--and was willing to pay a little attention to detail--I’m sure she would get my pizza just right.”
Amused , Tragan said nothing, because if Bardo’s logic made him happy, who was Tragan to argue with it?
~
An hour or so later, Matt and Pellican showed up with two jumbo cartons of Buffalo wings. As everyone descended on the food, Pellican announced, “Just a reminder-- don’t forget --you guys are helping me move on Saturday.”
“Yep.”
“We know.”
“And just so you know, it’s going to be back-breaking and intensive work,” Pellican went on, “so plan on being there all day.”
Matt snorted as he pried off his bottle cap. “You’re really selling it, man.”
“I just want to be upfront with it and honest,” Pellican said. “I’ve got a lot of stuff, so be prepared to lift more than just pillows.”
Impatiently, Tragan interrupted, “I lift heavy shit all day long. I think I can handle it.”
Meanwhile Bardo pressed two fingers to his throat, looking mildly distressed. “I think I’m coming down with a touch of something.”
“Bullshit,”
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