of the metal cylinder between his thumb and forefinger, and then flicked it forward. A double 17, followed by a 9, and then a double 20.
"Not bad," said Julia, "For an old timer." Thomas winked at Buck, who raised his beer and inhaled the other half. They played mostly in silence, each intent on the game, on the score, on beating the other. Mostly Thomas would watch the board, but a few times he found himself watching Julia as she stepped up to throw, as she slowly rolled the dart between her fingers and sighted down its length at the old board. At how she eased her weight from her back leg to her front, at the way the lights seemed to catch her dark hair and bring out the red highlights.
Julia won, and Buck let out a loud groan of disappointment. "Jee-sus, so much for New York City showing the yokels how it's done. Next round's on you, T-Dog."
"T-Dog? Seriously?" Thomas replied. Buck grinned happily in response and Thomas was forced to laugh. He drained his beer and shook his head at Julia's wide smile. Not bothering to throw a comment her way, he threaded his way through the now-thicker crowd, waiting for a good minute or two before getting the bartender's attention and ordered another round. Standing still between the other customers, a small island of silence amidst their chatter, he thought of how normal this all seemed, how nobody here would be able to guess that tomorrow he was be going to talk to a cracked up kid and then delve into the depths of an abandoned building after his stolen brother.
The beers were cold. Thomas paid, and when he turned he saw that Buck and Julia had abandoned the darts for a booth. Walking over, beers triangulated between his hands, he slid in next to Julia, the old leather soft and smooth beneath his thighs, and passed the out the drinks.
"A toast," said Buck, raising his green bottle up on high. "To losing graciously like gentlemen, and to conquering new bars and beers."
Julia paused and half lowered her drink. She looked dubiously at Buck, and then flashed a look at Thomas. "How about... to strange coincidences leading to unexpected meetings?"
Thomas shook his head. "To Henry," he said, and clinked his bottle against theirs before they could protest. "To my brother, wherever he is." The other two nodded, and Thomas watched Julia as she drank. Setting his bottle down, he relaxed into the seat and gazed out over the bar.
"So how'd Thomas rope you into this?" Julia asked Buck.
"Well, I wouldn't say 'roped' is the right word," said Buck. "I was all up for a road trip and getting out of the office. I didn't have anything planned for this weekend other than some work, and hell, Thomas promised beer and adventure. How could a good friend say no?"
"No plans but work?" asked Julia, "Really?" She smiled at him, but he lowered his eyes to his beer, going red once more.
"Yeah, well, you know. I do go out--plenty. Just didn't have anything planned for this weekend in particular."
"Oh," said Julia, aware of having inadvertently strayed onto thin ice, "Yeah, sure."
Thomas leaned forward, elbows on the table, and smiled at Buck. "The man hasn't quite fallen on his feet since he left his fraternity."
"You were a frat boy?" asked Julia.
"Hells yeah," he said, looking up and smiling again. "Man. The stories I could tell you."
"I bet most of them involved your getting paddled by your older brothers," said Julia.
"What? No! It wasn't like that--the movies completely--"
"Buck," said Thomas, "She's winding you up."
"Oh," said Buck, looking blankly from one to the other. "Oh, okay."
Nobody spoke, each taking a drink from their beer, and then Julia shifted around to look at Thomas, a strange little smile playing on her face. "So you're married?"
Thomas was in the middle of drinking from his beer, and looked from her to Buck without lowering the bottle. Buck raised an eyebrow and leaned back.
"Yes," said Thomas, lowering the bottle. "I'm married."
"How long have you been married?"
"About
"Not bad," said Julia, "For an old timer." Thomas winked at Buck, who raised his beer and inhaled the other half. They played mostly in silence, each intent on the game, on the score, on beating the other. Mostly Thomas would watch the board, but a few times he found himself watching Julia as she stepped up to throw, as she slowly rolled the dart between her fingers and sighted down its length at the old board. At how she eased her weight from her back leg to her front, at the way the lights seemed to catch her dark hair and bring out the red highlights.
Julia won, and Buck let out a loud groan of disappointment. "Jee-sus, so much for New York City showing the yokels how it's done. Next round's on you, T-Dog."
"T-Dog? Seriously?" Thomas replied. Buck grinned happily in response and Thomas was forced to laugh. He drained his beer and shook his head at Julia's wide smile. Not bothering to throw a comment her way, he threaded his way through the now-thicker crowd, waiting for a good minute or two before getting the bartender's attention and ordered another round. Standing still between the other customers, a small island of silence amidst their chatter, he thought of how normal this all seemed, how nobody here would be able to guess that tomorrow he was be going to talk to a cracked up kid and then delve into the depths of an abandoned building after his stolen brother.
The beers were cold. Thomas paid, and when he turned he saw that Buck and Julia had abandoned the darts for a booth. Walking over, beers triangulated between his hands, he slid in next to Julia, the old leather soft and smooth beneath his thighs, and passed the out the drinks.
"A toast," said Buck, raising his green bottle up on high. "To losing graciously like gentlemen, and to conquering new bars and beers."
Julia paused and half lowered her drink. She looked dubiously at Buck, and then flashed a look at Thomas. "How about... to strange coincidences leading to unexpected meetings?"
Thomas shook his head. "To Henry," he said, and clinked his bottle against theirs before they could protest. "To my brother, wherever he is." The other two nodded, and Thomas watched Julia as she drank. Setting his bottle down, he relaxed into the seat and gazed out over the bar.
"So how'd Thomas rope you into this?" Julia asked Buck.
"Well, I wouldn't say 'roped' is the right word," said Buck. "I was all up for a road trip and getting out of the office. I didn't have anything planned for this weekend other than some work, and hell, Thomas promised beer and adventure. How could a good friend say no?"
"No plans but work?" asked Julia, "Really?" She smiled at him, but he lowered his eyes to his beer, going red once more.
"Yeah, well, you know. I do go out--plenty. Just didn't have anything planned for this weekend in particular."
"Oh," said Julia, aware of having inadvertently strayed onto thin ice, "Yeah, sure."
Thomas leaned forward, elbows on the table, and smiled at Buck. "The man hasn't quite fallen on his feet since he left his fraternity."
"You were a frat boy?" asked Julia.
"Hells yeah," he said, looking up and smiling again. "Man. The stories I could tell you."
"I bet most of them involved your getting paddled by your older brothers," said Julia.
"What? No! It wasn't like that--the movies completely--"
"Buck," said Thomas, "She's winding you up."
"Oh," said Buck, looking blankly from one to the other. "Oh, okay."
Nobody spoke, each taking a drink from their beer, and then Julia shifted around to look at Thomas, a strange little smile playing on her face. "So you're married?"
Thomas was in the middle of drinking from his beer, and looked from her to Buck without lowering the bottle. Buck raised an eyebrow and leaned back.
"Yes," said Thomas, lowering the bottle. "I'm married."
"How long have you been married?"
"About
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