Occasionally they said they were. And it felt like the truth.
“C’mon,” Tim coaxed. “Looks like you could use a drink.”
“I think that’s what shrinks call projection.”
“Call it what you want, but I’m feeling thirsty. ”
Web glanced at his parents and hesitated. “I don’t know, maybe I shouldn’t leave them…”
Tim cut him off. “I’m only asking for an hour, buddy.” He put a hand on Web’s should and more gently added, “C’mon, it’ll do you good.”
Web was tempted. He could use some time away from this grief-stricken house. And there was nobody on earth he’d rather spend it with than Tim and the third member of their blood-brothers trio, Danny Callahan, who had quite naturally eased into the spot Serena had vacated back in elementary school.
Tim and Danny. His support network. They’d come over to the house early that morning and had barely left his side since.
Finally he gave Tim a nod. “Let’s find Danny.”
They picked their way through the crowd and spotted their other friend in the living room. He was standing behind the couch chatting with Beth and her boyfriend Gary, who’d flown in from Montana. Gary had been spending the holidays with his family when he’d gotten the terrible phone call. He’d taken the first flight out, and arrived a few hours earlier.
Danny turned as the two men approached, flashing a mile-wide Irish grin that, in combination with his red hair and lightly freckled face, made him look like the sunny seventh-grader he had once been. Except now Web noticed his friend had put on some weight. Of medium height and build, Danny’s weight bounced between a healthy 165 and a chubby 185, depending on how stressed he was. Web wondered what was going on with him to tip the scales toward porky again.
“Beth, I’m going to escape for a bit,” Web said, feeling a flutter of guilt in his belly again. His sister’s eyes were still puffy from hours of crying, and he could tell she’d tried makeup to conceal some of the redness. It wasn’t working. He glanced uncertainly at Gary then back at Beth.
Beth touched his arm reassuringly. “Go, Web,” she urged. “Get away for awhile. I’ll stay here with Mom and Dad.”
“Maybe you guys want to come with us? We’re going to The Grape.” The saloon was a favorite local spot, the place every Avondale kid went on their twenty-first birthday when they became old enough to drink legally, and Web hoped mention of it would entice her. She could obviously use some time away from the somber gathering too. At The Grape they could kick back and relax and stop having to make solemn promises that they’d stay strong for the sake of their parents.
“No, go on,” Beth said, looking young and frail in the yellow dress she’d pulled from the depths of her girlhood closet. She sagged tiredly into Gary, who put his arm around her and squeezed her shoulders protectively. “We’ll stay here and hold up the fort.”
“You sure?” Web asked skeptically.
“I’m sure. Go.” When he still didn’t make a move, she added, “As soon as you guys leave, I’m going to go upstairs for a nap. Promise. Sleep is all I really need right now.”
Web finally relented. “Okay, Bethie, as long as you’re sure,” he said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks.” To Gary he added, “I’m glad you’re here.”
“Me, too,” said Gary.
Web said goodbye and the three men went to the hall and retrieved their coats from the closet.
“I’ll meet you over there,” Danny said as he slipped his wool overcoat over his sports jacket. “I need to make a call first.” He dug his cell phone from his pocket and flipped open the cover. “You know, to The Wife.” He snorted. “For permission to go out and play with you guys.”
Web and Tim shared the look that only bachelors have the right to share and followed Danny outside.
“Tell her we’ll make sure to get you home in time for dinner,” Tim called out. “And
“C’mon,” Tim coaxed. “Looks like you could use a drink.”
“I think that’s what shrinks call projection.”
“Call it what you want, but I’m feeling thirsty. ”
Web glanced at his parents and hesitated. “I don’t know, maybe I shouldn’t leave them…”
Tim cut him off. “I’m only asking for an hour, buddy.” He put a hand on Web’s should and more gently added, “C’mon, it’ll do you good.”
Web was tempted. He could use some time away from this grief-stricken house. And there was nobody on earth he’d rather spend it with than Tim and the third member of their blood-brothers trio, Danny Callahan, who had quite naturally eased into the spot Serena had vacated back in elementary school.
Tim and Danny. His support network. They’d come over to the house early that morning and had barely left his side since.
Finally he gave Tim a nod. “Let’s find Danny.”
They picked their way through the crowd and spotted their other friend in the living room. He was standing behind the couch chatting with Beth and her boyfriend Gary, who’d flown in from Montana. Gary had been spending the holidays with his family when he’d gotten the terrible phone call. He’d taken the first flight out, and arrived a few hours earlier.
Danny turned as the two men approached, flashing a mile-wide Irish grin that, in combination with his red hair and lightly freckled face, made him look like the sunny seventh-grader he had once been. Except now Web noticed his friend had put on some weight. Of medium height and build, Danny’s weight bounced between a healthy 165 and a chubby 185, depending on how stressed he was. Web wondered what was going on with him to tip the scales toward porky again.
“Beth, I’m going to escape for a bit,” Web said, feeling a flutter of guilt in his belly again. His sister’s eyes were still puffy from hours of crying, and he could tell she’d tried makeup to conceal some of the redness. It wasn’t working. He glanced uncertainly at Gary then back at Beth.
Beth touched his arm reassuringly. “Go, Web,” she urged. “Get away for awhile. I’ll stay here with Mom and Dad.”
“Maybe you guys want to come with us? We’re going to The Grape.” The saloon was a favorite local spot, the place every Avondale kid went on their twenty-first birthday when they became old enough to drink legally, and Web hoped mention of it would entice her. She could obviously use some time away from the somber gathering too. At The Grape they could kick back and relax and stop having to make solemn promises that they’d stay strong for the sake of their parents.
“No, go on,” Beth said, looking young and frail in the yellow dress she’d pulled from the depths of her girlhood closet. She sagged tiredly into Gary, who put his arm around her and squeezed her shoulders protectively. “We’ll stay here and hold up the fort.”
“You sure?” Web asked skeptically.
“I’m sure. Go.” When he still didn’t make a move, she added, “As soon as you guys leave, I’m going to go upstairs for a nap. Promise. Sleep is all I really need right now.”
Web finally relented. “Okay, Bethie, as long as you’re sure,” he said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks.” To Gary he added, “I’m glad you’re here.”
“Me, too,” said Gary.
Web said goodbye and the three men went to the hall and retrieved their coats from the closet.
“I’ll meet you over there,” Danny said as he slipped his wool overcoat over his sports jacket. “I need to make a call first.” He dug his cell phone from his pocket and flipped open the cover. “You know, to The Wife.” He snorted. “For permission to go out and play with you guys.”
Web and Tim shared the look that only bachelors have the right to share and followed Danny outside.
“Tell her we’ll make sure to get you home in time for dinner,” Tim called out. “And
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