Kurt was in Mocha Daze for his lunch break. I'd called him afterhis initial outburst at the house a couple days back. He stilldidn't feel that great about my decision, but, at least, we wereon talking terms.
Knowing he was coming over, I'd ordered sandwiches from the bakerydown the street and had them waiting for him. He had his mouth full of cream cheese and onion when he mentioned the column.
"Sorry, Kurt, I can't make out what you're saying. Didn't yourmommy ever tell you not to talk with your mouth full?"
"You heard me." He finished smacking on the crust of the bread,punctuating the end of the sandwich with a burp.
I grabbed his empty plate and dropped it in the sink with thedirty coffee cups. "Gracious me. If I didn't know better, I'dthink you were a p-i-g." A tense silence followed.
"Sorry to offend your virgin ears." He jammed a finger into hismouth and scraped matted bread out of his gum when I realizedmaybe we were better suited as friends. "I liked the writing," he responded."Even if I didn't like the ideas expressed."
I dipped my head in appreciation. "Keep it up with that kind ofpraise and you'll get what you're after, Mr. Reed." Hey, he was trying.
Mike walked in, limping a little-- still looking like crap.
He nodded at Kurt and sat down at the counter.
"Hey, my little prima donna. How's the knee?" I asked.
"Knees," he said, taking off his jacket and resting it on thestool between himself and Kurt. "Want me to be honest with you?"They suck." Mike dropped a couple of bills on the table. "Got anymilk?"
I watched Kurt as he casually glanced down to where Mike's jacketlay. Checking for drugs, I assumed. This detective wasworking twenty-four hours a day.
"The hard stuff." I set two half pints of milk on the counterand scooped up the bills. "Stomach nasty?"
Mike rolled his eyes for a sec and ran a hand through his hair."Tastes better than Pepto Dismal."
I turned to Kurt. "Have you met Mike?"
"I've only heard about him. Fran's ex-roommate, right?" He heldout his hand to Mike.
Mike looked at Kurt's hand like it was a bear trap waiting to takehis arm off at the shoulder. "You've met Fran?"
"I have. Hell of a woman." He took hold of Mike's hesitant handand they shook. "Kurt Reed."
"I'm not even going to ask you what she talked about." said Mike,putting his hand back around his milk and raising it to his lips.A trickle of the white fluid rolled down the curves of his chinand splashed onto his shirt.
"Drugs. Vomiting. Nudity. Tequila. And men with guns." said Kurt,smiling. I couldn't help but laugh.
Mike buried his head in his hands. "Can I plead the fifth?"
"That'd be my suggestion. Unless you want to talk about it," saidKurt. "Hugo, anymore sandwiches?"
