21. Vince
Vince
Nikolai handed his menu back to the waitress after ordering. Bastion and Luca shared a look. The two of them were acting strange tonight. When one wasn’t staring at me, the other was.
“So, um, I changed the menu. Added a heap of new dishes.” Luca said, tapping the table.
Glancing at Nikolai. Had he noticed how weird the twins were acting tonight? Bastions knee was jumping every few seconds and Luca had word vomit. Though the longer I looked at Nikolai, the more I got concerned about him. He looked sick.
“I’ll have the same as him.” I handed the waitress the menu.
“Nik ordered steak.” Luca said, staring at me.
“And?” I checked my watch. It wasn’t like her to be this late.
“Unfucking believable.” He muttered before asking the waitress just to bring the whiskey over.
“What is going on with them?” I muttered under my breath at Nik, who seemed to be in his own weird mood.
“So Rome can’t make it. Said um, he was real busy.” Bastion gulped a full glass of whiskey down, “So I thought um, if you need someone tonight, I’ll come with you.”
Why would I need someone? And when did we start to consider hiding at the brothels as real busy? Had the boys lost their minds? So this is what happens to them, when I’m unavailable for a week.
“What did you let happen to them this week?” Looking at Nikolai. “One week. You had to look after them for one week.”
“What? How is this my fault?”
“Romes hiding at the brothels. Luca has word vomit. Bastion has a nervous twitch and is volunteering to come with me to torture people.”
“Right, of course. Blame me.” Nik took the whiskey off the waitress.
Bastion started cursing under his breath. Following his eyeline. Finally, she is here.
Pointing between the twins, “Whatever this is, stop it.” Looking at Nikolai. “You and I will talk about this later.”
“Oh hi Maddy,” Bastion quickly spoke, as soon as she reached the table. “Are you by yourself tonight? If not, there is a better restaurant across the road. Great for um celebrating and real romantic too. Great for couples. Better than, um, this one.”
What the fuck was wrong with him? There was a theater across the road. Had he started using drugs? Madeline stared at him, confused. Like any sane person would.
“Just ignore him.” I got up, pulling the chair out beside me for her. Before they could scare her off.
So much for no serious damage could happen with me taking one week off.
Sitting back down, I dragged Madeline's chair closer to mine. Before resting my hand on her thigh.
“So Maddy, I heard you’ve got engaged.” Luca said, only for Bastion to hit him hard.
“Serious?” Bas yelled, glancing at the door again. “This situation isn’t hard enough without reminding him. How are you, my twin?”
“What? I didn’t ask her who!”
I lit a cigarette.
“I’m so confused.” Madeline muttered, looking at them.
Maybe that conversation with Nikolai can’t wait. She took the cigarette from me.
I hadn’t realized how much I missed her smoking with me until she was back.
Squeezing her thigh. Thank fuck she said yes.
Had the twins done a line of cocaine while I wasn’t looking? What the fuck was with those stupid grins?
“Alright, I’m starting to get concerned now. What is with you two?” Madeline asked, taking my whiskey. “Are you two just being weird because of our engagement?”
“I haven’t told them, so it wouldn’t be that.” I glanced at Nik. “Unless you told them.”
“How could I tell them? I didn’t know she said yes.
” Why was he looking at me like that? “Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been about you all week, Vince?
The sleep I’ve lost worrying about you?” Finishing his whiskey.
“How many times I have walked to your house and walked back? Worried. You’ve never asked for time off. Ever.”
“You could have called.”
“I did.”
Right. I had forgotten to call him back.
He shook his head. “I had my medication increased.”
“Well, you know now.”
Nik opened his mouth, ready to keep arguing.
“Stop it Nikolai, we’re just glad you’re back, Maddy,” Bastion cut him off. “So fucking happy you're back.”
No one would be nearly as happy as I was.
My life was liveable again.