Chapter 2
Bolt is driving back to his apartment he rented with his group. He met Balto, who Bolt enjoyed talking about, and he had been so kind to them that Bolt wanted to treat Balto to a little gathering.
Bolt looks at Mittens and kisses her on the cheek. "Honey, what do you think of Balto coming over for our little gathering?"
Mittens turns her head towards him and chuckles. "Maybe Balto is busy spending time with his family to even be concerned with our party."
Bolt nods his head. "You're right. But maybe we can invite him and his family over. He'll like that!"
Mittens sighs lightly. "Ok then. We will invite Balto over. If he can come over, he has to be on his best behavior. Understood?"
Bolt chuckles. "Yes ma'am."
As soon as they arrived at the apartment, Bolt picked up his cell phone when he stopped suddenly.
He turns back to Mittens and frowns. "Shoot. I never got his number."
Mitten chuckles. "Just look in the phone book. No wait. He might not have a telephone. We can drive around until we find him, if you want to?"
Bolt smiles at her. "I want to. Let's go find him!"
Mittens nods her head. "Let's go then."
Balto was standing at the same corner he saw Bolt show up at. He looked at his watch; the time read 8:00 pm. He lowered his arm and reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigar. He pulled out his combat knife and cut the end off like he always does. He puts away his knife and then pulls out his lighter. He tries to ignite the damn thing, but comes to the conclusion that the lighter is out of fuel.
He looks up and says, "Fuck."
Balto tilts his head back down and stares off into the darkness. He is listening to all the sounds in the distance; cars screeching to a halt on wet asphalt, doors being slammed shut, a woman telling her husband to go to hell, a man calling his wife a slut, an ambulance driving off to some injured person, and others he does not concern himself with. As he is standing there, a limousine pulls up in front of him again. He watches Bolt get out and he approaches Balto.
Bolt smiles awkwardly. "Oh uh…do you want to, you know, come to a little gathering with us? You don't have to, but we would love it if you did. And you can bring your family if you want to."
Balto smiles at him. "I would love to come over. When is it?"
Bolt chuckles. "Get in. It starts in a couple of hours."
Balto nods his head and he gets into the limousine and they head off towards Bolt's apartment.
Bolt is praying that Balto does not start cursing around Penny and Penny's mom. He also invited some other people as well so that it's not so awkward.
Bolt then hears Penny ask Balto, "So what do you do in your spare time?"
Bolt turns and sees Balto smile at her. "I just walk around town. Nothing to exciting."
Bolt sees that everyone is in tuxedos or dresses except Balto; he is in his officer's uniform.
Penny asks Balto, "So where is your family? Don't you live here?"
Balto chuckles slightly. "I wish I lived here. I live in a small town called Nome and it's in Alaska. My family is there too."
Penny smiles at him. "That is so neat. So how long are you staying here, Balto?"
Balto's smile is replaced with a sad look. "This is my last day here. I'm leaving tomorrow."
Penny's mom heads over with a look of concern on her face. "Tomorrow?! Where are you heading off to?"
Balto shrugs his shoulders. "I'm heading back to Germany. I will be gone for about three years."
Penny's mom's jaw drops. "Three…three…three…three years?! That is an awful long time. Are you married or have a girlfriend."
Balto smiles at her. "I have a wife. Her name is Jenna and she is in Alaska."
Penny's mom frowns. "Doesn't she miss you? She is probably worried sick about you and you won't see her for three years."
Balto starts to cry. "Jenna is in a…a…a coma. She has been for about a year now. I will miss her always."
The conversation ends with both Penny and her mom crying. Balto walks out of Bolt's apartment and stands on the corner for about thirty seconds before heading off towards the military base near Houston.
Bolt runs down the stairs and sees that Balto is nowhere to be found. Giving up, he heads back up towards his apartment again.
A/N:They never leave him alone, do they? He's leaving for three years and they have to make him cry and become stressed out. Really! Anyway, R&R
