It had been three weeks since Brian and Christmas Eve's wedding, when Rod kicked Nicky out, when Princeton and Kate broke up. Everybody had seen Nicky by then, and they were glad that he had somewhere to live. But Rod was somewhat sad that Nicky wasn't living with him anymore. He had to go see him. And where better to find him than the restaurant? Maybe, Rod thought, he's still going there.
About lunch time that Sunday, he went to the restaurant twenty blocks from Q, the one that he KNEW his ex-roommate loved visiting every day. As soon as he walked in, he spotted the green puppet's friend Anna at the cash register. She looked up to hand the guest checking out their receipt and smiled when she saw Rod. "Have a nice day," she said to the guest before coming around the counter and saying, "Hi, Rod. You here to see Nicky?"
"Yes, actually, Anna. Is he here?"
"He should be here soon. He always comes here at twelve-thirty on Sundays. Matt brings him in. And here he is," she added as her brother and her friend came through the front door. "It took you two long enough."
"His fault," Matt said, nodding at Nicky as he pulled his jacket off and hanging it on the coat rack behind the cash register. "Hi, Rod. You here to see Nicky?"
"No, actually, I came here for lunch. You know, try something new."
Anna nodded, glancing at her brother. "Go, go, go! Matt, if you're gone any longer, Dad's gonna take start taking out of your paycheck. Go tell him you're back from getting Nicky." As Matt scampered off, she added to Rod, "Do you want a table with Nicky?"
"I'd rather not, please, ma'am."
"Okay, then. Come on. Nicky, I'll be right back."
***
"For the love of God, you're a horrible liar, Rod," she said, setting the tray down on the stand.
"Was I really that bad?"
"It's okay, kid," Anna smiled, getting his glass and refilling it with water. "Nicky's fine, by the way. Dad's given him a job here at the restaurant. He'll be able to be on his own two feet after he's gotten enough money to get his own apartment and pay rent. Granted, of course, you don't ask him to move back in."
"If I did ask him to move back in with me, Anna, do you think your dad would let him keep his job here?"
"Nicky wanted the job, he applied, Dad interviewed him, and he got the job. As far as Dad's concerned, Nicky's a permanent member of the staff here at the restaurant. Of course Nicky'd still have his job here."
"Oh, good. Thank you for putting up with him, though."
"It's nothing, Rod."
"Anna, keep moving. Other people to be served."
"Oh, for the love of Pete," she muttered, rolling her eyes as her brother passed. "Matt, I'm friends with the man."
"Doesn't mean you can keep the other customers waiting."
"Shut up." She smacked him on the arm before laughing and going back to the kitchen to get her next order.