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Chapter 12
Danny woke up to the smell of bacon frying in the kitchen. He sat up without opening his eyes. He took a deep breath and welcomed the aroma.
His stomach woke with a grumble.
"Good morning, Honey." Russ teased from across the room.
Danny fell back onto the sofa. "Good night, Dear."
Russ grinned and opened the fridge. "Want scrambled?"
"Sure." He rubbed his closed eyes. His head felt strange. He lay on the sofa and debated on whether to go back to sleep or not.
Just as he had almost decided, Russ sat a cup of coffee on the low table. "And black, with a touch of salt. Just like you like it."
Danny groaned and sat up, still without opening his eyes.
"Finally got some sleep, huh?"
"Yeah. I had the craziest dream." He found that someone had put a blanket on him. He picked up the coffee and held it under his nose. "I'm thinking about going back to sleep-"
"You probably need it." Russ excused. "But, if you don't mind…let's have breakfast together. I have a meeting and won't be back until this afternoon. I need your input on some stuff. And your signatures on these documents I brought. I'm going to take them to the lawyers and get this shit done, today."
Danny nodded and sipped his coffee. "Alright."
Russ walked back over to the kitchen.
Danny stood up scratching his head as he walked over to the bar with one eye half-open. His neck had a sharp pain in it. He groaned and moved his hand to the spot. He felt a little mark on his neck, as if something had bitten him. Maybe it was a pimple beginning.
He sat down. "What time did you get in?"
"After you had gone to sleep. Clean slate feels good doesn't it?"
Danny sipped his coffee and hummed that it did. "Day One of Danny's new life."
"I like that." Russ insisted. "Where did you get that?"
"Beats me."
Russ continued to cook. "What did you dream about, Tiger?"
Danny grinned at his nickname. "Funny you say that. Fishing. Up there at the house."
"Down there."
"Huh?"
"Down there. South Carolina …south of New York. Down there…."
"Right, down there. Anyway."
"Catch anything?"
"A really, big bass."
Russ smiled proudly. "Like that one you got when we went. The kids still talk about that. Was I there?"
"Nah." Danny rubbed his eyes and thought. "I don't think so. It was weird."
"Yeah? How?"
"I don't know….but…oh. My grandfather was there. That's right. Yeah, we were fishing. Right up there on top of the mountain where you caught that snake."
Russ glanced up. "Where I screamed like a bitch. I never thought about snakes in the water."
Danny laughed at the memory. "I'll never forget that."
"Thank you for never telling anyone."
One thing Russ prided above all things was his masculinity. The very idea of his very tough, movie superstar screaming in a shrill feminine way as he ran straight into a tree and breaking his nose was absolutely the most hilarious thing Danny had ever seen in his life.
Danny hid his laughter with another drink of his coffee.
Russ shook his head. "Odd time for a nose job, but…"
"It had to be done, Pinnochio."
Russ grinned. "My wife doesn't even know about that."
"Still?"
He glanced up at him and winked. "Adds to the mystery of just who is Russ Mitchell?"
"A chicken shit." Danny said flatly.
"It was a fucking snake, man-"
"It was a black snake-"
"Snake! They are evil, man."
"Oh, they are not-"
"It says so even in the Bible."
"It does not-"
"Right there in Genesis. See, for even all of the slackers who never even get past the creation story. Snakes. Bad. Simple."
Danny was laughing now. "A black snake is not a bad snake."
"I could give a shit about his affiliation."
"It's harmless. I've told you that-"
"Bullshit. It nearly killed me! Straight fucking heart attack."
"Oh geez. You pussy."
They still were sharing a quiet laugh while Russ put the eggs on the plates, bacon, and toast.
"Anyway. Sounds to me like your Grandfather must have given you some good advice while you were fishing. Let's go with it." Russ held up his coffee cup to toast his friend. "To, Day One of Danny's new life."
Danny held up his cup and drank with him. "Day One. Alright."
Russ handed up a plate. "I've gotten better at cooking eggs. You need to try them."
Danny closed his eyes and groaned. Ever since he had met Russ, he had attempted to prepare the fabled "perfect egg." He had sampled every one since then. Even the oddball ones such as chocolate chip, sausage, and shrimp eggs. And something he probably needed to introduce Lewis to, scrambled eggs and sliced olives. Thankfully, these looked rather normal. They only seemed to have onions and peppers in them.
Russ grabbed his plate, leaned against the cabinet, and began to eat. "So, I had another thought about this girl."
"Just a thought?"
"Several actually." He said without looking up. "I have questions."
"I have answers. Go."
"Blond?"
"Brunette-"
"Liar." Russ grinned. "Where did you meet her?"
"Men's room. Downstairs."
Russ looked up at him and smiled. "I'll figure it out. You are a shit secret keeper."
Danny grinned.
"And it is a girl?"
"Yes. I checked."
Russ nodded. "Alright. Legal age?"
Danny laughed, "Of course she is. It said so on her documentation that I insisted to see."
Russ grinned. "I like her."
"What?"
"Blond. Makes you smile this much? Sounds hot. You should call her."
"Call her?"
"Yes." Russ insisted and crammed his mouth with food. "It's Day One. Let's start it with a bang!"
"Small problem."
"Bigger solution."
"Didn't get her number-"
"But, you know how to get in touch with her. Don't you?"
He smiled, "Maybe,"
"You do." Russ crammed some more food into his face. "So, this is what you're going to do. Grab your phone."
"Now?"
"Right now. Before you chicken out, loser. Ask her to lunch." Russ sat his plate down and took Danny's phone off of the charger. He must have plugged it in for him when he got back last night. "I won't look. You don't have to tell me who it is. Text."
"Nah, forget that." Danny shook his head. "I have a full day planned of snoring on that couch."
"Then ask her to lunch tomorrow."
"Why, is this so important to you?"
"Because it's important to you. You just don't know it yet." Russ insisted and crammed food in his mouth again. "Have I ever steered you wrong?"
Danny closed his eyes and held out his hand. "Text. Alright. Umm." He took a moment to eat some toast while he decided on what to do.
"What'cha doing?"
"Thinking."
Russ chewed his mouthful of food and stared at Danny. After a bit, Russ nodded. "I see. Thinking is a new thing for you-"
"About this it is."
"What do you have to lose, man? All the cards are stacked in your favor right now. She'll probably walk over here and ask for seconds."
"That's the problem. How do I call her without making it look like I'm asking for seconds?"
"Just ask for it. You have already done it."
Danny shook his head. "That shit doesn't work for women, man-"
"It did for Carol."
"Plus, you're on bed rest."
"I'm looking after your cherry, man. I'm sure mine has grown back." Russ sat his empty plate down and wiped his mouth with a paper towel. "I swear. I'm done having kids have this one."
"Have a –"
"I'm not having a vasectomy. No!"
"It's really not that big a deal."
"Nope. I still can't believe you did that, man."
"You would be getting more ass than a public toilet."
"That's not the problem! Carol's worse than me!"
Danny laughed under his breath. "You're ridiculous."
"Someone should be getting laid if I can't."
Danny sighed, "I'll think about it."
Russ pointed at him, "Damn right you will."
Danny laughed. "More coffee, Dear?"
"Yes, Honey." Russ said and filled Danny's cup, "I could better assist if I had more information."
"I don't require assistance. There's nothing there."
"Sure?"
Danny shrugged his shoulders. "Well…maybe."
"So, a one-night thing? That's not your style-"
"Oh, how do you know -"
"I know you. Sport fuck is not in your vocabulary."
"I'll think about it."
"Promise-"
"Yeah."
"Promise?"
Danny held up his coffee and looked at his determined friend.
"Danny. It's been a long time since you smiled like this. Really think about calling her. I can get a hotel if-"
Danny laughed as if the idea was absurd. "This is your place!"
"No. It's your place while you're staying here." Russ looked at his watch. "Oh, shit. I better get moving. Eat."
Danny sipped his coffee. "What time is your meeting?"
"In an hour." Russ sat his plate in the sink and rubbed his hands together.
"The elevator will take most of that."
Russ laughed as he walked over to the stool next to where Danny sat and pulled out some folders. "These are marked where you need to sign them. Go ahead and I'll grab them on my way out."
Danny pulled them to himself. "Alright."
Russ walked to the room behind the kitchen area. By the time he had returned, Danny was closing the last folder.
Russ was adjusting his jacket and had put on a pair of sunglasses. "Alright. Are these ready?"
Danny nodded and sipped his coffee.
Russ tucked them under his arm and stopped to smile at his friend. "Day One."
Danny smiled, "Day One."
Russ spoke as he walked over to the door to leave. "Call me if you need me to hang somewhere else."
"Bye!"
Russ stopped before he closed the door. "That bag is all of your stuff."
Danny rose his eyebrows in surprise. "Oh! Thanks."
Russ closed the door as Danny pulled the bag over to himself. Inside, he found a wooden cigar box. He glanced inside to ensure what was supposed to be in there, was there. He sat it on the bar and then pulled out a handful of sketchbooks that were worn. He looked in the bag to see the old, red quilt that he had teased Russ to bring him in New York. He took it from the bag and smiled as he unfolded it. Something flung out of it. Danny looked up in time to see a teddy bear bounce across the floor. He lay the quilt on the stool and walked over to pick up the teddy bear.
A lump grew in his throat as he studied the bear. The subject of so many of his drawings along with his owner.
He rubbed the fur that was sticky because of a band-aid that had begun to come off of his arm. He gently pressed it back against the material, but it didn't stick. Instead, it curled back up.
"So, it's Day One for you, too. How do you feel about that Roger?"
The bear didn't answer.
Danny kissed the bear's forehead and tucked him under his arm. Then he put everything else back into the bag and zipped it closed again.
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