What Can You Not Buy With Money?

“We need to talk,” I had taken the plunge in the freezing water that was confrontation. It had been painful trying to get the courage to approach him, but at my lunch break I impulsively approached the Club. When I entered it, I wondered if I had suffered a severe head injury, for I was baffled at seeing it snow in San Diego—indoors, at that!

“Oh, I’m a little busy.” Walker quickly turned his back to me and began taking out soy sauce and avocados.

I looked around and not a single person was there in the Neo Sushi Club. Since Christmas was approaching, the Club had been decorated with actual snow falling and blown by ceiling fans. The colors green and red were everywhere.

“How did you guys manage to make and handle the snow?” I temporarily got off topic by staring at the flakes flutter by. Though it was supposed to be freezing cold, it was a comfortable temperature in the room and when the particles melted onto my skin it was a pleasant cooling sensation.

“We cranked up the heaters and placed them on the floor so when they reach the ground it’s all evaporated. And we installed this giant ice shaver up on the roof—but it’s a headache lugging these giant ice blocks every hour. You like?” Walker turned around but his usual smile wasn’t glowing on his face.

“Yeah. Who’s idea?”

“Mine.” Walker served a small tray of his latest creation: an avocado sculpture of a reindeer was drinking from a little puddle of soy sauce. “Here, I was just finishing this up.”

“All right,” I took a seat. “I’ll murder this cute green Bambi on one condition.” I held up my index finger and tried to act as though we never had any problems. Like we were best friends again.

He forced a small grin but his eyes were fluttering down to his feet. “Okay... what?”

“You help me. I don’t think I have the heart to do this alone.”

“Um,” Walker’s mouth was taut with uncertainty.

“Please,” I could feel my eyebrows go upward in a saddened plead.

“Okay.” He took off his headband and went from behind the sushi bar, taking a seat next to me. “I’m sure Lawrence won’t mind.”

“Lawrence?”

“My boss. He owns the building and manages the boring business stuff. I cook and make the place pretty.” Walker took two pairs of chopsticks and handed them to me. “So, what do you—want to talk about?” He squirmed in his seat while he decapitated the figurine. It broke my heart watching an artist destroy his creation.

“I just want to say that I’m not angry anymore. I want us to still be friends.”

Walker coughed in midchew and covered his mouth, his eyes seemed to glisten with shock. “How could you want me after what I did to you?”

“Look,” I gave him a stare that felt as though I Burgess was rubbing off of me. I could practically feel that I had silvery blue eyes that could see through metal. “What you did hurt me, and it was selfish and cruel.”

Walker nodded and fidgeted his hands. “I’m sorry. But see, that's why you deserve better friends.”

“I forgive you.” I took his hands and held them. “You’re the first real friend I ever had. Lila Maddock doesn't count. I don’t want to lose you.” My heart was thumping, for I believed that I would, infact, lose him. There was a desperate hope that we would be companions again, for I didn’t know what I would do if we wouldn’t be able to look each other in the eye any longer or laugh together or be together. If that happened, I felt like I'd die.

For, even though I realized we weren’t meant just for each other, I would miss him so much that my heart would truly break. In a way, I had fallen in love with Walker. But it was in a way that I knew was more permanent than a romance. I wanted to be able to rely upon him and I wanted him to rely upon me. And I was terrified that our bond would be severed forever.

“I’m your first friend?” Walker voice was in shock, as though he didn’t believe it possible. But flattery was in his eyes and he smiled kindly at me.

“I hardly met decent people, and they usually ran off when they met Lila or my mother. And I don’t want you to do the same. So please,” I half begged and half told him.

Walker looked at me and without hesitation replied, “Yes. Thank you." He smiled at me with a sadness that showed he hadn’t forgiven himself just yet. “You know you do mean a lot to me. I don't think I could ever hurt you again." He forced a grin as he squeezed his chopsticks, his eyes beginning to glisten with tears. "Why did I do that?" He murmured to himself with remorse and sorrow.

It was a perfect Disney moment, when we hugged each other on our bar stools side by side. And it felt amazing to have the heavy load of tension between us vanish as though it never existed. And it was soothing and heavenly to feel his warm arms around my shoulders. The magical illusion of the snow showered around us like innocent stars, surrounding us in a curtain of peace.

It was one of those moments when you felt complete happiness, as though you were trapped in a prison but suddenly free. Everything was beautiful; everything was loved. And it was moments like those that I wished would happen all the time. But then again, it wouldn’t be as special if they did.

“So how about after work tonight, we can go watch a movie at our place? Lucy’s been dying for one all month.”

“Sure,” Walker grinned cheerily and he looked younger, livelier, and at peace. It was almost as though I could feel his very soul being merry with laughter, the change was that powerful.

A middle aged man entered from the back and stared at us. “Walker! I turn my back on you for one second and you go and hit on a helpless customer!”

“No, it’s cool, Lawrence!” Walker held his hands up and his goofy aura was back. “This is my good friend, Mary.”

“Nice to meet you,” Lawrence shook my hand firmly, his grip sweaty and shaky. “I’m sorry to be rude, I’m Lawrence Michaels.”

“Hi,” I smiled at him but he looked as though he had a great deal on his mind. Despite looking double our age, he was lean and had silvery black hair tied in a pony tail. He was clearly of Asian heritage, but his speech was flawless with not a single accent.

“Walker, can I talk to you for a moment,” He thumbed the back room and looked at the front door nervously. He quickly limped to the door to flip the OPEN sign to CLOSED. I noticed that he had a bad ankle, for he practically waddled wherever he went. “Mary, this is going to sound very unwelcoming but I think it’d be smart if you get away from here. There’s— ” He jumped when there was a few heavy knocks.

I looked to see five muscular but short asian men, all with taut smiles that made me realize that we were in trouble.

My Smartphone rang and I took it, keeping my eyes on the men who were grinning into the restaurant maniacally. “Yes, Mr. Burgess?”

Their eyes flickered onto me, looking disappointed and scared, believing I was calling the police. They looked at one another, clenching their fists and considering their next move.

“Your lunch shift’s almost over. I need you to head back now. Did you take care of things with Charles?”

“Yes, thanks. Everything’s back to normal.” I let out a deep sigh of relief when they all began to spread out and disappear. “Thank you for the help."

“Spare me the gushy ass kissing and get over here.” Burgess hung up. He sounded stressed again, but I could practically hear his smirk over the phone.

“Oh, Thank God,” Lawrence clutched his chest, his hand over his heart.

“They’re starting to be a little more daring,” Walker scoffed and folded his arms.

“Who were they?” I put my phone away and was about to leave.

Lawrence and Walker acted as though they did something dirty, shuffling their feet like trouble making children about to be chastised by their mother.

“Well,” Lawrence rubbed the back of his neck. “I took up the restaurant trade years ago from a certain group of… rough individuals. When I left and started my own business, they didn’t like that a few of their secrets were being used by me. They had only given a few threats before, but now they’ve become a bit more desperate for results. All of our customers have been intimidated and so business has been tight lately.”

“You’ve pissed off the Japanese mafia?” I gaped at the man incredulously.

“Oh, well—“ Lawrence laughed. “I wouldn’t call them the mafia, but they’re violent. We may go out of business soon if they don’t lay off scaring away our customers.”

He let out a nervous laugh and Walker shrugged with an apologetic smile. Their refusal to say anymore was enough for me to not learn anymore. I could feel the vibration of the Smartphone being paged, reminding me that I had to leave.

“All right. Well, I’ve got to go,” I started taking a few steps back and waved a farewell. “But I’ll be back later. Walker, give me a call tonight, okay?” and with that I quickly ended that piece of adventure.

But on my way back to work, I realized that my hand was shaking. I had been terrified seeing those men staring in at us, smiling as though they knew something or that they were going to do something. They had put images of Jonathan Bohr in my mind. Burgess and Walker both had their enemies, but it was disheartening to know it. Everyone had an enemy, and that was the curse of society.

And I considered the sad possibility that Walker would lose his job as an Itamae. The Neo Sushi Club was Walker’s life. He loved it there, and he spoke of only endearing enjoyment when he mentioned that restaurant. It would be a tragedy if he couldn’t work there anymore.