Pinky Promises

Three nights later I found myself sitting alone in my living room watching Die Hard, eating popcorn and drinking soda I shouldn't have been drinking. Jimmy was at work and I had no idea what the other three were up to, so for once in a very long time I had silence to enjoy.

Except, I wasn't really having that much success. It was boring and even though Bruce Willis was the best piece of eye candy in the world, I couldn't get in to the movie.

I had talked to Uncle Ev on the phone a few times since we visited and told him that everything was fine between Jimmy and I. He had wondered since he said he could tell there was tension when we left.

"Just a fly in the ointment, Hans. The monkey in the wrench. The pain in the ass." Bruce Willis was saying. I laughed slightly and then sighed and picked up my phone. Jimmy could text while he was at work but I never bothered him first. I usually let him do the getting a hold of and then I would reply. I hated the feeling that I was bothering him, though he had told me time and time again that there was no way that I could possibly do that.

I scrolled through my old texts and paused at Jimmy but instead went a little further to Matt and brought up my keyboard.

'Hey man, what are you doing?'

A few seconds later I received, 'Ntm. cut my hand tryin to pt my truck back together. why? whats up?'

I shook my head. Always getting hurt. 'Nothin. Just wanted 2 know if you wanted 2 watch Die Hard w. me. But if youre busy that's okay.'

A minute passed before I got the second one. 'Yeah sorry but Charlie isnt doing anything. Dillon is here helping me.'

'Alright thanks, I'll try Charlie.'

I decided just to forward the message I had sent Matt first, because I was lazy, and waited. A few moments later he replied with "nothing at all. So bored I could kill a hooker". I laughed and asked him if he wanted to come watch Die Hard with me. I had never seen a man drive so fast.

Charlie was the type of guy who was a manly man. Not in a weird macho way, but like an actual generic dude. He liked action movies. He smoked cigars. He rather enjoyed blowing things up and guns. It was nice to have him around just as an amusement piece, though I couldn't say he wasn't a good friend too. Charlie was one of the best.

"Thanks for the food, ma'am." He said as he handed me his plate. I was washing up the dishes that were in the sink before getting ready to watch Die Hard 2.

"No problem. I usually cook for Jimmy but he's at work so..." I shrugged.

"You cook for that asshole a lot? That's bullshit. What about me? What about Matt and Dillon? You know they can't cook to save their souls."

"I know! I just..don't see you guys as much. Jimmy lives right across the street from me. It's easy to see him."

"Still bullshit. I would drive here every day if you fed me."

I laughed. "Yeah right. You're either off with some girl, or doing something manly, or whatever... you're not gonna come here every day!"

"What? Okay first of all, what? Off with some girl? No, I don't go 'off with some girl'. I go out with women. Second, doing something manly? Don't tell me you're one of those women who think all I do is drink beer and hammer up dry wall."

"Oh my God." I said, still laughing. Charlie was a different kind of funny than Jimmy was to me. His sense of humor most of the time was vulgar, yet still amusing.

"But back to the main point, I would still come over here every damn day if you fed me! Shit, I'd even buy the food you just cook it."

"Fine! You do that. I'll believe it when I see it."

"You wait. When I show up with mountains of steak and potatoes and what not you will believe it."

I laughed so suddenly that I snorted.

"What?"

"Steak and potatoes? No, you're right. You're not a manly man. I believe you."

"I didn't say I wasn't a manly man! I am as manly as it gets, babe!"

I was laughing so hard I didn't hear the knock at the door but when I saw Jimmy walk around the corner I stopped and smiled.
"Hey you! I thought you'd be at work for at least another two hours."

"Nah they let me out early. The machine broke down and no one wanted to fix it so late in the day so...boss said we could go home."

"Right on man, you up for some Die Hard?" Charlie asked.

Jimmy nodded. "Sure. Do I have time to go home and eat something though?"

"I just made dinner here. We have a lot leftover, do you want some?"

"That depends, what is it?"

"Since when do you even question what kind of food it is?" Charlie asked. "You haven't met anything you didn't want to eat before."

"That's not true. I've met your mo-"

"DO NOT finish that sentence with the word 'Mom'. I beg of you." I interrupted. "I know how you two get when you start with the insults and I have a movie to watch. So if you'll kindly go get seated, Jimmy I'll bring you your dinner and Charlie behave yourself."

They both chuckled at me then went in to the living room.

"You know what I don't get?" Charlie asked halfway through the movie.

"What?" I asked from beside him. I was placed in the middle to avoid them two getting in to a slapping contest.

"In real life, an actual bad guy would just plug the dude they were after when they had the chance. Like ...when they kidnap his daughter in the one with that annoying ...Justin kid in it. Why not just kill the daughter? John will get mad, he will go bad ass, but plug him too. Get away with your money. I never get why they don't just end it all and avoid the hassle."

Jimmy and I exchanged glances then look back at Charlie. "Wow man, remind me not to get on your bad side." I said.

He laughed. "Yeah right. I couldn't kill you even if I had to. Jimmy would bust my face."

Jimmy nodded. "Indeed I would."

We continued to talk during the movie and pick it apart, saying what each of us would have done when the time came to make a choice, then ten minutes before it was over Charlie decided to go home.

"I know what happens. I'm tired. I gotta pretend to be an adult tomorrow so... probably should head out."

"Alright man, goodnight." I said and gave him a quick hug.

"Yeah, you two behave will ya?" he said and smiled.

"When do we ever not?" Jimmy asked.

"I know you two. You're much more liable to do something stupid when you're together." Charlie said as he opened my door.

"I don't even want to get started on the 'stupid things' you guys do when I'm not around." I said.

"It used to be bros before hoes, not no more."

Jimmy looked evilly at him. "She's not a hoe."

I laughed, knowing Charlie was merely joking. "It's okay. This hoe gives you permission to steal him whenever you want."

"Good. Man camping trip next weekend. Be there, or be...lame. As fuck."

I laughed. "He'll be there."

"Night guys." Charlie then walked out of my house shutting the door behind him.

I looked over at Jimmy who was staring at the screen which were now going to credits. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"Huh?" He looked at me. "Oh, nothing."

"Yeah right. You have that look on your face." I said.

"I do? I didn't realize. No, nothing is wrong..just thinking is all."

Normally I would think he was lying because he just didn't want to talk about something trivial, but ever since he had told me about his heart problem I worried that's all he could think about.

"'Kay, well. You don't have to talk about it. It's okay."

He frowned. "I just didn't like the fact he called you a hoe."

I laughed. "Jimmy, he was kiddin'. I know he was. It's okay and besides, you really don't spend that much time with just them anymore. You should. It'd be okay you know."

He shook his head. "Still.."

I reached over and nudged him gently with my elbow. "I'll be okay on my own you know. Nothing is gonna happen while you're away.
You really should go on that camping trip."

"I don't want to."

"Why?"

"I don't wanna go, that's all. Simple as that."

His attitude was changing and I couldn't understand why. He was just fine, and Charlie calling me a hoe shouldn't have been reason enough for him to get so upset. Charlie called EVERYONE a hoe. I decided not to push the issue further.

"You wanna watch another movie?" I asked.

"Actually, I think I'm gonna take off."

"What?" I asked and frowned. "Oh, okay..."

He looked at me. "It's okay, really. I'm just tired."

"Alright." I gave him a hug and he kept a hold of me for a minute then stood up. "I'll see you tomorrow okay?"

I nodded. "Sure."

After Jimmy left I stretched out on the couch and curled up with a pillow watching Die Hard three until I fell asleep.