Zoee: Reality 3

“What?” I strain to get a better look at his face when suddenly it hits me.  “Cody?  I haven’t seen you lived in the house behind mine in elementary school!”

“Back when we used to play Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle and you swore to everyone that you were going to marry me?” he chuckles at me teasingly.

“Oh my gosh...  Give me a break, I was maybe six. ” I groan before lightly rolling my fist into his shoulder.  “So what the hell are you drinking?”

“Vampire’s Dream; it’s just rum, pineapple, cranberry juice and a splash of grenadine.”

“Ughh, so many fruits…  So anyway, what brings you back to O’Fallon?”

My question brings a solemn look to his face.  “Actually, my father just passed away.  I was coming to handle the affairs of his estate.”

That answer sucks the breath from me as though I had been punched in the gut.  Cody and his mom had moved away in fifth grade after his parents divorced.  Never really quite understood what happened between them, but even though his dad stayed in that house behind us we never really saw him anymore after that.  Come to think of it, we really never saw much of him even when Cody and his mom lived there.

“I am so sorry, is there anything that I can do?”

Matt and Nico are starting to wipe down tables and stack chairs on top of them.  They are subtly working on pushing the patrons out the door.  I want to catch up more with Cody but we have to leave so they can close up.

“Let me give you a ride back to your place,” I offer.  “Are you staying in your dad’s place or in a hotel?”

“That’s kind of why I came up here to the bar,” Cody says into his glass.  “I’m staying at my dad’s place but it is honestly really hard for me to be in there alone with all of his stuff.”

“Well, you can’t stay here all night.” I laugh.  “How about I come spend the night?  Just like when we were kids.  It’ll be fun.”

“There you go again,” Cody says poking me in the side.  “Inviting yourself over, just like when you were little.”

“Come on,” I whine playfully pulling on his arm.

“Fine, okay, okay.” He says pushing his drink away.  “I wasn't planning on taking anyone home tonight but I guess I’ll just have to take home the hottest chick in the bar.”

“Oh shut up!”