{"id":510,"date":"2020-07-13T18:00:52","date_gmt":"2020-07-13T18:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fishbonescomic.com\/novel\/?p=510"},"modified":"2021-08-02T16:46:22","modified_gmt":"2021-08-02T16:46:22","slug":"book-ii-chapter-26","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.fishbonescomic.com\/novel\/2020\/07\/book-ii-chapter-26\/","title":{"rendered":"Book II – Chapter 26: Birthday"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"\"Illustration by Eyugho<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re sure you can\u2019t come?\u201d Ferris said. \u201cDemos is going to be pissed.\u201d<\/p>\n

He was ruffling his dark hair with a towel, freshly dressed. His shirt sleeves were stuffy, sticking to his still-damp arms. Ferris always felt too warm after a shower.<\/p>\n

Seamus shrugged. \u201cHe\u2019ll live.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it\u2019s his birthday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told him I\u2019ve got work. And I don\u2019t get off until three.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ferris exhaled, amazed he couldn\u2019t see his own breath. \u201cI thought you asked for the night off. This is the ninth day in a row you\u2019ve had work \u2014 and some of them were two shifts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Seamus rubbed his face. He had the look of someone who\u2019d worked nine days in a row. The Brit had developed dark circles under his eyes. For once, they weren\u2019t from being punched. There was something weak about his gaze, as if his eyes couldn\u2019t open all the way anymore.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s fine. I\u2019ve got decades of doing fuck all to make up for.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ferris frowned. The towel bunched in his hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to prove anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do, actually.\u201d Seamus tugged on a sock, letting the elastic snap. \u201cI can\u2019t lose this job \u2014 I want to contribute. I want to be worth something. And you\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n

Seamus chewed his lower lip. \u201cYou were proud of me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI still am. But they\u2019re taking advantage of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, you\u2019re one to talk. I\u2019ve seen you get one fuckin\u2019 text and then stay up at that laptop all night. And you\u2019re not even hourly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ferris\u2019 face was already warm, but the accusation made it worse. \u201cI\u2014 it\u2019s important.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo\u2019s your sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSays the guy who calls me at 4 AM to pick him up from a police station.\u201d<\/p>\n

Seamus wagged his finger. \u201cNow that\u2019s<\/i> important. Being there for your mates.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhich is why you\u2019re not coming to Demos\u2019 birthday.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Brit finished tying his shoes with an aggressive flourish, as if he wanted to slam a door but laces were the only objects within reach.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet it go, Fer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not done talking about this \u2014 and speaking of my laptop, you\u2019ve been using it without asking again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Seamus gave a curt laugh. \u201cAnd what makes you think I\u2019ve been using it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou Googled \u2018do horses know they\u2019re racing,<\/i>\u2019\u201d Ferris said. \u201cAnd \u2018what do Americans think fanny means<\/i>.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCould\u2019ve been anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ferris pinched the bridge of his nose, bumping up his glasses in the process. At least it wasn\u2019t pornography this time.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay. We\u2019ll \u2014 we\u2019ll finish this later. I\u2019m going to be late.\u201d<\/p>\n

Seamus gave a half-smile. \u201cGo on, then. Tell him I said \u2018hi.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll tell him you\u2019re dead. It\u2019s the only way he won\u2019t be mad at you.\u201d<\/p>\n

#<\/p>\n

It was only natural that Demos\u2019 birthday celebrated his favorite things \u2014 the restaurant, and himself. A \u2018closed for a private event\u2019 sign hung on the entrance to Ristorante Giorgetti. Normally, no fine dining establishment would dare close their doors on a Saturday evening, but it was anything for Gino\u2019s grandson. Ferris would have called his friend spoiled, but Demos was doing all the cooking.<\/p>\n

Where Ferris would have opted to feed two dozen people by picking up a phone, Demos had no trouble preparing dinner for an entire party. He had worked, on and off, in the restaurant since high school. Ferris had, as well, but it was less \u2018cooking\u2019 and more \u2018washing dishes.\u2019 The Italian enjoyed having an entire professional kitchen to himself, almost as much as he loved showing his work off. Only one person was ever allowed to assist \u2014 his grandfather.<\/p>\n

Ferris prodded the last bite of the Demos\u2019 torta caprese with his fork. There had been so much food \u2014 risi e bisi, white asparagus, and baccal\u00e0<\/span> alla vicentina. This last piece of cake would probably kill him. Maybe it would be worth it.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not going to finish?\u201d Demos sounded pained. \u201cYou hate it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the best fucking cake you\u2019ve ever made. I\u2019m just trying to figure out if it will fit inside me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou say it\u2019s the best cake<\/i> every single year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s true.\u201d Ferris gave his friend a glare. \u201cDon\u2019t let it get to your head, birthday boy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Demos gave his best, insufferable smile. \u201cToo late.\u201d<\/p>\n

He knew that Ferris wasn\u2019t overly fond of sweets, and adjusted the recipe each year to make it more appealing. Everything was intentional \u2014 this time he\u2019d included espresso powder. Ferris would never know.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, by the way,\u201d Ferris said. \u201cThat Seamus couldn\u2019t make it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s okay. He\u2019s never really sat right with the family \u2014 said he feels out of place.\u201d Demos swirled his wine, watching it coat the walls of the glass. \u201cBut you should still tell him I was furious.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s been working really hard. Like he\u2019s trying to make up for his entire life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Demos looked up from his glass, his eyes set. \u201cLook out for him, okay? I don\u2019t want to see him burn out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m trying.\u201d<\/p>\n

A stocky hand came from nowhere to ruffle Demos\u2019 hair. It was Nicky.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks for the baccala, kid.\u201d Nicky\u2019s New Jersey accent was as thick as ever. \u201cYou made it just for me, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

The man\u2019s thin, wavy hair had begun to gray over the last few years \u2014 this included the uneven stubble across his jaw. Even so, there was still a certain vigor behind his grin.<\/p>\n

Demos smoothed back his hair. \u201cAlways, Nicky.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTanti auguri!\u201d<\/p>\n

Another figure approached. There was no hair rustling from Gino, only a quiet hand on Demos\u2019 shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur car is here,\u201d Gino said. \u201cVieni con noi?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to stay a bit longer, Nonno. I\u2019ll clean up here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ferris remained silent. This meant he would be cleaning up, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll see you at home.\u201d Gino kissed his grandson\u2019s cheek. \u201cBuon compleanno.\u201d<\/p>\n

Demos returned the gesture. \u201cDormi bene.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once Gino was gone, it didn\u2019t take long for the rest of the family to make their way out. Midnight had passed, and only Sergio and Alonzo remained. The former had been kind enough to close down the bar, but Ferris had a feeling that the latter had no intention of cleaning. Alonzo was taking his time with one last glass of wine. Ferris side-eyed the older man before returning to the table he was wiping down.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe hell does he want,\u201d Ferris said under his breath.<\/p>\n

Demos shrugged as he stacked plates. \u201cMaybe he likes watching me clean.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is<\/i> a pretty rare sight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t be mean to me on my birthday, Fish.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ferris picked up a chair to set upside down on the table. \u201cSorry, it\u2019s past midnight. You\u2019re not special anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m always special.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you enjoy yourself, at least?\u201d<\/p>\n

Demos eyed the smudges on a wine glass before setting it neatly in the bus bin. \u201cThis was one of my better birthdays.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ferris scoffed. \u201cHave you ever had a bad one?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u201d Demos\u2019 eyes dropped, set on the stack of food-stained dishes. \u201cThe first one without you.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was easy to forget how recently they\u2019d been apart. Ferris had only been back in Southport for a year, though Demos had taken to visiting him in New Haven after their reunion. Each time Ferris had wondered if his friend would be too lazy for college, or if he\u2019d simply have charmed his way through it. It had worked in high school, anyway.<\/p>\n

Ferris couldn\u2019t think of the right response \u2014 all that came to mind was an apology.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n

\u201cWell.\u201d It was Alonzo. \u201cI\u2019d better get going.\u201d<\/p>\n

They both turned to look at the man who had approached without their noticing. Alonzo handed his wine glass to Demos \u2014 placing it in the bin was clearly beneath him.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u201d Demos\u2019 voice was a rubber band about to split. \u201cGood night, then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alonzo paused, then snapped his fingers. \u201cAh, I almost forgot. Your birthday present.\u201d<\/p>\n

The man reached into his pocket. Ferris almost cringed, but realized it was merely a piece of folded paper. Alonzo offered it to Demos, the note pinched between two coarse fingers. Demos took a sharp breath in through his nose.<\/p>\n

\u201cHead on over when you\u2019re ready.\u201d Alonzo pressed the paper into Demos\u2019 hand before his gift could be rejected. \u201cGot something waiting for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both of Alonzo\u2019s palms were gripping him. Demos fought a shudder, gathering up the will to give a taut smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Alonzo.\u201d There was no use in calling him any kind of family endearment. \u2018First cousin once removed<\/i>\u2019 didn\u2019t roll off the tongue. After far too many seconds, Alonzo released him. The man was smiling as he headed toward the entrance. With a click of the door and a terse wave, he was gone.<\/p>\n

The corner of Demos\u2019 mouth twitched. The note was in one hand, Alonzo\u2019s wine glass in the other. His fingers tightened on the glass, preparing to hurl it into the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t throw that,\u201d Ferris said. \u201cIt belongs to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can do whatever I\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd then we\u2019re going to be here all fucking night, cleaning up broken glass.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Italian growled before stuffing the cup into the bus bin. He mumbled something under his breath about not being a maid and stupid assholes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that note say, anyway?\u201d Ferris said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m guessing it\u2019s a poem about how much he hates me.\u201d Demos opened the crinkled note, squinting at the handwriting. \u201cOh. It\u2019s an address.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably the bear pit at the zoo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHm. It\u2019s in K-Town.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ferris slouched. \u201cI\u2019m guessing there\u2019s no point in me lecturing you about how it\u2019s probably dangerous, or a trap, or how we should just head home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u201d Demos waved a hand. \u201cI\u2019m going. So I can at least kill whatever hitman he has waiting for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen it would really<\/i> be the best birthday ever.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGet your car. I\u2019m going to grab a piece from the office.\u201d<\/p>\n

#<\/p>\n

Demos was right. The address was smack dab in the middle of K-Town. The neighborhood was only a few blocks long, consisting mostly of late-night barbecue grills, bars, and song rooms. Only a few streets over, the night air was quiet. Here, it was as bright as day. Light poured from windows and neon signs, their letters sparkling in orange and blue. The sidewalks were crowded, as if an entire district of people hadn\u2019t noticed the time.<\/p>\n

The address was underground \u2014 a basement beneath an ox-bone soup restaurant. Demos eyed the Korean lettering on the sign, then glanced down at the scrap paper to match the address. This was definitely it. From behind the door they could both hear and feel a muffled bassline. Lucky Noraebang<\/i> \u2014 a karaoke spot.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, so\u2014\u201d Ferris said. \u201cProbably no bears.\u201d<\/p>\n

The rest of the basement hallway was nondescript \u2014 bleak, illuminated with flickering fluorescent light. There was no other place it could be.<\/p>\n

The room past the door was an entirely different world \u2014 clean angles and dark leather. The track lighting was dim, leaving a soft golden glow on the wooden floors. A gaggle of college students bumped Ferris on their way out, all five flushed and laughing. There was a woman at a counter.<\/p>\n

\u201cWelcome.\u201d She smiled. \u201cJust the two of you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Demos glanced down at the paper once more before returning her smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe I\u2019m expected in Room Four.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDemos Giorgetti? Of course, right down the hall.\u201d<\/p>\n

The black paneled hallway was lined with doors, looking more like a Victorian train car than a basement karaoke joint. Ferris had hoped this would be a dead end \u2014 that \u2018Room Four<\/i>\u2019 would have no meaning and it had just been a waste-of-time joke on Alonzo\u2019s part. The hostess, however, had been expecting them. Whatever was in Room Four, it couldn\u2019t be good.<\/p>\n

It was easy to find, at least, with a large number 4 etched on a frosted porthole. Demos touched his chest, ensuring the pistol in his jacket was still present. He reached for the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cWait.\u201d Ferris stopped his hand. \u201cLet me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Did Alonzo know how to wire a bomb? Surely, he at least knew someone who could. Ferris and Demos hadn\u2019t told anyone where they\u2019d be \u2014 Gino would likely find out by reading a headline such as \u2018Local idiots found dead in K-Town karaoke explosion.\u2019 This wasn\u2019t how he wanted to go. Without permission, he ushered Demos away from the door with his arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay.\u201d He took a breath. \u201cHere goes.\u201d<\/p>\n

The door cracked open. Nothing happened. He eased it a few more inches, just enough to peek inside. It was a small room. Couches lined the back walls and some kind of electronic disco light left patterns of pink stars rolling over everything in sight.<\/p>\n

\u201cHi. You Demos?\u201d There was a figure lounging on the couch. It took a moment for Ferris\u2019 eyes to adjust. It was a woman. Her cotton candy hair fell in waves to her collar, stopping just short of a tight black dress.<\/p>\n

\u201cNope,\u201d was all Ferris could think to say.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, is he here?\u201d Her head tilted, leaning into her hand. \u201cAlonzo sent me. Birthday present?\u201d<\/p>\n

He opened his mouth, then closed it. Ferris gave the room one last look-over before holding up a single finger.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne second.\u201d<\/p>\n

He closed the door with a light click, then turned to face his friend. Demos was already reaching into his jacket.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho is it?\u201d <\/span>There was an unsettling, burning look in his eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s\u2014\u201c Ferris chewed the inside of his lip, thinking. \u201cThere\u2019s a woman here for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Demos\u2019 face fell \u2014 this meant he wouldn\u2019t get to kill anyone. He closed his jacket with a sigh.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you\u2019re straight. Just tell her you\u2019re me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ferris choked on his own breath. \u201cWhat? No. I don\u2019t\u2014 no<\/i>. Can\u2019t you just\u2014 I don\u2019t know, try?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you fucking kidding me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen what the hell are we supposed to do? She\u2019s going to tell Alonzo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d Demos waved a hand. \u201cWe can just say I have ED or something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that really the kind of rumor you want going around?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBetter than the truth,\u201d Demos said. \u201cLet\u2019s get this over with.\u201d<\/p>\n

With unnecessary flair, the Italian threw open the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cWow,\u201d he said much too loudly. \u201cA beautiful woman.\u201d<\/p>\n

Without making eye contact with said woman, he began to search the couch cushions. His hand dipped behind the seating, patting around for anything unusual.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat a fantastic birthday gift. Incredible.<\/i>\u201d He was still practically yelling. \u201cI\u2019m so excited have sex with this female person.\u201d<\/p>\n

Demos\u2019 knees bumped the floor as he reached beneath the sofa. His face shifted through several different expressions before finally settling on a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlonzo is such a great guy.<\/i>\u201d<\/p>\n

He wrenched the listening device free, giving it a brief look-over before crushing it beneath the heel of his shoe. Demos exhaled, then turned his attention to the woman.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow much did he pay you?\u201d he said, deadpanned.<\/p>\n

She hadn\u2019t moved from her spot, still leaning into her hand as if this was something she saw every day.<\/p>\n

\u201cFive hundred,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Demos stood, dusting his hands. The undersides of song room couches weren\u2019t the cleanest of places.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll double it if you can keep a secret.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her brow lifted. \u201cI\u2019m listening.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ferris had been standing with his back against the closed door, as if trying to contain Demos\u2019 harrowing impersonation of a straight man.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy friend here\u2014\u201c Ferris placed a hand on Demos\u2019 shoulder, as if there was anyone else his friend could be. \u201cHas an issue he doesn\u2019t want the guys to know about.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh,\u201d she said. \u201cYou two are boyfriends, aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ferris instantly pulled back his hand. \u201cWhat? No. That\u2019s\u2014 why was that your first guess?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIntuition.\u201d She shrugged.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. No, he\u2019s uh, impotent<\/i>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her eyes crinkled. \u201cYou\u2019re serious?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Ferris said. \u201cYou know how these guys are. With their\u2026 pride. He\u2019d never hear the end of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

She sighed, then slipped a phone from her purse to look at the time. \u201cWell, my ride won\u2019t be here for an hour.\u201d<\/p>\n

Demos tapped the side of his face. \u201cWe have the room, right? You sing?\u201d<\/p>\n

The woman gave her first smile of the night.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

The wall-mounted phone by the door was quickly put to use with an order of two ridiculously overpriced cocktails and a bottle of soju. Demos hoped the alcohol would be enough to make Ferris actually sing something. It had worked once before, it couldn\u2019t hurt to try again. The song books were stacked on a low table in front of the couch. They were enormous, larger than phone books and equally as capable of knocking someone unconscious. Only one was in English, the rest labeled in a half-dozen different languages.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, Not Demos<\/i>, you been here before?\u201d the woman asked. She was already flipping through a book.<\/p>\n

\u201cFerris,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd no, I\u2019m not much of a singer. What\u2019s your name?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOlivia.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCalling you \u2018Olive,\u2019\u201d Demos said, though no one had asked.<\/p>\n

Olivia punched numbers into the room\u2019s device with an unsettling fervor. \u201cCall me whatever you want, but I\u2019m singing first.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are three mics in here.\u201d Demos wagged one in his fist. \u201cLike hell you\u2019re doing a solo.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was a good thing Demos had destroyed Alonzo\u2019s listening device. A \u2018So Emotional\u2019 <\/i>duet beneath a pink star-streaming disco ball was probably the gayest thing that could have happened in that room. Ferris took a slow drink. It was unsettling, Alonzo\u2019s obsession with this. How far was he willing to go?<\/p>\n

Ferris set his drink down, the clink of the bottle overpowered by the two surprisingly powerful voices filling the room. That was right. He\u2019d forgotten that Demos could actually sing. That stupid asshole with his stupid beautiful voice \u2014 hadn\u2019t his mother been a singer before she passed? Ferris wouldn\u2019t dare compliment him. The Italian\u2019s ego would likely burst if inflated any further.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, nice.\u201d Demos had stolen the English language book. \u201cThey\u2019ve got \u2018I Have Nothing<\/i>.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Ferris folded his arms. \u201cMore Whitney?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me,\u201d Demos said. \u201cHow dare you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Olivia joined in. \u201cYeah, show some respect.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCool.\u201d Ferris rubbed his temples. \u201cYou two just met and you\u2019re already ganging up on me.\u201d<\/p>\n

They ignored him, moving on to the next song. Demos was a performer \u2014 this was likely the most physical activity he\u2019d be willing to complete outside of a bed. He didn\u2019t waste any time entering in a few favorites from his high school J-rock days. At least Demos\u2019 four years of Japanese classes were useful for something<\/i>.<\/p>\n

After only six songs, the Italian was out of breath. He used his sleeve to brush sweat from his forehead, laughing. Ferris touched his mouth, stifling a smile. It was nice to see Demos happy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a better place up the street,\u201d Olivia said. \u201cMy friends from class like to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you studying?\u201d Ferris said.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoing for RN.\u201d She threw up dual horns with her hands. \u201cOne year left.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNice. I could never handle being a nurse.\u201d<\/p>\n

He paused when he realized Olivia was staring at him. Her brow was knit.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, you two look kind of familiar.\u201d She inched in closer. \u201cYou ever been to The Looking Glass?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ferris leaned away. \u201cThe Looking Glass?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere I work.\u201d<\/p>\n

That was it \u2014 Ferris remembered. It was the gentlemen\u2019s club where they had found Blakely. It was remarkable that she remembered their faces, especially since they had only been inside for a few minutes. Lingering in a Mariani-owned strip joint would have been a terrible idea.<\/p>\n

Ferris froze.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou said Alonzo sent you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, he\u2019s a regular.\u201d<\/p>\n

His hands wrung together. Why was Alonzo a regular at a Mariani business? Maybe he just liked the place \u2014 but it was on the other end of town. Maybe\u2014<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, Fish.\u201d Demos held out his hand. \u201cSing \u2018A Whole New World\u2019<\/i> with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ferris had lost track of how many drinks his friend had consumed that night, but it was enough to induce poor balance. Demos was wavering, catching the back of a sofa to keep himself upright.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe after one more drink.\u201d<\/p>\n

Demos lifted a finger. \u201cWaiter, another drink.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no waiter here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSeamus would sing with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ferris glanced at his watch \u2014 Seamus was still working. He would have enjoyed this. The Brit was much better party material and loved both drinking and making a fool of himself. Maybe they could go together next time.<\/p>\n

\u201cAw, my ride is here.\u201d Olivia was frowning at her phone.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo.\u201d Demos was making an admirable attempt at \u2018sober voice.\u2019 \u201cWe\u2019re set on the secret<\/i>, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll tell him it was the best lay I ever had.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh, maybe tone it down so it sounds real,\u201d Ferris said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, fuck you,\u201d Demos said. \u201cI\u2019m great<\/i> in bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Olivia shuffled through her purse before pulling out a small white card. She passed it to Ferris, likely because he was the only one with any semblance of hand-eye coordination.<\/p>\n

\u201cGive me a call if you want to try that place up the street. But both of you will have to sing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ferris slipped a money clip from Demos\u2019 pocket. He flipped through a number of bills before handing them to her in a neat fold.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure. I\u2019ll remind him when he\u2019s sober.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks.\u201d Olivia smiled. \u201cThis was fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

With that, she was gone, leaving the two alone in the small room. That had gone better than expected. Then again, Ferris had expected to be eaten by bears or die in an explosion. Now all he had to worry about was finding a cab to take his poor friend home.<\/p>\n

Demos slumped onto the couch, bumping Ferris\u2019 shoulder with his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know my birthday is over.\u201d Demos looked up at him. \u201cBut will you sing just one song with me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ferris felt warm. He touched his throat, wondering if the alcohol had already gotten to him. Demos was already long gone. Maybe he was drunk enough to not notice if Ferris sang poorly.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay,\u201d Ferris said. \u201cOne song.\u201d<\/p>\n

Either way, he couldn\u2019t say no to that stupid face.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Illustration by Eyugho \u201cYou\u2019re sure you can\u2019t come?\u201d Ferris said. \u201cDemos is going to be pissed.\u201d He was ruffling his dark hair with a towel, freshly dressed. His shirt sleeves were stuffy, sticking to his still-damp arms. Ferris always felt too warm after a shower. Seamus shrugged. \u201cHe\u2019ll live.\u201d \u201cBut it\u2019s his birthday.\u201d \u201cI told […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-510","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fishbones-book-02"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4oWx8-8e","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.fishbonescomic.com\/novel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/510","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.fishbonescomic.com\/novel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.fishbonescomic.com\/novel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.fishbonescomic.com\/novel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.fishbonescomic.com\/novel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=510"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/www.fishbonescomic.com\/novel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/510\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":785,"href":"http:\/\/www.fishbonescomic.com\/novel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/510\/revisions\/785"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.fishbonescomic.com\/novel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=510"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.fishbonescomic.com\/novel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=510"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.fishbonescomic.com\/novel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=510"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}