by Wiley, John
“Who’s Paul?” he asks as he sits down at the table.
“My boyfriend. We’ve just been going out for three weeks and I didn’t really want to leave him, but Mom said you needed me so…it’s a good thing I like you.”
“What’s going on that you needed to rush out here?” Gene asks.
Marion looks at him and then to her brother. She notices Cindy and Chloe also have a case of shifty eyes, avoiding eye contact with Gene.
“Oh,” starts Jennifer, “my mom said that –”
“Hey!” barks Marion. “I don’t remember your name, but I don’t think Rhys wants the whole world knowing his life story.”
“Sorry.” Jennifer flashes Rhys an apologetic look as her face turns bright red.
“It’s fine,” he smiles at her. “I got fired is all,” he says to Gene.
“Oh yeah, Erick was telling me about that earlier while we were cleaning.” He puts his fork down. “Why weren’t you there?”
“I completely lost track of time,” Rhys says. “I actually have some exciting news! I met Sinead Griffin today in a café when I was applying for jobs and she offered me a job for part-time personal assistant!”
“Congratulations!” Chloe claps her hands together.
“Who’s that?” Gene asks.
“Ugh, he’s obsessed with her,” Marion sighs. “He used to play her CD all the time during high school.”
“Part-time?” Cindy asks. “Can you afford your rent with that?”
“Cindy!” scolds Chloe.
“Stop correcting me!” Cindy yells. “I’m just looking out for him! You heard what Erick was saying tonight.”
“What?” Rhys asks.
Gene gets up and takes his and Chloe’s plates to the kitchen and starts washing up.
Marion puts her phone away and sits next to her brother. “What’s going on?” she asks.
Chloe rolls her eyes. “So we weren’t eavesdropping or anything,” she prefaces. “We’ve had our windows open all week.”
“OK,” Rhys says.
“And Erick and that girl were having dinner on the rooftop,” she adds.
Rhys nods. “I did notice the trees and lights out there…”
“Oh my God,” Cindy sighs. “He was telling her that he’s thinking of asking you to move out because you can’t afford to pay the rent anymore, and she was very encouraging of that idea.”
The color fades from Rhys’ face.
“For what it’s worth, I was against the idea when he told me,” Gene says, not looking up from the sink.
“He’s talked to everyone about this except Rhys?” Marion yells in outrage.
“It’s fine,” Rhys says softly. “I haven’t even told him I got fired yet.”
“What?” Marion punches his shoulder. “Why the hell not?”
“I haven’t seen him since it happened and he won’t return any of my calls. It seems like something that I should tell him in person or at least on the phone…not text.”
“Well, how does he know about it then?” Marion asks.
“I told him,” Cindy says, daring Marion to say anything. “Your brother was really upset and I saw Erick. He asked me what was wrong with Rhys and I told him in hopes that he would find Rhys and be there for him. Instead he went drinking with his friends.”
“I never did like him,” Marion seethes.
“Yes you did,” Rhys rolls his eyes. “You begged me to get him to go to your senior prom with you just a couple months ago.”
“Yeah, well…whatever,” she blushes.
“It’s fine. I’ll talk to him tomorrow and tell him that I already found a new job.” He takes a few more bites of his chicken and washes it down with his tea. “So, you want to go do something fun?” he asks Marion.
“Obviously.”
“What about it?” he says to everyone else. “Want to go out?”
“I don’t think so,” Gene says. He takes Rhys’ plate and washes it. “Thanks, though.”
“I think we’re up for it, huh?” Chloe asks Cindy.
“Sure,” she sighs.
“Jennifer?” he asks.
She looks at her watch. “Sure,” she smiles. “Why not?”
Half an hour later they’re at Drunk in Greek. “They don’t card, right?” Marion asks as they walk down the sidewalk to the bar.
“I think so,” says Cindy. “Why? How old are you?”
“18.”
“Serious? We drove a half hour and now we don’t get to go in?”
“I thought you would take us to a place that was 18 and up.”
“How was I supposed to know you were 18?”
“Rhys was just talking about how I went to my senior prom this year!”
“I figured you were stupid like him,” Cindy says.
“Bitch, I will slap you!”
“Marion, it’s fine!” Rhys grabs his sister and pulls her next to him. “You have a terrible temper.”
“And for no reason,” Jennifer says. “Drunk in Greek is an 18 and up bar.”
“Oh. I wasn’t sure,” Cindy says as she walks in the bar. Chloe shakes her head to herself as she follows Cindy in.
“Come on!” Marion says, running in after them. She stops at the door and pulls her ID out of her back pocket and shows it to the bouncer. He hands it back and puts two big X’s on the back of her hands. “Are you guys coming?” she yells from the door.
Rhys looks over at Jennifer; she isn’t paying attention and is walking the opposite direction of the bar. “I’ll be there in a little bit,” he says. He points his head to Jennifer and Marion nods before running off to catch up with Chloe and Cindy.
Rhys follows Jennifer across the street where there is a large grassy park with a huge pond in the center of the lot. On the far side of the lake, in the exact center of town, is the Believe-O-Meter. A six-storey building, the Believe-O-Meter was built in the 1950’s when the town was used to film a Christmas movie that time has mostly forgotten. The town embraced the tower though, turning the first two floors into a Christmas museum and shop; floors three, four, and five apartments; and the top floor the control room for the Believe-O-Meter. In the movie it was used to show how much the town believed in Santa; once the movie wrapped, the town has kept the meter always set one tick away from fully believing. It only goes all the way to the top on Christmas Day. Jennifer sits on one of the benches across the pond from the Believe-O-Meter and looks up at the building.
“What’s that?” Rhys asks. He sits down next to her and takes in the tall building.
“Believe-O-Meter,” she says. “I like to come here whenever I’m down; I find it comforting.
“But what is it?”
Jennifer shrugs, not feeling like talking. “It’s from a movie from the 50’s…Santa’s Christmas Vacation. It was my favorite when I was a little girl, and I was thrilled when I found out we were moving so close to it,” her face briefly lights up from the memory. “I have the VHS at home if you want to watch it sometime.”
“I don’t remember it from last time I was here.”
“You were really drunk last time.”
“That’s probably why then…”
They sit in silence for a while, the only noise being the frogs in the lake. “I feel like an idiot,” she finally says.
“Why?”
“I have a giant crush on your roommate, but I heard what he was saying tonight also…it kind of put me off him a little bit.”
“That’s why you’ve been so quiet and…just not typical you lately?”
“What do you mean?”
“For like the last week, whenever I see you or try to talk to you, you seem really distracted.”
“Oh. No, it’s not him. Well, it’s partially him; he thinks I’m crazy. I’ve heard him talk about me on the phone before to…whoever; probably that Adele woman. But that’s not the only thing.”
“What is it?” He puts his hand on hers.
“I keep getting turned down for jobs. It�
�s my own fault though, I guess. I should have found a job right when I graduated, but I took a couple years off to help my mom when we moved out here. Now it’s been so long since I’ve graduated no one is interested in hiring me.”
“So why did you guys move out here? It seems like you didn’t want to, and from what your mom told me, it doesn’t sound like she wanted to either.”
“My dad got offered a job that he couldn’t pass up.”
“So you’ve been here for two years then?”
“Yeah.”
“Why do you guys live in that little apartment if your dad got offered such a good job? I’m sure you can afford something else. Sorry…I sound like Cindy now!”
“It’s fine,” she laughs. “One of my brothers is pretty sick so they save what they can for his medical bills.”
“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that. They both looked healthy to me, though,” he adds after a pause.
She nods. “He’s getting there.” She watches two frogs hop in front of them and jump into the lake. “So do you think I should try to pursue Erick?”
Rhys shakes his head. “I don’t. Not now anyway. He seems really into Adele for some reason; it’d probably be better if you waited for that to fizzle out. You probably wouldn’t have a chance at all if you tried to come between them.”
“And you aren’t mad that he’s thinking about kicking you out?”
“I mean of course it hurts, but I can understand it. But we’ll be fine, we’ll talk tomorrow.” He looks at the clock on his phone. “So you want to go meet up with the others?”
“Yeah.” She stands up and looks up at the Believe-O-Meter one more time before turning to the bar. “Let’s go.”
***
The next day Adele walks Erick to her door to let him out. “I had a really nice time last night,” she says in a tone more genuine than he’s used to hearing from her.
“Good – I’m glad. Gene’s a really good cook.”
“Yeah…”she raises an eyebrow.
“And again, I want to thank you for listening to me last night. It was useful to have someone else to act as a sounding board.”
“I wish I could be there when you tell him to pack his shit and leave,” she grimaces.
“I don’t think I am, actually.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. Listening to you last night made me realize how selfish I was being in expecting him to leave just because we don’t hang out like we used to.”
“It’s what you want!” she yells.
“Maybe,” he says as he steps out into the hallway. “But it’s only been about two months; we need more time to acclimate to our new environment.”
“Whatever,” she waves dismissively. “Don’t complain to me about him on our next date.”
“Really? You thought this went well enough that we should go out again?”
Adele’s jaw drops. “What are you trying to say?”
“I just feel like we’re better off as friends.”
“Boys don’t break up with me,” she laughs.
“Well, it’s not really breaking up; it was only one date.”
“You don’t want to make this mistake,” she smiles at him, her eyes furious.
He shrugs. “Sorry. I’ll see you at work Monday.”
“Do not make me destroy you!” Adele shouts.
“Really?” he raises his eyebrows at her. “You’re going to destroy me because I don’t want a second date?”
“I’ll destroy your career,” she spits.
“Whatever, Adele. See ya.” Erick turns and walks down the hallway, not even looking back when she yells for him.
At 10:00 he gets home. He walks up the stairs and is surprised to see Gene sleeping on the roof in a sleeping bag. “Hey, what are you doing out here?” he asks Gene.
Gene opens his eyes and sits up when he sees Erick. “Rhys wanted to sleep on the couch last night, so I slept out here.”
“Why didn’t he sleep in his bed?”
“His sister slept there.”
“Marion is here?”
“Yeah. She got in last night.”
“And he didn’t tell me she was coming?”
“She just showed up.” Gene slides out of the sleeping bag and rolls it up. “He had no idea she was coming.”
Erick shakes his head in annoyance. “And then he tells you to sleep out here? That’s your home too!”
Gene looks at Erick with confusion. “What? No…after his sister fell asleep on his bed he asked if I minded him sleeping out there with me, and I told him he could have the couch and I’d sleep outside.”
“You didn’t have to do that, you live there.”
“I don’t pay rent,” Gene says with a slight chuckle to try to lift the mood.
“And neither does he!” Erick yells, pointing to the apartment.
“Erick?” Rhys pokes his head out of the door. “Hey, I thought I heard you.”
“What are you doing kicking Gene out of his home?”
“What?” Rhys looks at Gene, who is shaking his head. He turns and goes down the stairs to avoid the argument. “He volunteered to sleep outside last night. Besides, I have no problem with him staying here, but it’s not his home…I mean, he doesn’t pay rent or contribute to the household at all.”
“And you do?” Erick yells.
“Can we go inside?” Rhys says, aware that all of his neighbors can hear every word.
“What, and wake your sister? Thanks for the warning she was coming. Good thing that’s not an inconvenience at all – oh wait, it is!”
“I didn’t know she was –”
“And you say that Gene doesn’t contribute to the household, but then, neither do you!”
“What? I pay my rent and buy half of the food –”
“Not anymore. Not since you got fired! Thanks for telling me by the way!”
“I was waiting to tell you in person –”
“You told every single other person you know before me.”
“Because you’re never home! I called and texted you so many times and you were never there.”
“I was here yesterday when I said I would be, but you were nowhere to be seen!”
“Yeah, about that…turns out I got a job!” he says beaming.
“Oh. Where?” Erick asks, calming down slightly.
“Working for Sinead Griffin.”
Erick has a blank face.
“She’s in Cupcake Street.”
“Is she paying you what you were getting at least?”
“Well no. It’s actually just part time and minimum wage, but I do have my application in at a few other places – well just one other place so far – but I think working with her will open a lot of doors to actually land roles, which is what I came out here for!”
“Who gets fired from making coffee?” Erick says. “Who accuses their boss of sexually assaulting them when that clearly isn’t possible?”
Rhys stares at Erick in shock.
“OK, that’s enough,” Marion says, coming out of the apartment.
“You need to go home,” he says to her.
“Excuse me?”
“Your brother isn’t paying any rent, so he has no say in who can and cannot stay at our apartment.”
“I’ve paid rent every month –”
“It’s due Friday. Are you going to have enough to pay for it?”
He does some quick math in his head. “I’ll have to check my account but I’m pretty sure –”
“I’m pretty sure I want you out of the apartment.”
“Excuse me?” he asks, his voice full of indignation.
“OK, Erick, calm down,” Cindy comes out of her apartment, followed by Chloe and Newman.
Janie, Jennifer and the twins come out of their apartment too. “You’re causing a scene over nothing,” Janie says. “Is this any way to treat your best friend? And especially when he’s going through a really trying time?”
“I see you got everyone on y
our side with your sob story!” Erick spits.
“It’s not a sob story…” Rhys wipes a tear from his face, the shock of his best friend acting like this upsetting him.
“You weren’t raped, Rhys! You’re a lot bigger than that guy, you could have stopped him!”
“You haven’t even met him…”
“You have until August first to move out,” Erick says, turning on his heel to leave.
“That’s only 12 days,” Rhys says.
“I can’t afford to support you and Gene.” He walks down the stairs, gets in the truck, slams the door, and drives away.
Rhys looks around at everyone. Feeling overwhelmed with emotion, he runs down the stairs to be alone and clear his head.
“Rhys! Wait!” Marion runs to the edge of the roof and sees him running down the road.
“Let him go,” Cindy says. She puts her hand on Marion’s shoulder and gives it a little squeeze. “Let him get some air. I think they both need to calm down.”
Marion nods and wipes the tears from her eyes.
“Come on, girls,” Janie says from her front door. “Come on in and I’ll make you some breakfast.”
The girls do as told, and follow Janie inside.
***
“Oh God, what’s wrong?” Annie ushers her brother into her apartment and sits him on the couch. He’s pale, shaking, and sweaty. She grabs some water from the kitchen and hands it to him. “Is everyone OK?”
“I kicked Rhys out,” he says after taking a couple sips of water.
“Why?”
He shrugs. “I don’t know…I just kind of lost it.”
Her phone rings but she ignores the call and sits next to him.
“I’m sorry, you probably have plans.”
She nods. “Plans that can wait. Tell me what’s going on.”
“I don’t even know where to start.” He takes another drink, stalling for time. “I guess it started pretty shortly after we got out here…I met new people at work and hung out with them and Rhys didn’t meet any new people. I think he started to resent me for having made more of a life for myself out here; not that he’d admit it. Hell, he’s probably not even aware of it; but the way he would kind of tense up whenever I talked about going out with people – it was obvious.