CHAPTER SIX: Pizza for All
Tony was sensing Nick’s level of mistrust.
“Would it be better if I would leave?” he asked.
Ever the gracious host, Nick composed himself and said, “No, stay here, man. I’m sorry. I just lost myself for a second.”
“He tends to do that often,” said Andie.
Deb added, “Nick, why don’t you show us how to make this gumbo thing, so we can all pitch in and help you make it.”
Nick didn’t like accepting help with anything, especially when cooking Cajun cuisine, but he knew he was in no shape to handle this on his own.
“Okay, y’all can help,” he said, defeated.
“Well, guys, I’d really like to stick around,” said Benny, “but I need to get to the office and take care of business.”
“Don’t leave now, Benny. Nick’s been working so hard to make this gumbo for us,” said Andie.
Benny headed to the front door. “No, I really should be going.”
Nick grabbed Benny’s arm. “Look here, Bud. I took the time to invite everybody here. Nobody is leaving, especially you. You’re in no shape to be going anywhere except in the company of friends who care about you.” Everyone was startled. Andie couldn’t believe those words just escaped Nick’s mouth.
“Nick,” she said. “That was a sweet thing to say.”
“Stop it,” said Nick. He hated mushy compliments.
“Yes, please stay, Benny,” said Tony. “It would be improper to exit before the party has even had an opportunity to commence.”
“Okay, I’ll stay.” Benny’s arm was always easily twisted. “How long before we eat?”
“Well, if somebody would have started this a couple of hours ago, we’d be eating soon,” said Andie. “Now, I’m not so sure.”
“Good gumbo can’t be rushed,” said Nick.
“Apparently, you can’t be, either,” added Andie.
Nick grabbed his crotch in anger. “Why don’t you rush this?”
Ever the consummate peacemaker, Debbie stepped in. “Guys, settle down. We’re supposed to be having a party, remember?”
“I invited y’all here for gumbo, damn it,” said Nick, “and I know only one way to make it. It’s the way my Maw-Maw Peltier, God rest her soul, showed me. It takes time and can’t be rushed. So screw it. I’m ordering pizza.”
Benny headed to the door, again. “I really need to go.”
“Sit your sorry ass down,” blasted Nick. “You’re not going anywhere. In fact, nobody is leaving this damn place until everybody has a full stomach. I invited y’all here, reluctant as it may have seemed, and here is where all of you will stay.”
“Wow,” said Deb. “What’s with the attitude?”
“It’s okay, Debbie,” said Andie. “Nick can go from compassionate to cruel in nothing flat.”
“I don’t think I’m being cruel just because I want my friends to eat,” said an upset Nick. “So, get on the phone and order the pizza for us.”
Andie put her hands on her hips and walked up to Nick. She stood about a foot away from his face and said, “Excuse me?”
“Sorry,” Nick said. He took a few deep breaths then changed to a lighter manner. “Would you please order the pizza for us?”
Andie smiled. “That’s better. What does everybody want on their pizzas?”
“Beef and onions,” said Benny.
“Mushrooms and olives,” said Debbie.
“I would like one with a lot of jalapenos. I like hot things,” said Tony.
“Go figure,” said Nick, as he shook his head.
Andie finished writing the order. “Okay, I think I got it all. What do you want, Nick?”
“One with everything,” he said. “Don’t worry about the cost. I’ll take care of it.”
“Okay,” Andie said, as she walked to the kitchen phone to place the order. She called Presto Pizza, a pizza delivery with ten locations in New Lake City. This one was a block away from Nick’s apartment.
All this talk about pizza forced Nick’s ever-wandering mind to start thinking about high school…
Every Friday night, after the football game, Nick would be at Pizza Village. This was his time. He would never bring one of his girlfriends there on that night. He just wanted to hang out with his vast array of friends. His band, Skyway, played every Saturday night, and he had a date each of the other five nights of the week. Nick was a natural with school, so there was never a need to stay home and study. Nick was treating the six majorettes to pizza one particular Friday night, to honor them for their great half-time performance. The fact they were all gorgeous had nothing to do with it, of course. One of the girls, Cheryl Anderson, brought a friend with her. She walked up to the table and introduced her to Nick.
“Nick, this is my new friend, Jamie O’Malley. She just moved here from Indiana with her family. Do you mind if she sits with us?” asked the cheerful Cheryl.
Nick froze. For the first time in his life, he had trouble keeping his cool. Jamie was, by far, the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on.
“No, I mind don’t all at,” he stammered. From that moment on, Jamie and pizza would become synonymous…
Nick brought himself back to the present.
“Okay, everybody’s here. What do y’all want to do for entertainment?” he asked.
“Let’s all guess how Zipper Down died and how long Kat had been screwing him,” Benny said.
“Who is Kat?” asked Tony.
“Benny’s very recently ex-girlfriend,” added Debbie.
Tony seemed confused. “You were having a relationship with someone who was having sexual relations with someone else?”
Benny hung his head. “Yeah.”
“How unfortunate,” said Tony. “You seem to be handling the situation quite well. If Deborah were having an affair at the present time, I would not be keeping my composure as you are.”
“Oh-oh,” said Nick. “Here it comes.” He was right.
Benny lost all composure. “You think I’m handling it well? Heck, no, I’m not. As a matter of fact…”
“Hold on,” interrupted Nick. “Time out, subject closed.”
Debbie grabbed Tony’s hand. “Sweetheart, you’ll never have to worry about that. You’re all I can handle,” she said. Debbie met Tony the night after Nick did. She was bringing Nick home from Balls and Burgers, a neighborhood bar and grill, since he was way beyond smashed. They stopped at the 7-Eleven to get coffee when she developed an instant fascination for the handsome Italian behind the counter. Nick never forgave himself for that.
Tony smiled. “I love you, my little fettuccine.”
Debbie put her nose up to Tony’s and started rubbing it. “And I love you, my little meatball.”
Nick was disgusted. “Screw this shit,” he said, as he walked to the kitchen. “You need help in there, Andie?”
Benny was also feeling nauseous. “I think I need the bathroom,” he said as he slammed the door behind him.
“I guess Nicholas and Benny cannot handle the intimate exchange of words between two lovers,” declared Tony.
Debbie was a little concerned. “Can you handle it?” she asked.
“Of course I can,” he said. “Did you not just hear those words roll off my tongue like Alfredo sauce on linguine?”
“Sweetie, I’m not talking about words. I’m talking about our relationship. Where are we heading? What’s up with our future? We need to talk.”
“Lover, I have been all over the world in my travels and I have experienced many different women.”
“I didn’t need to hear that,” said Debbie.
“Let me finish,” said Tony. “Some of them, men can only fantasize about.”
“I really didn’t need to hear that,” she said.
“But I have never – ever – been so much in love as I am with you,” Tony declared.
Debbie’s knees got weak. “Do you really mean that?”
“Yes my little pepperoni, I most certai
nly do.”
“That was, absolutely, the most wonderful thing anyone has ever said to me,” said Debbie. “But you still didn’t answer my question.” She wasn’t going to let him off that easy.
Tony smiled. “Wherever our hearts take us.”
She held Tony’s hand and smiled back. “Cool.”
The Devil's in My Bathroom Page 7