“Oh.”Pops's speculative glare volleyed between us before saying, “Why isn't heasking Greyson for help?”
Ibarked an obnoxious “ha!” into Jen’s face, before heading into the kitchen,where Moe, our employee and friend, sat with a bottle of soda and a slice ofpepperoni pizza. He scarfed it down with an air of gratitude, the way he alwaysdid, and nodded happily toward me by way of greeting.
“Hey,man. You know you don't have to eat pizza every day, right? We won't beinsulted if you wanna grab a sandwich or something,” I said as I opened thefridge to grab some more dough.
Moeshook his head. “I'll never get tired of eating this.”
“Whateveryou say, man.”
“Whenyou remember going days without eating anything at all, you learn to not takewhat you get for granted,” he pointed out, before licking the remaining sauceand grease from his fingers.
Shamewrapped its icy hands around my throat. It was easy to forget that, before we’dhired him years ago, Moe had once been homeless. I could still remember hisdirty, tattered clothes, but now, after seeing him every day, clean and puttogether, the memories from before had faded like an old, vaguely familiarphotograph.
“Sorry,I—”
“Vin,”he said, smiling as he stood. “Relax. It's all good. Now, what was I hearin’about babies?”
Ichuckled, shrugging. “Zach and Greyson are apparently thinking about having akid.”
“Oh,nice. I can see Zach as a dad.”
“Yeah,”I practically grunted, nodding. “Same here.”
Moenarrowed one eye as he took the bowl of dough from my hands. “What, you're nothappy for them?”
Scoffing,I replied, “I didn't say that.”
“Brother,you didn't have to,” he laughed, an easy sound that was usually contagious.“You wear the truth in your eyes, my friend. So, what's up?”
“Eh,I dunno. It's stupid. I just ...” I shrugged, feeling like an idiot for evenletting it bother me at all. “I guess it gets to me a little that he didn'ttell me. He told Jenna but he hasn’t said shit to me about this.”
Moehummed thoughtfully. “Yeah, I can see where that might sting a little. But youknow, there's not a mean bone in that guy's body. I'm sure it just slipped hismind. He's got a lot goin’ on.”
Iknew there was truth in that. Zach had just opened up his own pizzeria in HogHill, Famiglia Bella II, and his old farmhouse seemed to be in a constant stateof construction. He was a busy guy, with a full life, and forgetting to tell mesomething wasn't out of the realm of possibility. But, I reminded myself, hehad told Jenna. And sure, she could be the one acting as a surrogate for theguys, but I couldn't help feeling that he had purposely kept me out of theloop.
“Thereyou go again,” Moe jabbed, wagging a long finger. “I might be going out on alimb here, but maybe he didn't wanna say anything because he thought you mightget jealous.”
“Jealous?”I spat the word from my mouth and forced a laugh that instantly felt bitter.“Why would I be jealous? I'm happy for him. I'm not jealous.”
Hisdeep brown eyes narrowed with taunting acknowledgement. “You can be happy forhim while still being jealous. Do you know how many times I was happy for myfriends on the streets, who had lucked themselves into better situations, whilestill being jealous as fuck that it wasn’t me? And brother, I know that thereare people out there who are thrilled that I got myself outta that hole, but iftheir envy could kill, I’d be lyin’ in a gutter right now.”
“Well,I mean, that’s different,” I reasoned weakly.
“Okay,then you tell me what you got goin’ on in your life.”
“What?”I couldn’t help but laugh.
Moehoisted himself up to sit on the clean, metal countertop. His legs swungcasually, new white Nike’s on his feet. I distinctly remembered a time when healways had holes in his shoes and I wondered how many of his old friendsresented him for such a simple luxury.
“Yougot a woman?”
“Thefuck?” I laughed, shaking my head. “You know I’m not seeing anybody, man.”
“Okay,well, love isn’t everything. You got your own place?” I didn’t bother replying.I simply stared at him exhaustedly, waiting for him to get to his point. “Anyprospects for kids, marriage, financial progress … Stop me when I hit onsomething—”
“Okay,I get it. My life is shit.” I took the bowl of dough and headed for the door.
“Yo,I never said that,” Moe objected, hopping off the counter and stopping me fromleaving. “And if you’re happy, man, then that’s great for you. But, yourbrother might be thinking youaren’thappy, you know what I’m sayin’?And with everything going on in his life, he might not wanna rub it in thatyou’re just …”
