7/16/24

I had a party at my house Saturday night. A bunch of my musician friends were there. John was there, and Frank and Jimmy the bass player from my band were there. Amy showed up, and that’s something special because Amy hardly ever goes anywhere anymore.

My friend Janet from the sound bath I go to was there. She’s an older divorced woman and we like to commiserate. I actually met her daughter there first. Her daughter’s college age and is friends with a bunch of the younger girls who go to the sound bath. But I really clicked with her mom Janet when I met her so she started coming to my parties.

Also Janet had this deadbeat living with her for a while who she couldn’t get rid of so John and I hatched a scheme with her to get the woman out of her place. I acted like she could move in with me and John loaded all her stuff up in his truck and then when he was on his way I called and said “Sorry, my wife doesn’t want anyone moving in with me since I have the kids on weekends.” So John dropped her off somewhere and that was that. Sounds harsh I know, but Janet’s a sweetheart and it was the only way we were able to get this freeloader out of her house.

Oh, and Michelle was there. I stopped having the parties for a while because Mary Jane used to come to them and they just sort of sucked without her there. But now that I had Michelle I figured I’d try them out again.

We played music, had a good time. Janet and Amy talked to Michelle and they both really liked her. She’s a down to earth, no bullshit kind of woman so it’s hard not to like her. When everyone left Michelle and I fucked all through the night. Then we woke up in the morning and fucked some more. She introduced me to some new things that helped me get past some issues I’ve had since my separation. We won’t go there because this isn’t that sort of story. I’ll just leave it at this: it was an awesome night. And of course I dreamed about Mary Jane, God damnit.

Anyway, we had breakfast together the next day and she was gone. Headed back to the mountains. It was my kid free weekend so I hung out with Amy later. “She seemed really cool,” she said as we sat in her apartment on the couches eating fried carry out shit.

I nodded. “And she’s pretty too. Not my usual type, but to me she’s pretty.”

“She’s pretty to anybody,” Amy said. “Why do you always have to qualify everything?”

I frowned. “It’s just. She’s not. I can’t say it. Sorry.”

“Say it.”

“You really want me to?” I frowned. “She’s not Mary Jane.”

“Nobody is,” Amy said. “Mary Jane is gorgeous. I can’t tell you how many times I was completely ignored when I was with her. This one time we were at a bar and we were talking and this guy sat right between us and started hitting on her like I wasn’t even there.”

I rolled my eyes. “But it’s not just her looks. Not with me. It’s everything else.”

“She’s sweet. She’s a great mom. She’s smart. She’s the kindest person on the planet.” Amy frowned. “Until she’s not.”

“Yeah.” I shook my head. What the fuck is wrong with me?

“And every guy she meets falls in love with her.”

“I mean, I’d like to think it was different with me. We knew each other most of our lives. And we had so much in common.” Here I go again.

“I’m sure you were important to her. Of course you were.”

“Let’s change the subject,” I said. “There’s a reason we agreed not to talk about her.”

“This is exactly what I’m always telling you,” Amy said. “You’re dating this great new beautiful woman, and all you can think about is Mary Jane. You’re so stuck on what you don’t have. You’re never grateful for what you do have. You’re dating a cool, pretty woman who everyone likes. You have four beautiful kids. You have a great job. I don’t have any of those things.”

“I didn’t know you were into women that way.”

She rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean”

“And you can have the kids if you want them.”

“That’s not even funny. I can barely take care of my cats. I can barely take care of myself.”

“I can barely take care of myself too. Maybe that’s why we get along so well.”

We talked a while longer, then I went home and slept.

Monday night I didn’t have anything to do, so I drove to Station North, put on my armor, and stalked the streets looking for some White Skulls whose asses I could kick.

I found two of them in an alley. They drew their guns and I closed the space and punched one in the chest while the other one shot at me. I felt a sting in my stomach and kicked his gun away. The one guy grabbed me and I side chopped both of his kidneys then kneed him in the head.

The other guy shot at me and I blocked his gun away and right hooked him. He punched me in the stomach and knocked the wind out of me so I uppercut him in the chin. These guys could fight but they still weren’t good enough to take me.

I stomped on them until the fight was taken out of them and threw both of their guns down the street. “Stay out of this neighborhood.”

“Malcolm’s gonna be pissed,” one of them said.

“Who’s that?” I asked. “Your boss?”

“He’s the devil,” the guy said.

“Bring him on,” I said. “I’ve got a beef with the devil. I’d be glad to meet him.”

I walked away down the alley and headed back to my van.