Marcus debated staying in the car. The sound of his cousin and her boyfriend fighting was causing an ache at his temples. He wasn't sure mixing them with a crowded bar was going to help his growing migraine.
This was the first time he was going out in a year. After last year’s revelation when Nic explained that the shadows were people traveling from the Isle of the Lost, Marcus went into hibernation. He kept himself holed up in his apartment unless he was heading to work.
Jade was so wrapped up with Nic that she barely seemed to notice Marcus’s absence. Bobby didn’t question it either. He was probably relieved that Marcus was leaving him alone. The person that was most affected by Marcus’s disappearing act was Zander.
Marcus was torn about seeing Zander. The two roommates had fallen out of touch when Jade broke up with Zander. Over the last few months, Marcus realized cutting ties with Zander was a mistake. His main goal for the night was to fix his relationship with his best friend.
“I am not nervous about seeing my ex-boyfriend. You're just oversensitive because Ollie didn't show up,” Jade shot back.
Marcus pinched the bridge of his nose. For a moment, Marcus wished Bobby hadn't ditched him at the last second. At least he would have been distracted by his cousin’s antics, even if they made him nervous. Sighing, Marcus opened the door and stepped into the parking lot.
“Who's Ollie?” Marcus asked. He attempted to join civilization even if Jade and Nic were acting uncivilized.
“Nic's low-life best friend who ditches him every Thanksgiving,” Jade responded before Nic could get a word in.
Nic stopped walking to glare at Jade. Marcus didn't know who Ollie was, but he could tell that Jade's comment had hit a sensitive chord. With a look that could freeze fire, Nic said to Jade, “You will never understand.” Nic shoved his hands in his pockets and picked up his pace toward the bar. Jade ran after him.
One step inside and Nic recognized the PMI uniformed men standing at the far end of the bar. They wore navy suits with bold brass buttons and an unmistakable insignia of silver tubular flowers on their shoulder sleeve. They were holding their military style caps in their hands.
Nic’s body tensed up. They weren’t drinking, just scanning the people in the bar. Nic caught the eye of Trip the bartender. There were beads of sweat on his upper lip. He gave a quick shake of his head and looked back at the glass he was cleaning.
Determined not to be shaken, Nic straightened his spine and walked in. No one was going to make this night any worse for him. Not Trip. Not Jade. And definitely not the PMI. He headed toward the other end of the bar with an irritated Jade hurrying after him.
Marcus was left shrugging his shoulders at their drama. He was going to find Zander and make amends. He stepped inside the familiar pub and scanned the bar.
Vicki glowed like a diamond surrounded by dozens of second-rate gems. She was wearing a blue cropped top and a blue bedazzled headband. He made a bee-line for her. She had been a twinkle in the back of his mind as he tried to piece his life together.
“Princess Jasmine, your Aladdin has arrived.” Marcus dropped into a low bow.
Vicki looked around the bar with confusion and slight embarrassment. “What?”
Rayley giggled. “You are right! Her outfit makes her look like Jasmine.”
As Marcus straightened up, Vicki puffed out her chest. “No, it doesn't.” She leaned over and whispered to Rayley, “Who is he?”
Marcus's stomach dropped. Years of mooning over Vicki, and she didn’t even know who he was.
“This is Zander's law school friend, Marcus. You remember him. He drove us home from Lorenzo's Pizzeria a few years ago,” Rayley explained.
Marcus dropped into the seat next to Rayley, feeling deflated.
“Oh, yeah. Hi,” Vicki said. She barely looked in his direction.
“Is Zander here?” Marcus asked. He shouldn’t delay the inevitable conversation they needed to have.
Vicki groaned, making Marcus want to hide under a rock. Why did the most beautiful girl he ever met think he was revolting? Bobby was downright rude to Vicki, and she was putty in his hands. Marcus didn't get it.
“Zander and his girlfriend are on their way,” Rayley said.
Marcus's ears perked up. “Zander has a new girlfriend?”
“Repugnant Rachel,” Vicki said and groaned again. “She's boring and annoying.”
“Boring sounds better than Jade's relationship. It's volatile and unhealthy. They bring out the worst in each other, but for some reason, Jade is holding on.”
A group of middle-aged men departed, leaving an opening in the crowd and clearing the view to the door. Zander and Repugnant Rachel appeared, found Rayley, Marcus, and Vicki, and headed toward them.
Zander pasted an insincere smile on his face. He wanted to look confident, even if he was anything but. The last year had been rough. After Jade broke up with him, Zander packed up his tiny apartment and moved back to Woodpine. He had hoped to see Jade and patch their relationship back together. It never happened.
The situation with Jade had made it uncomfortable to stay in touch with Marcus, but Zander had tried. A week after the breakup, Zander had sat on his childhood bed, swallowed his pride and sent Marcus the following text message:
Hey, Marcus. I’m sure you’ve heard the news about Jade and me. I’m back in Woodpine, and a beer with my best friend sounds like the perfect medicine. Want to catch tonight’s game at McCallister’s?
Zander never received an answer. He was broken and drowning in sorrow, and his best friend wouldn’t even return his text message. Jade had ripped his heart out, and Marcus had kicked him when he was already down.
It was Rayley who had picked Zander up and put him back on his feet. She had helped him find a job with the local county democrats and an apartment in the city. She had wiped his tears and had promised that time would heal his wounds.
Zander had thrown himself into his job, writing and researching legislation for hot button issues like immigration. Writing policy was a distraction from the hole in his chest, but it didn’t erase the painful memories.
He was thinking of Jade and Marcus when he met Rachel a few weeks before Thanksgiving. Popping her hip in a black mini-skirt, she had approached him at a bar in the city. “Buy me a drink?”
Zander had been nursing a beer while he watched the basketball game after a long day at the office. He tore his eyes from the screen and found the attractive brunette biting her bottom lip. He smiled and flagged down the bartender. She sat down on the bar stool next to him, placed a hand on his thigh, and by the end of the night, they were rolling around between his sheets.
She was sexy, simple and untangled from the Jade’s web. She didn’t trap his heart or dominate his thoughts. She was the perfect balm for his broken life.
“Hey, Marcus. It's been a while.” Zander said. It was an understatement. The two guys shook hands, but the gesture was stiff. “I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Rachel.” Zander motioned to the skinny brunette twirling a piece of her hair between her fingers.
Marcus could feel the months of guilt weighing on his shoulders. Zander might have been trying to hide his pain with pretty new arm candy, but Marcus could tell it was a facade. Zander shouldn't have to feel like he had to prove something. “Hi, Rachel. It's nice—”
“Yeah, hi,” Rachel said, cutting Marcus off. She turned to Zander. “I need a vodka soda.”
The fake smile on Zander's face faded away. He asked the bartender for the drink and took a moment to compose himself. “How's Jade?” Zander asked Marcus, ignoring Rachel and the metaphorical thorn in his side. He reminded himself that he just had to get through the night with Rachel. He wanted Jade to know he was over her.
“Jade's fine. She's here with her boyfriend.” Marcus pointed to the arguing couple in the back of the room. Jade's hands were gesturing wildly as Nic rolled his eyes.
Zander felt a rush of emotions. As he stood there with his new girlfriend in a mockery o
f a happy relationship, he knew he wasn't over Jade. He would never feel whole unless he was with Jade. Unfortunately, he wasn't even a thought in Jade’s mind. He was trying desperately to show her that he had moved on, while she wasn't even aware that he was in the bar.
Marcus threw his arm around Zander’s shoulder and gave him a crooked smile. “Hey, Zan. Can I buy you a beer?”
Zander turned to his old friend. He felt the old connection that brought them together years ago. He may not have Jade, but at least he had his best friend back.
“I’d like that.”
* * * *
Chapter Eight: The Thanksgiving Eve That Should Have Been Perfect
Three Years After Law School
Age: 27
Zander dug his hands into his coat pockets to protect himself from the brisk wind and hurried down Washington Avenue. He rushed into Lorenzo’s Pizzeria and inhaled deeply. Garlic, oregano, and the faint smell of must from a building that had been around for decades overwhelmed his senses.
Zander couldn’t help but smile. He took great pleasure in coming home for Thanksgiving. The small, buzzing town of Woodpine during a week of celebration was familiar. No matter how long he was away, Lorenzo's Pizzeria smelled like home.
He waved at Lorenzo, who was expertly sliding a large cheese pizza into the eight-foot oven with a long metal peel. Lorenzo’s face lit up when he saw Zander. He wiped his hands on the sauce-stained apron that fit snugly around his beer belly. His hair line had been reduced to two grey tufts above each ear, but his playful smile said he was young at heart.
“Everybody clear out, Zander, the big city lawyer, trekked far and wide to visit our little establishment!” Lorenzo announced in a booming voice. None of the patrons stirred. They were used to Lorenzo's goading outbursts.
Zander smiled and rolled his eyes. “Lorenzo, what are you talking about? The big city is only fifty-five minutes away from Woodpine.”
Lorenzo kept up his act, addressing the other customers. “Don't fall for his manipulation tactics. He will back you into a corner against your will.”
“You watch too many Law and Order episodes. Besides, I’m helping to run the local democrat politician’s campaign. I'm one of the good guys.”
Zander was proud of his accomplishments at work. He joined the campaign for a politician who was running for the state’s senate seat. The eager candidate had previously been the city’s mayor and was still lovingly referred to as Mayor Pam. She was in her fifties and relied on Zander for his insight with younger voters.
If elected, Mayor Pam agreed to let Zander write new legislation to allow immigrant children brought to the country illegally to be granted a path to citizenship. He was elated by the possibility. By focusing on his career the last year, Zander had impressed his team and rebuilt his confidence.
Another customer reached in front of Zander to grab a straw from the bin on the counter. Lorenzo put up his hands and said, “Watch out for the greedy lawyer, he may charge you a hundred dollars for stepping in his way.”
“When I was younger, you picked on my choice of college. Now, you are mocking my profession. Can I never please you?” Zander raised his arms with his palms facing up. He may have been playing up an act of irritation, but he loved the back and forth with his favorite pizza man.
Lorenzo pointed his forefinger at Zander. “I will always find something to keep you grounded,” he said, but his eyes were teasing.
“Come on, Lorenzo, you’ve known me for my entire life, is that how you treat long-term customers?”
Lorenzo let out a boisterous laugh, enjoying the banter they continued to have over the years. He threw his hands in the air. “You are a good lawyer! How about a rice ball on the house? Extra marinara sauce!”
“Now that's more like it. I'll take a large cheese pizza as well, to go,” Zander replied.
Lorenzo reached over the counter to give Zander’s hand a vigorous shake and held his gaze. “Zander, it's always great to see you. Happy Thanksgiving.”
“Happy Thanksgiving, Lorenzo.” Zander returned the gesture with love and gratitude.
Zander paid and made himself comfortable in a chair at the counter while Lorenzo got to work. Zander scanned the row of booths. They were filled with families that had the same idea; grab a pie from Lorenzo the night before Thanksgiving and leave the cooking for tomorrow. Pictures of little league teams that Lorenzo proudly supported through the decades hung on the back wall of the shop.
Riding the Thanksgiving high and the accolades from work, Zander felt he needed to set one last thing straight in his life. Sweet, beautiful Jade.
Zander had thought long and hard about what pulled them apart. She had said she needed to find herself. She had every right to soul search. A childhood with a mother like Jade’s would take its toll on anyone.
However, Zander didn’t believe he would hold her back from discovering her true worth. If they were together again, he could help her find it. They had their difficulties in the past, but this year was going to be the year everything fell into place. Zander could just feel it.
As if Zander’s thoughts had a magnetic pull, Jade's brother, Bobby, appeared at the door of Lorenzo’s Pizzeria. Zander's body tensed. He was ready to approach Jade, but wasn’t ready to speak to her volatile brother. To Zander’s surprise, Bobby smiled and picked up his pace when he spotted Zander.
“Zander, it’s great to see you. How long are you in town?” Bobby asked. He was no longer sunken and sallow, like his body was wasting away. In fact, his waistline looked snug. The change in Bobby's demeanor and appearance was astounding.
Zander told himself to relax his shoulders and act natural. If Bobby was going to be cordial, that was great news. It couldn’t hurt to mend the relationship with him before mending things with Jade. Zander reached out to shake his hand, but Bobby pulled Zander into a hug.
A chuckle escaped Zander’s lips at Bobby's surprising show of affection. His warmth was pleasant. “Just a few days. I'm working on a piece of legislation, and I need to be back in the office Monday,” Zander replied.
“That's awesome, man. You impress me. Hard working.” He seemed calm and attentive compared to the party-crazed, combative Bobby that Zander knew.
“How about you? How are you doing?”
Solemn, Bobby nodded his head. “I'm good, Zan. I'm working in sales, saving money. I found my purpose in life. I'm good.” He repeated the last sentence as if to convince himself.
Bobby had spent the last year weening himself off the drugs, ending detrimental relationships, and rearranging his life. He needed to be clear-headed if he was going to travel to the Isle of the Lost and find his father. Not that anyone needed to know his motivation for cleaning up his act.
“I'm glad.” Zander clapped him on the shoulder because he meant it. “How's…err…the rest of your family?”
“Doing well. Mom is annoyed to have me in the house, but she feels the need to keep an eye on me. Jade is fine. She's doing the best she can, given the circumstances. I feel bad I wasn't there for her in the past, but I'm trying to make up for it now.”
Given the circumstances? Zander wondered if Jade broke up with her tattooed boyfriend. What did Jade see in a guy like that?
“Going to McCallister's tonight?” Bobby asked. “I’ve been sober for months, but I’ll head over to say hello to old friends. It’s tradition, right?”
Zander’s spirits lifted. If Bobby was going out tonight, Jade would likely join him. “Yes, I will see you there.” Bobby gathered Zander in another bear hug.
“Okay, buddy, see you there.” Zander was confused yet delighted by Bobby’s cordiality and smiled as he grabbed his pizza and headed out.
As a surge of customers entered Lorenzo’s Pizzeria during the busy dinner rush hour, one of Lorenzo’s part-time employees tapped Lorenzo on the shoulder.
“What?” Lorenzo barked as he counted change for a customer.
The pimple-faced teenager leaned in and said, “You
’re needed at the back door.”
“Whoever it is, tell them to come back later.”
The kid didn’t move. “It’s the scary tattoo guy from Murphy’s. He says its important.”
Lorenzo sighed, took a pizza out of the oven, and shoved the peel into the teenager’s hands. “Take customer orders and watch the register!”
Lorenzo wouldn’t leave his post at the helm of his ship during his busy hours for just anyone, but he would make an exception for someone important. Lurking PMI officers and scandalous rumors were enough to drag him away. He was eager for news.
Lorenzo opened the back door to find Carl, the doorman from Murphy’s Music Hall, leaning against the brick wall.
Carl edged closer as Lorenzo stepped outside. He kept his eyes on the dark alley behind the shop. “The PMI raided the Music Hall last night.”
“I heard.” Lorenzo shook his head in sorrow.
Carl sighed. “They rounded up half a dozen Rogues. Some of them were born in the Land of the Free.”
Lorenzo nodded. “Including the young Jones girl from Springfield. Her sister told me.”
The doorman shook his head. “I didn’t have enough time to warn her.”
Lorenzo put his hand on Carl’s forearm. “It’s not your fault. I’m glad you are safe.”
“They don’t suspect me…yet.”
The two old friends looked at each other. They had weathered many storms throughout the years, but this was starting to feel like a tornado building momentum.
“Do you remember the raids during All Shadows Eve in 2002?”
“How could I forget? A rumor went around that the Mercury boss was gaining power in Zone Concrete and sending his minions to connect with Rogues in the Land of the Free. The PMI was not happy.”
“They hit back hard and fast, and they weren’t particular when they apprehended suspects. I heard they sent more non-Rogues to the Isle of the Lost than escaped Rogues.”
“They didn’t want to look weak. It was a painful year. I ended up laying low in a friend’s basement out of fear.”
All Shadows Eve Page 11
