The End Of All Things

Family Tree

Later the next afternoon after she finished cleaning and getting people out, Kenzie stood in the shower. She tilted her head back slightly letting the water hit her neck as she let out a yawn. She started to rinse the suds off of her body as she heard footsteps and the opening of cabinets.

"Just getting alcohol." He said while he searched around.

She silently made a face. She was about to get out but stopped herself to wait for him to leave. "Okay."

He caught the slight tone in her voice. “I’ve seen you naked plenty of times you know.” He said still going through everything.

“We have already talked about this, Linc.” She rolled her eyes slightly.

They had rules; usually Kenzie was the one to enforce them. If they wanted things to continue to work, they had to stop most of what they considered normal when they were in a relationship. Sometimes, there was the occasional slip but she was not going to let it go, and though it annoyed him he had to bare it.

“Do you want me to close my eyes?”

“How long does it take you to find rubbing alcohol?”

“I got it. I’m going.” He assured as he walked out of the bathroom with what he needed.

He didn’t get why she had become picky about some of the things that they had even done while they were actually friends. They had gone streaking a few weeks before they had gotten together, she already had flashed him a few times before and since they used to walk into each others house’s like it had been nothing, they had walked in on each other changing from time to time. It hadn’t been just seeing each other naked either, she didn’t hug him the same way and he couldn’t hold her hand anymore. Sure he was just dealing with it but it still hurt.

While she got dressed, he had finished getting dressed himself and headed out to his car and drove to Fred’s. Him, Bret and Fred had all been friends since college but felt and seemed like they had all known each other since birth. Bret was the logical, relaxed and thoughtful one. Fred was the semi hot headed, wild, and spontaneous one. And to balance the both of them out, there was Lincoln.

After the quick fifteen-minute drive, Linc parked. Fred had lived over one of his three medicinal marijuana shops. Sometimes people were amazed by Fred’s success. What he did wasn’t exactly a surprise but it had been more of his work ethic that shocked people.

“Are you awake?” He asked not coming any further than the small hallway.

“Now I am.” The twenty seven year old man grumbled from his couch as he adjusted his position.

“Are you clothed?”

His eyes stayed closed but a smirk slowly crept up on his face. “I don’t think so.”

Lincoln rolled his eyes and walked in anyway knowing his friend was fine. As he walked in, Fred got up and yawned heading into the kitchen that hadn’t been too far from the living room. “What can I do for you my friend?” He asked as he made himself something to drink.

“Bret told me to give this to you.” He said holding up the folder of papers. Bret had stopped by the house earlier and seemed to be in a hurry; he said nothing more than give these to Fred before jogging back to his car and driving off.

His eyes somewhat lit up. “Yes.” He let out.

“What is this?” He asked.

“Tax stamps.”

“Oh that’s why you are happy. These are they keys to you staying open.”

“Exactly.” He said coming over and taking the file. “Have anything to do today? I have this new batch and I want somebody to test it out.”

He raised a brow. “And why can’t you do that?” Lincoln saying he didn’t smoke from time to time was a lie. At one point in college he was a chimney, but learned how to moderate himself over the years.

“Don’t get high on your own supply. Duh, rule number one. It’s not even bad, it’s gotten a lot of good reviews so far.”

“Really now?” He said unconvinced, even though he did trust Fred. He just didn’t want to be apart of his ten person-testing group.

“Yes. You might be stuck for the first hour but after that everything is normal.” He continued to persuade.

He gave him an are you serious look. “Fred, why don’t you fix the being stuck part?”

“No are you crazy? That’s everybody’s favorite part.”

Lincoln shook his head. “Please don’t kill anybody. I am not testing it out. But I also need a favor from you.”

He blinked a few times. “You shoot my favor down, only to ask me for one?”

“Because you owe me a shit load of favors.”

Fred opened his mouth to say something but stopped once he did think about it. “Okay, whatever. What’s up?”

“Do you still talk to that friend who is the tech for Kings of Leon?”

“Yeah, he buys from me all the time. Why would you-? Wait a minute.” Fred stopped himself. “I know exactly where this is going and no.” He pointed heading back to the kitchen.

“Fred, please.”

“No. I will not aid and abed whatever the hell is going on with you and Kenz. We told you last night that you needed to just forget about it and move on.” He shook his head. Fred knew Lincoln was going to ask for Kings Of Leon tickets for Kenzie. True, he did love her like a little sister, but he had seen what they had put each other through over the last year. To him he thought the divorce was actually what they needed. “And they aren’t even going to be here.”

“No, but they will be in New York in February for Valentines Day. Which is where I have to go, and which is Kenzie will already will be. It works out just fine. And this is not a crime.”

“Linc, it’s November. Do you really plan on keeping this up for the next three months? And don’t you think you guys will officially be divorced by then?” He asked. As much he thought his friend was nuts, he couldn’t blame him for trying to get things back to normal.

He only earned a sigh from Lincoln. “Look, I know more than anybody that you love her. But… don’t you think you should at least try to see what else is out there? You guys have been together for nine years and neither of you have really been with anybody else but each other.”

“Exactly. Why should I have to learn about somebody else all over again and pretend to have feelings for them when I already have somebody I know better than myself and love more than anything?”

Fred sighed after listening to his friend. “Fucking sentimental shit.” He muttered under his breath. “Fine. If everything is still the same by the beginning of January, I will see what I can do.” He rubbed his face.

Lincoln smiled. He knew Fred had a soft spot when it came to him, Kenzie, Bret, Crystal and Bethany. “And, I will find somebody to try your batch out for you.” He said before starting to walk to the door.

“You better.” He scoffed. “Now go away. “