The Test of Time

Ten

          Eddy stared at Brett's contact for a long time, watching the 'active' dot, waiting for it to turn green. He wondered what Brett was doing right now. Probably talking to that new girl of his, setting himself to away so that Eddy wouldn't see. Eddy was internally seething at the thought. He didn't know why though, it didn't make sense. Why should it matter to him whether Brett was talking to a girl? Was...was Mallory right?

          In reality, Brett was a little bit panicked. Eddy had never, never  not returned his calls and texts within a timely manner. It wasn't like he had sent them very late either, only around nine o'clock. What had he said? He went back through his text history. There was that call from Eddy when he had said there was something they needed to talk about, although it could wait. Then, he had texted Eddy four times about Misako. When Eddy hadn't replied to that within two hours, he had begun to get worried that he had said something wrong, and called Eddy several times. Upon no answer, he texted Eddy telling him to call. When Eddy didn't, Brett was thoroughly worried.

         Brett wondered if Eddy was so angry that he wouldn't even answer the phone, and that was why. It didn't make sense! He had done nothing! Was Eddy upset that he couldn't talk about whatever he said was important? He was busy though! Eddy understood that, right? Eddy always understood. Maybe he should go over to Eddy's house to apologize? Would that just make Eddy more angry?

          Eddy eventually pressed call. One ring. What am I even going to say if he answers? Two rings. Hey, Brett, I'm super angry at you even though I myself don't even know why? Three rings. I don't have an excuse for not answering. Maybe I should just work around the subject? Four rings. Maybe I just go ahead and talk about the Spanish orchestra.

          "Hello?" Brett's voice on the other end of the line was clearly worried, and that just made Eddy even more angry. 

          "Hi," Eddy said flatly, "We need to talk about an email we got. Meet me for breakfast?" 

           "Well, I actually have a-...I have somewhere to-....you know what? Never mind. I'll meet you for breakfast. Usual place?"

          "You have a what, Brett? A what?" Eddy asked, tone still unchanging. The words were a challenge silently presented to Brett, and all Eddy wanted was for Brett to utter the words so that he would have a right to be angry. 

          "Eddy, are you okay? You're being weird," Brett said, a hint of care in his voice.

          "No, Brett, I'm not okay. Yes, normal place. In thirty minutes?" He asked.

          "Yes, that works. I'll see you then," Brett said, giving up. It hurt him to hear Eddy like that. What was the matter with Eddy anyway? Normally when something was wrong, Eddy would come walking in, they'd hug, and sit together on the couch and talk it out. The same would happen when Brett himself was being difficult. This was so strange. There had, of course, been a few fights like this one in the past, when they wouldn't speak kindly to each other, but they always had a clear inciting incident. This one didn't. He had already gone through the texts, there was nothing he had said. He'd try to drag it out of Eddy at breakfast, he decided.

          "Bye, Brett." Eddy's voice cut into his thoughts like an a thousand degree knife. 

          "Bye, Eddy, see you soon," Brett tried to sound happy, but failed miserably. 

           Eddy hung up the phone, but didn't put it away, instead, he texted Mallory. 'Hey, Mal, I'm sorry for being an awful person. You were right, and I don't know how to deal with it. I'm really, really sorry.' 

           Joy, that was a hard text to send, but he felt a lot better having done it. He wasn't nearly so angry, and even felt a bit bad about the harsh tone he had used with Brett a few minutes earlier.  Get a grip, Eddy, you have to stand some sort of ground though you don't even know what kind of ground it is. 

          Eddy quickly showered because he was still a bit sticky and disgusting from his run that morning. He had meant to shower much earlier, but of course had gotten distracted with the cracker mess, not being able to find his phone, then the phone calls. 

          Throwing on a 'sacrilegious' pink hoodie along with some jeans, he grabbed his phone and house keys and headed out the door. He didn't live far from their little meeting place. It was a family-owned cafe right next to a park. They always ordered the same things, then took the food and sat either on a bench or on the grass at the park. It was always nice when they did this, just the two of them.

           Upon arrival, he noticed that Brett wasn't there yet. The line wasn't long, so he just waited in it, then ordered food for the both of them. Brett could either pay him back later, or just pay next time. The total would come out the same, anyway. 

           As he accepted the bag of food from the mother who was working, Brett walked in. Eddy held up the bag of food and motioned for Brett to go on outside. Brett did so, and found their normal bench at the edge of the park. Eddy reached the bench a minute after, sat down, and started pulling food out of the bag.

        "Uh-uh, no. Eddy, stand up," Brett said, in a commanding tone.

         Eddy, very surprised, did as he was told. Brett saying two sentences in that tone of voice caused Eddy's brain to go fuzzy and give him mental images and scenes that definitely should not be there.