Page 58 of Waves
Ezra stayed beside me the whole way to the dining area. I was perfectly capable of walking on my own, but I didn’t dare shoo him away. He hovered while I slowly settled into a chair, which, admittedly, was a lot more painful than I made it seem. Ishmael, who hid himself under the table, rested his face on my knee while I ruffled his ears.
Mary started helping herself to the stack of waffles and the platter of bacon, which was totally fine because she was a guest, and she’d cooked for all of us. Where she got the bacon, I could only guess, but from the smell I guessed it was not the kind Ezra buys.
Ezra caught me staring at the plate and chuckled to himself. “Go ahead.”
I smiled and added some strips to my plate. I hadn’t eaten bacon since... I couldn’t even say. My memory often did this to me, where I recognized something so clearly I could taste it, despite not having any for as far back as I could remember. I added a couple waffles to my plate next and topped it with gloriously dark amber syrup. And I meant actual from-a-maple-tree syrup, not that corn-based rubbish available at the diner.
“So, Kai, we were all talking and... uh...” Eric fumbled and looked to Mary for help.
Mary let out a long sigh and narrowed her eyes while she stared me down. “Kai, you called me for a ride to the marina at the crack of dawn, and now here you are, over twenty hours and twenty stitches later. What the hell happened?”
“I think a small boat hit me.” I crunched down on a piece of bacon and chewed. Delightful.
“A boat?” Mary asked, holding back a laugh.
“Yes, while swimming. I walked back from the beach down the road.”
Mary looked at Ezra with a raised brow. “Is this another drug thing? Please, tell me you’re not involved this time.”
“What? No, he’s not on drugs, Mar.” Ezra laughed while he added a waffle to his plate.
“Maybe he just smuggles them,” Eric asked without really asking.
“Guys, no, he doesn’t take drugs, or sell drugs, or do anything involving drugs.”
“I’d like to hear him say that,” Mary said, her eyes still watching my every move.
I swallowed my mouthful of bacon, then turned to Ezra. “Is the pill you just gave me considered drugs?”
Ezra smirked back at me while cutting into his waffle. “Technically, yes, but that’s not what they mean.”
“Then, I suppose I don’t,” I said, taking another bite of my bacon strip.
“That’s so reassuring,” Mary said while she rolled her eyes. “If you’re not a smuggler, what do you actually do for a living, Kai?”
“Nothing. I’m a freeloader.” I winked at Ezra.
Ezra sighed and put his head in his hand. “You are not.”
“I suppose I provide you with some form of entertainment...” I mused.
“So, you don’t have a career or even a job?” Mary asked.
I shook my head and chewed my bacon.
“Where do you live if you don’t have a job?”
I swept my hand across the room and stuffed the last of the bacon in my mouth.
“Here?” Mary shrieked.
Ezra hunkered next to me, aggressively cutting into his waffles, as if he hoped to drown out the conversation with the sharp sounds of his utensils.
“What about when you’re not living here?” Eric asked next.
I cocked my head at such an odd question. “I only live here.”
“No, no, you don’t!” Mary cackled and scooted closer. She wagged a finger at me, confident she finally caught me in my own web of lies. “I happen to know for a fact that you’re gone for weeks at a time because this one,” she said while she thumbed at Ezra, “does nothing but mope until he hears from you again.”