Free The Santa Mug by Patric Michael Page A

won.
    “How many brothers and sisters do you have again?”
    “Just five, actually, but no matter how old I get, I’ll always be the baby, you know?”
    “Not really,” Darren said. “I was an only child.”
    “Oh. I’m sorry. I forgot.” Max sounded chagrined.
    Darren laughed again. “It’s not necessarily a bad thing, Max. Lots of people don’t have siblings, and we do manage, after all.”
    “Yeah, I know. But….”
    “Don’t worry about it. What do you want me to bring?”
    “You’ll do it? Really?” Now Max sounded surprised, as though he hadn’t really expected Darren to agree.
    “Yes, really. Are we driving or flying?”
    “Driving, and I’ll do it. I know how you are behind the wheel.”
    “Smartass. I’ll buy the gas then.” Darren looked at the beer in his hand and took a drink. Somehow, it didn’t seem all that appealing anymore.
    “No way. It’s all on me. I was looking at spending a few days there, though. I’ve got two weeks off, so I thought I would play it against whatever time you could get.”
    “I can do a week, probably,” Darren said. “How far away are they, again?”
    “Just a day if the roads stay clear. Four hundred miles and change.” Max laughed ruefully. “Sometimes even that doesn’t seem far enough away.”
    “I can’t even begin to imagine,” Darren said. His voice held a note Max caught easily.
    “Oh, shit, Darren. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
    “Don’t worry about it, man. They made their choice. Up to me to live with it.”
    “Yeah, I know. You said that before, but can I ask you something?” Max paused for a moment. “You really did sound sort of funny.”
    “Sure,” Darren said. “Ask me anything.”
    “Are you? Are you living with it? I know what time of year this is for you.”
    Anything but that , Darren thought. “I get by, Max. I always do.”
    “Yeah, sure, but if you ever want company while you get by, call me, okay?”
    “I’ve got you on speed dial, baby.” Darren said.
    “And you’ve got a broken finger, apparently.” Max replied without missing a beat. “Seriously, if you need to talk….” He let the words trail off.
    “Then I’ll dial with my toes. Now enough of this maudlin shit. When are you coming to get me?”
    “If you can get a week, how about Tuesday morning, say about five-thirty?”
    “Five-thirty! Isn’t that a bit early? You know I’m not coherent until at least eleven.”
    “I know,” Max said. “But I don’t want to get there in the middle of the night.”
    Darren sighed. “All right, but you bring the coffee if you want me to be even remotely functional.”
    “I’ll bring the coffee,” Max said. “You bring a pillow.”
    “I’ll do that. Want me to bring anything else?”
    “Nope. Just your handsome self. And Darren? Thanks. I really appreciate it.”
    “No problem. I haven’t been on a road trip in ages.”
    Max laughed. “We’ll have fun. I’ll see you on Tuesday.”
    “All right, Max. If you say so.” Darren sounded dubious.
    “Really, it’ll be fun. I’ll talk to you later, okay?”
    “’K’, bye.” Darren closed the phone and stared at the beer can still in his hand.
    The question is: do I really want to have fun?

2
     
    Max pulled the car into a rest stop, one of the last before they reached their destination. Darren opened one eye and peered into the growing gloom. “What, again? You must have the storage capacity of a thimble.”
    “Oh, ain’t you the funny one today,” Max said. “I just want to clean up a bit. We’re almost there.”
    “Are we? Jeez, I’m sorry. I slept most of the way.”
    “Must have needed it,” Max said. “Want to come with?”
    “No, I’m good, thanks.” Darren sat up and tossed his pillow into the back seat. “I’ll just keep watch out here and honk if any likely trolls show up.”
    Max froze, caught in the act of opening the car door. The dome light overhead illuminated his surprise. “That’s just nasty, you know?