Free My Best Friend's Bucket List: Volume One by Shane Grey Page A

opened the door. Sloppy Deb came in,
looking rather spiffy and mother-like. She wasn't wearing her
normal jeans, vest, construction boots. Instead of being mommy and
daddy like usual, that day she was just mommy. She wore flats with
a floral pattern dress, no trucker cap like usual, make-up and hair
done up.
    “ Hello, Tuck, where's my
little girl?” Deb said.
    “ She's having breakfast at
the counter.” I said. Deb took off toward Lorrie. I closed the
front door, Dick was leaning on the wall behind it.
    “ So, you gonna seriously
see your mom, dude? After all these years?”
    “ Yeah, so?”
    “ It's just that you're
family is a train wreck, dude. How could your mother possibly help
you get over my death?”
    “ I will never get over
your death, man. You were my fucking brother. There will be no
getting over anything. You will be remembered.”
    “ Thanks, dude.” He paused
a beat. “Remember the time we met those twins at the bar? They both
wanted to fuck me, but I convinced the hot one to convince the
uglier one to fuck you, because you were all emo and
shit?”
    “ I had always thought the
uglier one just wanted to be with me.”
    “ That could've been the
case. Remember, dude, you are the one controlling me. I'm not
really here, I'm fucking dead.” Dick said.
    “ I know, man. But I still
miss you more than you will ever know.” I said.
    Dick disappeared.
    The Jack Daniels I had hidden from Lorrie,
by drinking it, was wearing off. Sipping a real cup of coffee, Deb
stroked Lorrie's hair as she ate her cereal, I watched the two in
amazement.
    Was it possible that some parents loved
their children that much?
    Lorrie Lovitt and Sloppy Deb Lovitt walked
me to the door. We stood awkwardly for a minute. Then Deb gave me a
kiss on the cheek. She wished me good luck, then left me and Lorrie
alone.
    “ Please hurry back and be
fuckin' careful, Tucker Sawyer. I can't lose you too.” Her eyes
teared up. I brought a single finger to her eye and stroked the
tear away.
    “ Don't waste those on the
idea that I may not come back. I'm just going to Orange County and
because no one REALLY loves me, I'll be back in one piece.” I said,
smiled big.
    “ Sometimes you can be a
real idiot.” Lorrie said, then she hugged me, her mouth against my
right ear. “I love you, you idiot.” She whispered.
    My body froze. I went into shock mode. Those
words on those lips. She must've meant as friends. I felt a panic
attack coming on.
    I broke the hug. Opened the door.
    “ Hey, wait.” Lorrie said.
I paused with my back to her.
    “ Huh?”
    “ There was something I
found, it's for you, I wanted to wait until you got back...” She
trailed off.
    “ What are you talking
about?”
    “ I found it at the bottom
of Dick's sock drawer. It's a sealed manila envelope addressed to
you.”
    “ I don't know what it
could be.”
    “ Here.” Lorrie produced
the envelope from what seemed like out of nowhere. I took
it.
    “ Thanks. I'll read it when
I get time.” I said.
    Then I got in my car and headed toward
Orange County.
    At my moms apartment door, I knocked, the
thrill of adrenaline pumped up, there was shuffling behind the
closed door. A voice came through the door.
    “ What is it?” Said a
haggard female.
    “ My name is Tucker, I'm
looking for Tabitha Sawyer.”
    “ Shit” Said the voice. The
door opened and a very drunk and most likely high woman stood in
the doorway. From my memories I knew it was her. “Who the fuck are
you? And where's my pizza? I don't play around.”
    “ You're my mom.” I
said.
    “ No pizza, go away.” She
said.
    I retrieved to the Zephyr. I could wait out
her highness or drunkenness. No problem. I sat in the my car
sipping from a medium bottle of warm Jack Daniels. I looked at the
passenger seat. The manila envelope stuck out of the duffel
bag.
    I tore the envelope open, it was a lot if
thick papers. The first page caught my eye. I read on and realized
it was Dick's Bucket List. And now, according