Free By Degrees by Elle Casey

the end of the day to get it.”   I shift my attention to Zach.   “Make sure they have escorts so they don’t steal anything.”
    He nods at me and then at Leonard.   They exchange a look and some sort of silent agreement.
    “Oh, man, no,” says Tarin, sounding desperate, “don’t make me do that.   Please don’t make me call them and tell them to fuck off.”   He’s begging and both Zach and Leonard look shocked at his tone.   I can’t help but be surprised too.   He’s always struck me as tougher than that.   Maybe he’s not as heartless as he seems.   Or maybe he’s just worried about missing out on the parties and the chicks.
    “Sorry, but it’ll be easier on them in the long run if they hear it from the horse’s mouth.   If they hear it from me they’re going to get their asses beat by these guys when they try to force themselves back in.”
    Tarin bows his head and rests his face in his open palm.   His voice comes out muffled.   “Fine.   Anything else?”
    “How close are you to Jelly?”
    He lifts his head suddenly.   “What the fuck?   I have to give up sex too?!”
    Zach snorts.   Leonard looks away to hide his face.
    I smile, noting that he considers her for sex before companionship.   I have a feeling she won’t be around for long if that’s the case.   I don’t know why that makes me happy, but I shove the feelings away.   “No, you don’t have to give up sex.   But you have to give up all bad influences.”
    Tarin looks at Zach.   “Do you think she’s a bad influence?”
    “Don’t ask me, man.   I’m just the enforcer.”
    He punches him sloppily in the arm.   “Don’t be a fucking pussy, just tell me.”
    Leonard joins the conversation.   “She did get busted for DUI and possession.   She’s got shit in her purse every time she comes to see you.   She likes to get high.”
    “So I’ll tell her to clean her shit up.   She can stay clean with me.”
    I shrug.   “I’m willing to give her a chance.   If she can do it, she can stay.”
    “Fine.   She stays then.”   Tarin looks like he’s won something, and I’m happy to see it.   I don’t want him going into this all beat down.   He’ll do better if he has a hand in his recovery.   Plus, his relationship to Jelly is nothing to me.   Nothing at all.
    “Anyone else on the chopping block?” he asks, some of his spark back.
    “Maybe your drummer.   We’ll see.”
    He laughs, but more with shock than anything else.   “What…?   Dave?”   He looks at Zach.   “She’s kidding, right?”
    Zach shakes his head silently.
    “Fuuuuck me. That’s just fucking crazy talk right there.”   He stares at me, half challenging me and half fearful of me. “You can’t kick people out of the band.   That’s going too far.”
    I narrow my eyes.   “I can do whatever I want.   We have a deal.”
    He swallows with effort and then throws up his hands.   His voice comes out an octave higher than normal.   “Fine.   Fucking kick Dave out, see if I care.   Fucker’s an H fiend anyway.”   He looks away, but not before I see his eyes going shiny.
    “Don’t worry about Dave,” I say, hoping to calm him down.   Tears aren’t a good thing right now.   He’ll feel too vulnerable and I need him strong.   “We’re going to try and help him too.   I don’t want to do anything with the band.   You guys are great.   You just need to get your shit together again, that’s all.   Dave sounds like he wants to help, so if he accepts it, he stays, not a problem.”
    “I don’t even know if we have shit to get together at this point,” Tarin says, staring out the window at the ocean.
    I stand, preparing to leave him alone so I can use the ship’s phone to call Scott.   “Sure you do. The garbage you’ve been filling your life with has blocked some of your creativity, but we’ll get it back.   Don’t worry.”
    “You’re going to do all that … get our lives back and