Page 12 of Waiting for Her

“Not really. Working on a few plays. One of my oldest friend’s band is playing at a bar in town so I’m planning to go watch him.”

My parents are high school sweethearts whose best friends Josh and Lauren are also high school sweethearts. They had twins, Mia and Brandon, just a few months after my parents had my older brother Cole. Now my brother’s married to Mia and our moms basically think they won at life because their babies are married and they’re connected forever, their words.

He cocks his head in my direction. “Oh yeah? Who’s that?”

“Brandon? I’ve known him since I was a baby. Our families are close. He’s Mia’s twin brother.”

“Your brother Cole’s wife, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“How’s he doing?”

I smile, knowing he’s in way over his head at the moment.

“Good. Finishing up his residency. Mia’s about to have the baby any day now.”

“No way. Cole’s a daddy, huh?” He grins widely. “Uncle Grady.”

I chuckle. “Uncle Grady’s gonna spoil the shit out of the little bean.”

“I have no doubt,” Drew says, chuckling.

“What about you? Any plans? Wanna come watch the band with me?”

“I might do that.”

“Yeah? Cool. I’ll text you the spot, sound good?”

“Yup. See you soon.”

Iwalk intothe bar, a set of pool tables along the far side wall with a stage at the back of the building, and breathe in deeply. The heady scent of typical fried bar food fills the air, and the sound of chatter and clinking glasses filters into my ears. A few heads turn as I walk toward the bar to where my brother is standing, but other than the brief acknowledgement, this establishment is used to my presence.

It’s one of the reasons I love it so much. I can be Grady here. Not Head Coach of the Warriors.

“Hey man! Glad you could make it!” Cole smiles wide.

He orders a Coke and a water then looks at me and points. I shrug and he orders me my regular beer on tap. “Not drinking tonight, huh?” I ask when he takes a drink of the Coke the bartender places in front of him.

“Not with Mia so close to giving birth. Don’t want to have any alcohol in my system when she goes into labor.”

“Smart man.”

“How was practice?”

“Awesome. Got two of ‘em to puke,” I chuckle.

He barks out a laugh and claps me on the shoulder. “I bet you did. It’s like your dream job. Still torturing people, only this time you’re getting paid to do it rather than doing it in our backyard.”

“Watch out. You’re sounding like Dad.”

He grins shamelessly.

The bartender places our drinks on the bar top and I throw a ten down on the counter. “Come on. Mia’s over here. Miserable as ever. Cheer her up.”

We make our way through the crowd where Mia’s sitting with Brandon’s wife, Savannah.

Savannah stands, lifts on her toes and gives me a hug.

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