Page 29 of Pit Stop

Twenty-Two

Tillman

I’ve been back in Los Angeles for a few days. It’s different being back in a place I thought I’d never see again. It feels so familiar at times. I pass by certain spots and memories pop up; but at the same time it feels completely foreign. So different from how I remember it being. Maybe, it’s just because I’m older, but the place seems smaller than it did back then. Trying to get settled back in has been a bit of a challenge. Today is bound to be one as well. I’m having lunch with Axell. When I randomly showed up the other day, I could tell he was less than thrilled. I can’t say that I blame him. Axell was great about helping me when I needed him. When everything went south with the SK and I needed to get out of town he made sure I did. However, I know that part of my life changed how he saw me. I left in such a hurry that we never really sorted anything out. I got to give him my reasons, but it was all thrown on him so quickly.

Besides that, Axell has always been the mature one. The person who makes calculated decisions. Before he does anything, he stops to look at it from every angle and weighs every option and consequence possible. Maybe, that’s a side effect of having to grow up too fast—being the oldest in a family of five kids who basically lost their parents. Annie may have actually passed away, but the father they knew left with her too. Ronald James became a shell of the man he once was. Love that is lost has that effect on a person. Suddenly, Axell was no longer just a brother to Bowie, Jagger, Ace, and Jovi… but their father figure as well. In a blink of an eye, he grew up.

To say Axell was less than happy to see me back in Los Angeles was an understatement. Actually, he might have been happy, but he was also skeptical and I can’t blame him. Last he knew my life was a freaking mess and I’m sure he probably still thinks it is. He agreed to have lunch today to catch up. Axell had changed in the time I was gone. We both had. Neither of us are lanky, tall kids anymore.

As I head out to my car, I notice Odette sitting in one of the bean bags in the living room area. Books surround her and she’s completely lost in one of them. A pencil perched between her teeth as she reads the page in front of her. Her hair is piled on top of her head with loose strands falling here and there. From here it looks like she’s wearing a lilac oversized t-shirt and a pair of black leggings. Her face is healing pretty well at least. A pair of colorful reading glasses sit on the tip of her nose. For a moment I just admire her. She is stunning even in the simplest form. Pure and good and so full of light. I want to bask in it even if I don’t deserve it. Shaking my head, I fall away from the fantasy of where a guy like me could ever deserve a moment of a girl like Odette’s time.

The sun is shining and it is already pretty warm outside. Salty air hangs in the atmosphere coming off the ocean. Breathing deeply, I climb into my car. In Dallas you don’t drive without the air conditioner on full blast thanks to the intense humidity in the area, but here it’s a different story. It’s a different kind of humidity and I welcome it as I roll down the windows, turn up the music, and take off towards Pike’s. Traffic is light since we’re basically hitting at brunch time, which works well for me. I’ve never been a fan of traffic.

Pike’s worn out, barely there, sign comes into view. I can’t believe they haven’t bothered to replace it or at least repaint it in all these years. It’s a damn good thing it’s a staple in this part of town and they make the best homemade root beer floats you can find anywhere in Los Angeles. As I pull up, I spot Axell’s car a few spaces down. He’s nowhere in sight so he must be inside already. The brick on the outside of the building is cracked, paint peeling. I’m sure it was white once upon a time, but throughout the years it’s turned to an odd shade of yellowish cream. If you judged this place by the outside you’d never stop, but the moment you step inside it’s a different story. The diner-like place is all booths, lining all the way around the building just about. White leather couch seats, plush and welcoming, black tabletops shine under the lighting, and black and white checkerboard floor with flecks of red that actually looks clean enough to eat off of. The order counter and bar seating are directly in front, the same color scheme. Glass domes showcase what desserts they have to offer and the smell of bacon, coffee, and root beer fills the area. I scan the area and Axell waves as my eyes wash over.

When I reach his booth, I slide in and grab the menu. By the looks of it nothing has changed. Aside from homemade root beer and ice cream, Pike’s is also known for their burgers, as they should be. A girl comes over and takes our order. A slight flurry of excitement hits me as I order the chili cheeseburger. It’s a classic for Pike’s. The secret is the chili is homemade and they add fried jalapeno strings to the top of the burger. They always give you more than enough chili so that it coats the fries below too. Axell chuckles and I look over, raising my eyebrows in question. “I guess it’s safe to say you still have a love for that burger.”

“That’s a forever affair for me. Even with all the places I’ve been I’ve never found anything better than that.”

A curious look crosses his face. “Have you been to a lot of places?”

I release a low whistle. “Yeah, you can say so. I mean, not as many as some people, but for the boy who came from nothing, I’ve been all over the world man.”

“Do you have a favorite one?” Axell eyes me expectantly. It makes sense. I doubt he’s got to do a whole lot for himself. He always puts everyone else first and he stopped his life to help raise Ace and Jovi.

I nod my head. “Yeah, here.”

Axell’s eyes widen. “Here? As in Los Angeles?”

“Yep.” My grin is a cheek aching hug and I nod my head. “Yeah, I know it sounds crazy but yes I’d pick this place. It’s home, you know?” Axell shakes his head in disbelief and scratches at the stubble coating his jaw. “What?”

He opens and closes his mouth, trying to find the words I assume. “I just find that hard to believe. You’ve been out there, in the world, living life on your own and you’d still pick Los Angeles?”

“When you put it like that it sounds awesome, but it’s less than stellar. I was lucky and managed to find my way on my own in places I had no clue about, in jobs I had no knowledge for. Each place had something to offer, they each taught me something, but it still wasn’t home. The faces from those places couldn’t replace the faces from here. Being on your own isn’t always fun either. It gets lonely.”

Silence falls between us. Axell drums his finger to an AC/DC song on the tabletop. “So, you’re back... for good or to visit?” I’m just about to answer when Axell sits up straighter and leans in over the table. “Actually, scratch that, I want to know why you’re back at all... isn’t this dangerous considering why you had to leave?”

I smile, I can’t help it. Axell is still the same, always worrying about everyone else around him. “It’s okay. Decker actually sought me out. He wanted me to come back.”

Axell’s dark, thick eyebrows raise in surprise and curiosity. “That’s unexpected.”

Chuckling, I nod my head. “You should have been me. I just knew he was there to tie up loose ends.”

“Loose ends?”

I give him a pointed look that he must catch onto because his eyes widen and he starts to nod his head. “Yeah. Lucky for the both of us that he wasn’t. He asked me to come back.”

“That’s great and all but how do you know it’s not a trap?” That’s the logical question and I’m proud of myself for thinking about it on my own as well.

Shrugging my shoulders, I sit back so the waitress who just appeared out of nowhere can place it in front of me. My stomach roars with a savage hunger I didn’t expect. I didn’t think I was hungry, but I guess I was wrong. “I considered that, but you have to know Decker like I do to take that chance.”

Axell and I eat our burgers, listening to the chatter and music around us. When I’m done, I push the red plastic-style basket away from me. “I think I’m going to pop,” Axell comments.

My head falls back in laughter. “Me too, but what a way to die.”

“I think it’s time you get to the part of the story where you tell me why Decker wanted you back.”

The waitress appears and I order the largest root beer float they have. Axell laughs and shakes his head. “What? You can drag me out of here, can’t ya?”

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