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“No, I figured he wouldn’t agree if I told him,” Jared replies apologetically.
“Well, this is going to go well,” I say sarcastically.
“Let’s just get this over with,” he states, pushing his door open. I sigh and get out as well. We walk across the grass toward Duncan’s apartment and Jared knocks on the door in a five-knock pattern they’ve used since they were kids. The door opens and the smile that stretches Duncan’s swollen face drops the second he notices me.
“Oh god, you’re back together again aren’t you,” he says with a sigh. He steps aside and gestures for us to follow him into the cluttered space. “Ithoughtwe were just having a boys day,” he says, casting a bloodshot glare in Jared’s direction. He hikes up his black basketball shorts and tugs down his t-shirt.
Jared shuts the door behind us and says, “Sorry, man. We have something to talk to you about, and no, it’s not that we’re together again. We’re not, and that’s probably not happening.”
“Definitely not,” I say. To which, both men glare at me. “Sorry, just wanted to clarify.”
“Anyway,” Jared says smoothly, leading me over to the stained couch on the back wall of the living area, “Like I said, we need to talk to you.” I choose to perch on the arm of the couch rather than sit on the cushions that would probably scream in horror if they suddenly gained sentience and a voice.
Duncan sinks down into a low-lying gaming chair that he’s had since he was a teen. The black leather is so worn out, you can see the metal framing in some spots. “Okay?” he says, the end of the word tilting up.
“We know you’ve been struggling lately, and it seems like you're drunk more often than not. I’m afraid it's affecting your ability to think clearly, and I’m worried about your health,” Jared says, leaning forward, hands clasped between his knees. Jared has always gotten straight to the point, and it seems he’s not going to treat this any differently. I shift uncomfortably on my perch and grip the worry stone harder.
Duncan rocks back in his chair like he’s been physically struck. “I’m fine. I can stop whenever I want. I haven’t even had a drink today,” he says eventually. He eyes me, clearly wondering what I’m doing here for this talk.
“It’s only one o’clock,” I point out helpfully. He scowls at me. Jared gives me a look as well and I raise my hands in defeat, my left one still curled around the stone.
“Even still. You know I’ve had to cover your ass at work almost every week. And think about how many times I’ve had to pick you up from the bar in the last month alone. What do you do when I’m not able to get you because I have Emma?” Duncan casts his eyes down and shifts uncomfortably in his seat. “Please don’t tell me you’re driving yourself,” Jared says in a stern voice, the one I’ve only ever heard him use with Emma when she’s doing something dangerous.
“Sometimes. But I swear, my driving isn’t affected. It’s onlya few miles away anyway,” Duncan says with false bravado, sitting up straighter.
Jared drops his head into a hand and rubs at his temples with his thumb and forefinger. “Oh, Dunc. Can’t you see how bad it’s getting?” He looks at his oldest friend with the saddest eyes I’ve ever seen. I, for one, am beyond furious that he’s putting other people at risk because he can’t control himself or be bothered to call an Uber. I’m trying to stay true to my word, though, and keep my mouth shut.
“I’m fine,” Duncan responds with a hard edge, and a challenge in his voice.
Jared pleads, “I don’t think you are. I know you like to party, but it's concerning to me that you’re getting drunk by yourself and making decisions I know you wouldn’t normally make.” I have to physically bite my lip to stop myself from talking.
Duncan heaves himself up to standing, a vein popping out in his forehead. “Listen, I don’t get in your business, Jared. Stay out of mine.” He points a finger in Jared’s direction, and I find that I’ve had enough of being silent.
“Really? You stay out of his—ourbusiness Duncan? Is that what we’re going with?” I ask, crossing my arms.
His eyes slide to mine and for a second there is so much hate in them, I’m actually a little afraid. “Yes. It is,” he replies through clenched teeth. “I don’t think I was talking to you anyway. And you know what? Now that you aren’t together anymore, I can say what I’ve wanted to say for a long time. Out of respect for him,” he throws a hand in Jared’s direction, “I kept my mouth shut.”
I laugh sardonically at that, remembering all the times he made not-so-subtle digs about me. He spits, “You think you can judge me? Meanwhile, you’re over here reading porn and leaving a good man because he doesn’t follow you around like a whipped puppy. You don’t want a real man, you want a pet that’ll bend to your every whim. That new idiot you have on a leash will learneventually.” He stands there, chest heaving as though he’s just exited the pulpit.
I react as calmly as I’m capable of. In a level voice, I ask, “If you mind your business so much, why are you talking about me with anyone who will listen? Why are you even speaking to Ryan? Why are you impersonating Jared and trying to get Ryan in trouble?” At the last question, his face fades from a deep red to a sickly pale.
His eyes dart to Jared and he licks his lips. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he says quickly.
In the tone of a disappointed father, Jared says, “We know it was you, dude.”
Seeming to shrivel in on himself, Duncan sinks back down in his chair and runs a hand through his stringy hair. He finally looks at Jared and says, “Okay, so I might have played a prank on him. I was drunk and I thought it would be funny.” He winces when he owns up to being drunk.
“How did you get drunk in the twenty minutes after I left here?” Jared asks incredulously.
He admits abashedly, “I was already halfway there when you got here. I just asked to watch TV so I could hide it.”
“Hold on. Let’s get back to the ‘prank’ thing,” I say, making air quotes. “How in the hell is having our daughter taken without our permission a prank? Do you think it’s funny that Jared was out of his mind with worry when he realized Emma wasn’t where he left her?”
“I didn’t really think about that. Like I said, I was drunk,” he says flippantly. Jared shifts on the couch and I can tell from the set of his jaw that he’s getting angry.
“It wasn’t funny. I thought for sure something had happened to her. When I realized who she was with it just pissed me off. You know that I want Emma to have the best life possible. If I had let my anger make my decisions, Emma wouldn’t be very happy right now,” Jared bites out.
I lean back, my shoulders against the wall, “Can we just be honest here, Duncan? You didn’t think it was funny or a prank. You were deliberately trying to get Ryan in trouble and trying to make sure Jared had a case against us.” I am suddenly so beyond exhausted with this overgrown toddler and his games.
