By the time
the Pizza was ready Derek and Rodney were deep into a Grand Prix on Mario Kart.
They paused long enough to get the pizza out of the oven and refill sodas but
then it was back to the intense rivalry that had become very important in the
last twenty minutes.
Well into
their eleventh race the counter bell rang. “Derek quit playing your stupid
games! I’m hungry!” A woman’s voice forced its way into the back room.
Derek paused
the game and got out of his ancient bean bag chair. Rodney got up as well and
followed him out. “About time lazy. How do you afford this place? I never see
anyone in here other than me.” She asked as Derek made his way into the back. “Is
this a mob front?” She asked.
Derek
laughed as he worked the dough for her pizza. Rodney looked up from the soda he
had just finished. He and the girl noticed each other for the first time. She pointed
at him. “I’m your only friend and amazon doesn’t sell people so who the hell is
this?” She asked Derek.
Normally
Rodney wouldn’t have been able to utter a word, girls were not his strong suit.
The counselor he had been seeing at his previous school said he was painfully
shy. Rodney felt more like he was painfully a dumbass. So he was as surprised
as anyone when he stuck his hand out and introduced himself. “Rodney, actual
human resident of Spoonerville.” He said with a dopey smile.
She took his
hand and tried not to laugh. “Vivian Brooks.” She said with a smile. “And just
because you live here doesn’t mean he didn’t order you out of a Russian
catalog.” She pulled a straw out of its paper wrapper. “You know you’re free to
leave at any time right? You’re in America now.” She said as she threw the
crumpled up straw wrapper into the kitchen. “He can’t keep you here against
your will!” She yelled so Derek could hear her as he worked.
Rodney shook
his head. “I don’t think Russian mail order does husbands.” He said laughing. He
walked around the counter and filled his cup. “You want?” he asked.
She shook her
head and pulled a flask out of her tiny purse. “So Rodney, actual human
resident.” She took a drink. “What brings you to Spoonerville?” She raised an
eyebrow.
He shrugged.
“You’d think with all the free time I’ve had the last week, I would have come
up with a better story than the real one.” He said with a smile.
She shook
her head. “Nah, stick with the truth, even if it sucks.” She replied.
He shrugged
again. “Parent’s died in a car crash and I got shipped here to live with my
grandmother.” He admitted quickly.
She nodded. “So
you’re old lady Edgar’s grandson.” She said.
He nodded.
There was silence for a moment. Vivian stuffed her flask back into her purse. “Bummer
about your parents.” She said finally. Rodney nodded and fidgeted with his cup.
Derek stuck
his head out of the kitchen. “Jalapeno’s or no?” he asked.
She looked
at Rodney. “Are we interested in hot and spicy this evening?” She asked
bluntly.
Rodney’s
chin dropped an inch and no sound came out of his mouth.
Derek threw
a towel at Vivian. “Leave him alone Viv, thanks to him I’m one more customer
closer to my millionth customer celebration!” He said ducking back into the
kitchen.
She caught and folded the towel nicely. “Yeah,
only nine hundred thousand nine hundred and ninety eight more to go!” She
yelled back.
