Striking Out by Alison Gordon

Andy said.
    “Hell, I haven’t got anything else to do. Besides, it will cheer me up to whup your butt.”
    After he left, Andy looked worn out.
    “Why don’t you go too,” he said. “I’m going to sleep.”
    “I think you’re right. Here comes the nurse with more drugs. I’ll wait until she’s done, then I’ll go. Your mum’s going to be in later.”
    Andy grimaced.
    “You know the worst thing about being in the hospital? The pain? The boredom? No. It’s all the socializing.”

Chapter 12
    Dinner was takeout Chinese food, which Sally, T.C., and I ate around my kitchen table. Once they had been reassured about Andy’s well-being we had a good time. It had been a while since the three of us had been alone together.
    T.C. spent most of the evening dropping hints about his birthday eleven days away, and about a particular brand of wildly expensive shoes guaranteed to make him a better basketball player if he should happen to get them for a present. And what the excellent new CDs happen to be, and how his friend Anthony has his own TV and VCR in his room, which is dead cool.
    “And Anthony has both a mother and a father working at high-paying jobs, correct?” Sally asked.
    “Well, yeah.”
    “Whereas you have just the one parent who works for close to minimum wage.”
    “If I can guilt Dad into getting me a TV, can I have it?”
    “Sure, since chances of that are slim to none, and I heard Slim just left town.”
    “Maybe he’ll make up for all my birthdays he’s missed.”
    “And maybe I’ll win the lottery and maybe Kate will be crowned queen of Romania. In your dreams, kid.”
    “Okay, what about a dog, then? They don’t cost much at the humane society.”
    “And you’re going to walk it and pick up its poop before school every day?”
    “Sure. I would. I promise.”
    “To coin a phrase, yeah, right.” Sally said.
    “And every night before I go to bed. I swear.”
    “And what do you think Elwy would have to say about this?” I asked. The cat’s ears twitched at the sound of his name.
    “Elwy’s mellow.” T.C. said.
    “Not that mellow.”
    “And speaking of before bed, which you just were.” Sally said, “it’s that time.”
    “I don’t know what time it is.” T.C. said. “I haven’t got a watch. Did I tell you what Anthony’s grandparents gave him for his thirteenth birthday? A Rolex.”
    “The only watch you’re getting is this one.” Sally said. “Watch your step, if you know what’s good for you.”
    “All right, all right. You can’t blame me for trying. Anyway, if I go downstairs, can I stay up a bit later?”
    “You can read for a while, or listen to your hideous music as loud as you like. Just bug off, okay? Kate and I have had enough of your hinting. We deserve a moment of peace.”
    “Can I watch a video?”
    “
May
you watch a video? You may not. Don’t push your luck.”
    “Okay, okay. I was just kidding.”
    He got up and headed for the door.
    “Now don’t you be talking about me when I’m gone.”
    “No fear, kiddo,” Sally said. “We’ve got more interesting things to talk about.”
    “Yeah, right,” he said.
    We listened to his footsteps clattering down the stairs.
    “He’s a great kid,” I said, once the downstairs door closed.
    “Well, I guess so,” Sally answered. “But he’s growing up so fast. I hardly know him sometimes.”
    “I know what you mean.”
    I got up from the table and began to clear things away. Sally joined me.
    “You want to save the leftovers?”
    “Might as well. I’m going to be eating alone for a while.”
    While she slopped moo shu pork and orange beef into plastic containers, I scraped the plates and loaded the dishwasher. Then I got out Andy’s single malt Scotch and a couple of glasses.
    “Can I tempt you?”
    “Have you got any sweet stuff? Grand Marnier or something? I’m in that kind of mood.”
    “I might. I’ll check.”
    “No, let me,” she said, getting up. “I love other people’s