FLYBY (b. bradshaw)

𝙀𝙄𝙂𝙃𝙏

"Do you want to wait in the car?" Lilah asked her little brother as she parked.

"No." He'd suddenly gotten very quiet, and very red in the face.

Lilah blew out a breath through her nose. "Okay, then I want you to go inside and immediately find Mrs. Benjamin. I'll find you when before we leave, deal?"

"Deal."

Lilah shut off the car and pulled Jamie close to her body before the entered. She pointed to the bar and to Penny behind it. Jamie nodded and bounced over to her, finding an empty seat to sit in.

Lilah pushed her way through the crowd, a few drunks men trying to grab onto her waist to dance. The invitation was tempting, the music pulsing through her head, but she had to keep searching for Phoenix. She found her, outside of the bar with Payback, Fanboy, and Bob. She'd passed Omaha and Yale inside.

"What the hell?" Lilah questioned in a hushed voice, coming up behind them. The four pilot's still jumped and wiped around. "I said away from the water!"

"He's just been sitting there, for like the last twenty minutes. Hasn't moved, hasn't passed out, just sat there quietly." Payback reported. "Didn't even attempt to jump in the water."

They all took a moment to stare at Bradley. He was about 30 yards out, sitting with his feet pulled up to his chest. His head stayed fixed on the ocean about 10 feet in front of him.

"Thank God, he would've tried to drown himself." Lilah said and when everyone gave her a confused glance she continued, "Don't ask."

"How do you wanna get him home?" Fanboy asked, staring dazed at Bradley.

"You," Lilah pointed at Phoenix , "Go find my little brother. His name is Jamie and he should be with Penny, the owner. Tell him you're a friend of Lili's. If he asks for our safe word, it's brownie bites."

"You brought your little brother to a bar?" Payback asked as Phoenix darted across the sand. "He's like, ten."

"11, actually, and he's staying at my place tonight. Bringing him was better than explaining to my grandparent's why a drunk Bradley Bradshaw is in my backseat." Lilah shot back. She threw her keys at Fanboy, "You go to my car and get it started."

Fanboy did as he was told, and Lilah realized what she said sounded a lot like an order. She didn't have time to feel bad, any minute Bradley could decide to get a little gutsy and see how long he could hold his breath under water. 

"Bob." the male turned to her, fixing his glasses. She handed him her debit card. "Go make sure Bradley closed out his tab, and if he didn't, just use my card, he'll pay be back later and get puke bags!"

Bob went nodding the same way as Phoenix,  disappearing into the Hard Deck.

"What about me?" Payback asked, putting out his hands and doing a little dance.

Lilah giggled. "You get to help me carry him to my car after I seduce him into thinking he's going to have sex with me."

Payback groaned and plugged his ears. Lilah stuck her tongue out at him before walking towards Bradley, who still hadn't moved. The closer she got, she could hear him humming.

"Hey, Brad." she said as she sat down beside him. "You have some fun?"

He turned to face her. His eyes were half closed. "So much fun. I got like four free beers and some girl bought me a few tequila shots because I 'looked lonely' isn't that nice? I'm not lonely though, I have Reuben and Mickey and Bob and Trace" He was counting them on his finger. "And I have you, but, I think I'm supposed to hate you."