When We're Both Thirty

Remember the Neighbor?

"Word through the grapevine travels faster than it used to," Mikey says, looking at Gerard with a grim expression.

"What cryptic shit are you trying to pull on me today?"

"Mother called me," Mikey says, "because someone hasn't answered his phone."

"And how did you know to find me here of all places?" Gerard asks, squinting at the coffee shop in front of him. The sun is too bright, reflecting on the glass windows from the skyscrapers up above. When he was younger, Gerard used to think sky scrapers actually did touch the sky. He thought they poked a hole through the sky, which was dangerous, because if the hole got too big, it'd let all the gravity out. Like a balloon being popped.

"I am clairvoyant," Mikey says.

"Yeah, or I'm just predictable," Gerard murmurs, sidestepping his brother to walk into the small shop.

"Why are you ignoring mom?" Mikey asks.

"Because I'm not in the mood to have her lecture me about getting fired again."

"You're going to want to pick up the phone sooner or later," Mikey says, "because you're going to either be really amused by what she has to say, or really fucking pissed."

"Or both," Gerard says, taking his sunglasses off to look at the menu in front of him. He's not sure why he even looks at the menu, he always orders the exact same thing. The baristas all know him by name. It's like an episode of fucking Cheers. It's not like he actually has to order verbally anymore.

Mikey shakes his head, "well, just pick up the next time, okay?"

"What's in it for me?"

"Coffee is on me," Mikey says, rolling his eyes when someone behind the counter waves a hello to Gerard.

"Aw, you're too kind. You think I need you to pay for my food because I'm unemployed."

"Again."

"Don't rub it in, alright?" Gerard says, "Yeah, I'm jobless yet again. You don't think I don't know that?"

"Just take the free coffee," Mikey says throwing a fiver at the lady working the cash register. She doesn't say anything in response, just doles out the ever-slimming change as the prices continue to increase.

"Yeah alright," Gerard says, grabbing his drink. "So what is it she's angry about now? Is it that I got fired, or is it thereason I got fired? Or is it mostly just because this is the fourth time in the last two years that I've gotten fired?"

"None of the above," Mikey says, making his way towards the door of the coffee shop to leave. Gerard pauses, and turns to ask Mikey what the hell he means until he sees that the guy is walking away. Gerard groans, and follows behind at a slower pace. There's a lid on the coffee but Gerard is not stupid enough to try running with it.

"Mikes, where the hell are you going?" Gerard asks, running slowly out of the shop and back into the brisk autumn air, which is doing no favors to the sniffles he's coming down with.

"Um, that way," Mikey says, pointing.

"You can't just hijack me, pay for my coffee on the threat that mom is mad at me, and then leave," Gerard says.

"She's not mad at you per se. She's just... it's so stupid you won't even believe me. You're just going to have to take my word for it."

"Yeah, whatever," Gerard says, "you up for movies tonight maybe?"

"I think you're going to be busy tonight," Mikey replies.

"What's that supposed to mean? What the hell did I do?"