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Tommy has his car here today, downtown. Something he didn’t have when he lived here. His parents wouldn’t let him take it when he left home after the fight. “Come on. I’ll drive. Just lead me there.”
“I guess if we can’t get in, I’ll just find a cheap room for the night. Maybe on the better side of town.”
“OK. I’ll help you find something.”
Nikki starts directing Tommy which way to go. The drummer starts to feel a pang, as he’s getting closer to his old neighborhood.
“Right here,” Nikki says, pointing ahead. “I was lucky to get this place. It was just vacated a week earlier. The rent is easy, and it’s not a bad set-up,” Nikki says, as Tommy pulls up to the curb. Nikki gets out and walks towards the apartment; realizing after a few seconds that Tommy is still in the car.
“What wrong? Chickening out?” Nikki says, coming around to Tommy’s window.
“Nikki, uh….,” Tommy exhales loudly, shaking. “Nikki, this was my place. I’m the one who vacated. I lived here with Frankie.”
“You’re shitting me. Come on, now. You’re joking.”
“I’m not. I…. oh my god…… your landlady is Ellie, right? My heart fell to pieces here,” Tommy says, putting his face in his hands to cry.
Nikki is at a loss of what to do. He reaches his hand through the window and pats Tommy on the back, stroking it lightly too. “Sorry. I didn’t know. What are the chances?”
“It’s not you. That’s the thing. What are the chances? Why is this happening? This place holds my favorite memories and my worst ones.”
“Listen. We don’t have to go in. This is my problem anyway. I can come back tomorrow and try to reason with the bitch.”
“Why do that, when I have this,” Tommy says, fishing his wallet out of his pocket, pulling Suzie’s key from it, holding it up in his shaky hand.”
“What’s that?”
“Spare key that never got returned. Do you know if Ellie changed the locks?”
