I stand at the foot of the steps, glancing at the crawlspace door every now and then, wondering what to say. I notice Tank’s wrestling singlet, headgear, and high-top shoes lying off to one side of the sofa. He looks tired. I feel like I don’t know him anymore. I mean, part of me wants to come right out and tell him about Sarah, the stash, his dad, and Huey, get it over with and take whatever beating is coming to me. But the truth is I’m too afraid to say anything right now.

When he sees me he raises both fists in the air and leaps off the sofa with a smile on his face.

“We’re back, man,” he says, laughing. “We are definitely back.” He studies my forehead and squints. “Sweet hat, by the way.” Then he hugs me and rocks me back and forth like an abused Teddy bear.

“Easy,” I say, laughing with him, relieved he doesn’t suspect anything. “Don’t break me.” Suddenly it’s as if we’ve never been apart. “Let go a second. I have a surprise.” He backs off. “Man, you stink.”

“I haven’t showered yet. Hey, I pinned three college dudes this morning. You should’ve seen their coaches’ faces. I swear to God, I’m gonna shatter every collegiate record on the books.”

“No doubt about that.” Looking at his face, I notice his left eye is black and blue, but it appears to be well into the healing stage. Glancing down, I see a series of fading bruises along the outside of his left leg. “What’s with the eye and the leg?”

It seems to throw him off, like he’s forgotten about the wounds. He touches his left eye.

“Oh, those,” he says. “One of the guys was a good match. He must’ve done it.”

“They look like they’ve been there a while.”

“No,” he says. “They happened today.”

And the look he gives me says it all. I need to avoid the topic.

Tank changes the subject. “Look, I’ve had a lot of time to think about that night, about how you took some of the blame. Thanks for doing that. I was pissed at you for confessing, but you were right. That guy on the balcony got a good view of us. So, I’m sorry.”

“It’s cool.”

We shake hands.

Tank says, “So, what’s the surprise?”

I lift my shirt and pull out the Jack Daniels and Marlboros, surprised they’re both still intact after everything I’ve been through this morning.

Tank’s eyes light up like Roman candles. “Sweet,” he says. “My stock is totally dry. Where’d you get them?”

“Your dad didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

“I’m a stock boy at Huey’s.”

“No way.”