Chapter Seventy-eight
Saturday August 10, continued
"Captain of what?" came a voice booming over the lot. All four of them turned. Coming up to them was a big shirtless guy and his smaller latino friend. Now they could see him in the open and get something better than a mere head shot of the two strangers.
The driver was not as tall as he looked in the car, maybe five six or five seven. But he was built like he spent every waking minute at the gym. As Moose glimpsed before, he was almost hairless, except for a small patch of faint blond hairs between his pecs, the rest of his muscles tight but not overly ripped. His stomach once had been a six-pack; now it was more of a pony keg. But still firm. His jeans were so baggy they were hanging almost down to his pubes. The same with his darker-skinned friend, his shirt open almost to the waist. But from what showed the smaller guy spent a considerable time in the gym as well. Where the driver was big, this guy was more tight and toned. The smaller guy's face was shaved smooth, except for the slightest hint of a line above his lip. His hair was buzzed to the line above the ears. It almost looked military.
"Captain of the team" Moose came over to him, maybe trying to intercept him if this did not go well "name's Moose" holding out his hand.
"Moose?" the guy held out his hand as well, shaking and holding the grip "I woulda guessed Bear or Grizz. 'Moose' is for some fat slob with earflaps and flannel underwear" the guy was making a point of letting Moose see his gaze linger on him, sunglasses or no "name's Chuck, sidekick here's Gill."
"Nice t'meet ya" Moose was wondering if he was going to break the grip sometime before sunrise. He relented only after the two had tested each other and then some. When Gill held out his hand Moose had to let go, shaking his hand in turn, and man did he have an iron grip for such a small dude.
"What team is that?" Chuck nodded at the other three.
"We're wrestlers. North High" Moose puffed up a bit.
"High school?" Chuck almost choked "dude I thought y'were -- "
"Yeah I get that alot" Moose turned "red haired guy's Ern. Big one is Doug, and the weird lookin one is Hank."
"Weird lookin?" Hank came over "who's callin who weird lookin?"
"Chuck, Gill" he held out his hand shaking with Hank as did Gill. Then there was an awkward moment. The silence hung in the air like the humid fumes from the gas station. After what seemed like ten minutes, Chuck said,
"High school? For real?"
"Seniors yeah..." Moose looked at him, seeing Chuck back away a bit "why?"
"N-n-no reason" he sputtered.
"So you dudes heading out to E*****t Lake like y'said?" Moose drove the spike in deep "lookin for pussy?"
"Whoa!" Chuck put up his hands "we ain't gonna go there, you dudes are like.. underage and all."
"Naw, we're all old enough. We know the scene" Moose almost winked, but just let his gaze hold on Chuck a few seconds longer than usual. He dropped his gaze to Chuck's faint trail of fuzz going down to his crotch and brought it up. Chuck may have noticed but the shades were too mirrored in this light.
"W-wh-where are you dudes doin-- going?" Chuck was on the ropes now, Moose had him major flustered.
"Time for us dudes to eat" Moose shook his hand, and started away "we gotta -- "
"Where?" Chuck was not letting him go "maybe we..."
"Place called Mort's. Everyone around here knows it" the expression on his bud's faces was priceless "out on 57. Can't miss it" he turned to go "maybe we'll see ya there" and to add his sucker punch Moose pulled off the shirt again, flexing the muscles in his back as he did. He swore he heard a whoosh of air behind him, but it could have been the breaks from one of the trucks. He looked at Hank and almost smirked. Hank did see the expressions from Chuck and Gill and looked at Moose trying to rein him in. But he knew once Moose got into one of his "fuck wit me" stances, it was best to let him get it out of his system. And boy was he glad Ern was here, even if he was holding back for some odd reason. The presence of these two dudes? Or the conversation he must have had with Doug on the way here. Either way Hank was giving Moose some slack on this one. Hell, he would have his hands full soon enough.
"Okay we're outa here" Moose announced "Ern, you and Doug follow us -- "
"Wait! I dunno know if -- "
"You're coming! That's an order Hampton or yer off the team!" Moose got into Hank's car, waiting for Hank to jump in. He looked at Doug with a puzzled look but got into the driver's seat. Whatever was going on, this was not the place to sort it out. Especially with those two wild cards right behind them.
Doug and Ern exchanged a few words, then Doug did get back into Ern's car. Before long they were pulling out of the lot. Just like that Hank slammed on the breaks!
"Shit what?" Moose looked at him like he hit a deer.
"Forgot to call Jeff!"
"You stay here I'll call him" Moose got out of the car. Hank protested but Moose just waved him away. It took six strides and Moose was at the phone booth. He dialed the number from memory. It took a few seconds to get past the mom, but Jeff came on the line. He was more concerned than pissed, and was glad to hear things were cool with Moose. Moose slapped his forehead, realizing Jeff had to drive another car out there. Jeff explained he was coming out with... he'll explain later. Moose's heart was in his throat again, thinking about the bomb Doug just dropped. Jeff said it was cool, save them room at the table and he'd meet them there in about twenty minutes, they were leaving right away. Moose was about to hang up when a car pulled up next to him. Without turning he knew it was the white Saturn.
"Problems? Need a lift?" Gill was right next to him, almost close enough to reach out and goose him.
Moose finished with Jeff, promising they'd hold him - them? -- a space and see them soon. He turned to see Gill almost hanging out the open window. Moose crouched down a bit to see both their faces,
"Naw... just callin more of the - the team" Moose could see Chuck's right hand resting in his crotch, the thumb just grazing the bulge.
"Sounds like it's gonna be a big... thing" Chuck turned to face Gill and Moose, his thumb now rising to the low waist of his jeans. The bagginess only gave more room to his bulge. Moose did not have sunglasses to hide his gaze.
"Yeah.. kinda big..." Moose heard himself say. He started blushing.
"How big?" Gill asked looking over at Chuck, then down to Chuck's thumb.
"Big enough" Moose heard the car honk behind him "maybe see ya..." and he raised himself up. As he did he thought he saw Gill drop his hand to his lap and give it a tug. Any other time Moose would have lingered one more round just to get a reading on the two, but right now there were too many irons in the fire, he thought. Way too many! Without waving he walked away and got into the still open passenger door. They almost peeled out of there.
"What's with those two?" Hank looked at Moose and laughed "jeez Moose can't take you anywhere!"
"Yeah well let's just get there in one piece okay?" Moose wrapped the seatbelt around himself again as they turned back onto the street. Traffic was as heavy as before.
"Okay okay keep yer shirt on!" Hank reached over and gave Moose a pinch on his nipple. Moose laughed and tweaked him back. As much fun as they were having, they could tell that the gray Subaru they were following was not having any. It looked like the two were hardly looking at each other, much less talking, Hank noticed as they inched out of town.
"What's with those two? And what the hell were you and Doug arguing about?
What brought him out all of a sudden!"
"Shit..." Moose let out an ironic laugh "'brought him out' that's funny... and not."
"What the hell you talkin about? What'd he say?"
"Okay Hank I can trust you on this one right?"
"Moose fuckin of course you can! Why? What'd he -- "
"Now don't go havin an accident when I say this okay?"
"Say what!?!?!" Hank slowed down as they came to a red light "what happened?"
"Promise you won't say anything, that is til Doug tells you himself okay?"
"Moose I'm getting scared now! What!??!"
"Okay be real cool now Jenkins promise me... but Doug saw the tapes -- "
"What?!?!!" Hank screamed loud enough for the car next to them to look.
"Shuttup and breathe! He was surfing the net and he saw the tapes - he saw us! -- on this site! It's happening okay? what we were afraid of..." and Moose explained what little Doug told him as they cleared the light. Hank forgot how to drive, almost. Moose threatened to take the wheel but Hank pulled it together. By the time they made it to the restaurant, Hank had calmed down as Moose had asked him - no forced him to. Hank promised he would play it cool until Doug said something.
"It's gonna take every ounce of self control not to shake it outa him, y'know that Moose!"
"Well you've had - shit we've all had! -- nothing but practice this whole time okay? I mean it Jenkins, Doug is like totally freaked! He's not sure if he should be more freaked about finding this shit or about all of us thinking he's a fag for doing it!"
Hank almost started laughing at that, getting out of the car. Moose opened his door and stepped out as well.
"Dude ain't ya forgetting something?" Hank nodded at Moose's chest "like ya want Mort t'see ya walkin in half-naked? Like that would totally tip him off -- "
"Tick him off?" Moose gave him the stupid look "why? We're like family?" he reached in and pulled out his shirt. He was just pulling it over his head and tucking it into his half-open pants when a car pulled up next to him. Moose set his jaw, fearing what it might be, but when it was an overdressed middle-aged couple, he almost busted a gut laughing. Needless to say, they made a big show of how shocked and disgusted they were by his irresponsible display of teen flesh, and could not get away from him fast enough. Moose looked at Hank and they both broke up.
"Okay big guy y'braced for this?" Hank locked the car and started towards the front entrance. Another couple were heading there as well.
"Damn..." Moose slow his pace "what if we can't get in?"
"What you mean 'can't get in'?"
"I mean what if it's all packed, like we need reservations or shit!"
"Okay so we wait a while" Hank beat him to the door "do we know when... y'know?"
"I think Joel said about eight or so?"
"Dude it's like after seven now" and they went in. As they feared there was a line of people cueing up for the hostess. Moose cut his way through and got her atttention.
"We gotta have reservations?" he looked at her, trying to pull the tough guy act. She was more interested in flirting, he thought.
"Well yes of course" she looked at him, but smiled "don't you have -- "
"No... I thought..."
"Well let me take your name. It should not be too long of a wait" she lied.
"Name's Moos - I mean put me down as Muscowski. M-U-S-C--"
"Muscowski?" her eyes bugged out "you mean like -- "
"Yeah --" he thought several heads turned.
"You related to -- "
"Mort's my cous-- "
"Ohmygod wait right here!" came out as one word. She dropped her pen even and slipped away to the back like a puff of smoke before the hurricane, a disappearing act like she had been rehearsing for this moment all day.
Moose stood there a moment, then made his way back to Hank, this time seeing heads turn, even a few guarded comments. He found Hank looked bored or nervous, or both.
"So what's up? We can't get in can we?"
"She went to get Mort" Moose coughed out, trying to whisper.
"Good" Hank looked at him, seeing his expression "what's wrong?"
"Dude is my fly open?" Moose whispered "do I have like something on my face? My nose purple or shit?"
"What?" Hank started to laugh but saw Moose was not kidding "why?"
"Hank I just got some seriously weird vibes back there. Like when I told the waitress who I was, I swear I heard some people say something!"
"Of course they did" Hank looked at him serious "you are his cousin!"
"Not I mean..." he looked around thinking - no, one or two people were looking at him "like... y'know... Doug!"
"You don't mean..."
"Dude I feel like people are like... 'recognizing' me" Moose was now too freaked to look at anyone except Hank. Hank looked around for him. He did notice a few people glancing at them, some guys some girls. But it was kinda weird.
"You don't think?"
"Hank I'm almost ready to -- " and somebody grabbed him! Moose levitated!