“Mandatory Day Off”

“Mate, you look like shit,” Colin said, as he stood in the doorway of Adam’s bedroom.

“Fuck off,” Adam replied, rolling over and pulling a pillow over his head.

“Can’t, you’re driving me into town this morning, so get a move on,” Colin replied.

“Says you,” Adam told him, his face still buried beneath the pillow as he shot his middle finger up at Colin.

“Yeah, right, says me... your boss and your current landlord, so move your arse.” Colin pulled the pillow off of Adam’s face and flung open the curtains, letting the bright sunlight shine into the room.

“Oi, you tryin’ ta blind me then?” Adam howled, covering his blood-shot eyes.

“No, mate, what I’m trying to do is get your lazy arse outta bed so I can get a ride to town. Now, for the last time, are you gonna get up outta that bed or am I going to have to drag you out?”

"Where's Raine?" he asked, "Why can't she drive you into town?"

"She's in the kitchen making your brekkie. Besides, she's not in my employ, you are... unless you'd rather find another job and place to live?"

“Fine, fine...” Adam grunted, stumbling out of bed and pulling on his pants. “Can I at least shower first?”

“Please do,” Colin chuckled, moving out of his way so he could stumble down the hall to the loo. Adam shot him the finger again, then shut the bathroom door.

Half an hour later, showered, dressed and breakfast eaten, the two were in the car and on their way to town.

“Mind tellin’ me where I’m taking you?” Adam asked.

“Solicitor’s office,” Colin told him, offering no further explanation.

“Solicitor...um...mate,” Adam said, nervously wondering why Colin would need a solicitor and hoping beyond hope it had nothing to do with him.

“No worries, just need a bit of legal advice is all,” Colin assured him.

“Somethin’...somethin’ wrong down at work?”

“No, no... it’s a...” Colin cleared his throat, “it’s a personal matter.”

“You ain’t in any trouble then, are ya, Col?”

“No, no... look, I really don’t want to talk about it if it’s alright with you, no offense,” Colin replied.

“No worries then,” Adam said, “Just thought you might wanna talk about it is all.”

“Ta, mate,” Colin said, quietly. “Speaking of problems...you ready to tell me what’s going on with you then?”

Adam cleared his throat, looked straight ahead at the road. “Nothin’ I can’t handle,” he replied.

Colin sighed, thinking how familiar that sounded. Hadn’t he said those same words to his dad once upon a time not too long ago? And look how that turned out. “Alright, but if you change your mind...”

Adam nodded, “We’re here,” he said pulling up along side of the curb. “You want me to go in with you or just wait here?”

“Your call, mate,” Colin said, opening the passenger-side door, “I shouldn’t be long.”

Adam nodded, turned off the ignition and stepped out of the car. Solicitors, town officials, sheriffs, they all were the same in his book and he wanted nothing to do with any of them. He took a deep breath then slowly followed Colin into Richie Robert’s office. At least if he waited inside, perhaps this bloke’s secretary could give him a hot cuppa.

TBC...