With a heavy heart, Sal told his friends about his date with Seth, his meeting with Charlie, and how his skills had expanded. He also told them how he'd hypnotized his parents, which had to have been the reason they'd let him sleep so late. Sal hoped he hadn’t fried their brains in the process.
His friends listened without any judgment; they never frowned or called him a liar. He'd decided to leave out the part about the Nazi skeleton in the family closet; Rosie and Jack had suffered enough, and he hadn't the heart to drag them through another crazy adventure.
“So, what’s next, lover? Are you going to reconnect with Seth?” Jack chewed his fries as he spoke.
The question took Sal by surprise, and he knocked over his cola, making it drip from the table and down to the floor.
“Real subtle, Jack. You'd be much more likable if it weren't for that hole in your mouth that noise comes out of.” Rosie gathered napkins and used them to let soak up the wasted beverage.
“I can always count on you to relentlessly point out the negative, Rosie,” Jack said offended. “I am only asking because he’s clearly in love, and I'd like to see my friend happy.”
“How do you know that, Casanova?” Rosie said.
Jack looked hurt. “Because I know how he feels.”
Rosie eased a little and looked at Jack with suspicion.
“You know I can hear you, right?” Sal tried to cut in.
“At some point, you have to realize that some people can stay in your heart but not in your life.” Jack stared straight out into space.
Rosie didn’t move. She just stood there as still as a statue while a waitress came over to clean the cola from the floor.
Sal sat there speechless at the drama unfolding before him. How had they gone from talking about his fucked-up summer to this?
It wasn’t like Jack and Rose's usual bickering, but more emotional, more intense.
He cleared his throat and asked, “Are you two dating? Maybe I should step aside and give you some space.” Sal wanted to leave, but Jack was blocking his way.
“There you go, nice and clean.” The waitress smiled.
Jack and Rosie didn’t respond. They only had eyes for each other, like two boxers in a ring.
“Thank you,” Sal answered, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
“I'm addicted. I used to feel safe because I thought you were equally addicted to me,” Jack said, locking Rosie in his gaze.
Sal was impressed. Jack didn’t usually express himself in that way.
Rosie’s lips, the ones that really didn't want to smile, crept into a grin. “What did you say?”
“God, now who's daft? Let me say it in a way you'll understand: if this diner was a meat market, you'd be the prime rib.” Jack looked tired all of a sudden.
Rosie took Jack’s hand and said softly, “Cool. So the magic love potion's working.” They engaged in a long kiss, seeming to have forgotten Sal had ever existed.
“That’s great, guys. I'm happy for you, but I guess this is my cue.” Sal somehow managed to get his long legs untwisted from beneath the table and to a standing position on the seat of the booth. He climbed over the backrest to the booth next to his, interrupting a family dinner, swiftly stepped on the table, and jumped elegantly to the floor. His eyes sparkled as he ran a hand through his hair. Sal turned to the family and said, “Sorry about that. I hope I didn’t scare you too much.”
The father pulled his teenage daughter closer.
“You're Sal Williams, right?” the son asked, impressed. “I've watched you play basketball. You're really good.”
“I am. I hope to catch you all at the final game,” Sal said with a smile on his face. For a minute he was back in the game, back to his old, charming self, but then his phone buzzed, and Sal excused himself. He walked quickly out the diner, yanking the phone from his pants. He'd hoped the caller ID would read “Unknown” (and just like that, he found himself back in his role as the hopelessly devoted lover. Thanks, Seth.)
He recognized Coach Heffernan as the caller, and he picked up. “Hello?”
"Hey, Sal. How’s your summer going?” Coach Heffernan sounded like he was far away.
“Good,” Sal answered. How the hell else was he supposed to answer?
Guess what: I learned that I'm some sort of new species; I’m in love with a guy who ditched me and disappeared into thin air; my parents stole me from my real father; and oh, I can make you spill your darkest secrets without even saying a word.
“The championship game's back on in a few weeks. I know it's short notice, but can you make to practice tomorrow? They want the finals to be concluded before the new season.”
“Yeah, sure,” Sal said, trying to sound relaxed. If nothing else, the game would help to take his mind off things for a while.
He ended his conversation with Coach Heffernan and looked through the diner's window to see Jack and Rosie, still kissing each other in the same booth in which he'd first had spotted Seth.
Sal jumped into the bus and drove home, called Charlie, and told him about the game. They talked for hours. It was like they hadn't been separated in the first place.