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Mike laughs. “Man, it’s good to see you. Are you visiting? And why? How long are you staying?”

“I got a lot to tell you, but can I order some food first? I’m starving.”

“Sure thing, my delicate sugar puff.” He walks back around to his side of the bar as I shake my head.

Twenty minutes later, my friend is seated across from me watching me inhale the massive burrito in front of me.

“So?” Mike looks at me expectantly. Another bartender took over for him so that he could sit with me.

I take a sip of my water before I answer his question. “It’s Darlene.”

His eyes widen. “Is she okay?”

Good fucking question.

“Honestly? I’m not sure. She called a few days ago. She was vague on the phone, but she insisted I come here. Said she’d tell me in person.”

“I assume you haven’t met with her yet then?”

I shake my head. “Nope, but I’m going to this afternoon. To be honest, I’m nervous. She sounded serious on the phone. Not like the Darlene we’re used to.”

Mike shakes his head and scans the bar area. I get the feeling that even on his breaks, he likes to check to make sure everything runs smoothly in this joint.

“Can I be honest with you?”

His question surprises me, but I nod. “Go ahead.”

“I never asked why you left so quickly. I had my suspicions, of course, and I don’t blame you. But I think you have to decide what you’re going to do if shit hits the fan. Are you willing to come back if someone is sick? Dying? Struggling in some way? And if not, can you live with yourself if you decide to stay absent?”

I sigh.

It’s not like this hasn’t been my biggest fear for years.

“When did you become so smart?”

“I’ve always been smart.” He smiles. “But I’m speaking from experience. Well, sort of. My dad has been struggling. Hasn’t been himself in a while, so it has given me some perspective.”

“Shit, I’m sorry. I had no idea.”

For the second time in thirty minutes, I regret not calling more often.

“It’s okay. I didn’t mean to freak you out. It might not be serious at all. I wouldn’t be surprised if Darlene called you into town to plant some tomatoes for her.”

A memory of when we were both sixteen and Darlene decided she wanted a vegetable garden flashes before my eyes. She offered us both fifty dollars and a beer if we spent a weekend helping her. Lured by the idea of being allowed a beer, we agreed and spent the whole two days fighting in ninety-degree weather about who had taken more turns with the shovel.

I chuckle. “Please, I’m never doing that again.”

“Same. Let me know when you find out?”

“I will. What’s new with you?”

“Not much. I’m the manager now, and it’s a lot. Although most people assume I’m the owner, because my name is Mike … I should’ve never started working at place called Mike’s.”

I laugh. “Hey, but that’s amazing. Congrats. And let’s do something while I’m here.”

“For sure. You still with that start-up?”

“Yeah.” I lean back and cross my arms. “I didn’t plan on it. I thought I’d help my friend with it, and I invested the money I got from my grandma’s will. Then the company took off. And I stuck around. It’s hard to leave at this point.”