“I think you’re off the sauce for today, though,” Angel said as he dumped a near-empty whiskey bottle into the sink. “You can be designated driver.”
“Whoa there, partner. If I go to this shindig, I’m having a couple.” Then he thought of his mother and moaned. “Shit, Angel, you gotta come with me over to my mother’s tonight. She invited us for dinner.”
“You are kidding, right?” Angel said, just barely avoiding stepping on the cat.
“No, man, we gotta go. I mean, she’d really like it. I’ve been a little off lately, and she’s worrying.” His voice dropped off. Had he really been that vacant? He hadn’t even realized what he had said.
“Admitting you got a problem…Ain’t that half the battle?”
“Eat shit,” Michael retorted, looking anywhere but at Angel.
“Hop in the shower, you smelly bastard, and let’s hit it. Guess it’s gonna be a long-ass day, and I’m hungry as hell.”
* * * *