Peter nodded his head, hoping to be fully recovered soon and able to get back to playing hockey, something he missed like crazy.
Making their way inside to the bar area, the two friends waited to be served. Peter sucked in the atmosphere even though it was relatively empty. A sudden tap on his shoulder caused him to jump.
"Hi Peter, how are you?" squeaked Janice the barmaid, excitedly.
Tank, ever the diplomat, gave his friend a wink and then shuffled away a little.
"Janice. Good to see you. I'm getting better thanks," he replied.
"I heard what happened," declared the blonde bombshell, nodding towards his sling. "You were so brave, foiling the robbery and everything.
For a split second he had to think about what she'd just said.
'Ahh... that's right. The council put the story out that there'd been a big robbery at Cropptech and that somehow, singlehandedly I saved the day.'
"Well... it wasn't just me," he whispered as Janice gazed across the bar at him. "There were others there as well, and anyway, it's just part of my job."
Peter didn't know it, but at that very moment he might as well have told Janice that he could make chocolate appear out of thin air. She had seemed very keen on him before, and that was nearly two months ago. Here and now, in this moment, she was smitten, something that to his horror, Tank had managed to notice.
"Pint of bitter please Janice," announced Tank, trying to distract the dizzy bar worker. "What do you want Pete?"
"Lime and soda please mate," he replied, still a little unsure of what was going on.
Seemingly from out of nowhere, Richie appeared.
"And a gin and tonic for me please," she added, surprising the two of them.
"Hi Rich," said Peter, as she enveloped him in a huge hug, much to Janice's disappointment.
"Pete, how are you feeling?"
"Much better thanks."
"And a gin and tonic as well please Janice," stated Tank, giving Richie a wider berth than normal.
Janice came back with the gin and tonic, and then Tank paid for the round of drinks.
"Thanks," said Richie smiling.
"No problem," replied Tank disinterestedly.
Peter couldn't believe what he was seeing. Normally his friends got on like a house on fire, but it all seemed to have changed. While he wouldn't describe things as frosty, which would be a little over the top, there was certainly an undeniable air of tension.
"So," said Peter, knowing it wasn't lacrosse training, "what are you doing here tonight Rich?"
"Just hanging out, shooting some pool, watching the sport on the telly, that's all really."
Tank rolled his eyes nonchalantly in a disbelieving sort of way. Richie seemed to pick up on this and looked none too pleased.
"Anyway, looks like it's my turn on the pool table," she uttered, looking relieved. "Thanks for the drink. I'll see you boys later." And with that, she bounded over to the corner and selected her cue.
"What the hell was that all about?" he whispered to Tank, absolutely astonished.
"You don't want to know." replied his friend, sharply.
"I most certainly do," declared Peter.
Tank turned across the bar to Janice, who hadn't moved very far away, and asked,
"Janice, is there a committee meeting tonight?"
"Oh yes," she answered pleasantly. "They're upstairs right now, and should probably be finishing quite soon."
"Thanks," said Tank, taking a huge gulp of his drink.
Peter stood looking at Tank, more than a little confused. Tank smiled at his friend and said,
"Stick around and you'll see for yourself."
Not knowing what else to say, the two friends stood at the bar in silence, nursing their drinks, watching Richie play pool from a distance. When Janice wasn't serving customers, she made a point of cleaning the bar near them, or changed nearby bar mats, not that Peter really noticed at all, he was just too busy feeling happy at being out of the house and away from the overbearing and overzealous June and Mildred.
Twenty minutes went by, during which Peter returned Tank's generosity and bought him a drink, buying one for Richie as well. Smiling briefly when he bought it over, she thanked him and returned to beating some of the rugby players at pool. Wandering back to the bar to rejoin Tank, he remained oblivious to the ever so attentive Janice.
Ten minutes later the clatter of feet could be heard trampling down the stairs at the end of the bar, the committee meeting finished, the members coming down for a drink, as was their custom. Tank raised his eyebrows in Peter's direction and mouthed the words, "Get ready." Not quite sure what to expect, Peter put his drink down on the bar and kept a beady eye on Richie. Sure enough, moments later, he had the answer to everything. Richie rolled her pool cue onto the table conceding the game which she'd clearly been winning, unusual in itself, but the best was yet to come. Vaulting over a chair in her path, she rushed madly over to the bottom of the stairs, and to Peter's utter amazement, threw herself into the arms of a man he vaguely recognised. Catching Richie in his arms, he lifted her off the ground and kissed her passionately.
Open mouthed, Peter turned and looked at Tank, not knowing what to say. Tank just sighed and shook his head.
All Peter could think was,
'This is it. She's finally gone too far,' he thought. 'The dragon council are gonna go spare.' Continuing to watch his friend, all these thoughts about the council and her fate whizzed around his head. The really strange thing though, was that they both looked unbelievably happy, almost as if they were made for each other, which given that they were two totally different species, really didn't add up at all. Suddenly an evening with Mildred and June looked better and better.
Janice stuck her head across the bar between the two friends, noted what they were looking at and said,
"Don't they make a lovely couple?"
Peter swiftly replied,
"They most certainly don't."
A miffed expression on her face, the normally cheerful bar worker ducked back behind the bar. Peter, oblivious to Janice's hurt feelings, supped his drink, while Tank, a devotee of human behaviour, just shook his head.
As Richie and her new love headed their way, Tank let out a sigh and turned away to face the bar, pretending desperately to study all of the different spirit bottles lined up on the shelf behind it, just below the crystal clear mirror.
As they approached, Peter remembered the guy's name.
'Tim Simms, of course,' he thought. 'Plays hockey for the first team but got badly injured and had to miss the rest of the season as a result. If I'm not mistaken he's also the treasurer of the sports club.'
Richie approached, arm snaked around Tim's waist.
"Peter, I'd like you to meet Tim. Tim, this is my friend Peter."
Tim thrust his hand out towards Peter and said,
"Pleasure to meet you Peter. I've heard all about you."
A startled Peter shook Tim's proffered hand, hoping that he hadn't really heard all about him.
"It's nice to meet you Tim. Any friend of Richie's is a friend of mine," he mumbled, noticing Tank's expression from the reflection in mirror behind the bar.
Turning towards Richie, Tim whispered,
"Ahhh... he is as sweet as you said."
Instantly, Peter started to blush, and turned towards Tank who was still facing away, for some support.
"And of course you've met Tank before," prompted Richie, coldly, gesturing towards the strapping rugby player with her arm.