Deep Thoughts

Baylor POV

The next morning when I woke, Kenneth was sitting on the couch and I could hear that Mitchum was showering. Kenneth looked deep in thought so I asked, “Hey man, are you ok?” He nodded in response. “Yeah dude, I was just trying to think of a logical explanation of why these guys wanted to talk to you.” His brow was furrowed and I could tell that he was definitely concerned. Then he spoke again, “You know if for some reason the authorities have caught on to who we are, they can force you back to Monroeville since you’re only 16. Mitchum will be 18 in three months so it would be pointless for them to drag him back, and I have been 18 since January so they can’t take me.” 

I slung an arm over his shoulder and said, “Fuck that man, I am going nowhere near that place ever again. Besides, if it was that, don't you think they would have just taken me right then and there?” His mood seemed to lighten a bit and he said, “I guess, I didn’t think of that.” I patted his shoulder and said, “We are the three musketeers, nothing will ever pull us apart. Not even girls, bros before hoes, you jump, I jump.” 

We started laughing and Mitchum came out of the bathroom at that moment and said, “What are you fuckers laughing at?” “Your ugly mug, fucker!” I said as I continued to laugh louder. “Man you guys are just assholes,” Mitchum sulks and he walks to the kitchen area grabbing a toaster pastry and a can of soda. Kenneth ever the peace maker amongst us says, “Don’t get your panties in a wad bro, we were having a deep conversation about the note Bay got yesterday. Then he said something to lighten the mood and we were laughing at that.” 

Mitchum sat on the floor in front of us and thoughtfully opened his breakfast and said, “Yeah, so what are you going to do about that whole thing, Bay?” I reached down and stole half of one of the pastries and bit in before I said, “What’s to do? I don’t know who those guys were and I can’t see where they would have anything actually important to say to me.” Of course that’s when the voice in my head decides to pipe up and say “They are pack and they will not hurt us. You shouldn’t ignore their note.” Oh for pete’s sake can’t this voice just go the fuck away already. “Not happening, I am your wolf. I am part of you and you are part of me,” Shammus a.k.a. The voice in my head says.

Mitchum says, “Bay, they gave you a great tip and they just wanted you to call them. Maybe it is something cool, like a free ski pass for next season or something.” Leave it to Mitchum to come up with something ridiculous. I was just about to rag on him about that when Kenneth spoke again. “Listen, it might not be some sort of free shit. But maybe they thought you provided good service and maybe it’s a job offer or something. Maybe you should just call and find out what it is they want.” I sat there thinking for a moment and then said, “Fuck it, I guess I’ll call.”

I got up and walked over to where my jeans last night were and reached into the pocket to grab the note. I dialed the number on my phone and hit send. “Gilded Inn, Britney speaking, how may I make your day better?” the chirpy voice on the other end answered. “Good morning Britney, may I be connected to the presidential suite please?” I asked even though I wanted to just hang up. “Hold please and I will transfer your call.” 

I started pacing the floor as the phone began to ring; once, twice, and in the middle of the third ring a someone answered, “Maidin mhaith, I mean good morning Clive Kelly speaking.”  His voice sounds a little weird, like with an accent of some sort, but I couldn’t tell you what kind. “Good morning Mr. Kelly, I don’t know if you remember me from yesterday, but this is Baylor, your server and you left a note with your extremely generous tip for me to call you.” I hear a long sigh come through the receiver and then he continues, “Ah yes,Baylor. I was beginning to wonder if you had gotten my note at all.” 

I fidgeted a little as I continued to pace, then I spoke, “Yeah sorry about that, the situation was a little weird to me and I wasn’t sure I was going to call at all.” Mr. Kelly chuckled, “Well I am pleased that you did, as I have something very important to discuss with you. How soon can you come to meet with my group and I?” I wasn’t going alone so I said,  “I don’t keep anything from my best friends sir. There is nothing you have to tell me that is so private that they can’t be there.” 

I heard a sigh on the other end before Clive spoke again, “That is where you and I see things very differently, but very well bring them. But there are certain things you may not want them to know.” I was persistent though and said, “Like I said, I don’t keep anything from my friends.” “Ok, let me ask you this then, Have you told them about the voice in your head?” Clive questioned and the blood drained from my face. How could this stranger know about the voice in my head? Had he heard me in the restaurant yesterday when I muttered under my breath for ‘Shammus’ to knock it off? 

“Hello? Baylor are you still there?” Clive asked, sounding unsure. “I…uh…yes I am still here,” I answered, realizing I had gone silent. “I see. So you haven’t told them that. How about a compromise then? How about you and your friends meet my group and I in the large conference room here at The Gilded Inn in say 30 minutes. We can step to the other side of the conference room to discuss matters privately and then you can decide for yourself what, if anything, you want to tell your friends,” Mr. Kelly proposed. “Ok fine Mr.Kelly. I will call a cab and my friends and I will head to the Inn. It may take a bit longer than 30 minutes, but we will be there,” I told him. “Ok Baylor, we will see you then,” he replied.

As I hang up the phone I look at the guys and say, “I am sorry to drag you guys into this, but I don’t want to go alone.” Kenneth just grins a playful grin and says, “You jump, I jump.” Mitchum looks from me to Kenneth and back and says, “All for one and one for all.” These guys truly are my very best friends in the entire world. I just grin at the two of them and say, “Now I need one of you two to call a cab for us. Then I am going to grab a super quick shower.” 

As the cab drove through town to the inn the guys were silent and that was fine by me, I was lost in my own thoughts. What could this Clive Kelly as he called himself possibly know about the voice in my head? As the cab stopped in front of the inn, I paid the fare and we all got out to go inside. 

At the front desk was none other than the chirpy Britney. “Good morning boys, how can I help you?” I stepped forward and said I was supposed to be meeting Mr. Kelly in the large conference room. Britney reached down and pressed a button on the switchboard and began to speak, “Stacy, I am going to be away from my desk for 5-10 minutes. So you will have to answer the phone if it rings.” She removed her headset and said, “If you boys will follow me, I can take you to the conference room.” She tilted her head towards the hall on the left and waved her hand in a come ahead motion.

Britney led us down a long hall and then turned right at the next hall and pointed to the elevators pushing the up button. “You boys take this to the third floor and take a right out of the elevator and it will be the second door on your left. ”Thank you,” I said as the elevator slid closed. My anxiety was building as we ascended to the third floor and my stomach felt like I ate cement for breakfast instead of the half toaster pastry I had snatched from Mitchum.