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.Thisnew whore you brung over.It’s a dude.What are folks gonna say?”“What are folks gonna say? They’re gonna say, ‘Look at all that money Nicky Flannery’smaking off the fags.He’s one smart motherfucker.’ That’s what they’re gonna say.”Paul shook his head.“Trouble with you old-timers is you’re stuck in the past.This is the twenty-first fuckingcentury.You want a make a killing these days, you gotta think outside the box.Get it? Thinkoutside the box?”Everyone laughed, including Paul.“‘Sides, the ladies like him too.Check it out.” Nicky nodded to where Brenda, Sally, andColleen hovered around Shoe like honeybees.Brenda had a hand on his shoulder.Sally tossedher hair.“They’re nuts about him.”36Jessica Freely“But he’s a queer.”“Yeah.Go figure.Chicks are weird.”Rhonda came back with Eben’s beer, and someone brought out a cake.Paul stuck aroundto eat a slice, then departed.By then Nicky was too busy sticking his face in Tabitha’s cleavageto notice.Eben drank beers and tried not to get caught staring at Shoe.He was on his sixth Heinekenand slowly sinking ever deeper into the couch when “Happy Birthday” started playing.Everyone gathered around.“Time for your birthday present, little bro.” Nicky placed a boxwrapped in gold paper on the table in front of him.Eben heaved himself upright.“You got me a present? That sure was nice of you.”“Open it.Open it,” said Nicky.The box was heavy.Eben peeled off the paper to reveal a stainless-steel case.As he put itdown on the coffee table, the weight of it seemed to settle on his heart.He knew what came incases like this.He unfastened the latches and opened it to reveal a chrome-plated 10mm GLOCKautomatic.Its polished surface gleamed in the soft light of the club.“Wow.”Bill whistled.“That’s a beautiful piece.”“Time my little brother had one of his own.” Nicky hugged him.Shit.Eben forced a smile and hugged him back.“What a wonderful birthday present.Thanks!” He didn’t want it.Didn’t even want to pick it up, but he had to.Everyone waswatching.Eben lifted the gun out of its case and hefted it.He checked the action and held it outas if to shoot with it.Can I put it back in its case now? He turned back to Nicky, trying to lookdelighted.Thank the Holy Mother of God I’m drunk.“Wait, there’s more,” said Nicky.Fuck.What now? Another box wrapped in gold foil appeared before Eben, which at leastgave him an excuse to put the gun back in its case.He opened box number two to find a shoulderholster.“Awesome.”“Try it on, try it on,” said Nicky, bouncing up and down like a kid on Christmas morning.Broken37Eben hoisted himself up off the couch, swayed a little, and then slid the holster on over hisshirt.Rhonda helped him adjust the straps.Nicky took the gun from the case, snapped thecartridge in place, and slid it into the holster.It bulged under Eben’s arm like a tumor.“You should see yourself,” said Nicky.“You look totally badass.”Eben scanned the gathering.Everyone was smiling and nodding in approval.It’s alreadydecided.This is who I am.But then he caught sight of Shoe, over by the bar.Shoe tilted his head and gave him a crooked smile and a little shrug.Of everyone there, itseemed like he alone understood how Eben really felt, though of course, there was nothing to bedone about it.Someone handed Eben another glass of champagne, and he downed it.Suddenly the music got louder.All the girls clustered around him.“Time for your birthday lap dance, Eben,” said Nicky.Rhonda winked at him as she pushed him back down onto the couch.Eben was very awareof the loaded gun nestled at his side as the girls writhed all over him.At least he was safe in theknowledge that none of them would mention it was the only thing that was hard.He sank deeperinto the cushions of the couch.Eventually the girls finished, and everybody was clapping and laughing.Then suddenly thecrowd parted, and Shoe stood before Eben.He swayed ever so slightly, and his cheeks werepink, but he carried himself like he owned the place, and Eben too.How much had he beendrinking? He undid his tie and fixed Eben with a smoldering look.“Happy Birthday to you.”Somewhere behind him Eben heard Nicky laughing, louder than ever.Everyone else joinedin.Big joke.Shoe threw his tie in Eben’s face.He peeled off his black tuxedo jacket.He startedunbuttoning the shirt beneath.Eben tried to keep from getting hard.It was impossible, even with Nicky and everyone elsestanding around watching and giggling.“Happy Birthday to you.” Shoe took off his shirt and tossed it in Eben’s lap.Thank Jesus
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