the little things count

Leo got to Vada's pizza party late. He got off at nine from the cinemaplex. Henry saved a ham and pineapple pizza for him.

Henry popped it in the oven for a few minutes while Leo made himself a very foamy rootbeer float. He could tell Leo was starving. The glass was empty by the time Henry brought him pizza on a paper plate.

"Getting the hang of it, I guess?" Henry spoke up first, yet he wondered if they were in a rut. Did Leo notice anything different about him? Was there a slight shake to him now, or was he only imagining it? Henry found it hard to even ask the simple questions now. He felt as if he was apart from everyone these days. He mustered up a smile. Henry didn't mean to fake it. He was glad to have company.

 Leo had been busy with training and evening shifts at the movie theater when the flow of movie goers was light. Henry kept making pants. If he could make enough pants that turned out to fit then his next challenge would be a jacket.

"The theater?" Henry clarified as if maybe Leo thought he might be talking about himself.

"I'm definitely sick of popcorn." He ate the slice of pizza in about three bites. Henry watched, thinking just how tall and lean Leo was. Still, he'd like to see his posture better, but it wasn't that big of an issue. Actually, he kind of liked the way he leaned in. Honestly, he liked watching him eat.

"Yeah, I would be too." Henry shrugged with another quick smile.

"So, are you, OK?" Leo looked up at him big eyed and terribly serious before he devoured another slice of pizza.

"I guess." He didn't want to talk about the new meds. Yes, they'd made him tired at first, and restless. His stomach really felt bad for a couple of days. But fiber had been the key. Of course, he was afraid to say it. Leo might think he was an old man.

Henry heard laughter in the livingroom.  Vada's pizza parties were a success, as of late. They were playing a trivia game. He saw Josie with both hands locked around Dean's arm as if she'd never let him go.

 Henry remembered Josie telling him that Dean was going into the Army. From the looks of things, Henry wondered if Josie would try to join the Army, too.