Frodo walked outside, and got into the Galaxie he had just bought, setting his bag in the back seat.
”You ready,Midge? This is a big step.”
”I’m as ready as I possibly can be, let’s just do this. I don’t want to think about it more than I have to. You were right, I need to get sober, and maybe I can get either Gwen or Zak to want me. This sucks so bad, I got so excited at being a pro and the money that I fucked up Zak’s relationship, and my drugs cost me Gwen and Joseph. I didn’t even know about Beef’s mom. I’m a terrible friend.”
”Nah, you’re not. You just have a lot going on, and unfortunately drugs was the biggest part of it. You get clean, the wrestling won’t calm down, but you’ll be able to handle it better. And who knows, maybe Gwen or Zak will come around, maybe both. Either way, you have to take care of you. They’ll take care of each other. And I cleared it with the people at this center, you can be away for a while to go to your matches, but until you get the ok you have to have a supervisor. They won’t be in the ring with you, but they’ll go backstage with us, and walk up to the ring. It’s for your own good, buddy. I’m proud of you. I didn’t tell anyone, did you?”
”Just you, and Zak. I want this to be a quite deal until I actually get in.”
They drive quietly, as quietly as you can in a car that loud, down the road for a while. Frodo didn’t want to go to a rehab center in Michigan, afraid he’d know someone so they drove to one in Missouri, that was a good 9 hour drive for them. Frodo just leaned back in the seat and fell asleep, he hadn’t actually slept sober in years, it was kind of nice to try doing it. Just last night he needed to take Benzo’s to come down enough to sleep because he’d take too much Adderall during the day just to keep going.
He had a weird dream where he was floating around watching people he loved at his funeral, no one seemed too surprised that he died of an O.D. Joseph was already clinging to Charles as if the pair were naturally related, Gwen acted as if she never loved Fred, and even Crack was aloof. He even walked without a cane. That bastard. But most depressing was that the one person Frodo wanted to see there the most wasn’t, Zak. Not even a single flower from him. Frodo’s ghost was getting depressed. Can we be depressed in dreams? Frodo was, so maybe he wasn’t dreaming. What if he really died in the car ride? But he hadn’t taken any pills in a while, so it couldn’t have been an O.D. that killed him.
Did Crack get into an accident, and Frodo just sleep through it into the sweet release of Death? How would he ever know what happened? And if he died, why did Crack survive? That bastard, letting Frodo die like that then surviving! The nerve of that bastard, then to walk without a cane or a limp. HORRIBLE! Frodo was now beginning to get irate. Can ghosts, or dreams get irate? Frodo did. Goddamn right, he did.
”Hey, Midge, wake up. We’re here. You slept hard, but I guess you needed it. Anyway, here we are, Rolla, Missouri. How’d you even find this place anyway?”
”Google, man. I just searched for a place in Missouri that no one would recognize me at.”
”You’re a professional wrestler, going to Missouri to not be recognized. That’s not going to work well.”
”This state doesn’t even have cable yet, it’s all good.”
Crack’s phone began to vibrate, and ring. He looked down worried, and showed Frodo that Gwen was calling.
”Let me get this, it has to be important. Does she even have your number yet?”
”Nah, get it, then after I go in tell her where I went, and give her my number. I wanna be clean before I talk to her again.”
Frodo zoned out what was being said, but all he knew what that Crack did not look happy to hear it. When Crack got off the phone Frodo wasn’t sure he wanted to know what happened, but he asked anyway.
”What happened? You look terrible. Is Joseph ok?”
Crack paused a moment, not sure how to answer, then he slowly spoke, words almost unable to form in his mouth.
”Charles died today. He went in to have a mole removed, and during the procedure they hit something they shouldn’t have, or went in too deep or something, she’s not sure. He bled out, right there in the dermatologist’s office. I’m not even sure I should have told you that before you go in. Listen, now more than ever Gwen and Joseph need you to clean up. Do this for them.”
Frodo nodded, and got out of the car before walking towards the facility. He turned back to face Crack and say one more thing.
”Though I’m sorry for those two that he died, I hated that fucker.”
He walked through the door, and disappeared from Crack’s sight. Crack just shook his head.
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