Page 59 of Callahan

My voice was soft, so Brian wouldn’t overhear, when I replied, “You said we couldn’t do that, remember?”

His voice was equally quiet.

“Baby girl, it’s not because I don’t want to.”

Brian reappeared with more food on his plate and demanded, “What are you two whispering about?”

I smiled at him as he sat back down.

“We were wondering if you were going to eat all the fortune cookies.”

“Of course not. I’m not a rude dick. It looks like there’s enough for us to each have two.”

Adam explained, “Pam said she included extras in case we don’t like our first fortune.”

I stood up, carried my plate to the sink, rinsed it off, then picked up the six wrapped cookies from the counter before returning to my spot on the floor. I laid them on the table and commanded, “Pick one.”

Adam shook his head. “Ladies first.”

Brian reminded me, “Remember you have to add, ‘in bed,’ after you read your fortune.”

I chose a cookie from the middle of the pile, broke the seal of the plastic wrapper, and pulled the crispy wafer from the packaging.

“I get to pick again, if I don’t like this one, right?”

Brian replied, “Only after we’ve all picked one.”

“Okaaay… here goes!” I said dramatically as I cracked the cookie and popped the piece that fell on my leg into my mouth as I took the little slip of paper out and unfolded it.

“It’s time to move forward from the past.”

I shot Adam a pointed look while Brian proclaimed, “In bed!”

Adam’s expression remained neutral as the three of us contemplated the fortune’s meaning.

“I guess that’s appropriate,” I murmured as I munched on the rest of the cookie.

Brian nodded. “That is a good one for you.”

“You wanna go next?” Adam asked Brian.

Brian was still working on the rest of his kung pao chicken. “Nah, you go.”

Without any fanfare, Adam plucked a cookie from the assortment, took it from the wrapper, and broke it open.

“Now is the time to take a chance.”

Brian added, “In bed,” and I pressed my lips together to try and hide my smug grin.

“The fortune cookie gods have spoken,” I said authoritatively.

“That’s a good one for you, too,” Brian observed before leaning forward to select his.

I was still watching Adam when Brian said, “Aw, this is bullshit. I want a do-over.”

“Read it,” I demanded.

“You will be happy with your spouse,” then he added, “in bed.”

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