Most likely.
Easy too.
Hey now.
He doesn’t know what that means. But he can hear the voice clear as day. Saying Mikey, fo sho.
“Yeah,” Mike says. “Don’t know what I was thinking. Just this guy I used to know. From before. Got confused for a second.”
“Before?”
“Before I came to Amorea.”
Sean’s brow furrows, like he’s not quite understanding. “Before.” Then, “Right. Before. It’s just… sometimes, I think you’ve always been here, you know? It feels like that to me.”
Mike likes that. He likes that a lot, even if he’s thinking, That was an event. That was an event just now.
“YOU DOIN’ all right, bud?” Happy asks. They’re walking down the sidewalk, heading toward their respective shops. It’s a short walk for Happy, but they’re moving slowly.
“Sure, Happy.”
“We’re friends.”
“Yeah.”
“So you can tell me stuff.”
“I know.”
“You doin’ good?”
Mike sighs. “Yeah. I’m good. Just got a lot on my mind, is all.”
“Sean?”
“Nah. Don’t even think about him much.”
Happy snorts. “Bullshit. You look at him like he craps gold and hung the moon.”
“Jesus, Happy.”
“Truth hurts, ain’t gotta tell me none. He looks at you the same.”
“He’s good,” Mike says, unable to meet Happy’s gaze. “For me.”
“I know. Always thought so. Two peas in a pod, you are. You needed him, I think. He needed you too.”
He thinks, Before. “Happy.”
“Yup.”
“Before me. Before I came to Amorea.”
“Oh yeah.”
“Sean. Was he…?”
“Was he what, Mike?”