Best Friend's Ex Box Set

"I have no idea," I admitted as I sighed and leaned back against the glass booth. "This is going to be more challenging than we thought, Bugs. The bishop doesn't want anything to do with us, but I get the sense that there is something else going on around here. I just need a few days to figure it out and to find a way into the part of the community that wants to adopt it."

"How many days?" Bugs asked bluntly.

"A week, maybe two?" I suggested. "I'm going to be stuck here until they can get the parts for the car and fix it, so that'll be a week at least."

"What the fuck?" Bugs shouted. "What did you do to the car?"

"It met up with a ditch," I said. "Thanks for asking if I'm okay. Your concern is underwhelming."

"Fuck you, Wallace," he said impatiently. "Get the car fixed, get yourself in with the person who can okay the project, and then get your ass back to Chicago pronto!"

"Aye, aye Capitan," I said dryly. "Seriously, Bugs, chill out and trust me. I'll get the job done, but you can't be a dick about it. Give me a few days to figure out a plan and then I'll call you again and let you know what's going on."

"What happened to your phone?" he asked.

"Toast," I replied.

"Go buy a new one."

"Dude, I'm in northern Indiana in the middle of Amish country and I don't have a car," I said. "How exactly do you think I'm going to pull off that feat of magic?"

"I'll send you a new one via FedEx," he said. "What's the address?"

"Hold on," I said leaning out of the phone booth and hollering at Honor who was laying on the ground looking up at the tree. "Hey, Honor! What's your address?"

"Huh?" she said sitting up and looking at me.

"Address, I need your mailing address," I repeated.

"6117 North 100 East Corner Grove, Indiana 46764," she rattled off.

I ducked back into the booth and repeated the address for Bugsy to copy down. He assured me that he'd order the phone and have it delivered by that evening. I thanked him and said I'd call as soon as I got the phone set up.

"Adam, seriously, you have to get this done," he said. "If you don't, we're both going to be seriously screwed."

"Believe me, I know," I said before hanging up the phone.

I exited the booth and walked back over to the tree. Honor was laying on her back with her eyes closed and her hands folded on her stomach. She looked peaceful, so I gingerly lowered myself down to the ground and copied her pose.

"Work out your problems, English?" she asked.

"Not entirely, but eventually I will," I said as I looked up and wondered how long it had taken this tree to grow big enough to provide shade.

"Anything I can do to help?" she asked.

"Yeah, wave your magic wand and get your uncle to agree to buy my wind turbines," I sighed.

"Ha ha, very funny," she replied with teenage sarcasm. "But seriously, is that all you need to do? Sell wind turbines?"

"You heard me talking about this over breakfast," I said noticing that a slight breeze had set the leaves in motion, making the tree look like it was breathing. "And I wouldn't make it sound so easy. It's hard to convince people to do something that's good for them when they are stubbornly refusing to do it."

"You're telling me," she sighed as she rolled over and pushed herself up off the ground. She brushed off the front of her dress as she groane

d, "God I hate this thing. I wish they'd just let me wear pants!"

"You're not allowed to wear pants?" I asked as I very slowly followed her lead. My head hurt, but moving around made it feel a bit better. Or maybe it just reminded me how lucky I'd been.

"What do you think, English?" she asked rolling her eyes before turning and heading for home. I quickly caught up with her and walked silently beside her until she spoke again. "Why do you adults always ask questions that you already know the answer to?"