Edmund and Mark once again stood in line at Lee’s Coffee in Greensboro. It was busy that afternoon, and as they waited in line, the conversation wandered to this and that.
“Ed, you do not know what you dodged by getting a full ride. I mean, we’re doing okay, but I’ve run the numbers and by the time I finish paying off my student loans? We could’ve paid for a house. And we’re still only halfway through them.”
“Mark, you have to be exaggerating. I mean—”
“I am completely serious. I have the spreadsheet. I can email it to you tonight. A house in Raleigh. A nice one.”
Edmund looked away and exhaled heavily. “So what was that game you said you’d gotten into?”
Mark was apparently happy to change to a lighter topic. “It’s in early access right now, which I don’t usually touch, but this one is shaping up to be something impressive.”
“Huh,” Edmund replied. “What was the name again?”
“Rimworld. You used to play Dwarf Fortress, right?”
Edmund nodded.
“So, it’s kind of like that but with slightly better graphics and…not quite so intense.”
Edmund grinned. “I have to admit, that sounds intriguing.”
“It can be a huge time suck, though. I’ve played straight through the night twice.”
“Yeah, maybe not right now, then. I’m going to be busy for a while.”
“Okay.” Mark nodded. And they reached the front of the line.
Edmund smiled at the girl behind the register. “Hey Becky, could I get a large Pike with room for cream? And I’ve got his too.”
“Double espresso plus chocolate syrup.”
When she looked at him funny, Mark added, “Like a mocha with no milk.”
They each ordered a croissant sandwich as well.
Mark turned to Edmund, “I can get this one.”
Edmund smiled, shook his head, and held out a twenty to the barista.
A couple minutes later, they had their coffee and were back at the table on the patio to the side of the shop. Edmund had doctored his up with cream and sugar this time.
“You’re looking different, Ed.”
“Yeah, I’ve started exercising a lot. Running, some weights.”
Mark nodded. “It’s not just that. You…your whole attitude. Something’s changed.”
Edmund swirled the stirrer stick in his coffee. “So what’d you want to talk about?”
Mark leaned forward eagerly. “I’ve got it. Like I said, six months, a year, it’d all blow over.”
Edmund smiled. “Okay…?”
“I got you the job, man. You can start at SynTech early next month. I think it’s just barely below your old pay, too.”
Mark knocked back his mocha sludge triumphantly in one pull.
“Thanks. I…thanks a lot. You’re a bro.”
“Hey, I know you’d do the same. I’m just glad I could finally come through. I couldn’t make too much noise about it, but it’s always been at the back of my mind.”
Edmund took a deep breath and a drink of his coffee.
“I’m not kidding. It means a lot, Mark. But…I can’t take you up on that.”
“Ah—what?”
Edmund waved a finger as if he were tapping at a bulletin board only he could see while he considered his words.
“I’ll be…pursuing other opportunities.”
“You got a job somewhere else and you didn’t tell me?”
“No. I—Look, I’ll be out of touch for a while. I won’t really be able to talk.”
“Did,” Mark looked around a little then lowered his voice, “did you get some kind of defense department gig?”
“No, no. Nothing like that, but…look, you’ll hear from me. But not soon.”
Mark leaned back and furrowed his brow.
“Ed, are you—“
“I am fine. I’m better than I’ve been since…that day. And I’m going to be fine. I’m just working on something.”
Mark chewed on this for a few seconds. “What’s going on here, man? You can’t tell me anything? You know, I stuck my neck out for you. You were not exactly a popular cause. And you…you can’t even tell me what you’ve got instead?”
“Mark, I’m—it’s not…”
“Then. What. Is. It?” Mark stood up and grabbed his food. “I mean, a friend tries to help you, risks his own ass to help you, and you just shut him out?”
Edmund fought to find the words, to find something he could tell his friend to help him understand. But he found nothing, and just looked at him in pained silence.
“Edmund, you owe me!”
Edmund nodded. “I do. I absolutely do. And I will pay you back, Mark.”
Mark glared at him a moment longer, then sat back down.
The two of them ate their sandwiches in silence.
After a few minutes, Mark again asked, “Edmund, what is going—“
“You don’t want to know.”
The Mayor of Christ Mountain 
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