“Seven, it’s so good to see you, my friend, how are you?” he asked with a genuine smile on his face.
“I’m good, Bunny. It looks like you’re all healed up,” Seven said.
“Everything’s back to normal and I’ve lost six pounds,” Bunny proudly announced.
“You look good.”
“Yeah, the girls around here got me eating kale, spinach, and shrubbery. It tastes like shit but I’m feeling good and I ain’t getting any younger. Where’s Tiffany?”
“The girls mobbed her when we came through the door.”
“Of course they did. Please tell Gran that I got the box of cookies she sent; everyone around here loved them.”
“I’ll tell her, Uncle Joe,” Seven said smugly.
“What’s this Uncle Joe shit?” Joey questioned.
“Well, I figured since we’ll be family soon, I could add that to the list of names I have for you.”
The comment took a second to digest, but once it did, Joey grabbed Seven and pulled him into the tightest of bear hugs. Seven found himself trying to ask for release but he was unable to produce any verbal sound after all of the air in his lungs was forced free by the pressure. Joey dropped Seven and ran out of the office door without saying a word. As the door flung open, Seven watched as Bunny jogged to the group of strippers surrounding his niece. He joined the meeting and after a long embrace he directed his view at the ring on her finger. “My niece is getting married. A round on the house!” he announced to a grateful collection of middle-aged customers.