All Things Different by Underhill Shawn

Author:Underhill, Shawn [Underhill, Shawn]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2012-06-26T04:00:00+00:00

24

At the regular time I woke when I heard my old man downstairs. I got out of bed carefully so that Sara could sleep, pulling my shirt on as I descended the stairs. I caught Dad just before he went out the door. He turned, surprised that I was up.

“I tried to be quiet.”

“I just woke up like usual.”

“Not a bad night?”

“She never woke me up.”

“Good,” he said, standing in the doorway. “Maybe that’s a good sign.”

I stepped into some sandals and followed him outside, carrying the water cooler for him to the truck. Buck was in the drive, his own truck parked off to the side. He was loading his stuff into our truck for the day.

“Got a few off?” he said to me.

“Might as well. What’s up?”

“Same old, you know. Work with the old man for a bit. Needed a break from my other gig anyway.”

“Oh yeah.”

“’Bout that time a year again, hey?”

“Don’t remind me.”

“Yeah, it’ll be over soon enough. You can be a full-time stiff like me.”

“I wouldn’t mind it.”

Buck looked up and over my shoulder then. I looked back to the house. Sara had come out and she stood on the porch looking over at us. Her arms were wrapped up in her sweatshirt.

“Hell, boy,” Buck said a little quieter. “Looks like you got a good day going. Be nice to that one.” He leaned over closer. I could see bits of Skoal Long Cut on his teeth. “She’s gonna be killer like her mama.”

“Fah-Q,” I said without thought. I’d always gotten along great with Buck.

“Easy,” he laughed. “I’m just sayin’…”

“If you ladies are done,” Dad broke in before I could go on, “we should get rolling.”

I stepped back. Then they were both climbing into the cab. I joined Sara on the porch as the truck pulled away, the old man tapping the horn.

“Is he your friend?” she asked.

“He’s an all right guy.”

“He was after Mom for a while.”

“Sorry,” I said. “Were we being loud out here?”

“No. It got cold in the bed once you left.”

“Oh, I’ll bet it was Alaska in there.”

“Shut up,” she smiled.

We stepped into the kitchen. I went for coffee and Sara sat down at the table.

“Do you drink coffee every morning?”

“Just one small cup,” I said. “Why?”

“Doesn’t it stunt your growth?”

“Doesn’t seem to.” I shrugged and took a sip. “I usually go for a row in the mornings,” I told her. “You can stay here or go home. Or go with me. Whatever you want.”

“Isn’t that something you do on your own, your routine or whatever?”

“Yeah. But you can go.”

“Only if you’re sure.”

“I’m pretty sure.”

“Okay,” she smiled, “I’ll go.”

“What about your mom? Should you check in before work?”

“She’s probably already gone by now.”

“She knows you’re here?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Really?”

“Honest. She just said if I made trouble I could find a better place to live.”

“Did you explain that we like having you over here?”

“She knows that, she just stresses.”

“So it runs in the family, hey.”

“Shut up.”

“Anyway …”

“Should we eat first?”

“I need something, yeah.”

“Let me cook,” she said, standing.

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