She smiled sadly at me. “I know. I know you would’ve told me.”
I laughed. “Yeah, I would’ve freaked out to you about it right away,” I whispered, and she giggled.
“It’s fine, Matthew.”
I shook my head. “Oh, no, it’s not what you think. They think I’m living with my girlfriend. My dad was just asking me about the nursery,” I said, thumbing back to the room we had just stepped out of.
Her eyes widened, and I laughed.
“Don’t worry, I don’t plan on filling the ‘nursery’ anytime soon,” I said, and I might have been mistaken, but I think she looked a little hurt. I decided to backpedal a little, just in case. “I mean, we just had our first kiss a while ago, and I still haven’t figured out how to get you to kiss me again, forget…” I realized this line of conversation was even worse than the one my father had brought up. I could feel my ears burning deep red with embarrassment. I suddenly found the floorboards very interesting. I wouldn’t be surprised if Addy threw me out on my ear for even suggesting doing that with her.
Her hand was on my chin, and she tipped my face to look at her. “I’d like it if you’d kiss me again, too.”
I perked up right away. “Really?” I asked. I really had nothing to offer her and wondered daily why she even bothered with me, but here she was, looking at me with hope in her eyes, and I couldn’t help but smile. “I’d like that, too.”
She smiled, and a light pink blush flushed across her cheeks.
“Everything alright out here?” my dad asked, wheeling himself out into the hall.
“Yes, Mr. Martin, everything’s fine,” she said.
“Well, Matt, don’t be bothering them when she’s on her break. I’m sure we’ll get a chance to talk to her once she gets home,” my mother said.
I realized then that my parents had traveled far and would not likely be leaving. “Um, Mom, Dad, how long do you plan on being here?” I asked.
“Oh, not long,” my mother said. “They’re reupholstering at the diner, so it’s closed for the week, but I have to get back for when they open for the weekend again. I wanted to see you, baby. I needed to know you were really okay and see who this lovely Adeline was who caused you to up and run to a different place, completely forgetting to tell your parents you moved.” She smiled at Addy, but I was freaking out. Of course, they had no clue that she really had picked me up on the side of the road just a couple of weeks ago.
“Don’t feel bad, Mrs. Martin. My parents don’t know about him, either,” she said, giving my hand a supportive squeeze.
“Well, you’ve got to fix that, boy!” my dad said. “It ain’t proper to be living like this and not have the blessing of family.”
Thank heavens Addy found this amusing, as she giggled, making her way to the kitchen. She started setting the table, and I was silently thankful I had been able to get all that kitchen stuff from Freecycle. “I’m sorry, I only brought food for Matthew, but I have some cans of soup that’d stretch the sandwiches I made.”
I looked up at Addy surprised. It was the first time I had heard she was the one making my food. It was a diner, they would have a cook, and she was a waitress. “You made them?” I asked, and she blushed and shrugged.
“Cookie needed a hand, and I figured I’d help with some of the easier orders.”
“Thank you, Addy,” I said, squeezing her hand and helping her set the table. She started to make some tomato soup, but my mom took over, telling her to take a load off.
“Put your feet up, honey. I know how it feels to be on them all day,” my mom said. “Matthew, you best be massaging them for her at night. Sore feet can lead to all sorts of health problems,” she said, and my dad was nodding in agreement.
“Give me your foot, Adeline,” my dad said, embarrassing me and her. “I want to show Matthew how to do it right. I’ve been rubbing my wife’s feet for decades.”
“Hey,” my mom complained.
“Years, I mean, she’s a lot younger than me, just turned twenty-one last spring,” he grinned, winking at my girl, causing Addy to laugh. He grabbed her leg while she was distracted, popping off her shoe before she could protest.
“That’s not necess…oh…my…” Addy said, stopping in her tracks, letting out a moan.
“See here, my boy, you’ve got to get her foot just right,” my dad said and showed me how to rub her foot. I grabbed Addy’s other foot and got to practicing on it, watching my father work.
My mother let out a chuckle. “Boys, you’re going to put her to sleep if you keep at it.”
We looked at Addy, and she looked so relaxed. She smiled, blushing. “Yes, I need to get back. I really just meant to bring you your sandwiches,” she said, slipping her shoes back on.
“Don’t worry, Addy, I’ll be here to give Matthew another lesson when you get home,” my dad said, causing my girl to blush more.
I stood up. “I’ll walk you out,” I said, and she just smiled and nodded at me.
We made it to the truck, and I felt horrible for what I was about to ask her. “Addy, is there any way they could stay…?”
She covered my mouth with her hand. “Put your bed in the nursery, Matthew, they can stay there,” she said smiling and kissed my cheek, leaving me stunned. I heard her chuckle, as the truck roared to life, and I waved to her, smiling like an idiot, as she drove away. I wasn’t sure of what it all meant, but I knew it had to be good.
Chapter 9 – Not Again
I should have known better, when I had thought the worst was over. I moved my bed into the second room after I had finished cleaning it up, and I put some of the linens on it. I was once again grateful I had been able to get the stuff for Addy from Freecycle. I discreetly put a throw blanket on the couch. I was sure that was where I would be sleeping.
“What time does your girl get home?” my mother asked.
I pulled out the cell phone, because that was the only clock we had. I kept all appliances other than the fridge unplugged, so they wouldn’t waste electricity. “It’ll be another hour at least. She gets home between eight-thirty and nine.”
“Well, let’s get to work then,” my mom said and pulled out the broom. I had swept up before, but apparently I had been doing it wrong. She had me scrubbing every surface of the house until it sparkled. I had to admit it did look pretty nice.
It was 8:15 PM, when I showed my mother the freezer full of leftovers, and we took out four tins of lasagna and put them in the oven. Each had one serving in it and a piece of bread. I usually didn’t cook for Addy, because I always felt like I was overstepping my bounds, when I used any kind of electricity or something that used power. I did my best not to raise her cost, and I only showered at night, after getting good and dirty working hard for her. My gut was twisted with guilt, as I moved around her house. I knew she had said it was where I lived, too, but I didn’t feel like that would really be true, until I was able to help pay for it.
We heard the front door close, and my father called to Addy, “Dinner’s ready, gal, come take a load off.”
She walked into the kitchen smiling and plopped down in the chair next to me, as my mother served us dinner. “How was your day, honey?” my mother asked. “Did you make out alright in tips?”
“Yeah, I did fine.”
“Of course she did, she’s a beauty and a sweetheart,” my dad said, patting her knee. “Now give me your foot,” he ordered, picking it up before she could protest. My dad motioned for me to get the other one, and we went about our job of making my girl moan, as we rubbed her tired feet.
After dinner, my parents settled into their room, and I let Addy know I would be sleeping on the couch. I was just getting settled in, when my dad came rolling out. “You’ve been kicked out?” he asked, and then his eyes landed on my boxers that I had just stripped down to. His eyes narrowed at me, and he shook his head. “Haven’t you ever heard about being subtle? You can’t demand, boy, you have to romance. Women want to feel purty, not dirty,” he said.
I was a little confused, until I looked down at my boxers. They were covered in rhinoceroses, and the waist band said “Feeling Horny” in big bold black letters. I just sank down on the couch, covering my face in embarrassment. To make things worse, I heard someone else coming down the hall, and I hoped to god it wasn’t going to be my mother. Last thing I wanted her to see was my feeling horny boxers.
“Is everything alright?” I heard Addy ask.
“I was just telling my boy that there’s more to romancing a pretty girl like you than wearing dirty underwear. I think he got the point,” my dad said and went on to the kitchen to get a drink of water, leaving me with Addy.
“Matthew,” she whispered so soft I almost missed it, “you’d better come to my room, so they don’t think anything is wrong. I don’t want you to have to sit through another lecture.”
I felt her take my hand, and I let her lead me to her room. She let go of it when we stepped inside, and I heard her moving blankets around. I looked up, and she smiled at me and then started giggling.
“What?” I asked.
“Dirty underwear, I get it now. I was thinking you had plenty of clean ones.”
I covered the waistband, feeling my face heat up.
“Too late, Matthew, I read it, I know you’re feeling horny,” she said, giggling some more.
I just looked at the ground, wishing it would swallow me. Then her hand appeared, pulling my face up a little to look at her. Her eyes were dark and her smile sweet. “You’re so adorable, Matthew,” she said softly. “How could I resist?”
She stepped closer and pulled me down to her lips. I didn’t ever think these stupid boxers would get me this kind of response from her, but I was glad to find out otherwise.
I kissed her for the second time ever, wrapping my arms around her, and her arms wrapped around me as well. I felt her tugging me toward the bed and let her lead. We tumbled back onto it, and I started getting even more nervous, because I had never been this far with a girl. We were in her bed, and I didn’t know what she expected from me or how experienced she was or anything.
Then I heard my parents’ voices. “I got you some water for your pills, honey,” my father said to my mother.
We both froze and looked up wide-eyed, like we were afraid to get caught. Addy giggled and squirmed out from under me. “We should sleep. I have work in the morning, and you have a test.”
She slipped under the blankets and patted the pillow next to hers. “Come on,” she said with a smile, and I settled down into the bed next to her, careful not to touch her. Last thing I wanted to do was offend her and get kicked to the curb in front of my parents. I knew for a fact they would take her side. I could tell they loved her already. Thank heavens they had bought the lie.
I felt Addy move closer to me and rest her head on my shoulder. I wrapped my arm around her. “Is this okay?” I asked.
She smiled up at me. “Yeah,” she whispered and snuggled down, and that was how I fell asleep.
I woke with a start, as Addy was jumping over my body. “No, no, no! Not again!” she cried, as she grabbed her pepper spray, and I flinched, covering my eyes, but she was darting out the door. I didn’t know what the hell was going on, but I was going after her to make sure she would be okay.
She darted out the front door, and I was fast after her, but she was faster. She had just run around the side of the house, as I stepped outside. I heard the spray going off, and I ran as fast as I could, panicking when I heard someone yelling, “You fucking bitch!”
I made it around the corner in time to grab her and move her out of the way, just as some guy lifted his gun and shot at us blindly. He heard Addy cry out when we hit the ground, and he thought he had hit her. “Stay down,” I whispered. I would not let this creep get away with shooting at my girl. He had no idea I was there, either, so I made quick work of knocking his gun out of his hand and punching him in the face. Okay, I might have punched him a few times and then nailed him in the gut to get him to drop. I pushed him down onto his stomach and pulled his arms up like I was going to break them, as I sat on his ass. “Go call the cops, Addy!” I called to her, and I saw her run into the house for her phone.
“Get the fuck off me!” the dirtbag shouted.
I punched him in the kidney. “Not happening, you’re going to jail for messing with my girl’s house!”
“I was just trying feed my family.”
“Try panhandling, it pays well, or hit a food bank, apply for food stamps. There’s no reason for you to be messing with my girl’s house!” I was pissed and punched him again in the kidneys.
He groaned and shut up. I heard the sirens coming, and Addy came hurrying out looking worried, but I smiled at her. “That was fast,” I said, as I nodded up the street where the cops were now visible.
“My dad is friends with the cops here, he has them looking out for me,” she shrugged. A squad car stopped in front of the house, and an officer came running up.
“Which guy, Addy?” the cop addressed her by her first name.
“The one on the bottom, Matthew was just holding him for you until you got here.”
“My fucking eyes are burning, man, I need a doctor,” the lowlife whined.
The cop smiled at Addy. “You used your pepper spray?”
She nodded proudly.
“Good girl. I’ll make sure Daniel knows to send you more.”
The cop handcuffed the guy and then let me know I could get up. He took the guy to the squad car and “accidently” forgot to tell him to watch his head, smacking it pretty hard on the cruiser. I couldn’t help but snicker. Another cop came driving up and started taking pictures of the damage to her A/C unit. I realized now the guy had been trying to strip the copper from it again. Now I wished I had gotten in a few more kidney punches.
My parents heard the commotion, and my dad came wheeling out. “What in tarnation is going on here?” he asked.
“Someone was trying to strip my air conditioner for the copper again.”
My dad shook his head and wheeled over to the unit. He let out a huff and rubbed his face. He looked over at my mom. “We’re going to have to stay another day, Dottie. Do you think you can clear it with Abe?” he asked, confusing us.
“Of course, honey. Addy, can I borrow your phone in the morning?”
“Sure,” she agreed quickly.
“It’s not a Trane, but they’re all engineered the same. I should have your A/C fixed by Friday,” my dad promised.
“You can fix this?” I asked hopefully.
“Of course, I worked for twenty years in a Trane factory,” he said.
“What do trains have to do with air conditioning?” I asked.
He laughed. “Not choo-choos, Son, Trane, It’s a name brand of A/C units.”
The officer who had taken the pictures called us over. He took our statements, and my parents stood by us, giving us support. At the end of it all, Addy hugged my dad. “Thank you,” she said, squeezing him tightly, and my dad winked at me.
“You got a winner here, boy. You hang on to her.”
“I will,” I promised. “I definitely will.”
Chapter 10 – Working on It
After the police hauled off the guy who had tried to strip Addy’s A/C unit again, my parents surprised me by taking control of the situation. Mom had called in another vacation day and was assisting my dad in repairing the A/C unit. That thieving jerk had pulled the copper from a couple of places, but fortunately, the copper was still there, and my dad knew how to put it back where it belonged.
Kyle came to pick me up for my test on Thursday, and my mother answered the door, pulled him inside, and confused the poor guy, as she shoved a piece of toast in his mouth. I was sure he thought he was in the wrong house, until I came walking out, telling him I was ready to go.
When I told him those crazy people were my parents, he just chuckled and told me they were cool. I had yet to meet anyone who didn’t like my folks. They had that
southern hospitality about them that people were used to out here.
I was nervous, but as I started going through the test, I realized it was easy. It was a bunch of safety question and diagrams. I was sure I totally aced it. I had thought they would fill it with trick questions like they did in high school and college, but this test was very straightforward. I guess they figured you either knew it or you didn’t. Thank heavens I knew it.
Kyle picked me up after the test and saw my big cheesy grin. “I take it the test went well?”
“Yeah, I was worried for nothing. All that stuff was easy. I’d done it all several times over and read up on it like mad. I freaked out for nothing.”
Kyle smacked my shoulder with his big paw, laughing. “I knew you could do it.” His face changed to a serious expression. “So, what’s going on between you and little Addy?” he asked.
My eyes widened in surprise, and he started laughing. “Don’t freak, man, but your parents have invited me to your wedding and suggested I be your best man.”
I blushed a deep red and hid my face. “As much as I’d love to marry Addy, I haven’t gotten that far. We’ve only kissed twice,” I confessed. “Maybe when I’m actually working, I can get up the nerve to ask her out on a proper date.”
“Are you two just living together?”
“Sort of,” I said, trying to think of a way to explain this. “I’m staying with her while I fix her house.”
“And you kissed her?” he inquired.
“Um, yeah, the first time, she was crying and upset, something about being a mouse, so I was trying to make her feel better, and it just happened. It was short, and she didn’t respond. I’m not really counting that kiss. I freaked out. I was sure I’d crossed a line and was getting my stuff to get out of her hair, when she tackled me and kissed me back, and then she told me to come to dinner, like nothing had happened.”
He started laughing. “That sounds like our girl.” He shook his head. “She called herself a mouse?” he asked frowning.
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