Watching Brad

[gsdx]

Neil, thanks for another great chapter. Looking forward to the next one. H&K
Vic

This is humiliating, but I just figured out what 'H&K' means.

Gee-sus, Murphy! I feel so dumb!!

(Thank you)

 

[harry113]

Hi Neil, Thanks for another wonderful chapter.
Great description of the twins' first day at school.
So pleased the construction of the new house has started.
H&K, (now you know what it means .. Lol!!)
Harry

 

[gsdx]

Once again, I am apologising for not having an update for you, and even the apology is coming 2 days late.

Blame it on the Olympics and CBC Television. With 5 Canadian television stations broadcasting at various times (4 in English, one in French), I could watch the Olympics virtually 24 hour a day were I so inclined.

The only time I'm at the computer for the most part is during commercial breaks or during women's beach volleyball when the matches become so one-sided and boring that they can't hold my attention.

Anyway, until the Olympics are finished, I don't expect to be able to concentrate enough to write anything.

I hope you all survive.

Again, I'm sorry. Take care, always.
Neil

 

[Caedmun]

For Pete's sake, Neil, don't apologize. I know dozens of people who aren't this committed to their jobs, let alone selflessly sharing their gifts with others. Take a break, already!

 

[caddymac]

I am so glad Terry had an interest. Nice to know she does more than just watch the boys. Great Chapters Neil!!!
You will post a chapter when you are ready. Don't worry about it. We will still be here God willing.

 

[Trent0n1]

Another wonderful couple of chapters Neil. Thanks for taking the time to share with us!

Trent

 

[ronboy]

Once again, I am apologising for not having an update for you, and even the apology is coming 2 days late.

Blame it on the Olympics and CBC Television. With 5 Canadian television stations broadcasting at various times (4 in English, one in French), I could watch the Olympics virtually 24 hour a day were I so inclined.

The only time I'm at the computer for the most part is during commercial breaks or during women's beach volleyball when the matches become so one-sided and boring that they can't hold my attention.

Anyway, until the Olympics are finished, I don't expect to be able to concentrate enough to write anything.

I hope you all survive.

Again, I'm sorry. Take care, always.
Neil

No apology is needed Neil. Your creativity needs no time schedule. Enjoy the Olympics! When you are ready for us to read more about our favourite gay family, we'll be here!

 

[upyrkilt469]

We will survive, but just. Sorry, but I thought everyone knew what H&K meant. So here it is again. Waiting for the next chapter. H&K
Vic

 

[White Eagle]

Don't worry about me, I've been watching the Olympics also and that Canadian diver is hhhhhhot. Alexandre Despatie is his name and it's a shame they do not show the diving competitions more than they have.
I was gonna put a pix I have of him but for some reason I cannot post attachments.

 

[gsdx]

WATCHING BRAD
Part 206​

We began to fall into something of a morning routine over the next few days and, by the weekend, I actually held out some hope that our new living arrangements might, in fact, work out as long as the meteorologists were correct when they predicted a mild winter. I was even becoming accustomed to the abbreviated showers I had to take in the camper knowing that I could indulge myself at any time by taking a nice, long, hot one in the Hayes home if I so wanted.

Both Brad and I had expected and were prepared to come home from work each evening and spend some time cleaning up around our house after the work crews went home, but there was never anything to do. David, apparently, passed his time there by doing it all for us.

Even Grant commented on it. "He's a stubborn little bastard," he told me. "Even when he's not doing anything he still looks busy. I'm surprised he hasn't pitched a tent in the yard so he doesn't have to go home at night. He's determined to get this job."

"Between you and me and the fence post," I said, "what do you think are his chances of getting it?"

"If it were up to me, I'd hire him in a split second," Grant replied as he stood there with his large arms crossed over his chest. I could hear the sincerity in his voice. He sighed deeply. "But it's not up to me."

"Pinter?" I said.

Grant leaned into me a bit and said more quietly, "Ol' Pinter is either a fool or he's blind if he can't see what he could get for his money. David may be tiny, but he's twice the man of any that are working here so far." Grant sighed again and pulled his arms tighter over his chest as he shook his head back and forth. "Nope," he continued, "ol' Pinter ain't blind."

I guess that left only the other option.

The only real stumbling block in our new living arrangements came that Friday evening. Had I been more observant during the week, I might have noticed the change in Lindsay's behaviour before then, but I had been preoccupied and didn't really notice it until I had the benefit of hindsight.

Justin and Jeremy were already in bed over the cab of the Winnebago and were already asleep. It was nearing ten o'clock - Lindsay's new weekend bedtime. I'd come to a decision now that she was getting older and was back in school. I was going to allow her to stay up an extra hour as long as she didn't have to go to school the next morning. It was only temporary for now. We would make it a permanent arrangement in a few weeks if there weren't any problems with it. That Friday was her first extra hour.

We were sitting together on the sofa bed watching television. At least Lindsay and I were watching it. Brad was going through his landscaping lessons. He sat to my left, snuggled up against my side, his laptop in his lap. Lindsay sat to my right, curled up against me as I draped my arm over her shoulders. She seemed unusually fidgety and anxious, though.

"Are you okay, Sweetheart?" I whispered quietly.

She nodded her head against my side but said nothing. Still, her agitation continued to increase.

I hugged her a bit tighter and bent my head down to kiss her hair before asking, "Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

She lifted her head away from me and looked around me toward Brad, then tilted her head up to look at me. I could tell she didn't want Brad to hear, so I bent my head down and turned my head so she could whisper into my ear.

"Do you have to go to the bathroom?" she whispered softly.

"No," I whispered back. "Why?"

"Because I have to go," she replied, her breath barely a breeze across my earlobe.

I looked at her and smiled, keeping my voice low as well. "Go ahead, Sweetheart. Nobody's in there."

Again she tilted her head up to whisper and I obligingly turned my ear to her lips. "I can't. J and J already used it and I can't go when someone's used already."

"Oh," I said, nodding in understanding. That's when the benefit of hindsight kicked in. Thinking back over the past few days, I realised that Lindsay went to the bathroom only after someone had been and flushed the toilet. "That's okay, Sweetheart," I said, not quite in a whisper, but I kept my voice soft nonetheless. "You can flush it first."

"But that's not the rule," she reminded me.

"Well, sometimes rules can be bent a little bit," I smile, "and this is one of those times."

"But Brad will have to empty the tanks more."

At the sound of his name, Brad tore his attention away from his laptop. "Huh?"

"Lindsay doesn't like to use the bathroom when it hasn't been flushed," I explained quickly. "I told her she could flush it first, but she's afraid you'll have to empty the tanks more often."

"I don't mind, Lindsay," Brad assured my daughter. "Want me to go flush it for you?"

"No," she replied meekly. "I can do it." She dropped her feet to the floor and was about to stand up when she looked at Brad again and said, "You sure it's okay?"

Brad just smiled at her. "It's okay, Lindsay. I really don't mind."

Without another word, she was gone, rushing toward the bathroom and relief.

I gave Brad a kiss on the lips. "Thanks," I said.

A huge grin crossed his face and his green eyes seemed to light up with excitement. "Are you kidding? The sooner we fill the tanks, the sooner I get to drive this baby."

I leaned back a bit, cocking my head in mock surprise. "Are you telling me the only reason you married me was so you could drive a Winnebago?" I joked.

"Of course," he said, looking entirely serious about it all. "You don't seriously think I married you for your body, do you?"

"Well, I thought maybe. . ."

"Mind you," he was quick to add, "the little finger on your left hand is pretty sexy, and your belly button is kind of cute." His gaze left me as he looked around the camper, his eyes ending their journey by looking through the doorway beneath the sleeping twins and into the cab. "But gee-sus, Murphy," he continued, "just thinking about driving Winnie. . ."

He said it so dreamily and with such passion, and that's what did me in. I couldn't hold it back any longer. I started to laugh, and I laughed hard. Brad lost it, too. We fell into each others' arms and hugged each other and laughed, and the laughing felt just as good as the hugging.

The twins enjoyed their first movie-going experience that Saturday afternoon. You may recall that I had promised to take Lindsay and Daniel to see the new Johnny Depp pirate movie, but setting up and moving into the Winnebago had put the kibosh on those plans the weekend before. We simply postponed the ‘date' for another week.

Of course, Lindsay didn't like for us to call it a date.

"It's not a date!" she objected. "We're just going to see a movie!"

"Then you won't mind if Brad and I sit between you in the theatre." I peeked at Brad. He was looking at me with a knowing smile curling his lips ever-so-slightly.

"Daddy!"

"You don't have to sit beside each other to watch a movie, do you, Sweetheart?"

"Yes!"

"Why?"

"Because!"

I hate it when my own arguments come back and bite me in the ass. As a parent, I know there is no way to win an argument which has ‘because' as a reason. Lindsay's first date wasn't going to be one.

(But Brad and I knew the truth.)

I hate matinées. Too many noisy, screaming kids jumping up and down in their seats and running up and down the aisles and throwing tubs of popcorn at the screen every time the villain appeared. And they were often accompanied by parents who don't really want to be there and would just turn themselves off and zone themselves out until they are completely oblivious to what's going on around them, at least until the final credits roll.

But, a promise is a promise and, shortly after lunch that afternoon, we were all standing in line at the local Cineplex. Fortunately, despite the multiple theatres, the staggered start times in each theatre and the fact Johnny's movie had already been playing for a number of weeks, the queue was refreshingly short. I'll say one thing, though. I'm rather pleased that I went and was able to be a part of my daughter's first ‘date'.

Daniel was the proper young gentleman and refused my offer of helping him to pay for Lindsay. He assured me that he had his own money, that he had earned it himself doing chores around the house for his mother and father. He and Lindsay stood in line just ahead of us, stepping forward a bit at a time as the queue advanced toward the ticket booth. Brad and I stood behind them with Justin and Jeremy standing right in front of us so we could keep at least one hand on them at all times. I didn't expect they would run off or anything, but just being in physical contact with them out in public like that was extremely reassuring.

The line advanced much more quickly than I thought it would. We had arrived early just to be safe, but, in the end, it hadn't really been necessary. Justin and Jeremy chittered amongst themselves and asked us about one-hundred and fifty million questions (as children are prone to do) as they looked around to see everything that could be seen, and even a few things which couldn't. Lindsay and Daniel spoke to each other in hushed whispers and broke into amused laughter from time to time. They didn't really hold hands, but they leaned against each other so that their arms pressed together. Brad and I were pressed arm-to-arm, too, but we held hands.

Soon enough, we were at the ticket booth. Despite his obvious anxiety and nervousness, Daniel seemed to stand a wee bit taller and his chest stuck out a wee bit further that day when he stood before the ticket kiosk window on his first non-date, with his non-girlfriend at his side, but with his own very real, hard-earned money in his hand. I smiled as I watched Daniel rise up onto his tiptoes. He said proudly into the circle in the plexiglass window as he slid a twenty-dollar bill through the slot, "Two for Pirates, please." And then he leaned forward and said in a much quieter whisper, but one which I could still hear, "We're still kids, you know."

The young lady smiled politely at him as she pushed his tickets and change back through the slot.

As I had driven to the theatre, Brad and I had noticed that Justin and Jeremy were excited beyond excitement and we decided to make their first-time movie-going experience as much fun for them as we could. By the time our turn came to buy tickets, we had picked up the twins had given each of them a twenty-dollar bill and had told them what to say. Justin and I went first with Jeremy looking on with keen interest from his vantage point in Brad's strong arms. When I gave Justin the ‘go ahead', he held up his empty hand and extended the index and middle fingers extended. He shyly mumbled something which sounded like, "Two, please." Either he was asking for two tickets or he was telling the young lady that he had to ‘go pee'.

The young lady glanced at me again and asked, "Pirates?" to which I nodded my affirmative response. I had to remind Justin to push the money through the slot, though.

When the tickets and change came back through the slot, Justin took charge of the tickets and I took charge of the money, then we stepped aside for Jeremy to buy the tickets for himself and Brad. Jeremy wasn't quite as courageous as his brother, though, and chickened out. Fortunately, the young lady was one step ahead of him and all Brad had to do was to help Jeremy push the money through the slot and retrieve the tickets and change.

We headed for the candy counter next and bought the obligatory popcorn and soft drinks and loaded up on other various sugar-laden snacks which somehow managed to add one more level of excitement to the movie-watching experience. I bought extra for Lindsay and Daniel. Just in case.

The theatre was only about half-filled. Lindsay and Daniel sat by themselves a few rows ahead of us and Justin and Jeremy sat in their own seats between Brad and me. They spent the first few minutes playing with the seats, standing in front of them and pushing them down with their hands before releasing them and watching them spring back up again and giggling in delight each time. A bag of red licorice sticks soon took their minds off that and they obediently climbed onto their knees in their seats and munched happily on them, chewing and smacking their lips, as they looked around at everything whilst offering us bites from their spiraled candy. Twice they turned around to look over the backs of their seats at the movie-goers behind us. They didn't want to miss anything. They actually gasped when the lights went down and the theatre became as dark as night, and then the huge screen lit up before them and the music came at them from the invisible speakers surrounding them, causing them to gasp once more. I don't think they were expecting that.

We all had fun that afternoon and I actually found myself enjoying the movie despite the fact that I'm a fan of neither pirate movies nor Johnny Depp. It was more than worth the money being able to experience my daughter's first date and my sons' first movie. It was a memory I'm certain will remain with me for a long, long time.

The kids spent Sunday morning with Grandma Hayes baking three kinds of cookies, date squares, Rice Krispie squares, and almost three dozen tiny loaves of banana bread not much bigger than a Coffee Crisp candy bar. There were enough snacks and desserts to put in their lunch boxes for weeks to come.

For the most part, Brad worked on his lessons whilst I did the laundry, but we took a few minutes for a rather leisurely quickie in the empty and silent motor home. We were supposed to be changing our clothes so I could wash them, but Brad said, "Hey. Now that we're naked. . ."

He had a point. A minute or so later, I had a point, too. It was a lot of fun making them go away.

Nathan and Barry dropped over for a visit shortly after lunch. Lindsay stayed behind with her grandparents, but ‘us guys' went over to the park to kick the soccer ball around. On the way to the park, Barry snapped off four small twigs which we stuck into the ground to mark the goal posts. He and Nathan volunteered to guard them. Jeremy and Brad went against Justin and me. Barry was our goaltender. Nathan tended goal for Jeremy and Brad.

We let the twins do most of the kicking. Brad and I just ran back and forth to help them when we were needed. . . like when one of the boys kicked the ball way out of bounds but didn't want to go fetch it. That was a grown-up job, apparently. Being a desk jockey, I wasn't used to running around like that and I was panting for breath within fifteen minutes. I eagerly accepted Barry's offer to spell me. My legs were wobbly as I made my way over to replace him in the goal. More running was out of the question. Standing I could do.

They gave me a chance to catch my breath before the impromptu match started up again. They had only been playing for only about a minute or so when Justin broke away with the ball and came right at me. Barry was yelling at him, as were Jeremy and Brad, and so was I, but Justin wasn't listening. He just kept on coming.

"Justin!" I shouted as I waved my arms at him. "You're going the wrong way!"

Still he ignored us and tore across the grass toward me. The yelling soon turned to laughter from all of us. Whether through skill or luck, Justin let loose with one almighty kick and the ball flew toward me and right through my legs. I wished I'd had the camera so I could have recorded his victory dance. It was precious and left me with stitches in my sides from the laughter. Then, with a grin as wide as Niagara Falls and eyes as big as saucers, Justin jumped in my arms for his victory hug.

"Why did you kick it at me?" I asked when the laughter had died down enough to allow me to speak. "You scored a point for Jeremy and Daddy Brad."

"‘Cause Uncle Nathan won't let me score," came Justin's blunt reply. "He's a gooder goaler than you."

I had to ask.

Barry and I went halvsies on pizza for supper (as voted upon by the kids who outvoted us three to four) and we all sat outside the camper to eat. The children sat cross-legged on a blanket spread out on the grass, but we adults sat in lawn chairs as adults are obliged to do, especially when one of them was afraid he wouldn't be able to get up again if he sat on the ground with his children.

"We're moving," Nathan said suddenly as we munched our pizza.

"What?" Brad said. "When?"

"End of November." The reply came from Barry.

"Wow," I said. "Tough time of the year to move."

"Not really," Nathan grinned. "We're just moving across the hall."

My eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Our neighbours gave their notice last week," Nathan explained. "He's being transferred to Sarnia apparently. The landlord asked us if we wanted it."

"It's really nice," Barry added. "More expensive, but nice."

Nathan ignored him as he continued. "It's really nice and he said I could decorated it any way I wanted, but I'll have to repaint when we move out if I use dark colours."

"I take it it's bigger than the one you're in now?" I asked.

Nathan nodded. "Two good-sized bedrooms, livingroom and office, lots of storage, a separate eat-in kitchen, and the bathroom has an old claw-foot bathtub and a separate shower big enough for both of us."

"We don't know that for sure yet, Nathan," Barry announced with just a hint of unaccustomed embarrassment in his voice. "You're just guessing until we try it."

"Trust me," Nathan added quietly with a lascivious look on his face and undisguised lust in his, "we'll both fit."

That was one of the very few times I've ever seen Barry blush. For a big, hunky, tough, musclebound cop, it looked damned good on him.

To Be Continued​

 

[apt125]

I could watch Brad all day long, I like the story.

 

[upyrkilt469]

Thanks, Neil, that was another great chapter. It was good knowing that J & J liked school and that Llndsey has a beau. Keeping wriing please. H&K Vic

 

[upyrkilt469]

Thanks, Neil, that was another great chapter. It was good knowing that J & J liked school and that Llndsey has a beau. Keeping writing please. H&K Vic

 

[Kyanimal]

THANK YOU!, Neil! ... For another EXCELLENT Chapter! Well worth the wait, as have been all of the proceeding others!

I know that I can not put into words exactly what this story has come to mean for so many! It touches SO many points of personal experience/desire/hope, in various ways, in ALL of "Our" Hearts, and Minds! The Talent, and Feelings, coming from YOU, through this Adventure, certainly hit "Home"!

FANTASTIC!!

Keep smilin'!!
Chaz

 

[caddymac]

Great Chapter Sure glad this time everyone had a good time at the movies. Everyone is trying to get along in the cramped living quarters.
Thank you!!!!!

 

[harry113]

Thank you Neil.
Wonderful chapter, more please.
Harry

 

[oldbigballs]

Love it all but I wish you'd describe the sex like you did at the beginning!!

 

[gsdx]

(I've got to get more organised or a better memory. Do you have any idea how many chapters I had to read to see if I had given the contractor a name?)

WATCHING BRAD
Part 207​

Except for Saturday, it was an odd week. An ‘every other day'kid of odd - Not a ‘peculiar' one.

Monday was an average, quiet day at work. Nothing serious to occupy my time except to break in a new programmer. She was a nice enough girl and did her work with considerable speed and proficiency, but she had a tendency to mumble to herself occasionally as she sorted through the programming in her head. "Well," she mumbled quietly at one point, "that was a damned stupid thing to do. Backspace. Backspace. Backspace. . . ."

And the backspaces continued as I walked away so she wouldn't hear me laughing.

But the real fun began when I arrived home from work later that afternoon. Brad was already home as he always was (his workday begins a lot earlier than mine, but it ends a lot earlier as well) and Terry had already left for home. He was standing in the front yard near the Winnebago as I drove up. He was watching over the boys as they rode their bikes back and forth across the grass. David was with him. Lindsay was nowhere to be seen.

As I usually did, I slowed down slightly to assess the construction progress going on in our yard. The small workforce was packing up and getting ready to leave for home. I noticed that the wooden foundation forms had been removed and a shipment of concrete blocks for the walls of our basement had been delivered and now covered a goodly portion of our front yard. I'm not sure why we went for concrete blocks over plain concrete except that Grant said the blocks would make the basement feel less like a dungeon or a cave than would plain concrete walls. Progress was still slow at the moment, what with a skeleton crew, but at least there was visible progress.

I pulled into my usual parking space on the lawn beside the Hayes' driveway and turned off the ignition. Justin and Jeremy were still whipping around on their bikes. I could hear an odd sound which I thought I recognised, and then I could hear their screams of laughter and delight which I most definitely recognised. David and Brad, each smiling broadly, came walking toward me. As I stepped out of the car to greet them, Justin and Jeremy noticed that I was home and jumped off their bikes, dropping them to the groung, to run and greet me as well. From the looks on their faces, I could tell they had some exciting news for me.

Brad gave me a quick ‘welcome home' hug and a kiss on the lips before he released me. I quickly knelt on one knee on the ground beside him and opened my arms to greet the stampeding boys whose wide, excited eyes and wider smiles practically made their faces disappear. They almost knocked me on my butt when they hit me and barely gave me a chance to recover my balance before they gave me twin lip smacks on the cheeks and grabbed my hands and pulled me to my feet.

"Come see, Daddy!" they shouted in unison as they tugged me along back to where Brad and David had been standing. "Come on! Hurry, Daddy!"

"What's going on?" I said, glancing over my shoulder to ask the question of Brad. He and David were following us.

Brad just smiled and replied, "You'll see."

"Come on, Daddy!" Justin shouted even louder.

"Hurry!" Jeremy added.

I stumbled along helplessly in their wake. Lindsay opened the door of the camper and stood there looking over the scene, probably drawn by her brothers' squeals of delight. She just looked at them as they dragged me along, shook her head back and forth, and murmured, "Boys," which seemed to explain everything. To me, she said, "Hi, Daddy." Before I could respond, she closed the door and went about her business inside.

My sons maneuvered me into position and then pushed and pulled on my legs until I was standing in the exact spot they wanted me to be standing. Brad came to a halt beside me and wrapped his left arm around my waist. My right arm wrapped around his. David came to stand to my left. I could see a sheet of plastic bubble wrap lying on the grass and things began to click into place in my mind.

"Don't move, Daddy!" Justin shouted as he ran back to his bicycle as Jeremy ran for his.

"I won't," I promised.

They climbed onto their bikes and Justin turned is head to shout, "Watch, Daddy!"

"Are you watching?" Jeremy shouted.

"I'm watching."

They rode straight for the bubble wrap, peddling as fast as they could over the grass, with Justin in the lead. The tires hit the plastic wrap. "Br-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-rap!!" The sound of popping plastic bubbles split the afternoon quiet like an entire package of firecrackers going off at once. "Br-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-rap!!" The sound repeated as Jeremy rode over it, and that sound was immediately joined by the high-pitched squeals of laughter from the boys. I couldn't help but to join them in laughing even as they stopped, dropped one foot to the ground, and turned their heads to look at me.

"Did you see us, Daddy?"

"I sure did," I answered through my guffaws.

They climbed on their bikes again and began to turn around to take another run at the bubble wrap. Brad was laughing beside me. On my other side, David poked me lightly in the ribs with his elbow.

"I love that sound," he said, grinning up at me.

"What?" I said. "The popping or the laughing?"

He jabbed me again with his elbow, a little harder this time. "I'll show you popping!" he laughed.

As if on cue, a second machine gun volley of popping bubble wrap split the quiet of the neighbourhood, immediately followed by more screeches of delight. Not many sounds make you feel as good as the sounds of happy children.

"Where did they get it?"

"Me," David replied. "Well, Brook actually. They got new display cabinets at the store last week and Brook saved all the wrap they came packed in. Brad's Mom has a whole garbage bag of it in the house and there are four more bags under the tarp out back."

I looked at Brad. "Do we kill him now or wait until after supper?"

"Let's kill him later," Brad replied. "This is too much fun to miss."

And to think we had four more trash bags full of ‘too much fun' waiting for the twins under the tarpaulin out back.

* * * * *

Wednesday, just after lunch, I got the phone call from Terry.

"Sorry to bother you at work, Mr. Dee," she apologised calmly, "but do you think you could come home for a bit?"

"Something wrong with the kids?" I asked. I tried to keep my sudden anxiety out of my voice but I don't think I succeeded.

"No," she assured me quickly. "They're fine. Everything's fine. It's just that. . ."

Terry quickly explained the situation to me and I promised her that I would be home as soon as I could get there. She was standing outside the Winnebago with the twins and Bernice Hayes when I arrived. They were watching the goings on at the building site next door. Two bicycles and a sheet of bubble wrap lay neglected on the ground nearby.

Justin and Jeremy, upon noticing my arrival, came running to greet me. After the obligatory hugs and kisses, I stood up and took them each by one hand and started walking across the grass toward Bernice and Terry and the work site beyond.

"So," I said to my sons, "what's up, guys?"

"Uncle David is mad," Justin replied in a huff.

That fact was blatantly clear even though my arrival seemed to have brought about something of a temporary cease fire as they waited for me. Voices had fallen silent in the front yard of the construction site as they watched my approach. Terry and Bernice fell into place behind us until we reached the yellow and black plastic warning ribbon which surrounded the property.

I handed the boys over to Bernice and Terry. "You stay here with your Grandma and Terry, okay?"

"Can we come with you?" Jeremy asked hopefully.

"No," I told him and his brother firmly. "I want you to stay here."

They didn't like it, but they ultimately agreed to remain where they were.

I bent over to step under the ribbon and approached the small group of men. Grant was standing there with David and another gentleman who I immediately recognised as Tony, the bricklayer. Near the foundation of the new house, two young men were slowly and casually back-filling a portion of the foundation, but their attention seemed to be more on what was going on only a few metres away than it was on the pile of dirt right next to them. There had been three young men there when I left for work that morning. The third was now conspicuously absent.

As I moved forward, so did the three men. We met near the middle of the yard.

"Gentlemen," I nodded in greeting.

"I can handle this, Ted," David said rather angrily.

"I'm sure you can, David," I told him placidly. "I'm just here to referee." I turned my attention to my construction supervisor and general contractor, Grant.

"Cameron's on his way, Ted," Grant told me. "He should be here soon."

I nodded. Cameron was the construction contractor."So, want to fill me in?"

"Well, the guy I assigned to help Tony mix mortar and carry blocks jumped ship," Grant explained briefly. "Apparently he didn't like the idea of having to do actual labour. He left at twelve to buy some lunch, or so he said, and didn't come back. Next thing I know, Cam's secretary phones me and tells me he's at the office wanting to pick up his paycheque."

"So Tony starts carrying his own blocks," David interrupted, the anger still prevalent in his voice, "and I stepped in to help him, but Grant made me stop."

"Cleaning up garbage is one thing," Grand explained briefly. "Carrying twelve-inch concrete blocks is another."

"It's not like I was expecting to be paid for it," David said angrily. "I wasn't just going to stand by and watch Tony lug all those blocks all by himself when I could help him."

"And I couldn't allow you to do that when you're not on the payroll," Grant said gruffly. "Look, Dave, I like you, and I can appreciate what you're trying to do, but we'd be in some serious shit if anything happened to you."

"Well, that's my concern, isn't it? Besides, I'm covered. I've got Blue Cross."

"And I have a responsibility to. . ."

"Look," Tony said, "I've got a batch of mortar going hard on me. You guys fight it out. I've got work to do."

"I'll help you," David said quickly.

"No, you won't," Tony added firmly as he held up his hand. "At least not without permission. I'll manage by myself until I can bring in my own help tomorrow. It's just too late to get anyone today."

"You can't stop me, Tony."

"But I can," I said. My friend's head snapped around to face me. "This is still private property, David, and I can kick you off it if I have to."

"You wouldn't dare," David challenged me.

"Then don't make me." I looked out to the road, hoping to see Cameron driving up. "Look, let's just wait until Cam gets here, okay?"

"We'll work something out," Grant said. "Tony? Can you mix your own mortar?"

"You bet."

"Hey, guys!" Grant shouted to the other two young men shovelling dirt. "Can you two help Tony out and carry blocks when he needs them?" Grant got two thumbs up from the coworkers.

David finally relented and stood with me and Grant as we waited for Cam. Tony went back to laying the foundation blocks and the two remaining fellows divided their time between filling in that portion of the foundation and carrying blocks to Tony as he needed them.

"Why are they backfilling already?" I asked. "I thought the concrete still had to be waterproofed."

"It's just temporary," Grant told me. "I've got clean fill coming in next week to fill up the crawlspace. They're just making ramps for the trucks. We'll dig it all out again later when we waterproof the walls."

"Oh," I said, nodding my head as if I actually understood what he was saying. "Makes sense."

Cameron Bennett arrived about twenty minutes later. David and I had moved back to the other side of the warning tape to be with the twins as we waited, leaving Grant to his work. Bernice treated the adults to coffee and the twins to chocolate milk, and everybody enjoyed an afternoon snack cherry chip cupcakes with rainbow sprinkles and a red maraschino cherry on top.

David and I crossed the danger line once more to join Cameron as he went to speak with Grant, who quickly filled him in on the situation. The contractor looked at David and said, "Weren't you here last week when I was here?"

"Yes, Sir," David replied, "I was." He glanced quickly at me and the look in his eye told me I should keep my mouth shut. I understood and agreed with a slight nod of my head.

"And he's been here every day since work began," Grant added.

"Why?"

"Because I need a job, Sir," David returned.

"I'm not hiring right now, but you can leave an application at my office."

"Your secretary already has it, Sir," David said, "and I check in with her three days a week."

"Is that you?" Cameron asked.

"Yes, Sir. That's me."

"Aren't you American?"

"Yes, Sir," David said, "I am. But I want to emigrate and I need a sponsor."

"Sorry, son," the contractor said. "I don't do that."

"But would you?"

"Why would I? Guys like you are a dime a dozen."

"And no offense, Sir, but sometimes you get what you pay for," David said bluntly. "That's why you're here right now. One of your dime-a-dozen guys walked off on you and left you in a lurch, didn't he?"

Cam looked at David seriously for a long while and I almost thought he was going to chastise him for being so cheeky. Instead, he turned his attention to Grand. "Is he for real, Grant?"

"Very real, Cam," Grant said. "He's here in the morning when I get here and he stays until everybody's gone home. He's been keeping the job site clean single-handedly. Your guys haven't had to do so much as pick up a nail or a piece of two-by-four. David does it all."

"All I want is a chance to show you what I can do, Mr. Bennett," David said to my contractor. "Let me help Tony so you can see for yourself."

"I can't afford to take that risk if you get hurt."

"You wouldn't be responsible," David insisted. "I've got my own insurance and I'll. . . I'll even sign a waiver if you want. I've got all my own equipment and tools right there in my car. And I'm short, but I can hold my own against anyone else on your crew. Give me a chance and I'll prove it."

Cam stood there for a few long, breath-holding moments, staring down into David's face. I had to hand it to David for holding his gaze even under the intense scrutiny. Finally, Cam Bennett spoke. "Either you're a very determined young man or you're incorrigibly stubborn."

"I'm both," David said with a self-assured cockiness, "and I'm a damned good worker, too." And still he didn't back down from Cameron's piercing gaze.

A few more long and tense moments passed before Cam nodded his head slightly. "Yes," he said finally. "I believe you are."

"Cam?" That was Grant's voice.

We all glanced in Grant's direction. His attention was on Cameron Bennett. A slight jerk of his head in the opposite direction told us that he wanted to speak to Cameron alone. They walked away from us and stopped. They put their heads close together, speaking too softly for me to hear.

David stepped to my side and whispered out of the side of his mouth, "Oh, God, Ted. I think I'm gonna puke."

To Be Continued​

 

[gsdx]

Is there another part to this chapter? Normally your chapters are longer.

There is more to come, but not in this chapter. And it's average in length (7 typed pages on WordPerfect). Perhaps it was just a faster read.

I try to keep them 7 to 8 pages long.

 

[Kyanimal]

Go, David! GO, NEIL!!!

I'm LOVIN' this!!!

Keep smilin'!!
Chaz