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“You wanna tell me what the issue is, Scooter?” Engie asked from under the sink. “You’ve been mighty rude to me today, boy.”
“My brothers told me too.” He mumbled. He was starting to feel bad about kicking him in the shins earlier, even if Hubert and Everett told him to. Dell was alright. But his brothers said he would make ma sad, and he didn’t want that.
“Doesn’t mean you have ta follow through what they say, do ya boy?” Engineer asked as failed to reach for his wrench where it sat next to his foot. He grumbled, sliding from under the sink to grab it and locked eyes with Jeremy. “Ya know ya can tell me, right?” He offered. “Ah promise ah ain’t gonna be mad at ya. Just would rather not get kicked in the shins by ya, Scooter.”
“My brothers told me to do that.” Jeremy mumbled looking away. He realy wanted to tell him, But Benji said Engie will get mad if he does.
“And they will get a talking too when they come back.” Ma’ scoffed as she walked back into the kitchen. “What does the lot of you have against Dell all of a sudden?”
Jeremy shrugged, not really knowing what else to say. They said he shouldn't tell ma' either.
“It aint gonna be solved if ya don’t talk to us boy, now will it?” The Texan insisted.
“They told me not to tell you. And I’m not a snitch!”
Engineer shot a dejected look at Darleen who gave a tired sigh, slumping against the chair next to the boy.
"I swear, you boys only get along when you want to cause trouble."
"We don't" Scout protested. "He's trouble!" He pointed at the Texan.
Darleen let out a long sigh.
"I'm sorry, Dell. I don't know what's gotten into Jeremy."
“It’s ah’ite, Darleen.” Engie chuckled, easing himself back under the sink. “Don’t beat yourself over it. I was a handful for my ma back as a boy, and you got eight of ‘em.”
“You didn’t kick people.” Ma’ glared at Jeremy.
“Ah did mighty more than just kick some folks, ‘m fraid.” The Texan chuckled. “But ah ain’t proud of that.”
“You got into fights too?” Jeremy asked. “Did you win?” The Texan wasn’t very tall, with Jeremy’s oldest brother already towering over the man, but he always carried the heavy tool box around, and he could pick up Jeremy with one hand, while his brothers needed two, so he probably knew how to punch people.
“Naw don’t git any ideas, Scooter.” The Texan warned. “Ah said ah don’t want ya getting into fights and ah mean it boy.” He added, his Texan accent growing stronger as he struggled in his fight with the sink.
“You can't tell me what to do.” Jeremy grumbled. "You’re not my dad."
“Ah never said ah was.” The Texan grunted. “Just that ah don’t want ta see ya run around kickin’ folks. Ya ma’s worried, Scoots.”
“Do you want to be my dad?”
Engineer banged his head on the sink. He rubbed his head as he scooted out.
“Now where did that come from, boy?”
“Just askin’” Jeremy shrugged.
“You didn’t get any of those ideas from your brothers, now did you?” Darleen asked, but Jeremy just shrugged again.
“No, Scooter. I’m just your ma’s pal.”
“Ok.” Jeremy grumbled, not really sure if he was pleased with the answer. Hubert and Everett always said that dads were a bad thing, but he never had one and Dell seemed nice. But maybe that’s because he wasn’t a dad.
And he didn’t want Dell to not be nice to them anymore.
And his brothers said that’s what happened when his Ma’s friends became their dads.
Unaware of Jeremy's inner turmoil Engineer slid back under the sink.
“Are you homeless?”
“Jeremy.” His mother hissed, just as the Engineer banged his head on the wood of the counter, grumbling something about a hardhat. The Texan hissed, rubbing a hand against his head as he glanced from his position on the ground at Jeremy.
“Why do you think I’m homeless?”
“I don’t know.” Jeremy shrugged. “You’re here pretty often.”
“Jeremy.” His mother hissed once more. “That’s rude. He’s a guest”
“It’s fine Darleen.” The Texan chuckled, before diving back under the counter. “The boy’s just the curious sort.”
“So why are you here so often?” Jeremy pressed.
“Oh, I’m just helping your Ma with things.” The man chuckled. “I keep fixin’ stuff when I’m over, don’t I?” He emphesized his point by waving his wrench.
“I guess.” Jeremy mumbled. “So you do have a home?”
“Jeremy, that’s enough, really.”
Engineer chuckled.
“I live in one. I’m renting it with a friend.”
“Good.” Jeremy crossed his arms. “Because you can’t have any sleep overs here.”
“That’s fine by me.” Engineer chuckled as he crawled under the counter again. “But why do you reckon I wanted to sleep over?”
"My brothers said you want to sleep with our mom." Engie's head hit the sink once more. Hard. "And that's a bad thing. So you're not allowed to sleep here."
“JEREMY!” His mother shouted as Engie's head emerged from under the sink. Face red. “GO TO YOUR ROOM!”
Jeremy scooted back a little in his chair but tried to keep his voice firm as he spoke next..
"And they said you will get mad if I tell you but you're still not allowed to!” He jumped off his chair and ran towards the Texan as his mother leaned forward to try and grab him. “They said mom will get hurt!” He protested, stomping his feet on the ground. “You can’t hurt my mom!”
“I ain’t, I…” Dell’s face had gone fully red as his eyes darted between Jeremy and his mom, both of whom were standing over the Texan. Mouth opening up and closing like those big fished Jeremy saw at the Zoo once. “I swear I didn’t mean no-... Darleen you’re mighty nice and twice as pretty but I’m not-... I swear-... I just-” He heard his mother chuckle. Which in turn made the Engineer groan as he hid his face in his hands. “I’m mighty sorry.” He mumbled into his hands.
His mother started to laugh which just made the Texan press his face deeper into his hands. Jeremy looked between the two of them, not really sure what was going on.
"What's so funny? He asked.
“Dell isn’t gonna sleep with me, baby.”
“How do you know?” Jeremy protested. "Maybe he wants to!"
"Ah don't!" The Texan protested, face still red."Ah really really don't- ah-" He glanced at his mom before his face went redder. "Dangnabit. I mean no disrespect Darleen-"
His mom chuckled.
"I know, Dell."
"Good." The man laughed, sliding a hand into his short hair. "Good. Ah didn't mean ta-" He took a deep breath, chuckling a little. "Good."
"We're not that kind of friends, baby." She grinned as she turned back towards Jeremy.
"Are you sure?" Jeremy asked.
"Quite sure baby." She ran a thumb over his check. "It's sweet that you boys are worried, but I know what I'm doing. Can you trust me, Jeremy?"
Jeremy stumbled forward to drop into a hug.
"They said you always get sad after you sleep with someone." He mumbled into her shirt. "They said then your friends leave and then you're very sad for a long time." He tugged at her shirt, pressing his nose into her chest. "I don't like you sad."
"Oh baby." His mom wrapped his hands around him. "It's nothing like that. I promise."
"Promise you won't cry?"
"Not over Dell at least." She chuckled, squeezing him tighter and holding close until Jeremy let go. "And you're not allowed to hurt him either, okay baby? The same goes for your brothers." She shook her head. "And they will get an earfull when they're back from school."
"Ok." Jeremy mumbled. "You're not gonna leave either?" Jeremy asked the Texan.
"Ah'm not plannin too." The man chuckled awkwardly, face still very red. “You need someone to keep fixin’ your pipes. I honestly don’t know what you lot do to em.” He glanced at his mom before quickly looking away.
"You're gonna keep visiting us then?"
"Yeah."
"Good." Jeremy said, giving the Texan a hug as well. “I don’t want ya to leave.” The man awkwardly wrapped a single hand around him, giving him a pat on the back. "Your face is really warm." Jeremy complained after a while. “And kinda sweaty too.” He added with a grimace, pulling away.
“Jeremy, really.” His mother shook her head. "Leave Dell alone."
"Ah suppose it is, isn’t it." The Texan chuckled, seemingly not as bothered at the comment as his mom was. "I think you gotta warn me before ya ask questions, boy."
"Ok."
"Is there anything you wanna ask me before I get back under the sink? I don’t think ah want any more bruises on mah forehead"
Jeremy shook his head.
“You sure?”
“Yeah.”
“Good.” Engie smiled, giving him one more pat on the shoulder before going back under.
“Are you a housewife?”
Engineer cursed loudly as he hit his head on the sink one last time.