Mean Business

June, 1986

She was free as a picture

She was sharper than a photograph

She was everything I needed

And her smile, and the way she laugh

Nick had caught the video of that deep cut from The Firm’s second album at Vance’s apartment earlier in the spring but could only zero in on Paul Rogers’ smooth haircut and maybe the fact that the synth production takes every bit of bite out of Jimmy Page’s guitar. The wandering fretless bass by Tony Franklin sounds too cool but their pounder, the eternal Chris Slade is bald as a cue - is that on purpose?

But Deej had mentioned a church teen coed softball game there in town and Nick couldn’t resist a bike ride to check things out. He had been inside the large Baptist tabernacle at events and they also had the lot large enough for two diamonds. And speaking of diamonds…she was already warming up with a catcher so Nick grabs a spot against the fence. Some of the players look familiar from around town but none from his own little church, very little constituency these days in his age group.

He also spots her parents and little sister over in the bleachers but prefers to stay put for the moment. In fact he’s almost hoping to stay below radar till after the game but we’ll see what shakes, so far just several rows of pitch and catch, folks showing up with lawn chairs, assorted kittle-lids running about. It’s a warm, wistful weekday evening, of course, a tad humid and breezy but the hazy sky and wispy cloud cover gives things a dreamy quality. Tim had wanted to come along but Nick gave him the slip, and so, there's a small threat that situation could still manifest at some point.

While taking it all in he hears his name and jumps slightly only to fixate, on a tall summer dream in a reddish-blond ponytail running toward him with a glove and electric grin, she stops about 20 feet away,

“Hey dork, go sit with my parents.”

Nick pauses, then gets up. “So much for fading into the scenery.”

Her gaze lingers to the point where that doesn’t realize his own gaze lingers, until she turns around, 

“Alright, we’re about to do prayer, get your <mouths> ass over there,” motioning to the bleachers and punctuates it with a determined look before heading back toward their bench.

I got a feelin' when I look into your eyes

I think I know what's on your mind…

Nick walks his bike closer to the bleachers, throws it beneath and eases down about a seat and a half from Nancy Eversole and stays quiet. The team huddles in what appears to be the prayer, and before long he hears Dean, 

“Hey Nick, glad you could come out.”

“Hi guys,” Nick looks over to see Dean switching places with his wife and so he scoots closer.

“You could probably play tonight if you wanted.”

“Well, maybe if they want to lose…”

This gets a laugh. Their conversation goes along the lines of track and bicycling. Dean actually enjoys running, which to Nick makes his stints with junior high track team seem like work. Naturally Dean goes into the mandatory dad-spiel about how team sports build character as Nick’s slide into hopelessness deepens by the second. At least Tim will be less likely to come around in this situation, but deep down it feels like Deej set him up to get the full frame of her life.

At some point Nick senses a little face staring at him, actually a little face making quite a crazy face, framed in a wispy blond haircut. Nick grins at her before Nancy cups her hand over the crazy face and makes her straighten back up.

Dean switches to watching the game that has gone so far with their team with one hit and two outs, Deej is on deck. Next batter, male, younger than Nick but pretty competent, most likely a baseball player, smacks it low and far between right and center where it can’t be fielded, and the very capable runner at first gets home as the batter gets an easy stand-up double.

Deej steps up and Nick’s data bus is a tad too slow to take this all in, the understated beauty, the confidence, the grace, at times just plain fierce. He can’t help but wonder what the pitcher must think, even without being attracted, she just means business (yes, another reference to The Firm...). She takes a strike, in Nick’s first-ever realization that it’s how you read the zone and pitcher’s skill. Second pitch she reads as a ball, then readjusts her stance and gets ready. This next pitch is the one she bites, smacks it to the left of the previous hit and not as high but it sizzles over the second base player’s glove and Deej turns into a blur as the bench goes nuts, everyone stands up as the lead runner makes it in and she overruns first for an RBI single. But this 2-0 will have to stand, the next batter is a bit overzealous and goes down swinging, still, the inning still gets a big deserved whoop.

And so this brings up what he’s been quietly pining to witness for almost a year, she casually strides out to the mound, business as usual, seems to drag her glove, and tosses a couple practice shots. At this angle you mostly see concentration, intimidating in itself but she’s just trying to hit the glove, but still, every second crackles. Of course he’s hoping she drops the first batter but it’s an infield fly, still an out. Second batter swings herself out. 

Third batter steps up and is definitely at least junior varsity and at least six foot tall. Whoa buoy. Deej understandably takes her time. First pitch is a ball. C’mon Deej. Second he takes a strike. Third pitch he smacks and before Nick knows what happened Deej gloves it, drops it on the mound and walks off. Third out. Nick has to stop himself from saying dayaaammmm before the crowd goes berserk.

“Good save honey!” yells Dean from his feet.

So this sets the pace for a game that goes the full 9 innings and ends 7-3 good guys as the evening grows more enchanting and is over way too soon. After the handshake line they all stand up and stretch, Deej gets a lot of attention after pitching the full game but makes it to the bleachers and gets a hug from her dad. After a handshake with said dad, Nick just stands by and as the family starts climbing down Deej turns to him.

“What did ya think?”

“That stop blew my mind.”

She crumples her eyebrows. “Hmm?”

“Oh in the first inning, came right at you.”

“Yeah, thanks, it’s really just a reflex.”

“I would shit.”

She chuckles and her eyes do a funny dance.

“Glad I got to see you play finally.”

She draws a breath, “I was a little nervous tonight.”

Without thinking Nick asks, “Why?”

She smiles and looks at him directly with those pale blue eyes glistening, voice softens, “I just…was.”

“Oh.” 

“Well, we’re heading out…” then leans forward.

He carefully reaches for the hug but she grabs his waist and squeezes, lifting him up about half an inch momentarily, then laughs maniacally.

“God you’re strong,” Nick says quietly as she squeezes harder and laughs yet even harder.

“Yeah don’t you forget it.”

Before it lingers too long she lets go and glances around as they keep standing about 18 inches apart. “Mmm thanks for coming over, really, and I saw you talking to Dad.”

“Yeah he says team sports build character.”

“Not sure you need any more character but you can play with us if you want sometime.”

“Eeh, it takes all I got to play guitar.”

With hands on hips, “Which I have yet to hear…”

“I need to practice.”

She pokes his chest and starts to move her finger around when Dean calls her name, then she squeezes his arm, 

“Gotta go, see ya soon,” then punctuates it with an expectant look as she turns to join her folks.

Nick gathers his bike from beneath the bleachers and goes for a ride, sometimes the same street several times and milks it till just about sundown.

I was going through the changes

That made me what I am today

I was looking at all the dangers

'Stead of tryin' to do it my own way..

In the coming days he would visit the town library while walking about and check out some LPs to discretely dub downstairs, among them the aforementioned Firm’s Mean Business along with Krokus and Whitesnake from a couple years back. Nick checked out Mean Business mainly after hearing All The King’s Horses on 106 at night in recent months along with Radioactive from the first album. Without fail, Tear Down The Walls, with the heavily processed guitar track, went by with barely a notice to his unseasoned ears and the album soon just became another half of a 90-minute cassette in his ever-growing collection.

Get On The Chuck Wagon

Wednesday

Full of smokey barbecue, creamed corn and a roll, Nick heads to Eastern High School. Notice he skipped beans to avoid distractions while talking turkey.

The confab with Chuck Tuttle had gone well and Nick’s certainly glad he’d gotten Dean to clarify why they need that Token Ring when he provided the complete inventory. There’s a sixth system that acts as a file server, running Xenix. This discovery had given him a brief moment of alarm. Either he would have to upgrade that hardware or finesse an Ethernet card into an OS he’d only messed with a few times.

But then his mind took a quick inventory of what he understood of the school’s lab backend, and it seems most things were moving to OS/2 which is the smarter cousin of DOS that hits the gym on a regular basis. Goody confirmed this, the faculty had been granted file space on the OS/2 servers and they had an experimental mail system, mostly just for fun.

And that’s what his client mainly needs is mail and a central calendar. Nick would have the luxury of time at home (or at the school) to get all the boxes staged, actually, the entire network, once the hub arrives. 

So enough about that, Deej was right, Tuttle is 100% good ole boy and politely grinned off the Gateway option.

“Son if I didn’t throw ol’ Fred the business he’d bust my beanie-weens, hell, borrow that truck out there if you need to.”

“I shoulda known you go back a few.”

“Oh I got stories, but <wink> we’re in mixed company.”

This was pretty ripe stuff with Dean seated right there beaming his way through some cake. Nick just shook his head and would have to see what Fred had to say about them there stories. But for now they shake hands and sign the papers. Tuttle told Dean to set up an account with Fred to get things started, there should be little if anything on the BOM he can’t track down, otherwise it would mean combing through the 14-pound ComputerShopper books stacked in Nick’s office.

After the lunch meeting Nick stuck around a bit to get his bearings and answer questions, then Dean asks if he could go pick up Sam while he gets things set up, and whips out a fin and blessing to stop by the dairy stand.  

And so now he joins the growing row of picker uppers along the curb without buses then gets out to stand inside his open door and flag her down. It ends up a few minutes watching kids these days, a world so foreign and distant even after just two and a half years. Pretty soon a blond mop in a skirt emerges with a backpack and male companion alongside who seems to do all the talking. She scans around for a familiar car and seems to see him with disbelief. So Nick grins and makes a whimsical wave to which Sam excuses herself from the - conversation? - and hurries over.

“So you’re my dad’s errand boy now?”

“I can just leave you with that kid -”

“NO, get me outta here!”

They both get buckled in quickly as if in a desperate getaway.

“Mmmm hmm. Well look at you morphing into a pint-sized beauty, keep this up and you might get asked out one of these days.”

She lights up, “So where are we off to, dahhhhleng? The Ritz? The Riviera?”

“Howbout the dairy stand?”

“Oooohh, it’ll spoil my supper, cool!”

“Actually there’s leftovers at the office.”

“I hate the office.”

“I get the feeling your dad knows that.”

She sighs, but smiles.

They proceed on, it’s only a couple miles, but she muses, 

“You should get a convertible, dahhhleng, my hair would flow in the breeze.”

“And the bugs would stick in your teeth.”

This gets a laugh.

They pull into the stand and get in line, she prods, 

“What can I get?”

“Anything you want, dear.”

She looks at him point blank, “I have to know, did he give you money.”

Nick can’t find a way out, “He slipped me a fiver, happy?”

She smiles, “I’ll get a shake.”

“Yeah same here. OOH mocha, don’t see that often enough.”

Sam somehow gives him three dirty looks at once, then goes back to the twisting and grooving she does in idle mode.

They get situated without much more dialog then take a seat at a vacant table, thankfully the weather stayed nice enough.

“Did Deej survive the night OK?”

“I…guess, her door was closed, we try to keep each other from getting sick.”

“Yeah we do in my house too, hopefully we talk tonight.”

Sam looks at him and smiles between slurps.

“Oh, I got a tuner for that guitar, I’ll send it with you.”

She hops and claps, then slurps.

“Umm, I used to hate getting this question, but if you wanna answer, how was school?”

This gets a look, best he can tell it’s purposefully blank, but from her every look has a charge.

“Yeah that was a turd. Have you ever thought of going into comedy?”

Now this gets an expectant look, so he has to elaborate.

“Like writing comedy or doing standup?”

“They’d throw vegetables and soup at me.”

“You’re right, that was another turd.”

She looks the other way and giggles and slurps.

They go on slurping, then finally she asks, 

“You took April out last night, right?”

“Yeah, we had a good talk.”

“I miss her.”

“Yeah she’s a sweetie.”

Sam slurps, then, “So, they asked me to do music at the home group.”

“Oh, you’d play along with my mom?”

“Yeah, I guess, she plays piano?”

“Since before I was born.”

Sam gets a pensive look.

“Are you wanting to?”

“I want to help out.”

“And be a good kid?”

She half smiles, “Yeah.”

Nick pauses. “Um, do you…believe in home group?”

Sam smirks.

“Sounds like you just want to help out.”

This gets a bigger smile.

Nick has a hunch, “So who asked you, was it Mom?”

She looks the other way and takes a slurp.

“Sam?”

Slowly she looks over, “Okay, you got me. I shouldn’t have said it that way.”

“You would like to be asked though.”

She scoots up right against him.

“So this is having a kid sister.”

For this he gets a very quick, very cold, wet peck on the cheek.

“Good enough. So I should talk to my mom?”

“Would you?” with a little girl’s wistfulness.

“Yeah, but it would be better if you would.”

“Can you bring it up first?”

“Sure.”

“Thanks, Nick,” takes a slurp, “maybe you could join us sometime?”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Yes, you will”  in a growl as she turns with an evil look.

Nick just chuckles and takes a sip, then, “For a second I thought your head would keep spinning,”

This gets a laugh, then, “So do I really remind you of Noreen?”

“Funny you should ask, you just did, just now.”

“I’d like to meet her.”

“You could take her class if you go to the U.”

“OH, yeah, what does she teach?”

“English…lit, comp, that stuff.”

“God, English lit, just what I need.”

“Ever read Chaucer? He’s hilarious.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, tales of merry olde England. It’s bloody medieval poetry.”

“Oh.”

“Are you really that much of a reader?”

“I’d rather write, but really rather draw or paint or play music.”

“My kinda gal. So are you gonna make wall art for the living room at home?”

“Well, the wall is the canvas, I’ll sketch it out in pencil then paint it in.”

“Can’t wait.”

Sam leans on his shoulder and slurps up the last slurps. “If you tell anyone I kissed you I’ll rip your fucking head off”

“Why would I want to admit to that in the first place?”

This gets the show-ending laugh and they proceed back to the plant, the highlight of which is seeing Tuttle try to engage Sam in a conversation and her struggling to not squirm, poor thing deserves better. But the deal is inked and Nick is set to turn Fred loose on the materials, after which he’ll turn himself loose on the goose. Whatever that means.

So with another round of handshakes he’s ready to head out, then sees Sam dig into homework in the break room and remembers to grab the tuner from his car, at the sight of which she transforms into a devious hand-rubbing state. What a day.

As he gets into the Celica he figures he might as well see if Fred is busy and gets there right before closing time. Fred is on his office phone but can stick around a bit to go over it, and before long confirms that Tuttle is pulling his leg about any old stories,

“Forget it Nick, we met at summer camp so you heard it allllll before, the rest is just double dates, golf and some bass fishin’.”

And so it goes. But most of the desktop parts he already has on hand and can have ready in a couple days, not surprising the server and hub will be a week or two. Fred can also have someone take the monitors and other things out to the plant, or something like that.

So another handshake gets that in motion and Nick heads home for supper and a settle in. He had almost expected a message from the school but evidently nothing came up, seems most things can easily wait a day or two.

Ned drills him first, “How’s our consultant?”

“Tired, that was a lot of talking, oh, Fred sends his best. But I took Sam for ice cream which was a nice break.”

“She’s a good kid.”

“She’s a something.”

This gets a laugh.

“Oh Mom, she wants to play guitar along with you in home group, she’s being shy but I told her I’d break the ice before she asks.”

“Of course she can, I’d love it.”

So they eat and Nick relates an earful of Mr. Tuttle, how he calls everyone into lunch with come jump on the Chuck Wagon, then his folks remember him running for state office a while back, 

“You boys were still little, but his campaign didn’t go well because of things he said and - pretty sure he was divorced by then, kinda dated around and rumors of babies popping up.”

Then Ned hints his group might be close to hiring but is starting to think Nick would be bored doing the same thing all week.

Nick surmises, “I’m lucky to have options.”

Ned drives it home by pointing a fork, “Don’t ever forget it, bub.”

So after a soak it’s either try Deej or wait, but it seems better to try, so he does, and she answers, not sounding any better.

“How’s the patient?”

“Patient is hogging the couch watching TV with the mom. Sounds like you had an interesting day.”

“That Tuttle is a classic, you were dead on.”

“I aim to please,” then coughs a bit juicer than last night.

“Sounds like it’s moving through you like a freight train.”

“Yeah I don’t ache as bad but hot, cold, hot, cold, sleep, can’t sleep,” then coughs some more.

“Well I won’t keep you.”

“It’s okay, you talk.”

So Nick recounts everything, gets a laugh at what Tuttle said, more coughs,

“Oh you can probably imagine company parties, the picnics were nice, but at Christmas he’d get drunk and they would literally start sneaking us kids out, it was bad.”

“Yeesh,” then he tried to discreetly relate the Sam conversation without drawing retribution from the younger, then on to Fred’s, dinner conversation.

Naturally big sis zeroes in on the one part, “Sam stood a few feet away and smiled her way through every second of the trip, she’ll never forget that hon, said you rescued her from a sophomore dork.”

Nick laughs, “Yeah I could tell he wasn’t her favorite.”

“He won’t leave her alone, he’s harmless but she needs to stand up to him and be a...frickin’ senior.,” no coughs this time but her voice cuts out.

“You’re losing your voice dear, are you tired?”

“After this show I’m going to…<yawns>...shower and go to my room.”

“Well you do that, we’ll talk tomorrow, for me it should be a normal day for the most part.”

“I’m hoping this breaks up soon and I can at least leave the house this weekend.”

“Well keep resting and the juice and soak if you can, I already did.”

“Did you think about me?”

“It’s more of a trick not to.”

Silence.

“Alright hon, get rest and feel better.”

“Love you.”

“Love you nite.”

She squeaks out a nite then hangs up. Poor thing.

Pretty soon he flips on the classical and that’s it.

An Evening With Miss April

Tuesday

Another cool, breezy yet mostly sunny evening finds Nick taking April to the pine tree park by the riverside, she just wants to hang out and even drove to his house. She also brought word that Deej is feeling under the weather for real this time, evidently running a small temp at the doctor’s but they checked her out anyway. 

But for now, this gal, she seems eager to just engage with politeness that seems deliberate but sincere. On the trip they covered the small topics, how work goes, the project, roofing business.

At the park they find a picnic table and sit together, at first in silence, then she asks,

“Why…okay…what makes me a babe?”

“Well, the brown eyes don’t hurt.”

Silence. He looks over and this got a smile. Finally she responds, 

“Thanks.”

“And since you asked, well, you have a way of picking your moments.”

She looks over, “For a second I cringed that you were gonna say nose.”

“That’s your business, dear.”

“Only in dry weather.’

“Okay, right there, you’re also funny as hell.”

“I don’t mean to be.”

“Why?”

“Girls aren’t funny.”

“How do you explain Sam and Deej?”

Silence, but this gets a grin.

He waits.

“I don’t compare to them.”

“Yah whadda you know.”

She leans on his arm.

“That old saying says it all, birds of a feather.”

April lets that stand, then gets slightly agitated at trying to form a sentence.

Nick steps in, “If you don’t mind me saying, that’s a cute outfit too.”

“Thanks,” she sighs, then, “Why is it I can’t find what I’m looking for?”

“Can you define it?”

She sighs. “I chased it and see where it got me.”

“Where did it get you?”

“Back where I started.”

Nick lets that float.

“Well, Danni got me to start thinking through why I do things, and I had a good talk with Mom.”

Nick takes a chance. “I remember at the theater, she said something that made you uncomfortable.”

“Yeah, we talked about that.”

“Sounds like things will have to happen in your own time and on your terms.”

Silence, so he looks over and she’s beaming.

He can’t resist going for a mutual peck and they connect.

“Wanna grab a bite?” He offers.

She smiles again, “Actually I have a crock pot started but, well…”

For the past several minutes, Nick had been increasingly aware of a figure slowly wandering down the path that passes about ten feet from their table, and had become increasingly convinced that it’s the one and only Dan Aldwin, looking about fifteen years older. And so, he can’t resist, 

“How ya doin’ Dan?”

“Oh hello young people, Christ be with you. Have we met?”

“A few years ago, at Calvary. How’s your wife?”

“Oh not well I’m afraid, not well, she may go home soon.”

“Sorry to hear that. Can we give you a ride?”

“Oh…OH, bless your soul, but I’m out for my walk.”

“Well it’s good to see you Dan, take care and we hope for the best.”

Dan raises his hands and prays a blessing over them and heads off with,

“Bye now, friends.”

They watch him for a bit, then April speaks up, 

“Nick that was really sweet of you.”

“It’s the least I can do, had you heard about that crazy Sunday?”

“Danni told me what she knows.”

“Well - sorry I cut you off, the crock pot?”

She smiles, “Screw the crock pot, wine me dine me. Just what happened that Sunday?”

And so they head to the DQ for this and that and enjoy it in the car. They get back around 7:30 as it gets dark and he gets a good squeeze before she heads home and promises to call. Actually it was a bit too good; he didn’t mean to feel her pert little upstairs (at least consciously) but he didn’t think to avoid it, so, sailor’s luck.

Nick updates Irene until the phone rings, April sounds perkier than ever,

Next to shower and settle in, he watches a bit of TV then tries Deej. A younger, thinner voice answers, 

“Hello hello.”

“Sam?”

A pause. “Please insert 25 cents for the first five minutes -”

“Is your sister alive?”

“It’s been a while since we poked her with a stick but hold on.”

Nick holds on.

“Ok, she’s going to take a shower and eat something, can she call you back?”

“Does a deer shit in the woods?”

She snickers, “Hey, you been practicing?”

“Most days, you? Is there gonna be a test?”

“When you least expect it -”

They finish in unison, “Expect it.”

“Alright I need to go finish my trig.”

“God I love trig.”

“Then why don’t you marry it?”

“Real mature.”

“Yeah that was lame, sorry,” she chuckles and Nick kinda wishes she needed help with math but it’s more the other way around.

“Alright brat, she can call whenever, take good care of her for me.”

“Yes sir, roger roger, over and out, ten four good buddy, we gone.” Click.

Nick just shakes his head. Everyone should have a Sam around.

He also thinks Deej needs her own phone, he would even crawl beneath their house to wire it up, no charge.

So more TV, a little pickin’ and grinnin’, then before long the ringy-dingies.

“Hey.”

“Hey.” She sounds awful.

“Is it in the head mostly?”

“My head is pounding and throat sore.”

“But you got through the exam.”

“Yeah, it went well, no issues, he’s very objective and…<deep breath>...he wanted to take blood, since I’m young.”

“Good, and, I’ll try to not make you talk much, sounds like you have it worse than I did with this bug. I ended up taking our brunette to the river and to DQ, she seems to be…loosening up, I think you know what I mean.”

“I’m glad, that’s what she needs, some affirmation.”

“I really wish you had your own phone, I’ll even wire it up.”

“We’ll see, for now I’m wrapped in a blanket on the c….<voice breaks up>...couch, got a sock on the phone and hopefully no one else gets this shit.”

“Well good, and I think you know you need some downtime.”

She laughs, “You know me too well, dear.”

“Did the campus call you back yet?”

“Not yet, I left a message last week sometime, “ then dry coughs.

“Honey this seems to really be kicking your ass already.”

“Yeah the doc could tell I was getting sick and checked my glands, well, the ones upstairs.”

“Probably doesn’t mind some practice on the business end once in a while.”

She chuckles and dry coughs.

“Do you have plenty of juice and drugs?”

“Daddy ran to the gas station and got a couple bottles of OJ and we have Tylenol out the butt.”

“Wish I could do something.”

“You do plenty.”

“Alright, I don’t want you coughing, I’ll check in tomorrow k?”

“Kayyy, love you.”

“Love you Deej, nite.”

“Nite.”

He goes downstairs to update Irene on his sick gal then goes back to TV.

Intervention

Monday

After putting the final tweaks some things he’d set up for King on Friday, Nick gives Mr. Dean a call.

“Hey Nicko, what’s the word?”

“Well, howbout Monday?”

“Hey now you don’t have to swear,” Then starts laughing.

Nick chuckles.

“Alright, so Mr. Tuttle definitely sounds impressed and would like to see you when he stops by on Wednesday, does that work?”

“Oh we can make it work, what time’s good?”

“Actually…just a second…<muffled sounds>...OK, sorry Nick, well, he’s having lunch brought in at noon and we’d love to have you join if that sounds good.”

“Not gonna turn that down!”

“Well me neither, we’ve had a good bounce back this year so, yeah need I say more? Good stuff, so we’ll see you then and talk about it along the way.”

“Perfect, I appreciate all this.”

“Our pleasure, and you know how to find the shop?”

“I believe so, ridden the bike past there a time or two.”

“Oh, yeah of course. OH, did you happen to talk to Danni yet today? Her friend, the dark-haired girl showed up last night and ended up staying over, sounds like she needed to talk and I know you all have been concerned.”

“Wow, and no I hadn’t heard - can you have The Deej give me a ring when she has a chance?”

“Yes sir, will do that, well, won’t keep you so see you Wednesday at noon?”

“It’s a plan, thanks again Dean.”

Double wow. Chuck Tuttle and April Dawson in the same short conversation.

For today’s lunch he got a tired-looking Noreen to join their geekfest in the cafeteria . Sometimes he feels like he’s abandoning her but knows what he’ll get for expressing that, she just wants to know how it’s going and seems happy to live vicariously for the time being. Maybe these short encounters will offset any abandonment. It’ll have to.

The rest of the day has Nick consciously in anticipation of the phone ringing, almost like childhood Christmas angst. He hates to miss when she’s ready to talk, and almost hates to admit that fact to himself, let alone the subject matter. Getting just one side of a touchy situation is bad enough, he tried reaching out to Vance to no avail, and Vance’s phone has a dial pad so it works both ways. Knowing Deej it will be later than sooner so there’s less distraction on her end, and there’s a good chance she’ll push for reconciliation for the Dawson gang sooner than later.

At any rate Nick decides to blow some paycheck at the music store on that guitar stand and manages to get that deal on two tuners, second at cost, not bad. Maybe his stint in retail wasn’t just filler after all.

Back at the ranch he finds the parents out but nothing on the machine, no surprise. Tries out one of the tuners and cranks up the amp in the absence of any peanut gallery downstairs. At this volume it’s easy to find some crunch with minimal gain, this knockoff strat doesn’t do half bad, especially with a bit of reverb. The whammy bar is an interesting concept but it seems to mainly get in the way, so he unscrews the bar and stuffs it in the gig bag.

Eventually he hears life signs downstairs and finds they brought a pizza pie and says even he can have some. Times like this he’s glad there’s usually cans of some kind of clear pop in the fridge.

He goes over the plan to not report to the school Wednesday morning but might see if Deej can hang out before the meeting, then check in with Goody afterward to see if anything needs attention.

From there it’s a shower and some radio then borrows the VCR to roll some MST, once that’s on he’s almost relaxed when the phone rings and he can barely let the first ring complete.

Guess who.

“Hey, are we settled?”

“Just set up the VCR but stopping it. Sounds like you had quite a night.”

“Good news travels fast. Yeah I had Sam hide her keys and then the three of us had a very…don’t wanna say frank, but…”

“Candid?”

“Very good, oh yes, we dug pretty deep.”

“How is she?”

“At the moment she’s home, as in with her folks.”

“Willingly or hog tied?”

“No I followed her and helped break the ice.”

“Deej you are the best.”

Pause. “Thanks, Nick, I try.”

“Um, did you use any colorful language last night?”

“At times, yeah, and Sam was seriously a big help, she’s been through it.”

“Did her some good too.”

“Yeah.”

“Oh, I got tuners today.”

“Oh…OH, for guitar? Awww.”

“I played some tonight before pizza showed up.”

“I hear Sam play some, not as much, she’s really digging into school.”

“Maybe around the holidays we can play more, or if she needs a break.”

“Just ask and she’ll be there you know that.”

“How did I end up with so many kickass gals?”

“Yeah right, what do they see in you?”

“You mean to say we….”

She chuckles, “OK I was fishing and you hooked me.”

“Later.”

This gets a giggle. 

“So you heard I get a free lunch Wednesday?”

“Yeah it should be from the barbecue place in town, I’m tempted to weasel my way in.”

“You’d make me nervous.”

“Oh stop it.”

“So did you get much sleep?”

“Eventually, Sam turned in then Apeface and I kinda shut the place down and slept in, it was fun.”

“Well good. And I’m afraid to ask, but are they….”

“What?”

“Are she and Vance still, like, speaking?”

“Well….”

“Okay, not trying to put you on the spot…”

“Let me put it this way. She was driving around and thought she saw you riding your bike -”

“I was, in a cap.”

“Yeah, and she almost went to your house but chickened out, she got upset and went for a drive, then came here.”

“Good.”

“She’s…funny…with guys, is the best I can say.”

“Well, she’d never really dated, right?”

“Yeah that’s kinda it. Howbout this, would you take her to dinner sometime, just as friends?”

“Sure, if she wants.”

“That will be good, she just has problems with, well, a lot of social things, so shy, and…”

“Passionate?”

Silence.

“I can sense it, you don’t have to acknowledge, but I get the sense she’s got a lot of emotions and doesn’t know what to do.”

“Umm…OK, that’s…valid, but you didn’t hear it from me.”

“Hear what?”

“Hmm, Swanson maybe there’s hope for you yet. Is this why I make you nervous?”

“I claim fifth amendment.”

“MMMM hmmm, thought so.”

“Anyway, are you done solving the world’s problems for the day?”

“Yeah, this girl’s done, not gonna shower till morning for the WOOhoo doctor.”

“Oh, fun, I’ve heard about those. Is it a female doctor at least?”

“I wish, but we’re in the boonies, remember? The only one splits time between here and, well, over past McDonnells.”

“Makes sense.”

“He’s supposed to be really good, and hopefully understanding, you know.”

“Here’s to understanding. Knowledge is power! But you sound fairly rested.”

“Yeah I am, relieved is a better word.”

“I bet."

"Hey did you find out about golf?”

“Well Dad is on board…Goody is busy, not sure we need four but that seems a good number. Does your dad ever swing clubs?”

“HA, there are reasons why the man runs so much. I’ve been tempted to try it but this wouldn’t be the time.”

“Yeah this is a bologna fest.”

He just hears a sigh.

“Wait, hang on a sec?”

“Sure.”

Nick runs downstairs to see by chance when Tim is coming back, turns out he has a weekend pass and is bringing a gal then back Monday, but they will stay in a hotel.  Back at the phone, 

“Well, my brother will be around - get this, with a female - I’ll try to get him to bring clubs and see if we can get a Sunday tee time, how’s that for service?”

“OK you just made up for that bologna comment, and a wee bit more…in FACT, ready to get nervous?”

“Utoh.”

“I’ve heard murmurs of the home group going to a marriage enrichment thing one of these weekends, which means they stay overnight.”

“Utoh.”

“And halloween is coming up, we, April had talked about a small party thing but maybe just pizza again in costumes, if you want.”

“You gonna be a cat?”

“Reeeeeowwwww…<lowers voice> I can think of a mouse I’d like to bat around some,” then the expected devious laughter that she tries to keep quiet.

“Honey.”

“What would you go as?”

“Hmmm…well Alan Whicker and Don Johnson are already checked off.”

“Howbout Hasselhoff? Mmmmm.”

“Knight Rider?”

“These days it’s Baywatch hon, can I find you some tight red trunks?” this time no attempt to stifle the laugh.

“Yeah…pass. Howbout Grandpa Simpson?”

“Are you serious?”

“We’ll have to work on it.”

“OH oh oh…Mr Spock?”

“Howbout Data?”

“Huh? from the new generation?”

“Yeap, TNG, the android.”

“Now that would be a good fit. I’ve only seen bits and pieces of those but I know some gals who watch it for the hunk with the beard.”

“Riker?”

“You’re tellin’ the story honey.”

“So I should grow a beard?”

“Um, CAN you grow a beard?”

“Better than you could.”

“Well, on my face anyway.”

“Been meaning to mention, nice…grooming.”

She giggles, “Yeah I felt like a rebel, started that years ago, figured I might as well while shaving the ol’ pins.”

“Mmm.”

“Down boy. Besides you seem rather trim down there.”

“We ended up with an old set of trimmers and I stashed ‘em under the sink up here.”

“Perfect crime.”

“We aim to please.”

“So…do I get to see you soon?”

“Well maybe when I’m not seeing April.”

“Actually, good point, she gets priority.”

“I’ll try to call her tomorrow.”

“Good boy.”

“Woof.”

“Mmmm hmm, I’ll have to teach you to roll over next.”

“I’ll roll you over.”

“Promises, promises. What about Wednesday night?”

“Well if Tuttle doesn’t steal my soul we might just be on.”

“Mmm, are you taking the afternoon off? You could just come get me.”

Nick pauses, “Did you mean for that to sound hot?”

He can hear stifled laughter.

“Mmmm hmmm.”

“Hon I’m just getting tired, but take it however you want.”

“Okay that was even hotter.”

“Alright, I think we better stop before…mmmm…yeah the bath tub is calling, umm,” then bursts into knowing laughter.

“Well take your time and get everything squeaky clean, there will be a test.”

She laughs harder, then finally squeaks out, “Fool the test is tomorrow,” then coughs a little.

“Alright, I’m sure we’ll talk tomorrow, hopefully your oil change isn’t too bad.”

“Bleh, part of being the sexier sex I guess.”

“I’ll leave it at that, night you.”

“Love you, night.”

Father's Day

June, 1980

Irene and the boys are at KMart finding things for Father’s Day and settle on some after shave for Ned.

In the greeting cards they find a funny one for him as well, then Irene suggests they pick one out to send to Paps.

Nick picks up a real fancy one with an shiny classic sedan, maybe a Rolls Royce sitting in a well-manicured upscale yard with GRANDFATHER across the top in gold lettering. The writing inside is in cursive so he asks her to read it. After a couple of sentences the word love appears and without thinking Nick blurts out,

“NO!”

Irene stops reading, and she suggests they find something else.

Tim asks, “Why not get them both the same card?”

Nick nods, but feels confused, and they get two of the same card with one going to Paps.

Ten years later Nick tries not to think about why it would have been so bad to send him the one with the car.

Polanski

Unknowingly right out of a Chilli Peppers song, Ted Polanski lies in his usual spot on the sunny rocks near an I-5 overpass along Coyote Creek in Buena Park, California, as with most of his days these days, trying to separate the real from dreams. 

It was a sure thing. One of his railroad buddies had come out here and gotten into Christian media, at least that’s what he called it, but wanted to bridge the gap between it and the big talkers, the nationally syndicated, but appeal more directly to church folk, just mix in the right words here and there, and to Ted this is what it’s all supposed to be about.. 

So one day he liquifies his savings and vested pension into traveler’s checks and drives out here, without a word to his wife and son, let alone a phone number, only to find out that he, Ted, was by far the largest investor. There was a studio space but no equipment, that was the next step, but the next day his old railroad buddy was nowhere to be seen, gone without a word, let alone a phone number.

All those years kneeling at the altar praying fervently for eyes to be opened, our enemies, within and without, vanquished, elected leaders to wake up to the truth, all from an unknown thirst that could never be quenched. 

He never drank. 

He never chased women. 

He never craved evil substances.

He tried his best not to associate with nonbelievers.

For the wages of sin is death.

He rallied against the evil secular media empire that’s tearing out society apart.

The police were able to confirm that his old railroad buddy had passed away under suspicious circumstances, and there were clues that someone was using his identity and they would try to follow leads. Ted said he’d check back since he had no phone number to give them.

The righteous shall live by faith.

This was months ago. His car was impounded at some point.

Welfare was not an option and calling his family unthinkable.

Ted’s grasp of words like blastphemy are nothing compared to his grasp of the concept of persona non grata.

One can only wonder if this was what he was truly looking for all along.

Strawberry

Sunday Oct 18, 1992

Deej arrived after Nick had made eggs and gotten them mostly consumed. She didn't want anything, well, but then he talked her into pop tarts and milk.

"Breakfast is important."

"Bleh, I can't eat much in the morning, but yeah I know, I'm better about it when in training, guess that's my cue."

Sam had asked to just help unload, evidently she's down from April not being around; understandable.

So they head out, Nick drives this leg, and right away she sets the tone, 

"Um, we need to have a couple adult conversations."

"I didn't bring a note."

"HA. But, well, we need to decide what to tell people when they ask about our plans."

"For the future?"

"No for the past."

He glances over flatly.

"Okay...but yeah...girls get asked if and when and how many babies, you know."

"Ahh, guess I've been able to duck most of that being in college."

"Yeah, and that's my answer, I'm getting a degree, end of story."

"But then they ask ‘after that?’"

"Right, and we're spending time together so..."

Nick remains pensive.

"Did I freak you out?"

"No, it's just...all the tuxes and registry and the announcement in the paper..."

She smiles, "Yeah, that's not us, is it?"

"It all seems so...excessive."

"Well, have you ever been to a wedding, like a second marriage, where they just dress up and it's just close family?"

"That would be a relief."

"Yeah, I have no need for all the trappings, hell, how many of those don't work out?"

"How many couples have you seen over the years who come to church just to get hitched then split? I mean, you never see them again then usually hear they split up?"

"I lost count, so yeah."

Nick thinks a second. "Can you imagine an announcement in the paper where we're making faces?"

She seems to find this a delicious thought to savor to as they turn onto the main county road, then spends the rest of the trip just watching the trees and fields shed their dew.

The trip isn’t long, less than halfway to campus, and he asks, "Hey you ready for this?"

"Pssh."

"Sounds about right."

He pulls into Dawsons' and looks like no one's home, as expected, they were going out for breakfast or such, and backs up toward the door. She gets them in and they head to her room right off the living room, door is closed. Deej slowly opens up and flips the light as if expecting someone inside, but of course there's not. 

She goes straight to the bed to pick up an envelope, opens it and raises a eyebrow at a check and pay stub. 

"Well this will come in handy-dandy."

Nick looks around. "So what all goes?"

"Well you're familiar with this thing here that I was sleeping on, then my dresser and those boxes."

"Check."

So they go to work and naturally it's done in about the time it took to drive over. She takes one last look around the room, then turns to Nick,

"Hey, can you check that shutter door out there, just to make sure?"

So he does and finds something, addressed to Danni but not from him. He presents it to her and she just goes still.

"Wow."

For now she puts it in her back pocket with the check and takes another look around, for good measure, then pops her key off the ring and sets it on the counter.

"OK, let's lock ourselves out."

She walks ahead and he gets a tad distracted by the fact her back pockets have stuff in them and nearly jumps when she asks if he'll take the wheel once more. As they pull out, sure enough, she's already reading the letter.

"I think I can guess at least part of that."

Deej just shakes her head in some kind of disgust or disbelief.

"She actually wants to get lunch with me sometime."

"Will you have appetite?"

"Appetite to hold her down on the ground and pull her head out of her ass."

"Can I watch?" Then he regrets that immediately, "Sorry."

She glances over, "Actually that helps some. But yeah, you can probably guess this, nobody understands her and she needs her space, laa laa laa."

"Inexperience and freedom are a bad mix aren't they?"

"Like ammonia and vinegar."

"Someone paid attention in chemistry."

"Well, it was a safety course I took but yeah."

"Still." 

Nick leaves her to ponder a bit, and sure enough she just watches the world go by. Eventually he asks, 

"Wanna grab a coffee?"

"We can, I'd rather have juice though. There's a decent chance of some at the house too if you wanna roll the dice."

"Yeah why not, we have plenty o’time."

She scoots over and leans on him. "Do I make a better arm warmer?"

"The best. Starting to think that was a red flag of sorts."

"Yeah but who knew a storm was brewing?"

"Why do we have to be adults?"

"Oh that reminds me, before I forget...um, the doctor will ask me things this week."

"Why did my blood just run cold?"

"Relax, your name won't come up, but I plan to say I don't intend to get pregnant or even have intercourse for that matter. I hate to ask but, does that...fit your intentions?"

Nick swallows and cracks his window a bit. "I think you should go with that hon."

She takes his right hand and plants one on the back of it. "We seem to have plenty of options and I'm not about to get ambitious."

Nick takes a deep breath. 

She looks up at him, "Sorry if this makes you nervous, but I want to be ready."

"Oh I know, just a lot to think about."

"Worse than the alternative?"

"Absolutely not, just there's a lot to this adult stuff."

Deej just sighs and they drive on.

At the Eversole homestead the gang is up and moving but easing into the day, the new MO since home group started. Right away Deej checks the counter, "You're in luck, dear, look!" Sure enough there's some fresh coffee. She grabs him a mug and he fills 'er up.

Nancy beams from the table, "We thought you might like some."

For this Nick just floats by and plants one on the top of her head and she giggles.

Deej gives him a wry look and shakes her head.

Nick then heads toward the couch next to Sam and her homework, sits down right next and scoops her up in his free arm with intentional awkwardness, 

"You OK Bub?"

He can see her lighten up and releases the squeeze. "Whatcha workin' on?"

"English Lit."

"Yeah I barely made it through that, only got along with the teacher outside of class, couldn't handle her Kentucky draw slogging through Bay-uh-WULF."

This gets a chuckle. "Good ol' MacBeth."

"I wish I could remember some quotes, just some idiots in class laughing about Gay-Wayne."

She looks over with a smirk, "Real mature."

"Is that the one with the trouble, trouble boil and bubble?"

"It rhymes with that at least."

"Hey they don't pay me to read Shakespeare."

She giggles and continues writing so he rejoins his coffee already in progress, thinking how this is how she must appear at school, always in concentration, the other side of the coin.

Deej and Nancy keep flashing glances over that way. Evidently Dean is out on a jog this morning, which another clue to this here gene pool.

After a few minutes the elder sister comes over, "Should we head over when you're done?"

"If you're ready?"

"Can I fix the hair?"

"Is it broken?"

Right on cue she just sticks her tongue out and darts down the hall. Nick takes a sip.

Sam clears her throat and reads a sentence she just finished, then asks,

"Does that make sense?"

Nick paraphrases it back.

She pauses. "Is that a suggestion?"

"I was telling you what I heard. A paraphrase."

"OH, derp, good. I'm blond remember?"

Nick just grins and takes another sip.

Right about then there's a jiggle of the front door handle then a knock. Nancy jumps up, 

"Now who locked that?" She lets Dean back in the house.

He asks, "I thought I left that unlocked."

From down the hallway, "Aren't you glad to have me back Daddy?"

"I should have known. Hey Nick!"

"Morning, Boss," he can't resist but grins big.

"Now now."

"So do you run every day?"

"Well I try several runs a week, except in extreme weather."

"You are a soldier, I'm better on the bike."

"Sure, cycling is great too, what is it, two and a half miles riding is one mile jogging?"

"Sounds right, for me it's more for mental health, the air and scenery."

"Well good for you, maybe Danni will join you sometime."

"I think we both know she would run and I would try to keep up on the bike."

This gets a laugh just as she emerges from the hallway, "What the who why where?"

Nick jumps in, "Was just saying you offered to pull me in a wagon while you jog."

She ignores the laughter, "You milking that mug or are we gonna do this?"

Nick gets up and motions toward the sink, gets a nod, posits his empty mug then joins the exodus. Everyone but Nancy converges on the pickup. After Deej grabs a box, Sam leans into Nick,

"What did you think of the drawing?"

"Got it framed and on the wall already."

Sam covers her mouth, "She's gonna shhhhh-hmmmmm-flip!"

"Exactly, I love it. Played some with the tape last night too."

This gets her jumping around gleefully until Nick grabs a box and they start hauling. Eventually they collaborate on the futon which will likely find a place in the living room for now.

Deej grabs her purse and promises to be back for a bit of sister time before the week starts, then once outside she blocks Nick from entering the truck with the sultry face, having brushed out the pony tail, left a few playful strands loose and done her usual minimal touch ups that go a long, long way.

"How did you ever get so smooth?" Then punctuates it with sugar.

Nick sweetens the sugar for a few moments till she catches her breath then wipes some drool.

"Dammit, mm, alright, follow me?" 

Nick just holds the embrace and drinks her in.

"Dipshit, I have to drive, remember, you're making me all gooey."

"And who started this?'

"Shut up." And he lets her wiggle free. "Follow me?"

"Anywhere."

She doesn't acknowledge this but gets in her car and backs out, and he follows. Once at the grandparents' she tosses him her keys, 

"This is what you get, I'll be quick."

Nick gets comfy in the drive seat of her Poncho. Someone he worked with at the store mentioned how these seats are fully extendable in situations involving carnal pleasures, so he messes with the adjuster. He doesn't find much range and wonders if it's the Grand Prix with that kind of latitude. Not something to ask Noreen anytime soon.

Before long the passenger door opens and he gets the seat and mirrors situated.

"Having fun are we?"

Nick buckles up, "Starting to think you just like to sit over there all cool while I drive."

"It's fun to watch you, and you make me feel safe."

"Is that a chick thing?"

"Yes it is a chick thing."

"Even for independent chicks?"

"I think you are figuring us out and must be dealt with."

He looks over and she's very content, eyes closed dreamily, but before long,

"Would you have asked April out if we hadn't...god I don't even know how to finish that sentence."

"I dunno, there was a vibe at times but I wouldn't know where to start."

Silence. 

Nick looks over to find a blank look.

"What?"

"So remind me..."

"Yaess?"

She pauses, "So remind me…after you did that…um blow up,  at the church, we didn't get to talk much, who did you talk to?"

Nick has to think. "Well it got so weird, all the drama with that church, then at school I got stares and whispers, then...in a weird way I think Vance and I had groupies of sorts, girls that seemed kinda shady."

"And?"

"That was a cold winter, kinda struggled to keep up with school for a while, then spring came around and riding the bike helped."

"But you didn't talk to anyone?"

"After things calmed down, well a little, here and there, at school, well, and Geena for a few days. One time, well the next year, there was this girl they wanted me to tutor in math, a freshman, but that was awkward, she's nice looking but kind of a pain, just wants attention."

"Mmm hmmm."

"But that next year was just…well, we went camping at Hectors' like usual but Tim ended up getting laid by that divorced woman and made things even weirder."

"WHAT?"

Nick looks over at her, "Yeah, we all watched fireworks and he took her up on an invitation to her camper and badda-bing-badda-boom."

"No freakin' way."

"Way. She wouldn't give him her phone number so seemed like just burning off carbon, starting over, whatever."

She draws a deep breath but keeps up the stare.

"So yeah, it was stuff like that, I sat with a group at lunch that I'd known for a while but they couldn't understand anything but party. And when I did speak to girls it was usually the wrong thing, probably sent the wrong signal, was just trying to be funny.” He feels a deep twinge of regret since there’s someone he can’t yet mention, but that will have to wait.

Deej leans over and pecks his cheek. "It's OK."

They are now in the town street grid. "Did you do much better?"

"Did you ever figure that a lot of those in a <finger quotes> good Christian school pretty much do whatever the hell they want and maintain an image?"

"Always kinda wondered."

"There ya go. But I did have a fun lunch group for a while there, we held committee meetings and did the Roberts rules, turned a lot of heads when we all said AYE."

Nick chuckles, “Oh I bet.”

"I'm glad you didn't have to go through it, although would have loved to have you around."

"I think we each paid our dues. There were two or three Academy girls that joined us after getting pregnant."

"The death penalty. Probably some males for this and that?"

"Yeah and that worked both ways, we expelled a few that had to do a stint over there."

"You'd think they were rock stars, too."

"Groupies?"

"It was pathetic."

Right about then they pull in to the gravel patch at the end of the yard they maintain to help keep the driveway clear. 

Deej asks, "Are we good on time?"

"Just right, we leave as soon as the crock pot is done."

"Ooh that will make the trip smell good."

They enter the house to the smell of crock pot goodness but no parents in sight. 

Nick dismisses it with, "Must be getting ready."

"Mmmm hmmm, sure," Deej taunts, then sticks out her tongue and gyrates her hips around.

Nick shakes his head, "Alright Sam," then heads up the stairs, only to be tackled, and almost simultaneously her hands find a thigh and a ribcage.

She cackles incessantly, Nick tries to warn, "We're gonna slide off."

"Not as long as my butt is on a step we won't."

Eventually he musters free and crawls into his room. 

Deej follows and instantly freaks out, "Eezzh...zzht...muh...I'll snap that little twig!"

Nick turns to find both hands on her head and both eyes full open and zeroed on his recent art acquisition.

"You were saying, dear?"

"Just when...last night?"

Nick grins.

"I should throw your ass back on those stairs."

"What did I do?"

"Did she frame it?"

"I may have helped, just a teeensy tiny -"

"Are you two ready to leave?" Irene from downstairs.

"Deejay is picking her nose but should be about done."

Deej cocks back a mock swing.

"What are you now, kindergartners? I need someone to put this crock pot in the wagon."

"Nick just volunteered if you can believe it," Deej motions him toward the door and they proceed to a 99% innocent backseat encounter, where she sticks behind shotgun and pulls him to the center to lean on her, at some point whispering, "I don't wanna be in the mirrors."

Girls.

They tend to speak in whispers just above the Bears pregame show that Ned has panned to the dash speaker nearest him. Irene has a crossword puzzle book.

Nick leans up to relay something, Deej leans down, "You're gorgeous."

This earns a menacing growl.

"Danni is he bothering you?"

"He just complimented me."

"Nick how DARE you."

Ned chimes in, "You know you can't win with these types right?"

Ned gets a light slap and Nick a squeeze of the ribcage, with Deej whispering, "I think they've seemed...friskier lately, don't you?"

Nick just grunts.

A little later on, Deej starts anew, "Are you ready to say goodbye to the bangs?"

"Your trademark?"

"This gal is starting over, gonna grow 'em out and do a part."

"Mmmmm hmmmmm," in a wolf-whistle cadence.

"I didn't think you'd object." 

Then a bit later, she adds, "Sam wants to get some more skirts and do the tights thing."

Irene jumps in, "Oh that would be cute."

"Yeah I think she's getting out of her shell some."

Nick, "I keep thinking she's gonna dye her hair."

"Um, that idea stays in this car, got it?"

Nick grunts again. Irene chuckles.

"Actually it all sets up a trip to the thrift store, Mom loves that."

Irene, "I've found a lot of nice things there, like a really well kept secret."

Deej, "It really is. So do you guys like the home group so far?"'

Irene turns around, "We really do, it means so much more with just three or four families, well, couples really, you know, it’s for  kids too."

Nick, "It certainly for sleeping in the next morning."

This gets him two simultaneous swats.

Deej, "Isn't it really about a 24 hour sabbath observance, not just the group activity?"

Irene, "Yes it is, a time of reflection and rest."

Deej, "Well it's really helped out in our gang."

Irene, "Certainly glad to hear it. And I might like to join you for thrifting and lunch if it works out."

Deej, "Sure, I'll tell Mom."

Through all this Nick just relaxes and tries to concentrate on both audio streams going on and probably dozes off.

Gradually that conversation ebbs and Deej leans on Nick's head. Before long she gets inspired,

"Too bad this car doesn't have one of those rumble seats in the back, we could watch the world go by in reverse."

Nick stirs, "We'd need a mirror to read the signs."

She nudges him. "Remind me, how long as your granddad been gone?"

"Two years this summer."

She pauses. "We're lucky to have them any amount of time aren't we?"

"Always too short."

She pecks him on the head and keeps leaning.

"Just curious, on that proposal you sent Dad, are the computers coming from that guy we saw at Lombo's"

"Oh Fred? Yeah - heh- that's an option. Goody suggested that and Deke was impressed, they can go with Fred or get the Gateways in the moo-cow boxes like we have at the school."

"Hear that gang, he's schmart."

Irene coughs conspicuously and Ned warns, 

"It's a trick."

Nick grunts.

Deej lowers her voice again, "You know we're proud of you, and I'm sure old Tuttle will lick it right up."

Nick has to laugh.

"Okay I have no idea why I said that."

Nick laughs harder and gets slapped, then eggs her on,

"What's old Tuttle like then?"

"Typical old fart. You'll be right at home."

Nick just grunts. 

Before long Deej digs an emery board out of her purse and starts whisking away. 

For some reason Nick thinks to ask her quietly, 

"When did you drink your first beer?"

"Grandpa."

This gets them both laughing deliciously.

"Howbout you?"

"Noreen."

"Nice."

"That was right after a strange experience, long story."

"I got time."

So Nick relates the Delano saga.

"Wow, hell of a way to earn a beer."

"Or half of one."

"We'll have to share one sometime."

"We'll have to sneak one sometime."

She plants another one on his head.

Nick probably dozes off to be awakened by Ned, "Touchdown Bears."

"Finally," Deej offers.

"Do you follow 'em hon?”

"Well...how shall I put this...after a while you learn the best time to ask Daddy for something is when they're up by two or three TDs."

Ned chuckles.

Irene, "I'll remember that."

"Good luck," Ned fires back.

Nick chuckles, then realizes he has a gas pocket, lets it slide, thousand one...thousand two...

"God Deej, crack a window, that's nasty."

He feels drafts from more than one window coming down about an inch.

"Yeah right, I don't think so," Deej fires back.

Irene turns around, "At least he didn't ask you to clap and make a gas sandwich."

"WHAT?" This gets Deej fired up, laughs hysterically and struggles to keep quiet.

"Those boys, I had -" then she turns facing the doors to let Ned hear the radio, "I had to keep hiding the bread for a while there."

Ned pipes up out of left field, “Just don’t rip one at your grandma’s table like that one time.”

Nick tries a defense, “Hey it...got away from me.”

“I’ll say it did, sounded like a tire shop with the impact wrench, THDDDDDT-THDDDDDDDDDT”

At this point Deej is about to fly apart but grabs Nick by the waist and uses his back as a sound shield, and this goes on for a solid minute, 

"You gonna make it there sport?"

She bites his back and goes off into another full-lung gale, "Ohh," then a series of discrete burps as she taps her sternum.

"Deej?"

After some gasps, "Yeah I'll live, god Nick..." and soon gets her head back near his and pulls him in for sugar. 

Irene offers a Kleenex, Deej accepts, "Thanks I was about to use his shirt."

"Why not, he does."

Nick grunts.

Out comes the compact, she mutters, “So much for mascara,” fusses with it for a bit leans against Nick.

"Hi."

"Alright, so what was the funniest thing you ever did?"

"Hmmm...OK, well there was the time, I was about nine probably and we would hang out at the neighbors. One time they had some Koolaid packets sitting out and I did a bad thing."

"Okay..."

"Snuck one home and...<sighs>...I always had my own cup at the kitchen sink, I put the powder in there and filled up the cup with water, it just sat at the bottom so I put my hand on the top and shook it up, and it kept squirting out and went everywhere."

Nick starts to laugh quietly.

"Shut up...well I hear someone coming to the kitchen so I try to hide the evidence and drink it down...man I thought I was gonna die right there."

"Pretty intense."

"It was the kind you add your own sugar, so yeah, couldn't swallow so it went everywhere."

"My hero."

"Shut up you...fartclapper."

"Clap on PPPPT PPPT clap off PPT."

She covers his mouth and Irene takes a swat for good measure.

"Yeah I got marched back and had to 'fess up, still had it allllll over me."

"Talk about being caught red handed."

"Red chested, faced, you name it."

Nick fishes for a response but comes up empty, they are getting close to destination anyway so he sits up and pulls Deej in. 

She just smiles and drinks in the new world passing by.

Before long they pull in. Ned is first in, finds the game already on TV and Nick grabs the crock pot.

Gramma guides him to the spot at the counter and gets her hug, then the introduction,

"This is Danielle, Danni ...Deejay."

"Good to meet you dear, call me June."

"Nice to finally meet you, June."

"Have you been friends for long?"

Nick jumps in, "She's the strawberry."

June gets this wide eyed look of surprise, "Wow you have known each other a while?"

Deej is just as surprised, in a full lung voice,"Strawberry?" The irony of her turning as red as one is almost too much.

"Oh he told Paps about you once and he just loved asking Nick about you, seemed you two stopped talking after a while?"

Nick rescues, "Yeah it's a long story."

"June do you need any help?" Deej offers as an escape.

"Sure, if you'd like to set the table."

Nick steps over to the couch to escape a most menacing side-eye from Deej as she heads to wash her hands.

He watches a few plays and cut to ad break. Bears are beating Tampa Bay but seems everyone beats Tampa Bay.

Before long the table is set and Deej plants right next to him for interrogation,

"Strawberry?" 

Nick sighs, "Paps asked me if I was talking to any girls and so he asked what you're like, I said a tall pretty strawberry with freckles."

She just holds her stare then sighs, "Swanson, what am I gonna do with you?" then sneaks a peck, and adds, "And you couldn't have warned me?"

He shrugs, "Oops."

"Mmmm hmmm." She notices the score, "Isn't this about the best they've done all year?"

Ned speaks up, "Just about, pretty sure Ditka has run his course."

"Sounds like it."

Nick remembers, "Didn't you have a tape of that Superbowl Shuffle?"

She smiles, "It was one of the few secular songs Sam and I could dance around to, well, at least from this century."

"Figures."

"Soups on!" 

"Come an get it!"

June offers grace then immediately wants to know everything from the young'uns.

They gracefully recount their history, well, mostly Deej does most of the recounting as Nick feels like he's on a keg of dynamite.

Ned somehow manages to sit with a view of the TV. 

Once the narrative reaches present tense, June asks the inevitable, "Have you talked about marriage?"

Ned steps in, "Mom."

Deej looks at Nick with a grin, "We've talked about it."

Nick fesses, "Actually we talked about how to field that question."

This blows up the table and even Ned chuckles, "That's muh boyyy."

From there the topics bounce around to the usual. Gramma made her killer pot roast that he didn't learn to appreciate until late in high school, it practically falls apart when you look at it.

Irene had supplied a pot of scalloped potatoes so June wouldn't have to do so much, but she made green bean casserole so they're all set with a pie in the oven still.

Nick waits a bit before taking his plate to the sink but decides to take a walk, always has to visit the old shack and see what it has to say. He only needs to stand at the door, even with the equipment gone and the space redone as a semi-functional office this is a place of reverence. Someone had placed an ornamental microphone there as a nice touch, Nick would like to see similar as a code key, might have to ask around.

About then he senses a presence then a face next to his own and arms around him. After a few seconds, he observes, "I think I can still smell the cherry pipe tobacco."

Deej takes a couple breaths, "Smells more like strawberry," then offers a peck.

"He would have loved you."

She just squeezes tighter. "So did you get all his stuff?"

"Most of it, he donated the amp to a club, but other than that Gramma said to get it cleared out and we went to work, hardest thing I ever did."

Deej just sighs. "Sometimes it's best to rip off the bandaid and let the wound heal."

"Yeah, she needed to change this around." He taps her hand and they head back to the living room.

Third quarter just started and pie is cooling. This is a good place to be.

Nick turns to Deej, "Want a tour of outside or shoot some pool?"

"It's nice out, let's do that first."

Naturally the centerpiece is the tower footing. Jim had made arrangements for the local yokels to take it all down so June wouldn't have to worry about it, now it seems like a special concrete memorial.

"Did you get to play out here a lot?"

"Yeah sometimes, mostly before the privacy fence went up. I think they got tired of all the urchins messing up the grass and flowerbeds."

"Why do I get the feeling you would do that sooner than later?"

"Put up fences? Hell yeah."

"At's muh boyyy," and she pats his rear.

They head inside and proceed to the basement, Nick narrates, "Sometimes Mom and Dad shoot a few when we're here."

Deej racks 'em up then makes a saucy approach while chalking her cue, "Flip ya for the break?"

"I'll end up SPLAT against a wall."

"Ok you break."

"So...I hit right on the 1 or between it and another?"

"Ok I'll break." She gets into position, lines up the shot a little, then fumbles with her top buttons to show cleavage, throws him a wink, then sends 'em all over creation, sinking one.

"I take it they had one of these things at Asstickle?"

"Maybe."

"Worse ways to blow off steam."

"Absolutely."

So they continue on with more or less a game of 8-ball and Deej throwing her moves around and trying not to laugh at herself, which is what makes it all pop. At one point she almost scratches when trying a shot behind her back.

Nick finally gets the last one in, and she slithers over, 

"Well well, looks like you have no...more...balls."

"Maybe I could scare up a couple more," pulls her in and the expected shenanigans start, she wraps that leg around and he works things up and around, when there's a voice from up the stairs, 

"Pie is ready!"

Nick whispers, "Oh I bet it is."

"Not for you it's not," as Deej pulls back, flashes a smirk and stares him down while buttoning back up then storms up the stairs. 

Nick follows but she has enough lead to suggest, "Nick should only get a gas sandwich."

He can hear his mom laugh the hardest, then rounds the corner to ask what kind of pie.

Deej fires off, "Sorry, not strawberry," which lands her an even bigger laugh.

June rescues him, "Nick it's blueberry and you can have some as my guest. After this fine young lady gets hers of course."

Deej sticks out her tongue at him and and on it goes.

They end up on the couch with said pie, and she admits, "Why did you never bring me up here before?"

"Thought about it, but there was the Tim situation."

"Oh. Yeah. Still..."

"We would have had to tie him to the hood."

"Or you."

Nick flashes a flat glance between bites.

"Well, for the record, you really do know how to show a girl a good time."

"Just going with the flow."

"And?"

Nick just shakes his head.

Game is wrapping up and they usually don't stay long on these trips since June has a group thing around 5 on Sundays.

After a bit more standing around Nick returns the crock pot - ooh, with some pot roast in it - to its rightful spot in the wagon's rear deck, then back in to hug Gramma. It never struck him till now how well she does on her own, another strong, independent gal in the mix.

The gals lead the way out and Deej takes Irene's arm, 

"Think these here males can get us home while we catch up."

"That's a wonderful idea."

Ned tosses Nick the keys, "Daddy's tired, let's see if you can still drive this thing. We'll have to fuel up at the usual spot."

As they're getting started Deej asks, "Hon did you really take your driver test in this wagon?"

"Yipper do."

"And what scores?"

"I think 85 on the cones and 90 on the driving. Can you beat that?"

"Pass."

The gals laugh and so it goes. At the refueling stop Ned grabs a coffee for Nick and big Sunday Tribune while prepaying, gives him something to focus on and probably fall asleep with. Once they get started he quickly dials in the late game and is all set, just like at home.

Falcons and 49ers, the latter of those gives Nick a few things to ponder as the road stretches out. Thankfully the coffee has cream, it has surely been sitting there all day. This situation always brings to mind the Far Side where the buzzards are glad for ketchup when a carcass is not so fresh.

"Dad did cream this for me? Awww."

"Yeah it was pretty ripe. Should put some hair on your chest."

From the back, "You just made Danni  blush."

"My strawberry," Nick can't resist.

"I'd flick your ear if you weren't driving," she warns.

With military stealth, Ned reaches over and gives the wheel a quick hitch, causes gasps in the back seat.

"EDGAR WAYNE!" admonishes Irene.

Nick shakes his head, "Mom just went nuclear, you heard it here first." He can hear Deej pretty amused back there then they go back to their murmuring.

The western sky takes on clouds in a dramatic, almost foreboding structure and overtakes the sun. Somehow this reminds him of the grunge scene, all the sadness and angst, party is over. Strange how grunge was a few years too late it likely would have fit his latter high school malaise pretty well. It’s also sort of…industrial, in a way, like those machine labs at the campus, or all the factories he’s passed on trips, with no idea what they make. Although, he’s keenly aware that tucked in the Chicago suburbs is one that makes electrolytic capacitors.

Nick doesn't make much progress with the coffee and chugs it down at room temperature as they reach town. Everyone had pretty much chilled out for the ride home except for Deej leaning up to his left and subtly asking if they could rest a bit before she heads home.

Once they do arrive Nick dutifully returns the crock pot and finds a message on the machine, from Sam for her big sis, so he relays it once Deej is done in the bathroom. Nick takes his turn draining some coffee and finds her wrapping up the callback.

"She's just wanting to know when I'll get back, told her about an hour," after which she holds the same gaze as by the pool table.

"You really were something throwing that cue around."

She just pushes the door to the nearly-closed state that shields them from most intrusion and makes a glance toward the shades, which Nick draws. She holds the same gaze while unbuttoning her blouse all the way this time then she lies down on the bed, leaned on one arm.

Nick takes his place and lets her lead, and at that she doesn't take her time, pretty soon has his shirt up and jeans undone and fishes out the Joker. She's very determined and works her magic, after bout a minute he whispers,

"You're a bad girl today."

She uses one hand to undo her own jeans and pull them down some, 

"You gonna spank me?"

He's simply awed by her knack but at the same time this is classic Deej taken to a whole new level. From here it's not long till the moment is approaching and she uses her teeth a little here and there, and it lasts quite a while and he has no choice but to collapse. She repacks him and he helps get his jeans back up, then realizes there's no mess. 

"Umm, where did that end up?"

She giggles as she gets into place resting on his shoulder.

"You didn't," he presses.

"Mmmmm hmmm," more giggles and a peck on the cheek, "now I have some of you to take home."

Nick has no choice but to doze off, then finally gets his wits,

"You're pure magic when you wanna be, lady."

"Maybe I just get inspired in the right ways."

He starts rubbing her back and gets a hand beneath her open blouse but she squeezes him still.

"Hon-"

"This is what you get for showing me a good time and treating me like you do, just relax."

"I want to taste you."

She shivers, then sighs, "Nicky...you know how self conscious I am, don't mean to be, but things need to be cleaned up first."

"Howbout your tummy?"

Another shiver. Silence.

She loosens her grip and he pulls her in for a good once over, tongues and all but maneuvering all around her back and stomach, ignoring the girls until she offers. Eventually he rolls her onto her back and starts kissing further southward and she pulls her bra up, so he pays appropriate respect, then slowly approaches the navel. His hands start to work her jeans a bit and she coos, and just a few seconds later she gasps and twitches. Silence.

He returns to his original position but this girl is out cold. Nick pulls his own shirt off but puts her headlights away, then carefully scoops her around back onto his shoulder and now they can rest a bit.

Nick guesses he dozed off a couple more times before she stirs, clears her throat, and squeaks out, 

"Now who is it working magic?"

"Hey I just go with the flow."

Deej just grunts. Gradually her breathing sounds more wakeful. 

"Does your bed smell like me for long after I've been in it?"

"Not long enough."

She giggles. "Mmm, one of these days things will line up when we get to be totally alone and you'll get full range, I'll do my best to not pop too soon."

"Same here."

She giggles, "I should get home, remember all that shit we carried in? It'll be like Christmas rediscovering what's in the boxes."

"And little sis needs big sis."

"OH, gonna start running with Dad some mornings."

"Can he keep up with you?"

"Heh, I'm the slacker these days so we'll see. But I can feel myself getting sluggish and do not like it."

"Could you teach karate at your level?"

"Yeah as an assistant for the starters."

"Sounds right."

"Well see..." then switches to muppet voice, "VEE SHALL SEE," then pulls him in for more sugar.

"Thanks for this weekend, dear."

"Mmmm this was the best, I seriously don't think I ever laughed that hard."

"Sheesh."

"OH, just thought of something, what's the chance you guys will play golf with Vance, like with your dad and...Tim?"

"I'll have to ask him, was thinking about it but I'll be the rookie stooge - DON'T say it."

She just smiles and pecks his nose.

"Timbutt is about due for a trip home, been since summer, I hear he may bring a someone back too."

Raising her eyebrows, "Really now, is she human?"

"We'll settle for less than three heads."

She chuckles and starts redoing her blouse "Alright tater..<peck>...um, call me?"

"When's best nowadays?"

"Hmm, depends on whether you want me alone or in a group."

"Gotcha."

Nick gets himself back to public appearance while she grabs a brush from her purse and does the same.

They descend the stairs to find Ned asleep under his Tribune and Deej plops down next to Irene to give her a squeeze and a peck.

At her car she gets a mini-once over, more of a quarter-over, and she embarks..

This has been a long day but the wind is low and there's daylight left, so he bundles up a bit and takes a fall bike ride, just for about twenty minutes, but for some reason he thinks of April and wonders how that situation is going, not that the situation makes much sense.

Upon returning he finds Ned staring at the last plays of the game, 

"Dad were you planning to play any more golf one of these days?"

"Hmmm? Oh, maybe, sure been a while."

"I think someone's hoping we can hit a few with Vance, sounds like he's become a real junkie at it. I could rent clubs."

"Yeah we could handicap you to the moon, your boss used to play, all that could be good for a laugh."

"Hmm, I'll see."

Irene just smiles and Nick senses she's in on Deej's angle, one way or another.

But an intricate day like this calls for a soak to clear the head, and so it goes.