laugh. “That’s right. I forgot why I came in here. The party. It’s not a party. Just a couple friends. Do you mind?”
“Nope. I don’t mind. We’re not here to inconvenience you. You want a party in your home, then you can have one. Don’t make it stupid big, keep the psychos out and away from my son. No drugs. And we’ve got a deal.”
“Seriously, it’s not a party. Just a get together for us guys. Just the original crew from down Piper’s Lane. Not a party.”
I nod confidently. But inside, I’m shivering. “No drugs. No psychos. If they wake Bobby too many times, you’re all dead to me.”
He grins and pushes off the wall. “Deal. I’m going back to work now.”
“Why’d you wait for Bry not to be here to ask? Why didn’t you just ask him at work?”
He turns back with a smile. “Because you would’ve deferred to each other. He woulda said it’s up to you. You would’ve said yes just to make him happy. I wanted a real answer, so I divided…” His head cocks to the side. “Devode? Devud?” He chuckles softly. “I got you apart to get a real answer. But I gotta get back to work now. Catch ya, Nell.”
“Geo, wait!”
He spins back one last time. “Yeah?”
“Is he happy there at the garage? He’s eating, sitting at break times, not working himself to death?”
He grins knowingly. “What do you think?”
“I think there’s a reason you’re here right now at lunch time, and he isn’t. I think he’s working through lunch and smashing down his peanut butter sandwiches while he works.”
He taps the wall with his knuckles. “And there you have it. Times that by six days a week, an hour a day, that’s almost a whole extra day of pay he’s bringing in for you guys.”
I get why he does it. I love that he works so hard for us. “I worry that he’s always working so hard. When does he get to rest?”
Geo watches on with horrified fascination as I duck forward and whip the mop bucket off Bobby’s head as he passes through. “When do you stop, Nell?” He points at my son. “You’ve been here a week. Your kid never sleeps more than an hour at a time. You’re baking another. You serve your man, and now that you’re here, you serve me, too. You never eat your own dinner when it’s hot, because your kid would rather take chunks outta the table with his spoon than eat.”
My heart pounds with anxiety. “Does Bobby bother you? The not sleeping. The table. I know he’s a handful.” Please don’t kick us out. Please don’t add more stress to Bryan’s workload.
He laughs softly. “He doesn’t bother me one bit. He wakes, but he ain’t my problem, so I go straight back to sleep. The table came off the side of the road. The spoons came from the local Salvation Army. I love having you guys here, so don’t freak about that. I’m just saying, you’re worrying about your man changing sparkplugs and hauling wood, but you don’t sleep, either. When was the last time you sat down? Legit question.” When I shrug, his lips come up arrogantly. “You sat for thirty seconds last night, until Bobby almost peeled his own fingernail up with the spoon. Then you stood and busted your back as you leaned over him.”
“I sat when Bryan pulled me into his lap.”
“And now you know why he’s always pulling you into his lap. All I’m saying is, this ain’t the first time I’ve had this conversation, but last time was with Bry, about three hours ago, and he was worrying about you. He was asking me if I knew of anything else going for weekends. He wants more work. More money. He wants to buy you all the pretty things, Nell.”
“I’d rather spend my time with him than wear jewelry.”
He grins. “Which is why I lied and said I didn’t know of anything else.”
The following Saturday night, almost two weeks after we moved back to town, I stand in the room Bryan and I share with Bobby, with his crib pressed up against our bed, and the other side of the bed pressed up against the wall.
This apartment is small. It’s enough; beggars can’t be choosers, and I’m not complaining.
But it’s small.
I stand in front of the mirror and smooth my dress over my tiny little pudge belly. I barely showed with Bobby until I was closer to five