He looked at me funny. “What do you mean, gone?”
“Probably at work.”
He stared at me.
“I didn’t hear him go,” he said.
I shrugged and looked out the window.
“You mad at me that I let him in?” he asked.
“A little bit,” I answered truthful y.
“You wanna talk about it?”
I shook my head.
“You wanna talk about anything?”
I shook my head again.
“Al right, girl. I’l give you today. Tomorrow, we’re talkin’
about it.”
“I’m leaving town as soon as I shower and get dressed,” I said.
“How’s Hank feel about that?”
“I don’t know. I don’t care,” I lied about the second part.
Silence.
I looked from the window back to Uncle Tex. He was staring at me again. I think he was finding it hard to keep his peace.
Then he said, “So be it.”
I was surprised he gave in so easily. Surprised and relieved and maybe a little sad. I got up and kissed the top of his head, took my coffee mug and headed to the shower.
* * * * *
I stood on the sidewalk, Uncle Tex next to me, my suitcases on the ground either side of him, staring at my car. “Wel , I’l be,” Uncle Tex said. “Never seen that before.” I slowly turned my head to look at him. He kept staring at my car. Then he went on. “Can’t say this is the best neighborhood, but four slashed tires? That has to be a record.”
“Uncle Tex –” I started.
“Welp!” he boomed, bending over to pick up my suitcases. “Guess you aren’t leavin’ today.” I had a sneaking suspicion my four slashed tires had nothing to do with this being a bad neighborhood.
Uncle Tex walked into the house with my suitcases and didn’t look back.
I turned back to my car and stared at it.
After awhile, I heaved a huge sigh and I went into the house.
* * * * *
I was sitting on the couch, feet up, watching Independence Day and Wil Smith was seriously kicking some alien ass. Uncle Tex had been fielding phone cal s for the last hour.
Jet cal ed. Indy cal ed. Nancy cal ed. Daisy cal ed. Eddie cal ed. Eddie cal ed again. Eddie cal ed a third time. Every time, Uncle Tex covered the mouthpiece and boomed out a name, making the covering-of-the-mouthpiece action moot.