Chapter Five

 

<><> Chris <><>

 

“What’s all that stuff laid out on the dining room table?” Jackie asks, hoisting a full basket of laundry up onto her hip. “Looks complicated.”

I pour myself a glass of juice. “My latest landscaping project. The homeowner gave me a green light for any kind of design I want.”

Jackie puts the basket down on a chair and starts folding stuff as I sit down to eat my breakfast.

“What’s the plan? I bet you’re bursting with ideas.”

“Totally. I can’t believe I’ve been given this kind of opportunity. It’s overwhelming.”

“You can handle it.”

“I know. Just gotta focus. It’s hard when there are so many options.”

“Is money an issue?”

“She has a budget, but she’s throwing out some expensive ideas. I have to be realistic. Some people get carried away and when they get the final bill they’re upset. Don’t want that to happen with this project.”

“Is the lady nice?”

“Yeah, but I get the impression she’s sick or something.”

Jackie pauses and looks at me. “What, you mean like sick in the head?”

“No. Like a serious illness sick.”

“That’s personal, Chris. Don’t ask even if you suspect something. If she wants to tell you she will.”

“I know,” I say, digging into my Captain Crunch. “And there’s something else about the project that has me stressing.”

“Oh yeah? What?” Jackie stacks matched socks in a neat little pile beside my placemat. Everything in Jackie’s life is stacked neatly, carefully, so everything doesn’t tumble. She’s had to have her shit together since my dad left. So far, we haven’t had any landslides.

“It’s a funny story. Remember I told you about Simon towing that girl’s car a few weeks ago? Well, the house belongs to one of the friends’ that was there that night. The good looking one.”

Jackie glances over. “Better be careful, honey. Don’t mix business with pleasure. It’s bound to bite you in the ass.”

“No, it’s not like that. This girl seems way out of my league. She would never give me a second look.”

“You really know how to sell yourself short, kid.” Jackie pulls on my earlobe and carries on folding laundry.

“It’s true.”

“Where’s the stress? If you’re invisible to her, just pretend she’s invisible to you and focus on your project.”

“Can’t do that. She’s impossible not to notice. Besides, I’m stressed because I’d really like her to know I’m alive.”

Jackie puts a hand on my shoulder. “Honey, don’t screw up this opportunity. Al’s never given you this much independence with a project before. If you get involved with this girl and then break up with her before the project is done, it could damage your reputation. Do your best so this woman gives you a stellar reference. Think ahead.”

Damage my reputation, that’s a good one. Little does Jackie know how damaged it already is. “You’re right. I’ll try to keep my distance.”

“That’s a good idea. Now,” Jackie piles the folded laundry back into the basket, “take this when you’re done and put your clothes away. Put the basket back in the laundry room after. And can you run to the grocery store on your way home from work? I won’t have time between jobs.”

“Sure.”

“There’s a list on the counter. Add what you want to it. There should be enough in the joint account.”

Jackie and I pool some of our paychecks each month to cover food expenses. I pay for part of our rent too since it’s only fair, especially since most guys my age have already left home. Well, everyone I know except Casper anyways. He still lives out in the country on his family farm. Even he technically has his own place since he sleeps in an outbuilding near the barn.

“I’ve gotta get to work,” Jackie says and then kisses my temple. “See you tonight.”

“Yep.”

I appreciate my mom’s thoroughness, and she rarely nags me, but it’s times like these when I feel like an overgrown kid. I know Jackie doesn’t mean to make me feel that way, but she’s a mom and it comes with the territory. I can’t fight that gnawing little voice telling me it’s time to find my own place.

After Jackie leaves for her waitressing job, I get to work finishing up the portfolio for Mrs. Pritchard’s backyard. Being Thursday, I’m meeting her at four today so the pressure’s on. I go over every last detail on the final plans, wanting to please her more than any other client I’ve ever worked with. Wanting to please her daughter the hot brunette even more. Al doesn’t need me until Monday, so I officially declare the next three days a holiday. This afternoon’s meeting should only take half an hour at the most and then I’ll be free.

Finishing the portfolio with five hours to spare, I take the laundry downstairs to my bedroom, dump it onto the end of my bed, and begin tossing socks and underwear into the already open dresser drawer. After taking the laundry basket back to the laundry room, I crawl into bed and relax for a while, wondering what other people my age are doing on a Thursday morning in June. I know Simon’s working. My brother Kyle is packing up his dorm room and getting ready for Uncle Terry to pick him up from College and bring him home for the summer. He stayed two months longer to finish up some credits. Guys from my crew are working at another landscaping site until they join my project on Monday. Basically, everyone my age is either at work or at school. The only person left standing is Casper. I haven’t seen him much lately since he’s working non-stop at his new job. When he’s not working, he’s usually grooming horses or preparing the fields on his family farm.

Reaching over for my cell, I take a chance and call Cas. It rings…a lot. After dropping his phone in a pond on our last landscaping job, it’s impossible to leave a message anymore. Just when I’m about to hang up, he answers.

“Yeah?”

“Cas!” I say, all enthusiastic.

“Hey,” his voice sounds mellow.

“What’s up?”

“Nothin’. Got home late so I’m just waking up. Thanks for that.”

“For what?”

“Waking me up. Didn’t really want to.”

“Sorry, man. Want to do something?”

“Yeah, sure. What time is it?”

“Eleven. I’ve gotta be somewhere at four, but I’m free till then.”

“Kay.” Silence. I can tell Cas is half comatose.

“What’d you do last night?” I ask.

He exhales as if trying to remember. “We had a show and then a bunch of the crew hit a bar in Canada.”

“Niagara Falls?”

“Yeah.”

“Which bar?”

“A new one. It was shit. Still, we ended up staying way too late.”

“How was the border, busy?”

“No. Got right back without any problems. How come you’re home today?”

“Next job starts Monday.”

“Hmm. When’s Kyle home?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Lets do something this weekend, a welcome back party. Oh, wait, maybe he has plans with his girlfriend.”

“Bettina doesn’t get home for another week. She took two spring courses too, same as Kyle.”

“Hmm. Overachievers much?”

“Exactly. A party sounds good. Where?”

“Is Jackie around?”

“Nope. She’s working.”

“Then your place.”

“Sure. Want to do something?”

“I’ve gotta help my dad in the field. Maybe it’s a good thing you did wake me up. Don’t want him ripping into me.”

“Are you guys baling hay already?”

“My dad is making us since the forecast’s calling for rain this weekend. Rain’s the quickest way to ruin the hay quality. Trying to be ahead of the weather.”

“What can I do?”

“You wanna help drive the tractor? It’s only for a couple hours. We could use your help. My dad called me a lazy fuck last night, so my incentive is low just to spite him. Can’t he see how much I’m working? He thinks this whole Medieval Ages thing in a waste of my time.”

“Parents. Don’t sweat it, Cas. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

“Thanks.”