He sighed. “It’s not on you, kiddo. I need…. Can you find different friends? Why aren’t we enough?” He sounded miserable.
“It’s not the same.”
“You need to be careful.”
“Why?”
“Forget it, Ox. Just watch yourself.”
“GOT A strange call from Gordo,” Mom said one night.
“What?”
“Wanted me to keep you away from next door.”
“What?”
She looked confused. “Said they were bad news.”
“Mom—”
“I told him to leave it alone.”
“Something crawled up his ass,” I said.
She frowned. “Watch your mouth. You’re not at the shop.”
I BURST through the office door. “What the hell is your problem?”
“You’ll thank me one day,” he said. He didn’t look away from the computer. Like he didn’t have the fucking time of day.
“Too bad she doesn’t give a shit what you think. She said I’m old enough to make my own choices.”
That got his attention. He was pissed.
I stormed out.
HE WANTED to drive me home every day after work. I laughed and told him to fuck off.
“OX! LOOK how many french fries I can fit in my mouth!” Joe then proceeded to shove at least thirty into that gaping maw, making little snarly sounds as he did.
“Gross,” Carter groaned. “This is why you don’t get to go out in public.”
Kelly snorted. “You’re just trying to impress the waitress.”
Carter punched him on the shoulder. “She’s hot. She go to our school, Ox?”
“Think so. Senior.”
“I am so going to hit that this year.”
“Ah, the joys of young love,” Mark sighed. “Joe, don’t put french fries up your nose.”
“Hit that?” Kelly asked, incredulous. “Dude. Gross.”
“Oh, I’m sorry if I offended your delicate sensibilities. I meant make love to.”
“Please don’t tell Thomas or Elizabeth anything about this,” Mark begged me. “I’m a good uncle, I swear.”
“Ox, hey, Ox! I’m a french fry walrus. Look! Look—”
They all stilled at the same time. Mark’s hands curled into fists on the table. “Stay here,” he growled. He was up and out the door before I could speak.
“What the hell?” I asked.
Kelly tried to follow him, but Carter held him back. “Let me go, Carter!”
“No,” Carter said. “We stay here. Ox and Joe. You know this.”
Kelly nodded and stood next to the table, arms crossed, like he was guarding anyone from coming over.
I looked out the window of the diner.
Mark was across the street. With Gordo. They were not happy to see each other.
“Motherfucker,” I muttered.
I pushed my way out of the booth. Kelly grabbed my arm and said, “No, Ox, you can’t just—” but I snarled at him something fierce and his eyes went wide and he stepped back.
“Joe, you stay here,” I snapped over my shoulder.
Joe’s eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth to retort, but I cut him off, telling Kelly to watch him. Carter was up and followed me out the door without a word.
I only caught bits and pieces of the conversation as I approached. There was no context, no way for me to understand. I saw the look of fury on Gordo’s face. The harsh set of Mark’s jaw.
“Gordo, it’s not the same—”
“You left. I kept this town safe and you fucking left—”
“We had to, we couldn’t—”
“I’ll put up wards around him. Strengthen the ones around his house. You’ll never—”
“It’s his choice, Gordo. He’s old enough to—”
“You leave him out of this. He is not part of this.”
“You know what happened to Joe. He’s helping Joe, Gordo. He’s fixing him.”
Gordo took a step back. “You fucking bastard. You can’t use—”
“Gordo!”
He looked over at me, eyes wide. “Ox, you get your ass over here. Now.”
“What the fuck is your problem, man?” I asked him. I pushed past Mark and stood in front of Gordo, inches from him. I’d never used my size to intimidate anyone before.
But that’s okay because Gordo wasn’t intimidated, even when we both seemed to realize at the same time that I’d grown taller than him over the last few months. He had to look up at me now. “You need to get behind me, Ox. Let me deal with this.”
“With what? You didn’t tell me you knew them. What’s going on?”
He took a step back. His hands were fisted at his sides. His tattoos looked brighter than normal. “Old family drama,” he said through gritted teeth. “Long story.”
“I get this, okay?” I said, motioning between the two of us. “I get this. But you can’t tell me what to do. Not about this. I’m not doing anything wrong.”
“It’s not about you—”
“Sure as hell seems like it.”
He closed his eyes. Took a deep breath. Let it out slowly. “Ox. I need you safe.”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” I didn’t understand.
“Shit,” Mark muttered. “He’s your tether.” He chuckled darkly. “Oh, the fucking irony.”
Gordo’s eyes flashed open. He tried to step around me, but I wouldn’t let him. “Take a walk, man,” I told him. “Cool off.”
He snarled at me but turned and walked away.
I whirled on Mark. “What the hell was that?”
He was watching Gordo walk away. “Old family drama.”
“What?”
“It doesn’t matter, Ox,” he said. “Ancient history.”
I ASKED Gordo to explain. I asked him how he knew Mark and the others. Why he had lied to me and acted like he didn’t know them at all.
He just scowled until I walked away.
I ASKED Mark how he knew Gordo. Mark looked sad, and I couldn’t handle that so I told him I was sorry and never brought it up again.
IT WAS the last Sunday dinner before school started. Joe and I sat on the porch watching the trees.
“I wish I could go with you,” he muttered.
“Next year, yeah?”
He shrugged. “I guess. It’s not the same. You won’t be around as much.”
I put my arm over his shoulder. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“I’m scared.”
“Of?”
“Things are changing,” he whispered.
I was too. More than he could ever know. “They will. They have to. But you and me? I promise that won’t ever change.”
“Okay.”
“Happy birthday, Joe.”
He laid his head on my shoulder and his nose brushed my neck. He breathed me in as we watched the sunset. It was pink and orange and red and I couldn’t think of a single place I’d rather be.