On the Plus Side

I sang along with the radio while I worked on a blown head gasket in an old Chevy. For the first time since I was a boy, I didn’t feel like there was a fifty pound weight on my shoulders.

“You sing like shit,” Jenny said as she threw a piece of candy at me.

I was glad to see she wasn’t affected by the big, traumatic scene from a few weeks before. I had to give it to her, she was tough as nails. I couldn’t be more proud of her.

“More candy? What did Josh do now?”

“He beat the shit out of Justin and embarrassed me at school.”

“Justin?”

“My date that night,” she shrugged. “It wasn’t his fault. He was just being a normal teenager and getting drunk.”

“He shouldn’t have left you alone like that. I’m glad Josh got a piece of him. Anymore news on the guys? I’d love to get my hands on them.”

Jenny could never lie to me. She had a tell sign and for years she’d been trying to get it out of me so that she could make sure she didn’t do it. There was no way in Hell I’d tell her so she could lie in my face. It was the silliest thing, but every time she lied her nostrils flared a bit.

I watched as she shuffled her feet and then turned away.

“Nope, nothing,” she said as she dug into her little bag of candy for another piece.

“Now look me in my face and say that,” I said.

She turned my way and her nostrils flared before she even started to speak

“Cut the shit, Jenny. I’ll just go ask dad. Did they find out who they were or anything?”

“They did, but I don’t want you getting your ass arrested for murder. Just let it go and let the cops deal with it. I’ll tell you if you promise not to touch them. We don’t got the money to bail your crazy ass out of jail.”

“I promise.” I held my hands up.

“You promise what?” She asked.

“I promise I won’t touch them.”

A baseball bat to their knees wasn’t technically me touching them.

She told me and the worst part was I knew the bastards from high school. They were out on bail, so soon, very soon, I’d see them again. Eric Fitch, Ryan Lang, and Chuck Mitchell—I had a bat with their names on it.

“Don’t tell Lilly I told you, OK? She didn’t want to tell you for the same reasons I didn’t want to tell you.”

“I won’t say anything.”

And I wouldn’t.

I felt a tiny sting at knowing that Lilly had withheld information from me, but I guess I can understand why she did.

I stayed home that night, but only because I had a guy bringing over a car super early. Lilly was going back to work tomorrow anyway, so instead, we stayed on the phone until we were both falling asleep.

The next morning I got an early start and spent most of the day working. Life was good and I couldn’t wait to get back over to Lilly’s and be near her.

I heard a car door outside the garage so I walked out and was met with a tall, gangly man standing beside a Mercedes. He was older and balding a little, but still dressed pretty nice. I could tell by looking at him that he wasn’t from Walterboro.

“Can I help you?” I asked.

“I’m looking for a Harold Michaels. Is he here?”

“No sir, but I’m here. What can I do for you?”

“Are you Devin?”

“That’s me.” I suddenly felt uncomfortable with him being here.

He reached out his hand for me to shake it.

“My name’s Dan Archer. It’s nice to meet to you.”

I shook his clammy hand, but I couldn’t say the same. It wasn’t nice to meet him. If anything, he was slowing me down and keeping me from my girl.

“Can I ask what this is about?”

“I’m here about your mom, Laura Michaels.”

I hadn’t heard her name said out loud in so long and it was like slap in the face. He needed to leave.

“She doesn’t live here anymore,” I said dryly.

I turned and rudely walked away. I didn’t know who he was or what the hell he wanted, but anything that had to do with her I wanted no part of.

“Devin, you need to hear this!” He called after me.

“Don’t talk to me like you know me, and I don’t need to hear anything except my shower water. Get lost.”

I turned again.

“Your mom and I were together for the last seven years,” he said loudly.

“Good for you. Although, I wouldn’t be too proud of that if I were you.” I was halfway across the yard when I realized he was following me. “Dude, if you don’t get the hell off of my property I’m gonna kick your ass!” I started back toward him.