False Start (Love and Skate) (8 page)

Rex

Popeye the Sailor Man

Lived in a frying pan

Turn on the gas

Burn up his ass

Popeye the Sailor Man

             
How did I get myself into these things?

             
Reed was having her baby and I’d volunteered to keep the monkeys so everyone could be there.

             
I sat at Owen’s kitchen table with Cyrus and Scout, who were mixing every color of Play-Doh together into a huge ball. I was more than positive they weren’t supposed to be doing that but by the time I caught them, it was too late.

             
“Uncle Rex, we’re hungry. Can you make us a grilled cheese?”             

             
“Yeah!” Cyrus agreed.

             
“Okay, but don’t violate each other or anything while I’m gone in the kitchen.”’

             
“Oh, we’ll be good.”

             
Rule number one of babysitting Scout Alessandra Black, never ever trust a damned word she says. She’s too smart for her own good. And she’s a sneaky little sapsucker. At the same time she was sweet as could be and I loved the tike. She had me wrapped around her finger.

             
“Ok, I’ll be right back.”

             
I went into the kitchen and got out the bread, butter and cheese. I heated up the griddle side of the stove and got to work. After a few second I heard Scout talking to Cyrus but it sounded more like she was talking to someone else. It was like a one way conversation.

             
A few minutes later, I went back to the table with four grilled cheeses—one for Scout and three for Cyrus. He was a big boy and ate Owen and Nellie into the ground. But boys will be boys.

             
“I like Ms. Hayes, she’s nice.”

             
“I like her too. I need to call her.”

             
“Don’t worry she’ll be over soon.”

             
When Scout said things like that it always came across a little on the creepy side. Her smile when she was up to something reminded me of the older lady on Legion, the one that crawled on the ceiling. Nixon and Journey joked that one day they were going to wake up with her in their faces like Bride of Chucky.

             
“Sure she will.”

             
“I gave her the address.”

             
“Do you know your address?”

             
“Duh, Uncle Rex.”

             
“Oh yeah, and how did you give it to her?”

             
“On your phone, I called her.” She held up my phone and I gasped.

             
“You didn’t.”

             
“Yes, I did.”

             
“Scout, it’s almost ten at night.”

             
“That’s what I told her. I told her we were up playing and eating instead of being in bed.”

             
“You’re bluffing.”

             
She shrugged, “You’ll see in a few minutes.”

             
“Ok, eat, and then let’s brush your teeth so you can get to bed.”

             
They ate quickly and went to brush their teeth. Scout had to stand on the stool and give Cyrus a lesson in pushing up from the bottom of the tube.

             
They were already in their pajamas so they both crawled in Owen and Nellie’s bed and made me put on Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

             
I got a text from Mad saying that Reed was about to have the babies. I decided to call Hayes.

             
“Hello?”

             
“Hi. Is it too late to call?”

             
“Um, no. Are you okay?”

             
“Yes, why?”

             
“Well, I got a call from Scout telling me you had them up playing when they should be in bed. Then she asked me to make her a triple chocolate cake. She also asked me to come over there. She said lots of things. And apparently Reed is having her babies.”

             
I laughed into the phone, “Wow, you know, I didn’t believe her. She told me she called you.”             

             
“Believe it.”

             
“Well, I was going to call you tonight anyway, but then I had babysitting duty since everyone else is at Falcon’s house waiting for the babies. It’s been a wild night, I’m sorry.”

             
“No, don’t be sorry. I’m glad you called. Are they asleep now?”

             
“They are in bed watching a movie. Cyrus is probably long gone, but Scout will stay up until I turn it off.”

             
“Well, I don’t want to keep you.”

             
“I had a great time last night. I just wanted you to know it. And then I was going to stop by the bakery this morning but my cell phone died, so my alarm didn’t go off. When can I take you out again?”

             
She ‘hmmm’ed into the phone and I imagined how her lips would look while she made that sound, “I have team dinner on Friday night but that may be cancelled now, bout on Saturday. Vera wanted to go to the Aquarium on Saturday, like a double date with her and her husband, but only if you want to. Otherwise we can go somewhere else.”

             
A double date with a married couple? I was bad enough one on one, I could only imagine how much of a clunkerhead I’d turn into in front of people. But that was the deal in Pretty in Pink, Duckie ultimately approved their relationship. Is that what this was—the best friend approving? Why was I taking Falcon’s advice to get instructions from an eighties movie?

             
“Sure, what time?”             

             
“How about you and I go to lunch, pick me up at noon and then we can go to the aquarium afterwards.”

             
“Sounds good. I’d better go turn off the DVD so the little red head can go to sleep.”

             
“Rex?”

             
“Yeah?”

             
“That was the best date I’ve had—well, like ever.”

             
“Me too.”

             
“Goodnight.”

             
“Goodnight.”

              I turned off the DVD in Owen and Nellie’s room and much to my surprise, Scout was already asleep next to a snoring Cyrus. I texted Mad and he texted back: Any minute now.

             
I flipped channels on their TV and ended up watching re-run after re-run of Storage Wars. I started to doze off and then the sound woke me up, it was him, screaming my name, banging flat palmed on the wall next to my bedroom. Deciding I needed coffee I walked into the kitchen and got a text. It was nearly four by then: We have nieces, Victory and Veyda. All is well.

             
I texted back: Tell them congrats for me.

             
Mad: Will do, Owen is on his way home to relieve you.

             
I made the coffee anyway. I’d need it to get through the morning. Knowing Hayes was already awake, I texted her.

             
Me: There’s two new baby girls, Victory and Veyda Black.

             
Hayes: Such cute names! Tell them congrats for me. I’m making ham and cheese stuffed croissants, want?

             
Me: Yes, I want. What time do you open?

             
Hayes: Come around back, knock on the door anytime.

             
Me: Deal.

              Owen got home sometime later and I was given the phone slideshow of pictures of the girls. They were both blonde, but one had blue eyes and one had green eyes. They were precious. Owen told me how Reed had no pain meds, nothing. She was tough as nails.

             
I went home quickly, showered, grabbed my backpack and drove to the bakery. I walked around to the side, through the alley and towards the back. I knocked on the door and Vera answered.

             
“There’s an epic joke to be made about you coming to the back door, I just don’t have the energy to make it.”

             
Hayes walked up behind her, “Would you stop it? Your sexual jokes get worse and worse while Colt’s gone.”

             
“Good morning, Hayes.”

             
“Good morning. You can’t come in, health codes and all that jazz and the front doesn’t open until seven. But I have your food ready.” She handed me a white bag and a coffee cup.

             
“How much?”

             
“Nope, on the house.”

             
“Thanks.”

             
“I need to get back.” She pointed back into the bakery which smelled like flour and yeast and heaven. She had a small circle, a fingerprint of flour on her cheek. And though her brown hair was coated with a film of flour, I couldn’t resist.

             
“You have,” I used my thumb to brush away the flour and then shrugged, not knowing if that was creepy or weird.

             
“Thanks.”

             
“You’re welcome.”

             
There was some guy calling her, asking her about a birthday cake and I waved, knowing she needed to get back to work. She closed the door behind her. Walking back to my car, I opened the bag. She’d packed two ham and cheese croissants. I could see the melted cheese peeking out from the dough. And there was a pink piece of paper in the bag too. I pulled it out and smiled, she’d written:
Made these just for you. We don’t sell these ordinarily. Thought maybe those muscles needed more protein in the morning.
And then she drew a wink face and signed her name.

             
I had to text her.

             
Me: Best breakfast ever. Thank you.

             
Even though I hadn’t even taken a bite, I knew it would be good. So far, Hayes was winning in the romance department. I’d have to do something worthy of a kiss on Saturday.

             
But I didn’t know what in the hell that entailed.

             
And Falcon, my advisor, was out of commission.

              Later on, rushing from school to work, I got a text from Falcon giving me a list of things to get done. We’d prepared for this. Of course, we didn’t think it would be so soon, Reed was a couple of weeks early, but I knew how to take over for him. Sitting at his desk, I flitted through emails and alerts on all his accounts and took care of everything pressing. I decided after finishing everything to go see the babies. I hoped that was okay. I didn’t know if I needed to call first or what. But then if I called first, maybe I would wake them up and I didn’t want to do that either.

             
Social distort.

             
I went over and Chase’s SUV was already in the driveway, so I knew I was okay. I knocked lightly on the door and it was opened almost immediately by Chase.

             
“There he is! We’ve been expecting you.”

             
“You have?”

             
“Of course, you’re the only one who hasn’t seen them.”

             
“I had school and then I had to work.”

             
“Everything okay?” Falcon asked, coming in with a bundle. Already he had darkened crescents hanging below his eyes and he wore a rumpled white t-shirt and gray sweatpants.

             
“I took care of everything urgent. That place runs well. You designed it that way.”

             
He nodded and stood still for a while, “Sit down, this one is Victory, she has the green eyes.”

             
I sat down but then he made a downward motion, “No, no, no, I can’t hold her.”

             
“Why not?”

             
“Because I’ve never held a baby.”

             
“I could rebuild the Berlin Wall with the things you haven’t done. Now…wait, Dad, help me.”