Rude Arrival

 

           Damien came up the stairs with his usual expectation of me-time. 

     His dad called up the stairs.

     "Grab an apron," Damien's dad said to him gruffly.    

     He never talked to his son like that. Well, when it came to doing something his mother asked him, he did, but never about anything Damien needed to do.

     Damien was bewildered, but did as he was told and ran down the stairs to catch up to his dad.

     So much of the load was still being worked through, and it didn't look like Rafael was making much headway, although he was making intimations like he meant to leave.

     His hopes were dashed when Mr. Drummel asked him if he could stay until close.

     "No problem," Mr. Drummel said, although his eyes looked downcast when he agreed to it.

     Damien started working on the load, realizing as time went on that Rafael was making things worse, not better, and he wasn't rotating stock properly, shoving product on the shelf so it got damaged, and so on. Maybe he was just tired, Damien thought, as he looked like he had been working without a break since six.

     But still, Damien thought. This guy is a mess.

     He made sure later to check in with his dad.

     "What's up with Rafael?"
     "What do you mean?" Mr. Drummel said.

     "Guy's a mess."
     "Must have been a long day."
     "Sure, but still--"
     "We don't have the luxury right now of being picky," he barked at his son.

     Damien nodded, but said nothing.

     "You should get on home," his dad said. "You've got school tomorrow."
     He nodded again.

     "Dad," he said. "I'm sorry, dad."

     His dad looked up with his wide eyes that were usually covered by his grizzled eyelids.
     "Don't worry about it. I'll see you at home."
     Damien nodded, but he had no intention of going home. He had a date with Candy later, and he was hoping things would go very well for him.

     He felt like a real man. Working all day, and going to his woman at night.

     But he didn't want to get sucked in. He wanted to go to Arizona in the fall and he wasn't going to maintain this relationship.

     Oh shit, he realized. I forgot to ask dad about the advance.

     Oh well, he thought, she'll understand.