Summer Sweat (Spruce Texas)

“Yeah, it’s definitely my brother’s face,” Gemma decides, and all of the girls laugh.

As the parents fuss over cutting pieces of cake for all of the apparently-cake-starved girls, I watch Hoyt as he puts his focus into the video game. His face zones in. His eyes squint with keen, unwavering determination. It’s clear the boy needs something to distract him from the bad fight he had on Main Street not fifteen-something minutes ago, which I’m sure is still weighing on his mind. I guess the proud duty of getting past the tough level in his sister’s video game was exactly it.

That, and a monster cake.

It’s just a quick hour later when parents start to arrive to pick up their respective daughters. Only two of the girls stay for the slumber party portion, for which they retire to Gemma’s room and start doing whatever eleven-year-old girls do. It results in a lot of giggling and shouting, whatever it is. Probably making fun of icky gross boys at school.

Or are they beyond that age already?

I don’t get kids.

The four of us adults are in the kitchen cleaning up. I reach to grab a couple of paper plates when his mom puts a hand on mine and meets my eyes. “I want to say I appreciate you.”

I lift an eyebrow. “Uh … thank you?”

“For all you’ve done for my boy out on the farm,” she clarifies. “And especially for giving his stubborn butt another chance when I know he messed up big time a few weeks back.”

I glance over at Hoyt, who is busy talking to his stepdad in the kitchen, washing things in the sink.

I shrug. “He deserved another chance.”

“I’m not sure he did. But you gave him one, and I’m glad you did. Haven’t seen him happier.” She smirks in his direction, then takes the dirty paper plates out of my hands. “I’ll take care of the rest. I know you gentlemen have to head back soon. Every night’s a school night when you work with animals.”

I smile, appreciating the saying. “Funny, Gary told me that my first day on the job. Never forgot it.” I reconsider. “Well, back in my twenties I might’ve forgotten it once or twice …”

She chuckles and swats my arm. “I always liked you, Harrison. I can see it now, why you get along so well with Hoyt.”

Always liked me …? “Oh yeah?”

“Of course. Your sense of humor. Your focus. You’re like the big brother he never had. Hoyt … He looks up to you. I know he’s too proud to ever say it, but he thinks the world of you. I got the texts to prove it.” She chuckles. “He needs someone like you in his life. Been too carefree all his childhood. Needs some discipline.”

If you only knew. “Well, thank you very much, Mrs. Nowak.”

“Deena, please. Formalities ended the day I stopped teaching. You’re welcome here anytime. If only Carson was still here to see the man you’ve grown into …” She stops herself. “All’s I want to say is thanks.”

I smile vaguely, but feeling like I’m missing something. “Well, I very much appreciate that. Thank you … Deena.”

After everything is cleaned up, the parents say goodnight and head to their room after stopping by Gemma’s to tell the girls to keep it down and where to find juice or snacks if they need them.

“Well, guess we’d better head off,” says Hoyt with a sigh, after clicking off the kitchen light.

I consider him for a sec. “We can hang out for a while longer if you want. You don’t seem ready just yet to head back to the farm.”

He gazes out at his dark living room and the sliver of light spilling out from Gemma’s room in the hallway, where the sound of girls giggling can still be heard.

I come up to him. “Let’s chill on your patio for a while. Let the night air sink in. Take a breath. How’s that sound?”

He shows a struggle on his face before finally giving in with a nod, then fetches a couple cans of soda off the counter and tossing one at me on our way out.

His patio is a slab of cement extending from the back door that faces a sea of dead grass and a couple of trees. On the patio is a small grill that looks like it hasn’t been used since 1981 as well as an old rocking chair. Hoyt sits on the edge of the concrete, feet in the grass. I join him, crack open my soda, and kick it back.

“So what was all of that really about?” I ask after a while.

Hoyt squints at me. “All of what?”

“The fight. Your friends. I heard him mention Toby. He called him your boyfriend.” Hoyt looks away, seeming pensive. “Did you have feelings for him? Is that why it set you off?”