Jesse

I finish hammering in the last nail, before sitting back against the post behind me. Tyler finally went to bed last night after I took care of changing his diaper and warmed him some milk. The entire ordeal took about an hour, which was actually fine since I couldn’t fall asleep. I don’t know why I made an attempt at a joke, especially to gasoline station girl, who’s name was Emma since it was written on her nametag.  Hell, I’m not even sure why I talked to her at all. Most of the time I try my best to ignore her side-glances and that perky smile she always sends my way.

At first I figured she was trying to flirt with me, but then I realized that the way she acted was her actual disposition. Even if she was flirting with me, I wasn’t interested. It was just that last night, after she had finished her lame attempt at a Snickers joke and her face fell when I didn’t react, I felt like shit. I had managed to make the chirpiest, and most annoying, person in the world, just a bit less happy and I couldn’t handle it.

I tried to ignore my gut, which was calling me an asshole for hurting her, but I cracked and talked to her. Even when I finally put Tyler to bed and I lied down, all I could do was picture her smile and the way she had looked at me when I pulled out of the lot.

I kept trying to push my thoughts about her far away the following day, and it worked well as I hammered nail after nail, but once I was done with the last part of the wooden frame, she kept rushing back front and center.

John, and the rest of the guys, are already packing up their stuff and loading it onto their pick-ups. I’m the odd one of the group, since I’m the only one who drives a car. It makes sense if you work in construction to have a pick-up, but I’ve never really had the balls to get rid of my baby. It’s not like I’m completely in love with my car, but I’ve definitely built a bond with it. 

I climb down a ladder that’s been propped up against the wooden frame that will soon enough look like a home. We’re custom building it for some newly married couple, which in all honestly, the highest bet among the guys in construction is a year and a half. We all know that the house we’re building will be on the market soon enough. We met the couple, because they’ve come by a few times to see the progress of their house.

“Hey, Jessie, you coming down to the bar for a few drinks?” John asks. He and I both played football in high school, way back in the day. We chased after the same girls and went to same parties. John was still single, so he spent most of his weekends looking for a piece of ass. I would be doing the same thing, if I didn’t have Tyler to take care of.

“Nah, gotta head home. Maddie’s been blowing up my phone since an hour ago.” I reply, shaking my head to clear my thoughts a bit and to give him an answer. I watch as John and the rest of the guys holler about me being whipped, but I ignore most of it as I slip into the driver’s seat. I wasn’t lying when I said that Maddie has been blowing up my phone with calls and text messages. It’s not odd, although most days she doesn’t talk to me until I get home. She tends to call me incessantly when she wants something, either something I have to buy or do.

I pass by the gasoline station on my way home, but I know that the girl won’t be there. She has the night shift, not that I’m putting much attention into her work schedule. When I walk into the house Tyler’s wailing about something, while Maddie has our house phone stuck to her ear. I take care of my son first, getting him something to eat since I know for a fact Maddie’s been doing anything but that for most of the day. I didn’t bother to read any of Maddie’s texts or hear any of her messages, so as I’m setting down a bowl of chicken nuggets in front of Tyler, I hear her barge in and start yelling about party supplies.

“I already hired a clown. Now all I need is to find someone to cater.“ Maddie says annoyingly, still with the house phone next to her ear so I don’t now if she’s talking to me or the person on the other side of the line. I wait for her to hang up before talking to her.

“What was that all about?” I ask, trying to coerce Tyler into focusing off the TV show in front of him and taking a bite from the nugget I’m holding.

I’m already bracing myself to hear whatever crazy dumb thing she wants to do, which will probably involve my money.

Maddie’s never worked a day in her life, so whenever she gets the idea to do something she tends to drain my bank account. I’ve started a secret separate account for Tyler when he grows up, just in case. Plus, her habits tend to be the most expensive thing. She thinks I don’t notice when she takes out small amounts every month just to have enough to buy her shit.

“We’re throwing Ty a birthday party, duh.” Maddie claims, as she brings out a phone book from the kitchen and starts flipping through it like a magazine.

“Tyler’s birthday was weeks ago.” I say drily, trying not to roll my eyes and start shit with her. She didn’t even remember the day of. I had taken Tyler to some sort of play place on his birthday and she hadn’t asked any questions as to why.

“Yeah, and he never got a party. That bitch from down the block threw her kid a party just a few days ago and then she talked about it all day long at the mailbox. It doesn’t matter, because our party’s gonna be better than that stuck-up-“ I interrupt her before she has the chance to say another cuss word in front of Tyler.

The kid picks up words like velvet picks up lint and I don’t want him learning any of the one’s his mom has to say in front of him.

I’m going to argue with her, but when I look down, for the first time Tyler is looking at his mom and looking excited.

“Pawty?” He asks, looking up at me with large round eyes. I can’t say no to the kid, so I do my best to nod my head and go with it.