Back Country (The Country Duet #2)(9)

Before I realize it, I’m pulling down Dave’s lane even though I was there this morning. His place offers more comfort than my empty apartment. It’s nice walking into his house and not seeing an overflowing mess of trash, mold, and flies.

“Hey, Dave.” I tuck a hand in my pocket.

“You need to go get laid instead of bothering me,” he growls.

“Let’s go out to the shop and finish that tractor replica. I need to weld.”

This makes Dave beam with happiness and pride. I kneel down and put his shoes on his feet, then hold out my hand for him to stand up. He goes for the walker, slowly creaking his way to the door. When I go to pick him up, he shrugs me off.

“Head out there, son. I’ll make it.”

“I like this attitude, Dave.”

He’s been up and down lately. When he gets down on life, it’s one of the toughest things I’ve ever experienced. What do you tell a man that’s ready to die because he’s in so much pain? He pops the hydrocodone, and it’s still not enough. His mind is still sharp as a tack.

We spend hours out in the shop. Me working and Dave doing his thing. He gave up on telling me how to weld the project.

“There you go, old man.” I point to the replica.

Dave’s smiled before, and has even been happy at times, but the look on his face is unexplainable. He’s beaming with pride and excitement. I don’t say anything when he brushes at his eyes.

“Drag it out to the front yard.” He rises slowly from his seat. “I want it right in front of my house.”

At least he approved of this gift more than the pot I made him. To see him excited is priceless. We get everything situated before heading back to the house. Dave stumbled more than usual, making me worry about him, so I sit with him for a bit before leaving.

“Want me to get you to the bed?” I ask him.

“Yeah.” Dave nods with his hands trembling.

When I help him up, I notice he’d shit himself and didn’t even know it.

“You feeling okay, Dave?” I ask him.

“Just tired.”

Dave has hardened me when it comes to situations like this one, but no matter how much I’ve experienced or seen with him, this isn’t easy. He didn’t even know he did it. All of the other times he was trying to get to the bathroom when he shit himself.

After getting him in the shower, I go out to his recliner and scrub it clean. My heart aches for the man who has become my best friend. Nothing worse than to take away your manhood and pride.

Dave settles into bed easily and falls asleep before I can leave the room. He is not in good shape. I make sure his home phone is next to him then stay with him for a few hours.

The time gets to nearly two in the morning, before I decide to leave. The silver lining is, I managed to get all of my reading done for school tomorrow. The full moon nestled in the pitch-dark sky guides me back to my apartment. I can’t help that lingering, yet familiar, feeling brewing low in my gut that shit is about to get crazy again.





7





Hunter





“There are questions I’m still not wise enough to answer, just wise enough to no longer ask.”

- George Jones.





“Hey, Mom,” I answer the phone, slinging my backpack over my shoulder.

“Hunter, glad you answered.”

“Caught me at a good time. What’s up?”

“Are you at Dave’s?”

“No, just finished class then working at the feedlot for four hours before going out to take care of him.”

“We need to talk.” Concern laces her voices.

“Okay.” I stop walking down the sidewalk, instantly panicking with worry that something is wrong.

“I went to put two hundred dollars in your account to help with your car payment and noticed that a check bounced.”

“Eh?” I ask, scrubbing my face.

“A twenty dollar check from Dave, and the fees cost you forty bucks.”

I throw my head back in frustration, staring up at the sky. “Okay.”

“Hunter, I’m going to be honest. This pisses me off. The majority of your time and money is going to this man, and this happens?”

“It’s fine, Mom.”

“No, it’s not. I’m worried about you, Bubba.”

“I’m fine.”

“That’s the problem, you are always fine and give all you have Hunter. One day it’s going to be all too much for you to handle.”

I decided against telling her that the last week I’ve been throwing up if I eat too fast or drink anything carbonated, and that my gut feels like it’s being tortured from the inside out. I go for a swift subject change.

“My professor talked to me again about studying abroad next semester in Peru. I’m ahead enough in my credits.”

“Son, I really hope you think about this.”

“I am. It’s just that I don’t know if I’m going to be able to leave Dave. He needs someone.”

When I was first approached about this opportunity, I had reservations because it was last March when Teale was in my life. Then it wasn’t even an option, but now an escape would be welcomed.