Page 5 of Hide and Sneak
“Uh-huh. Keep it anyway.”
A knock at the door interrupts the conversation and I answer it to collect our food delivery. A few minutes later, we’re all sitting around Lila’s little dining table.
“Where do you work now?” I ask her.
“Little Hearts Daycare.”
“Do you like it?”
She shrugs. “I like the kids. Management is a nightmare. What do you do?”
“Road maintenance.”
“Like filling potholes?”
“Crack sealing most of the time. You know all those squiggly black lines you see on the asphalt?”
She nods, and finishes chewing. “That’s a state job, isn’t it?”
“It is. Good pay, excellent benefits.”
Her gaze darts over to Amos. “Why don’t you apply there?”
“And work outside when it’s a hundred degrees? Or when it’s below freezing? Hard pass.”
Lila doesn’t respond, and stays quiet through the rest of the meal. She gets to her feet and regards me. “You need to take your last two pay stubs to the office trailer on Monday. Management is expecting them. You can leave them in the drop box if they open later than you start work.”
“No problem.”
She nods and starts toward her room, throwing the words back over her shoulder. “Thanks for dinner.”
That woman is definitely not happy to have us here. I’m not sure why it bothers me, but it does. Maybe because she is clearly independent and being saddled with her brother who never met a person he wasn’t happy to depend on. Amos has been my friend for years and he isn’t a bad guy, but I’ve seen swamp water less stagnant. No goals or ambition whatsoever. I don’t understand him, but I owe him.
He pops into my room a couple of hours later. “I’m heading to Carson’s. Are you sure you don’t want to go? It’s a kegger. Lots of college girls.”
“I’m good here.” At twenty-seven, college girls aren’t what I’m looking for anymore. So much growing up happens between nineteen and my age.
“Alright. Can you loan me ten bucks? I’m almost out of gas.”
Well, some of us grow up between those ages. Dusty runs into my room and tugs at the leg of my jeans as I’m handing Amos the cash. His little growls are hilarious. I’ve always wanted a dog and visiting the rescue shelter is one of the first things I plan to do once my place is livable.
Amos takes off while I reach down to play fight with the pup. His growls turn to yips as he hops around, making me laugh. He wears down quickly, lies down and gnaws on one of my shoes.
“There you are.” Lila hovers in my doorway but she isn’t talking to me. “Come here, Dusty.”
He looks up at her and then turns to pounce on my foot again. “He likes me.”
“He’s trying to eat you. Dusty, come here, come on,” she coos. He ignores her again and ducks out of the way when she reaches for him. He darts around the room as she tries to catchhim. “Damn it.” Lila’s words come out with a chuckle as she just misses him. He runs over to stand by my feet again.
“Would you grab him?” she asks, exasperated.
Dusty flops down, laying his head on my foot. “Betray my new buddy by handing him over? Never,” I tease. “Told you he likes me.”
“Yeah, well, he also likes to eat garbage. He’s still learning.”
He’s clearly exhausted and trying to fight sleep, but when I hold his collar to keep him from running, he still growls and gnaws my hand. “Little mean ass.”
“I’m going to assume that you’re referring to the dog,” Lila says, taking him from me and attaching his leash.
