Page 57 of Romeo & Antoinette

But Monty didn’t scare so easily. He stood his ground, shook his head and laughed. “How old are you?”

“You’re a loser. You lost the contest. We won.”

“Yeah, I’m sure you won fair and square too.”

Cap didn’t answer right away. He stared Monty down for a second then said, “Whatever.”

“Oooh. Good one.”

Cap had nothing left to say. So he opened the front door to the police station, turned and quickly pulled it closed behind him. It was silly and childish. It didn’t stop Monty from coming in. It only served to illustrate how really little a big man could be.

Both men checked in with the cop at the front desk and were shown to a waiting area. It was a drab white room with a cracked, green pleather couch, half a dozen plastic chairs and bad fluorescent lighting that blinked and buzzed overhead.

They took seats at opposite sides of the room and waited in silence. A cheap clock on the wall ticked off the minutes as they tried to avoid eye contact and further conversation. Tick, tick, tick…

Monty focused on his phone while Cap bit his nails, spitting the bits out onto the floor. The pieces coming to rest in a haphazard pile on the scuffed linoleum. Eventually Officer Cole escorted both boys into the room.

“It’s about time,” Cap said, getting up.

Officer Cole shot Cap a look that shut him right up. He was in no mood for anybody’s nonsense. “I’m letting them both go,” he said. “But if I find them mixed up in any more monkey business, we’ll be pressing charges.”

“We didn’t do anything,” whined Tyler.

Then Whomp! Cap slapped him upside the head.

“Ouch! What was that for?”

Officer Cole stared incredulously at Cap.

“What?”

“You want to get locked up for assault?”

“Hey. He’s my kid.”

“I don’t care who he is. You keep your hands to yourself. Got it?”

“Yeah yeah, okay.”

“Now go on, get out of here.”

Cap pushed Tyler ahead of him, out the door and down the hall. Once the

y were outside Cap hauled off and slapped him again.

“Would ya stop?!” Tyler shouted, wincing from the pain and rubbing his ear.

“Get in the car,” was all his dad would say.

After they were gone Monty spoke to Officer Cole.

“Thank you,” he said, offering his hand.

Officer Cole shook Monty’s hand. “You’re welcome.” Then he added, “You stay out of trouble, ok?”

“Sure thing,” said Romeo.

Silently Romeo and Monty headed out of the police station, walked halfway down the block and got into Mrs Monty’s baby blue Toyota Camry, which Monty had to borrow seeing as how Romeo had borrowed his.

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