Building A (Strange) Family

Working It Out

"Where's David... and Joel?"
The guys had been out for the night and only Mark and Robert returned.

"Working," Mark said, as if that explained everything.

"Working?"

Robert grinned.
"David decided if we're going to live here, we aren't going to be such free-loaders anymore."

The idea of David working at a checkout stand or coffee shop brought Lilly to burst out laughing.
"Oh my gosh! I'm sorry, but what kind of work is he doing?"

Robert laughed too.
"Don't worry! I stopped him before he did something he would regret.
I told him there weren't many people who know how to work on classic bikes like his.
He put in add in the paper and he's got a couple people hired him to fix bikes."

she stopped laughing. It was actually brilliant.

"Wait... bike like his? He still has his bike?"

Mark and Robert nodded.

"You didn't know?"

David and Joel came home that night, covered in grease and smiling like idiots.
Even as she giggled protests,
David pulled her into a kiss, pushing something into her back pocket.

She squeaked at the hand over her butt and pulled away, fishing in the pocket.
She gasped at the amount of money she pulled out.

"How much is here?"

"A thousand..." His grin grew seeing her eyes bulge.

"Are you kidding me?! I can't take this, David..." She tried giving it back to him and he pushed her arms back.

"We're helping with the bills. I know we owe you as much for the amount of food and hot water we all use. Besides, that's not all of it. Joel got his cut and I'm starting a little fund of my own."

He pulled her into a kiss again before she insisted he go shower.
"Merry Christmas..."

The new year came, and with it Roberts birthday.

"You guys don't have to make a big deal out of it..." He assured.
They all laughed at him.

"Of course we have to make a big deal out of it.
You're a big deal to us!"
Mark assured, taking on cake duty himself.

It wasn't a huge affair, but the newer laptop they had all saved up for was more then appreciated.