Michael's Story

Chapter 40

Glaring down was the fiery orange sun driving temperatures to a boiling point. Ripples of heat waved through the air. Hands, water hoses, and folded papers were the only things keeping the people outside cool.

Fragments and cardboard tubes from the fireworks the residents set off earlier were scattered along the sidewalk. Seeing the littered pavement provoked the irritation that Julian had been avoiding. Since returning from Miami, Julian developed a short fuse.

Julian picked his way through the doors and up to where he lived. The smell of his favorite dish was seeping through the door's cracks. His face warmed at the thought that his mother was cooking for him.

Pushing the door open, Julian's perky face dropped once he saw the grey-haired, husky man sitting comfortably on the couch. He flashed a lopsided grin at Julian but Julian had no reaction.

 Sashaying her way into the living room with a beautifully plated meal, Julian's mother was excited when she saw her son. She shot Julian a high-pitched 'Hi, son' and then bent down to set the plate on the table before her man. Snaking her hand across his burly shoulder and down to his broad chest, she kissed his cheek. Julian turned his lip up in annoyance.

Still hanging on her boyfriend, his mother looked at Julian, "This is my oldest; remember I was telling you about him? Julian." She pulled back, gesturing for her boyfriend to stand up.

There was a unique cadence to his mother's kiddish giggling, and the sound of it made Julian uneasy. Julian sent his mother a peculiar look, but she gleamed harder at him. Julian's glare didn't pierce the man until Julian realized that the guy was just inches away with his hand awaiting Julian's blessing.

"Call me Nook."

Unblinkingly, Julian scoffed through his mocking smirk. Tossing his hands up to show he meant no harm, the man backed up. With her face finally turned down, his mom shuffled to her new boyfriend. Again, her hand was all over him.

"Don't take well to strangers. I can admit he gets that from me. Why don't you go eat in the kitchen? Let me talk to my son for a minute." She suggested.

Quickly, she scooped up her man's meal and sent him away. One exasperated sigh and forehead palm later, she pressed her balled fists into her hips when she looked at Julian. She shook her head at her stubborn boy.

"I know what we talked about, but if you give him a chance, you'll see how different he is." She said.

That sarcastic smile still donned Julian's face, " No, I'm actually proud of you. You set a new record."

His mom folded her arms across her chest, "Oh yeah, for what?"

"Three months." Julian replied, "The longest you've ever been alone."

"I don't have to check in with you about shit, remember that. You're my son, and you're under my roof."

"So then pay your own bills. Better yet, tell him to do it. I'm not feeding another one of these fucking bums." Julian attempted to walk away from her, but she used all her strength to pull him back.

"You watch your damn mouth. I'm not one of your friends. I'll slap the shit out of you." She viciously shook her finger at him.

Bringing his face closer to his mother, he said, "I told you, I don't care about helping you out with anything you need as long as you do better for yourself. You just proved that you can't survive without a man, and It's the saddest shit I've ever seen."