A Teenage Love: A Coming of Age Story

Chapter 2 - Planting Seeds

Ryan. My fingers tapped the counter as the coffee prepared itself one drip at a time. I was an instant kind of guy, but my Mama liked the good old fashioned stuff. As soon as the red light cut off, I snatched the pot off the heated base and poured a cup, adding two sugars and a dash of milk. I made it to match her temperament. She was sweet, but mostly straight up.

"Oh." She was startled to see me waiting with a cup of fresh, time consuming ass coffee. "Is it instant?"

"No, I made it fresh. It's hot," I said placing the steaming cup in her hands

She slid into one of the chairs at the small family table seemingly suspicious, maybe a little concerned. "Are you sleeping well?"

"Yeah."

"But you're up." She took a sip of her coffee. "You must be excited. School's out. It's your last summer before graduation...you're grades are amazing I'm sure."

I agreed.

"And you like somebody."

I snorted.

"Uh huh. Let it marinate for a little while. Let it burn a little bit before you call her."

"What if I was thinking about something else? Like how I'm going to pay for my car battery."

"You better figure it out. Girls like guys with cars."

I kissed her cheek and went around the corner to clean up Lyle's flower garden since I couldn't be running around cashless all summer.

"Alright now!" he hollered. He clapped his hands and pulled up his pants to sit in his old rocking chair. "Bright and early, let's go!" He flipped on his radio and I tugged weeds while he hummed from his soul.

"I can't hear you. Speak up! You gotta sing to them babies."

I smirked and wiped the beads of sweat forming on my head. "I can't sing, Mr. Lyle. My throat hurt."

"Boy, my everythang hurt! That ain't never stopped me! You young! You gotcho strength, you gotcho health...you got plenty to sing about."

I just wanted to know one thing. Why he have to be so loud though? "I'm chillin', Mr. Lyle."

He was playing some of those old school classics, the kind that made you bob your head without even realizing it.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeeeaaaaaah!"

I thought he was feeling the music again until he stood up and looked a little closer. "Look at them babies sprouting. My ol' lady up there smiling her pretty little head off."

"Your old lady liked these, Mr. Lyle?"

"Oh yeeeeah. Would love to see you out here doing something witcha self too. She say 'them some good boys. They just need somebody to snatch it out of 'em.'" He laughed. "Y'all used to run up an' through here like it wadn't nobody business. I tell you."

I had no idea Lyle's wife had anything good to say about us. I might have even contributed to sending that old lady to her grave.

Terrell crept out of the house next door with a cigarette in his mouth and orange juice in his hand. He hobbled over to slap my hand, legs long and thin like he was on stilts. "What up, boy?"

"What you doing up so early?"

"Shit, same as you. Tryna make a dollar outta fifteen cents. Muhfuckin lights off and shit." He put the cigarette between his lips.