When You Know

3 - I'm not sure Ruben likes making out with pandas.

"Hey," I said, walking up to Sadie and Morgan.

I had taken my muddy jumper off as I was walking back to them and was now wearing Ruben's one, which I had a sneaking suspicion made me look like I was wearing an oversized dress. It must have looked ridiculous, because Morgan and Sadie both laughed when they saw me.

"Well, I didn't realise that Ruben's uncle was recruiting. Do I need to report him for child labour?" asked Sadie. What Ruben's uncle had to do with anything, I had no idea.

"You'd have to report Ruben, Sade. Not his uncle," said Morgan, which made Sadie look back questioningly. "Ruben's owned and run the business on his own now for about two years."

"What business?" I asked, wanting to understand what they were saying.

"Foster Constructions, it would seem. Look at the jumper you're wearing, Madd. It's one from Ruben's work," said Sadie. "He builds houses."

"Like, real houses? Or just toy houses?"

"Yes, Madden. Real life, human-occupying, little-boys-making-a-mess-in-their-bedroom-and-refusing-to-clean-up-properly houses," she smirked at me.

"That's so cool. I want to build houses, too! Can I work with him?" How awesome would that be? I could build a house for Sadie and I so we weren't stuck in our tiny unit anymore. I really did like our house, but I also wished we had a backyard so I could go and play outside sometimes. There's only so many books a young boy can read without needing to stretch his growing legs.

"If you want him to go to jail for child labour, then sure," Sadie said, laughing, though the idea of Ruben going to jail didn't seem all that funny to me. "Or maybe you can wait a couple years before you ask him for a job, and we can bypass the whole felony incarceration thing?"

"Okay, I'll just wait," I said seriously. "I don't want him going to jail."

"Me either, kiddo," she said as she walked over to me and hugged me with one arm. Morgan smiled and reached down to grab Sadie's spare hand, squeezing it tightly in hers. When I looked up at Sadie, she was grinning at Morgan, too, then looked down at me when she noticed I had moved to look at her. "You ready to go get some food?"

"Ruben said I should come and talk to you about what I said to him before we go get food," I said.

Morgan chuckled. "Of course he did. That man's thoughtfulness never fails to amaze me. I'm going to leave you guys to it, but you'll text me later, Sadie?" she said, reaching over to hug both Sadie and me at the same time. Her stomach got a little in the way, but I didn't mind. I liked being close to Sadie's friends. Even the newer ones. "And you, little man, I hope to see very, very soon, okay?"

"I hope so, too," I said honestly. Morgan was really lovely . . . when she wasn't crying or grumpy at Tanner. I really hope that she and Sadie would be best friends again from now on, just like before. Sadie hasn't had many girl friends over the years I've known her. Mostly she just spends time with me, my uncles, my aunt and Uncle Landon.

"Have fun, Sade," she said, carrying the remainder of her things off to her car and leaving Sadie and I there alone. I climbed up on the fence so I was the same height at her for when we started talking, but she just walked over and hugged me instead of saying anything, and she didn't seem like she was going to let go any time soon. I was kind of confused, because she was hugging me and all, but she wasn't looking at me or saying anything now that Morgan was gone.

Maybe she is upset at me and that's why she's being so quiet?

I'm not good with silence like she is, and it was making me freak out that she might actually be upset or annoyed, and I couldn't handle it any longer. "Are you upset at me for what I said to Ruben before?"