Fix Me, Fix You: A Jesse Pinkman Story

Chapter Seven

"Finish up that piece and let's call it a day," Coop announced as he stood from his workbench. "It's gettin' late."

Jesse nodded as his hands delicately moved across the plank at his desk, sanding the sides smoothly. On occasion, he would blow the wooden dust away and run his bare fingers over the piece to judge the smoothness. He was focused and intent on getting the plank as smooth as possible.

"You're doing good work, son," Coop complimented while he watched Jesse work intensely.

Jesse glanced up at him. "Thanks."

"I'm glad you convinced me to take a chance on you," he insisted.

"Well I'm glad you took a chance on me," Jesse replied.

With a subtle nod, Coop began cleaning up his workstation. Jesse followed suit, sweeping up the floor and putting all of the tools back where they belonged, thankful that his workday seemed to fly by instead of drag on. He was never bored or antsy or restless. He was always focused and busy, which he thoroughly enjoyed.

"Ah, jeez, come wash up in the house before you go," Coop insisted, noticing the dirt and oil on Jesse's hands. "Get all that crap off your hands."

He nodded and followed Coop out the open garage door to their house. The sun was beginning to set, casting a beautiful pink and purple glow onto the lake next to them. Inside the house, Linda was standing over the stove cooking dinner, which smelled incredible. Steam rose from the pot in front of her as she sprinkled different spices into it. Lia and Lucy sat across from each other at the table coloring.

"Lin, you got that soap that gets the oil off your hands?" Coop asked as he walked into the house.

"I need to get it from the medicine cabinet," she answered as she turned around and noticed her husband wasn't alone. "Oh hi Jesse, how are you, sweetie?"

"I'm alright; how are you?"

"Doing great, hon. Need to clean up?" She wondered.

"Yes ma'am," he answered.

"Let me go get that soap then," she insisted as she turned a knob on the stove then went into the other room.

"Jesse, these are my granddaughters, Lucy and Lia," Coop introduced as he sat at the table next to them.

"Yeah, I met these pretty ladies a few mornings ago when I was walking to the shop," Jesse explained as he leaned back against the sink. "Hi girls."

Lucy, in her usual manner, stared at him. But Lia smiled as her cheeks blushed. "Hey Jesse."

"What are you two working on?" Jesse asked.

Jolie walked into the hallway near the kitchen with a basket of laundry to wash. She stopped to drop off the basket at the washing machine, which was a few feet away from the kitchen. She could see Coop siting at the table with the girls while they colored. Jesse was out of her sight, but she recognized the sound of his deep voice and knew he was in the room with them too.

"I'm doing my art homework," Lia answered. "Lucy is coloring, but she pretends like it's her art homework too."

"Can I see what you're drawing?" He asked.

Lia nodded and dropped her crayon then held up her drawing, leaning across the table so Jesse could see. It was a drawing of two houses and a bunch of stick people. Though his back was to her, Jolie could see him as he leaned forward to get a good look at Lia's paper.

"Wow, you are quite the artist," Jesse complimented with a smile. "Who are all those people?"

Jolie leaned against the doorframe, watching the adorable scene unfold in front of her. She crossed her arms over her chest, unable to hide her smile.