Lukas & The Lion

Chapter 35- Shop Talk

"Get down from there, kid! The client could be here any minute," dad said as he slid out from under the engine he was working on and saw me climbing up the rolling ladder onto the boat.

"Ok, ok! Not like I'm going to touch anything," I grumbled. 

I climbed back down from the huge, luxury boat and went over to where dad was tinkering with a motor he'd pulled out of the classic yacht he was rehabbing. It was freshly painted a glittery white that sparkled under the workshop lights.

Dad had picked me up from school. 

I didn't have track practice anymore since my fight, and both Ari and Mr. Khorasani were working. Mr. K wanted to reschedule his meeting so he could get me, but dad had said he could run over and collect me after school. 

He knew Mr. Teza wanted him to step it up when it came to me. Dad wanted to spend more time with me too. He was still feeling guilty about going missing lately. 

He'd brought me back to Mr. Teza's shop so he could finish his work and keep an eye on me. Ari would pick me up on his way home from his meeting.

"All this energy you have! You need to get back on the track team!" Dad said as he loosened or tightened something on the engine.

"The school put Riley on a two week suspension because I kind of was rude to him too and his jaw was messed up from my elbow. Now he's back on the team. Mr. K and Ari don't want us crossing paths again so here I am..." I sighed.

The whole week I'd wanted to get back out there, but Ari said I was still bruised and shouldn't exert myself. I knew he was just looking for an excuse to get me away from it. He wanted me to learn what I needed at school and then get home where he wouldn't have to worry about me. Anything extra curricular should be done where his family could keep an eye on me. 

"Well they have their reasons. You got hurt. They just want you safe. He was pretty shook up seeing you get hurt like that and going silent," dad sighed without looking up from his engine. 

I went and flopped down on an old leather car seat in the corner of the shop and decided to finish homework while dad worked. I pulled out my biology textbook and skimmed the next chapter. 

Dad looked pretty cute in his blue coveralls unzipped to the waist to show off his white tank top. His muscles were getting bigger and leaner than I'd ever seen them before. He was really working hard on his body with Mr. Teza. The older man was intent on sculpting dad. 

"So I have to ask..." I started. 

Dad raised up from behind the engine with a look of panic. He knew I needed more than a few explanations about all the changes he'd gone through in the past month. 

"Yeah I guess we should talk about this... It's not the kind of conversation I really envisioned having with my son," dad said with a nervous chuckle. 

He set down his wrench but then picked it up again. He needed to be busy while we had this talk, something to keep him from having to look me in the eye. We never discussed stuff like this. 

"Well it started so simple. I mean he was showing me all this cool shit... stuff, and then he brought me up here to see the warehouse. Isn't this place a dream? It has everything! The latest equipment, tons of space, and he keeps the air at 70. I've been sweating my ass off in a metal box since I finished high school. Don't get me wrong. I'm glad we had you. You're the best kid anyone could ask for and I busted my ass to make sure you had what you needed." Dad ducked behind the engine and started clanging metal.

"You did, dad. You always took care of us. You deserve to get something better for all your years of hard work," I said and went over to stand by him.