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"Jude, your walkies yelling, son!" Randell called from the recliner in the living room, not getting an answer, "Jude!"
"Give me a second!" Jude's voice rang through the hallway, the boy half way in the barely working washing machine, collecting quarters that had fallen from the washed jeans. He only managed to find two, "Dad, you got any quarts?"
"Ask Mrs Carmichael next door!" Russell called back to him, hearing the dryer slam shut.
"Jude! Answer the phone, you son of a bitch."
"Which friend is that?" Russell asked in disbelief. Jude emerged from behind the thin wall, coated in ugly wallpaper. He looked older then he was around this time last year, his hair going from wavy to curly and a bit longer, standing three or four inches taller, still wearing the oversized brown jacket, hands shoved tightly into his pockets.
"Dustin." Jude grabbed the walkie as Dustin's voice continue on the other line, "Dustin, shut your mouth, you make me want to shoot myself in the head!"
"I'm about to ride past Gratton! I will leave you!" Dustin called from the other line, clearly riding down the street. Jude didn't answer, rummaging for his missing shoe.
"Make sure you're back before ten, i've got the night shift and someone's gonna break in again if they see the place is empty." Russell spoke, throwing Jude one extra quarter that he dug from inside the recliner.
"I'll be back by eight, I have to study for Mr.Clarkes quiz tomorrow." Jude answered, looking behind the couch, "Have you seen the black vans? The knockoff ones?"
"Front door." his dad said back, leaning back in the chair to watch him go, "Don't forget, you have to bring your bag to school tomorrow."
Jude sighed as he faced his dad again, pulling on his shoe, "I still have to go?"
"She wants to see you, son." Russell said back, staring his way, "It's been four months."
"An entire three days though?" Jude signed as he gave a pleading look, "What'd the lawyer say when you called?"
"You gotta go unless you tell her to her face you wanna stay." Russell shrugged as Jude sighed, "And I know you're not gonna do that."
Jude finished the last tie on his shoe, "Will you bring me a burrito back for the morning?"
"Will do!" Russell called back. Jude secretly hoped that he'd let Linda, the woman he worked with at the diner, make it considering he never actually got it right. Jude closed the door back, walking down the small steps as his eyes fell onto Mrs Carmichael outside on her porch, Winkel, her cat, purring by her side.
"Hi, Mrs Carmichael." Jude spoke to her, how close they lived not causing him to yell.
"Hey there, Jude." she smiled as him, watching the boy grab hold of his bike, "Going out with some friends?"
