Home is a Four Letter Word

chapter forty-four

The First Week of July

"Thanks for drivin' over with me."

Aaron clapped his shoulder as they stood in front of Beau's garage trying to predict the latest diagnostic of whatever the hell was wrong with Aaron's truck. At this point, Jake was sure that Aaron was one of his top customers; he was half inclined to think that the Kellers kept Beau in business with their taste in shitty vehicles.

"I could hear that noise you were talking about even in my truck." Jake sighed as they slipped the keys under the wheel-well to leave it in the lot until the next morning when the garage opened.

Not like anyone's going to steal this piece of shit anyways.

"See, I wasn't crazy." Aaron pointed out in the air to nothing in particular. "My dad never heard it, but it's real funky soundin'."

"Yeah, it definitely is." Jake just nodded along, kicking a larger rock in the gravel parking lot as they headed off to where Jake had pulled in behind him.

"By the way, you got a tail light out."

"Which one?"

"Passenger side."

"See, I'd never know that because between you and Connor I'm always the one driving."

"If it wasn't for my damn truck, you'da never known." Aaron clicked his tongue like he was offering some grand revolation.

"Yeah, whatever."

The two of them climbed into Jake's truck—both of the doors creaking as they pulled them closed, just like they did everyday they fumbled in after work. Jake noticed it had started smelling like work inside, the lingering gasoline and grass filling his nostrils as he put his seatbelt on. He curled up his nose as he wondered how much the smell bothered Connor. Did he even notice it?

Of course he did. Connor noticed everything.

As Jake turned the keys in the ignition and the loud roar of the engine came to life, Aaron smacked his arm with the back of his hand—a gesture that had become somewhat of a signature move for him anytime he was trying to initiate random conversation.

"Your parents going up to the Andersons' place for the Fourth?"

"Yeah, yours?"

"Yeah, man. They keep naggin' me to go, but no way in hell I'm gonna sit up there for two days with Hunter all by myself."

"Why not? You guys can still be cool, I don't care." Jake shrugged trying to play the part.

Yes, I do.

"Nah. I'm not down with that anymore." Aaron fiddled with his seatbelt as Jake began to put the truck into drive. "He was nasty in the diner. I didn't think he could get like that with you."

Can't say I was surprised.

Well, maybe he was a little. Up until this summer, Hunter had been one of his best friends for years. Countless football practices, late nights playing video games in his basement, 'test driving' whatever car his dad wasn't going to miss from the lot that day, way too many favors to count: all for nothing. Jake was harsh, but Hunter didn't ask for forgiveness even once. He was willing to let all that history go, and to say Jake wasn't the least bit bothered by it was a lie. Hunter would come to haunt him for a long time.

"Neither did I."

"Better if I just keep my distance." Aaron sighed, looking relatively defeated about the whole situation.