Why not? - English

12-12 Deputy James

I crept quietly through the garden and pressed myself flat against the wall of the house so that my parents couldn't see me through the window. At the end of the corner of the house I hurried and slipped through the garden gate into the fire station yard. As quietly as I could, I closed the door behind me again before trying to hide in the shadows as I crept toward the back entrance.

I would be safe here, I thought, as I opened the door and froze as my father entered the front door and asked Arnold and Elvis, who were on the late shift, if they had seen me. I quickly backed away and ran around the corner behind the building. Now there was only one option.

I ran onto the street and ran as fast as I could. The main thing was to get out of here. Away from my annoying mother, who had been coming up with the strangest ideas for the past three days, and away from my father, who suddenly almost obsessively wanted to spend every free minute with me. Not that I wanted to complain. I was glad that he was starting to talk again with me and was nice to me, even though he didn't even explain to me why. But he was so eager to spend every minute with me that I was surprised every morning, when I didn't wake up next to him because he had secretly sneaked into my bed at night.

"Uncle Sam?" I jumped with a soft cry when my nephew spoke to me and I turned to him, my heart racing. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw he was alone.

"James, what are you doing here? It's already dark," I replied and stole a glance back. I had to make sure no one had heard me.

"I just got back from Hannah and am on the way home. Why are you sneaking around here like that? Have you done something? Are you looking for something? Can I help you? I'm an deputy now, as you know," he answered me proudly and stuck out his chest.

"I know that. Yes, James," I replied to him laughing, as I thought of this afternoon when his investigation had ended with us having to rescue him from the back of a horse in the swimming pool. "I haven't done anything, nor am I looking for something. Thanks for your help anyway."

"Are Grandma and Grandpa at your home? I wanted to say goodnight to them on the way home."

"Oh...how nice," I said nervously. "Yes, they are. But do me a favor, please. You didn't see me, okay?"

"I'm supposed to lie to them? Have you done something, Uncle Sam?" James replied skeptically and put his fists on his hips to punish me with a warning look. Sometimes he reminded me more of his father at that age than I would have liked.

"No, James. I really didn't do anything. Do you know what it's like when your parents...smother you because they always want something from you?" I asked him straight out and his eyes got big.

"Oh, yeah. That's so annoying," he sighed in annoyance.

"See! That's exactly what's happening to me right now. I just need a break. So, will that be our little secret?"

"Well, an deputy isn't allowed to lie, but because you're my uncle...okay," he finally stated and grinned when I thanked him with relief and wanted to move on. "But you owe me something for that, Uncle Sam!" he then clarified and I turned to him again, looking at him as he stood there confidently and still grinning.

"You're really just like your father, you know that!" I grumbled grumpily and decided it was worth it. "Okay, whatever you want. If you keep our secret to yourself!" I clarified and James nodded eagerly , before he ran down the street and only had a bare 'Bye' left for me.

Smiling, I shook my head before making my way out of town, hands shoved deep in my pockets, head bowed, taking cover behind a wall or tree whenever a car passed by so no one could actually see me and tell my parents.