Finding Carter

Chapter Twenty Eight

"Do a good job. You don't have to worry about the money. It will take care of itself. Just do your best work." -Walt Disney

Miami seemed like it just happened yesterday, but here we are on summer break. Brian did as he said he would, he's moved into Kevin's. He insisted on paying rent, but Kevin decided to let him work in the diner to earn his keep. I am working there as well, I do prep.

By prep, I mean I am Kevin's bitch.

"Nick, can you bring in those eggs from the cooler?" Kevin asked. He was cooking today because the fry cook was out sick....and it was breakfast. We were pretty busy and it was Brian's first day.

"I'm on it Chief!"

"Chief?" Kevin questioned as I smirked. I disappeared into the cooler and came back with the eggs...then I went to work prepping some stuff for lunch. I was halfway through slicing up tomatoes when I heard a loud crash and tinkling glass.

I ran around the corner to see Brian on the floor with the buspan of dishes, some of them broken. I felt bad as he looked sheepishly up at me. Why did Kevin think he'd be good at busing tables?

"Don't stress so much, it is just your first day." I said softly as I helped him up. He seemed like all he wanted to do was drown himself in the sink.

"I'm screwing up so bad. Back home I was good at everything." Brian confessed with a sigh.

"You'll get the hang of it." I said. I patted him on the back and he carried the remainder of the dishes to the sink to wash.

By the end of our shift, we were beat. We had planned to shoot some hoops but all we wanted was to flop down on our beds for a well deserved rest.

"Nick?"

"Mmmmph." I said groggily a few hours later, rubbing my eyes. It was 8 and it was our day off, but what the heck was Kevin doing waking me up? Did he have a death wish?

"Time for your driving lesson." he said. I sighed, he'd been giving me a few lessons and I still wasn't crazy about the concept. Especially not after what happened with the rabbit.

"I don't know about this." I said, sitting in a random parking lot in Orlando.

"Trust me. I made sure we are not near any wooded areas, there's no way Thumper is going to run in front of the car." Kevin told me calmly, waving it off. I gripped the wheel and took a breath, putting my foot gently down on the gas.

"Steady now."

I was driving. I was driving and it felt wonderful, I circled the lot twice and even parallel parked, did a K-turn and everything I'd need for the test.

"Well?" I asked when we were done. He even let me drive home where Brian was waiting on the porch. I smiled at him sitting there with his basketball.

"I think you're ready for the test." Kevin said, patting me on the back.

I almost laughed, Brian was waiting on the porch for me when we got home, a basketball sitting next to him. He looked brightly at me.

"Hey, Buzz." Brian said as his phone began ringing.

"Howdy, Sheriff. Wanna play some hoops?" I asked, taking the ball from him. He didn't answer me, instead he turned off his phone and put it back in his pocket.

"Ok, let's play!"

I couldn't help but wonder if it was his mom calling.

"Hey, Nick....phone for you." Kevin said a few days later. I was a bit surprised someone would be calling me.