Toe to Toe

Ch. 6

The dishes slowed to a trickle after 3:00 and Chase took a deep breath instantly regretting it. Someone had ordered the fish plate and the whole back of the kitchen smelled like a grease pit infected with mutant fish that had spoiled in the midday sun.

His back throbbed and he rocked on his heels to try to stretch the muscles out. The fracture in his back was healing, but way too slowly. His bending over the sink hours a day didn't help--in fact, he was pretty sure it was making everything worse, but being on bedrest for three weeks had wiped out every dollar he'd saved and gave his mom free reign to drink herself into a frenzy and lose her job.

Her mode of operation was victim and without his dad around to hit her she just couldn't pull herself together. Chase didn't blame her totally, she'd gotten pregnant with him and sixteen and when Butch offered to make her his wife she jumped at the chance to play house full time.

But that was history. Where you come from didn't matter, where you are now, that's the starting point. Nick had taught him that- and it was always in the back of his mind. He wished he could clock out early. Just an hour and head to the gym and loosen everything up. But the twelve bucks he'd make was the difference between toothpaste and brushing his teeth with baking soda left over in the fridge since probably 2002. All he had to do was win the preliminary round. One round could put him back on the circuit. One round and life would be better.

Winning or losing after that was still a paycheck. A much bigger paycheck than ten dollars an hour. He dreamed of throwing his apron and putting on his jacket, after all, taxes would make his ten bucks eight bucks - if that and that wouldn't even cover Mikey's lunch for the week.

Lana delivered him another small stack of dishes to wash and grabbed his ear pulling it forcefully until he was down to her 5'2 height.

"Last stack. Dining rooms empty and Kenny is due in 20. Get the hell outta here hero. Go make something of yourself. And don't forget your lunch."

He finished the stack in record time and kissed her on the cheek. If he made it, no, when he made he'd be sure to send her some cash for all the times she did things like this for him."

"I didn't bring a lunch. You know that." He said drying his raw hands on the front of his apron.

"I think you're mistaken tough guy. I saw a bag in the fridge with your name on it."  With that, she smacked him on the butt and sauntered out of the kitchen.

Chase didn't waste time waiting for another chance. Lana had walked into the bosses office and closed the door and he knew she had sacrificed herself so he could get away unnoticed. He ran to the back and held the insulated lunch bag with his name in swirly letters. Peeking inside he saw that she'd stuffed it to the brim with diner food. That would save him an hour of trying to figure out what to scrounge up for dinner. On top of the pile was a giant sized piece of his favorite pie, peach with pecan crust. Her specialty, and his weakness.

He dashed out the back door to avoid the bell and headed home. A quick dinner with the family- providing his mom was somewhere around, and an extra half hour at the gym. That, or he could do an actual load of laundry. Nah.  No one really cared if his clothes were clean.

Mikey was sitting at the table with the cat, kibble, underneath his chair. His cheeks were flushed and his hair a mess but his eyes looked bright as they focused on the bag.

"What's in the bag?" He asked kicking his feet with excitement and making the cat scurry off to the shadows.

"Dinner! Wash your hands and tell mom to come eat."

His brother trickled water on his hands and dried them on the front of his jeans which Chase noticed were higher above the boys ankles than they were the last time he'd seen them and stained across the knees.

"Moms not here. She was already gone when I got home. But I did my homework!"

Chase sat the bag on the wobbly kitchen table and checked the emergency cash can he'd hidden in the back of the cupboard. Empty. His mom had found his savings and hit the road. His instinct was to get angry but Mikey didn't need more of the negative.

"Well, more food for us then. First things first though, give me your clothes and set the table and I'll start the laundry."

Mikey didn't bat an eye stripping off his clothes and getting out the chipped yellow plates in nothing but his underwear. Chase followed suit stripping down and to his boxers and throwing all the clothes into a garbage bag to take down to the shared laundry building. Leaving your clothes unattended was risky- but it beat sitting in front of a spinning washer for 40 mins wasting time.

While they ate Mikey chatted about his day making sure to insert all the details. Then he switched to a play by play of the events he was going to accomplish at the Boys and Girls Club. Chase loved seeing him beam and hoped his dream of getting the coveted gold belt happened. The kid had a rough life. Between his checked out mom and a brother on a curfew tether, he needed some pride.

Chase stretched his aching back and tried to ignore the pain. He needed to work harder, be stronger, and ignore the pain. He was getting out of this hellhole and his fists were the only way he knew how. Someday he'd be paying the bills of a cute little house paid off and Mikey would be walking a dog before school wearing a uniform. That's what the kid deserved.

"Don't give up all the secrets Mikey, save me something to get excited about!"

His brother put his palms flat on the table and grinned from ear to ear. "I haven't told you the best part Chase. You are going to be amazed."

Chase crossed his fingers and tousled his brothers hair before crinkling up his nose. His brothers hair was stiff and sticky.

"What is that? Did you get slimed bro?" He asked staring at his palm before wiping it on the napkin.

"It's hair gel. I found it under the sink. Cool right?"

He closed his eyes and gave it some thought. "It would be, if you read the directions. I'm pretty sure it says use after showering. And a small amount. Like pea sized so you don't get bees stuck to your head. Go wash your hair and we can try it after. Together."

Mikey scurried off without comparing and Chase cleared the table. There were a few spoonfuls of food left and he wondered if his mom was hungry. Too bad, he thought. If she's hungry she should have been here. He dumped the food into the overflowing garbage and went to find some shorts decent enough to run down the alley in to start the washer.