Boot(s)

16-Boot

Bobby O'Callahan

"I invited Nancy to come along. She's meeting us there," I announced, looking over at him in the passenger's seat. He was wearing black Ray-Bans today, and he looked a lot more at ease sitting in the truck (the actual truck) than he had the past few times I drove him.

"Nancy?" he put his arm up in the open window, grabbing on to the outside of the truck. "Doesn't she... doesn't she have shit to do?"

I snorted. "She's a retired nurse and you're her only responsibility. Plus, I thought it'd be nice to get a woman's opinion." We were going clothes shopping for Boots, and honestly, I didn't really know how capable he would be with trying things on. I didn't want to make him uncomfortable and offer to help, but I also knew he really needed to get things that fit. Bringing Nancy was my solution.

"Fine," he glanced over at me, pulling down his sunglasses. He made sure to look at me and my paint-stained Levis for a few seconds longer than he normally would. "God knows you won't be any help." He snorted out laughter as I shoved his shoulder, but I was smiling along with him.

"What is this place?" I had just pulled into the parking lot of a small local clothing store Jess suggested. She said it was where she bought all the clothes she ever gave to me or Brandon. The few fashionable things I owned were credited to her. I figured this place was a safe bet.

"Jess buys my clothes here," I told him. "Never been myself, but she picks out good stuff."

He gave me a long, hard, very judgmental stare. "Jessie buys your clothes? Really?" I cut the engine, shrugging.

"For my birthday or Christmas. I don't usually spend money on this stuff, so she says it makes for good gifts. Ready?"

Nancy was already waiting at the store's entrance, her shoulder bag pulled in front of her, her blue eyes gleaming in the morning's sunshine. She was wearing the same cardigan, button-down blouse, and clogs as she was the last time I saw her, but this time, instead of navy, her color scheme today was pink. She had a blush colored ponytail holder pulling back her hair. She was adorable.

She waved over at us excitedly and pulled the door open as soon as we got close enough. "Good morning boys!"

"Nance," Peter's tone was gruff and quick; it was his voice's default frequency lately. It didn't use to be like that. He used to be animated, excited, or just plain stupid silly. I guess getting your leg blown off hundreds of thousands of miles from home can do that to you. "Top of the morning."

"You seem chipper!" She told him, following him in as I took over holding the door. I felt my eyebrows rise. This was chipper?

He snorted but didn't say anything else. And he couldn't, really. As soon as he got within ten feet of the store's entrance, he was instantly swarmed by a young male sales associate. "Good morning! Looking for anything in particular?"

Peter's response was, "Uh, all of it?"

Ten minutes later, Nancy and I had each carried about two loads of clothing to a large dressing room in the back of the store, all hand-curated by the salesman. "He's young," Pete whispered to me at one point as we followed him around, half-listening to his sales pitches and fully accepting every article he recommended. "He knows what's in. This is good."

I nodded along seriously. "Very good. Very good, sir." He cracked a smile made just for me, and I could practically see sunshine pouring out of every cell in my body.

When Peter finally made his way to the back of the store and into the fitting room, as I suspected, Nancy followed him in. I didn't hear him complain. I sat on a bench across from the closed curtain, giving myself a mental pat on the back.