Son for Hire: Chapter 97 (Patreon)

After a too brief moment our hands part and we return to our work.  Side by side we sift through the clothes.  Holding up a pair of women’s lacy panties between my two hands I quip.

“What about these?”

“We don’t take underwear.  Straight to the reject pile.”

“No, I mean what about them.”  I say with a smirk.  “Think they’re my size?”

“Your size!?”  She laughs loudly, turning a few heads, then elbows my arm.  “Behave yourself.  My goodness!  Boys these days, so cheeky!”

I laugh and deposit the dainties in the trash pile.  “Since I’m coming clean about everything else, you should know I forgot to wear my cage.”

“I know.” She says with a sidelong glance.  “I could tell.”

“Mom’s really do know everything.”

“Don’t you forget it.  You’ll get a spanking of course.”

I smile, recalling how her ‘spankings’ were actually wonderful love taps.  “Yes Ma’am.”

“Anything else?”

“Oh, I also gave one of Alan’s tools away.”

“You what?”

“I donated his wrench.  I had it with me when I stormed out of the garage and…well, I didn’t know what else to say when I got here.”  I nod toward the table where such things were being put.  “I’ll get him a new one.”

“Oh…oh no.”  Evelyn begins to laugh.  “Oh no!”

“Is that bad?”

“It’s part of a set.”  She chuckles.  “You know how particular he is about his stuff.”

“Oh.”

“It’s probably numbered and engraved knowing him.”

“Oh no.”

“You better find out the exact size and brand.  He won’t want just any old wrench.  He might forgive being called names, but mess with his stuff?  There will be hell to pay.”

“Um…maybe I should just go get it back?”

“Maybe you should.”

Making a fool of myself, something I am exceeding good at, I walk to the other table and explain to Pam that I just remembered something I needed to fix that needed that size of wrench.  There are a few laughs but they are good-natured and soon I am back, wrench in my back pocket.  As I settle into the sorting and folding I cannot help but think about Evelyn’s warning.  Hell to pay for messing with his stuff?  What about messing with his wife?  The wrench I could return, but what was I going to do about that?  There really was only one thing to do.  I begin mentally preparing myself for the ass-kicking that was surely coming to me.  One glance toward my angel reminded me that it would more than worth it.  

After a quiet few minutes it is evident that Evelyn was thinking about similar things as she asks softly.  “You really are going to tell him, aren’t you?”

“Yeah.  I have to.”  I say.  “Before tonight I dreamed of telling him just to hurt him and to see the look on his smug old face when I told him I was his wife’s lover.”

“Donald!”

“But I don’t want to hurt him anymore.  He doesn’t deserve this Evelyn.  What we’re doing to him.  Our happiness shouldn’t come at his expense.”

She nods sadly.  “I know.”

“I want to be honest, like he is.  Honorable, ya know?  I like how he can just…be strong in himself because he’s got nothing to hide.”  I sigh.  “What’s the point in being a good boy…if I can’t even be a good man?”

“Oh my sweet Prince, you are good.”  She says quietly, grappling with her own guilt.  “You are so good.”

“I’m tired of being scared Evelyn.  I’m so tired.”  I pause and look at the infant’s t shirt in my hands.  “I can’t keep blowing up like this.  But I can’t keep all these feelings bottled up.  I don’t want to be a coward anymore Mom.  I can’t keep running and hiding and lying.  I want to be better.  I want to be myself.  I want to be proud of who I am and…I want to make my Mommy proud.”

“Donald.”  She sighs.  “I am proud of you.”

“I know.”  I fold the garment and move on.  We work in silence for a time as the gravity of my decision really sinks in.

“How long?  When do we tell him?”

I catch how ‘I’ had shifted to ‘we’.  It gave me courage knowing she was with me in this despite the pain and what it might cost her.  “Before I do anything I want to make sure Kitty is clean, for good, and I want to get Kitty in school and have the tuition paid.  I want to have a job, just something where I can make some money and learn some things while I figure out my future.  And…”  I look over at her.  “…I want to finish my training.  I want you to make love to me.  Even just once.  I want it more than anything.”

“My boy.”  She whispers.  If not for the audience I knew I’d be in her warm embrace, probably crying knowing me.

I take in and let out a long breath.  “And…if after that you choose to stay with him…for Eugene’s sake, for the lifestyle, for the age difference…I’ll understand.  Kitty told me how these things end and…I get it.”

“You actually think…?”  Her beautiful face flinches with pain.  “Baby, you think I can just let go of you?  Just like that?  You are a silly, silly boy.”  She stands tall and says sternly.  “A Mommy’s love is forever.  You are my boy.  MY boy.”  She pats her chest.  “You will ALWAYS be a part of my life Donald.”  Tears well up in my eyes as I could feel in my soul the truth of her words.  Her face softens.  “I’m not with Alan because of Eugene or to be a kept woman.  Eugene’s an adult.  And Grandpa ensured that I’d never have to worry about money again.  I’m with him because…”

“You still love him.”

“Yes.  It’s been tough for awhile now but I still love the man.”  She shakes her head.  “My three guys.  My son, my husband, and my Prince…I love you all so much.”

“Your life would have been simple had I not filled in that day.”

“Simple and boring.”  She smiles as she remembers back.  “You were so adorable.  All bumbling and stuttering and not knowing what to say.”

“My first day on the job.”  I laugh. “I was so bad.”

“You were perfect.”  She says.  “Speaking of your first day on the job…”  Raising her voice she calls out.  “Oh Harper.  Over here.”

Harper had just walked in with a platter of baked goodies that she was handing out for free to the volunteers of the drive.  With a knowing grin she heads our way.  “I should have figured our sweet toothed cutie would want some.”  She says as she holds out her tray.  “Welcome to the team Donald.”

“Actually it was something else he wanted to ask you.”

“Oh?”

“Oh?”  I echo Harper’s question, looking at Evelyn curiously.

Harper looks at me and waits.

“He’s shy.”  Evelyn says.

“I know.”  Chuckles Harper.  “Go ahead Donny, I am all ears.”

It takes a moment but eventually I connect Evelyn’s comment with calling the owner of the local cafe over to speak to us.  “Oh!”  I say as the meaning becomes clear.  “She doesn’t want to…”

“Let me be the judge what I want to do.”  Harper kindly interjects.  “What is it my shy guy?  What can I do for you?”

I blush and shuffle nervously.  “Uh…you see…ahem…”  Patiently Harper waits as I stumble over my words.  “…I kind of want…need…um…”  I take a deep breath and say very softly.  “…you don’t happen to have an opening right now…do you?”

Understanding lights up in her eyes.  “A job?”

“Yes Ma’am.”  I nod.  “I…um…”

“Art not paying the bills?”  She asks, then answers her own question.  “Welcome to the club kid.  Most of the staff are dreamers, owner included.”

“Then he’ll fit right in!  He’s a very hard worker.  Very polite.  And he can start Monday.”

“Evelyn.”  I mutter.  “She never said…”

“Does he wash dishes?”

“Oh yes.  He can do that.”  Evelyn nods.

“Clean?  Clear tables?”

“Yes and yes.”

“Available evenings and weekends?”

“Definitely.”  Evelyn replies.

“Last minute shifts?”

“No problem.”

“Willing to learn on the job?”

“He’s a very quick learner.”

“Willing to take on whatever duty needs doing?”

“Willing and eager for the challenge.”

“A stickler for quality?”

“You’ve seen how much he likes food.”

“Minimum wage plus an equal cut of the tip pool?”

“He’s worth more.”

“I don’t know…”

“He’s worth it Harper.”

“Extra two per hour?”

“That’ll work.”

“Send him in on Monday and we’ll talk.”

“He’ll be there.”  Evelyn says with a clap.  “He really appreciates this Harper.  Thank you!”

Harper winks at me.  “See you then cutie.”  With that she moves on to the next table.

I stand blank faced and befuddled.  “What just happened?”

“You just got a job!”  Looking as proud as a peacock Evelyn puts an arm around me and gives me a squeeze.  “Well done my boy.  I knew you could do it.”

“Uh…yeah.”

“I told you Donald.  Good things come to good boys.”

I shake my head and chuckle.  “Thanks to their Mommy’s”

“Pfff, I barely even helped.”  She insists.  “Now get to work!  You’re new boss is looking.”

“Yes Ma’am!”

Chapter 98