Page 43 of String Boys

The sales clerk—a redneck guy with thinning gray hair, a wide ruddy face, and more tats than teeth—rolled his eyes, like this was a big deal, and found a big plastic bag for the food and soda.

“Gonna have to carry that bag of ice yerself,” he cautioned, and Kelly shrugged.

“It’s hot. Won’t be too bad,” he said with a smile.

There was a raucous burst of laughter from outside the gas station, and his smile died. The redneck guy glanced outside and grimaced.

“Shit. Them fuckers. Kid, I’m calling the cops. You want to stay here?”

Kelly looked outside and groaned. Castor Durant. Seriously? “I hate that guy,” he muttered. He was here by himself, the ice cream melting, the ice dripping, and God….

All he wanted was Seth’s battered denim couch.

And air-conditioning.

And his boy’s dreamy smile.

“I’ll deal,” he said with a shrug. “What’re they gonna do? Shoulder me to death?”

The guy already had the phone up to his ear, and he shook his head now, even as one of Castor’s goons let out a cackle. But Kelly, he had home on his mind.

He squared his shoulders, because he was nobody’s bait, and started outside.

Under the Yellow Moon

SETH WATCHEDthe door close behind Kelly and wished like anything he could go with him.

He didn’t want to be there, arguing with his dad anymore.

“Dad—”

But his dad wasn’t standing with his hands on hips, angry like he had been. He was looking at the door instead, his hand on the back of his neck like he had a headache.

“Dad?”

“Seth, you can’t stay here for Kelly.”

Seth swallowed, feeling betrayed. He thought his dad would…. Never mind. “You don’t understand about Kelly!” he cried out. “I thought I’d have until June!”

“You have untilnext week!” his dad reiterated. “The bus leaves next week, and I promised them I’d get you on it. You get on that bus and start the tour, and end up in Bridgford and a whole new life.”

“I don’t want a new life!” Seth hated the thought. “I like it here. I like it with you.”And with Kelly.The words hung between them, unsaid, unheard.

He thought.

His father sighed and dropped into the kitchen chair. “Seth. Son. Hear me out. All the way. This is important, because I want you to know. Idounderstand about Kelly. Do you think I haven’t been there? I had college offered to me on a platter, and I chose your mother instead. And I don’t regret that decision. I don’t.”

Seth was going to say, “Then why are we having this fight!” but then it hit him.

Sunk in.

His father was comparing Kelly to Seth’s mother.

Oh.

“Then why…?” He couldn’t say it, he was so stunned.

“I’m not asking you to make that decision, son.” Craig looked up and smiled at him, the soft smile that Seth remembered from when his dad got back from rehab. From those moments getting ice cream. From birthdays, when his father surprised him with something important and music related. From the times he brought takeout and sat in his recliner while Seth and Kelly sprawled on the couch and they all watched TV together.