"Uber." She says and loads her gear up the stairs as I follow with her new guitar. She isn’t taking an Uber with a fucking Fender Strat. Nope.
Once up the stairs I yell to Jen in the office. "Red? Can you come here will quick?"
I see the plate of broiled chicken, corn and wild rice sitting on the counter with a cover and the domesticated Jen is just as hot as the vixen. Little shit like this means the world to me.
"Done finally?" She asks as she takes a seat at the counter.
"For tonight." I say and stretch my back as I pick at the dinner. "Thanks for this babe."
I say it offhandedly, but saw the devotion for me in her eyes as I said it. "Sure, I know you get hungry after working long." She shrugs and looks at Lex. "I can make you a plate?"
She stands to get Lexington a plate, but Lex stops her. "I am full from the take out earlier, but thank you." She looks at her phone and back to us smiling. "My Uber is here. See ya tomorrow."
"Nope." I say and hand Jen my wallet as I inhale the food. "Can you go pay the driver for his time? There’s a twenty in there, give him that."
I look at Lex as she tries to argue. "I just got you a ten-thousand-dollar guitar. It isn’t going in a fucking Uber Lex."
"You can’t keep chauffeuring me either Calvin." She says and looks at me annoyed. "I aint the type to take handouts."
I look at Jen and smirk, because she is the same way. "He won’t stop until you agree. He is bossy like that." Jen says and winks at me as she walks out to pay the driver.
"Look, I will find rides and stuff." She says and I keep eating, not caring about her argument. "Uber is safe."
I shake my head no. "Here is the thing. There will be times where you'll leave here at one or two in the morning. Today was an early day in comparison. This is long drawn out and always constant work. It isn’t a schedule, Lex. It is go until you can’t. Then wake up and do it again, harder."
"And Uber is a twenty-four-seven thing duh."
"You are showing your age. Duh." I say and she laughs.
"You are showing yours by the lame comment."
I laugh at that and set the plate in the dishwasher after I rinse it. "Look..." I pause when Jen comes in and sits again. I feel better with her here when I offer what I am about to. Jen is an independent, stubborn, headstrong female. She also caves to me as well as Noah when we have a valid point. "What if I got you a car?"
She immediately flips out and starts talking over me and Jen spits out her water, choking from my offer.
"Stop! Fuck!" I yell and they both flinch. I rub Jens back as she catches her breath and look at Lex. "I aint talking a fucking Bugatti for Christs Sake. Something used, good miles and stable. Something in the few grand range. Once the album sells, which it will, pay me back and use whatever car as a trade in on a better one. A loan." I look at Jen who seems to have her breath back. "Not an Escalade." I say and it is kind of a dig at Noah gifting it to her when her reliant gave out.
I don’t know why I am bothered by it now, when I never have been before.
"I ..." Lexington stutters and I am grateful for the distraction considering I am sure I pissed Jen off saying it.
Fuck!
"That's a yes." I state and see little man come into the kitchen. I look at the clock and see its almost midnight. 'What's up pal?' I ask in ASL.
'Thirsty dad.' He signs and pulls the stool to the sink and fills his glass. I look at Jen as we both watch a small, unimportant task, but equally see him as a big boy not a baby. He goes to Jen and kisses her goodnight then to Lex and signs 'good seeing you' to Lex.
"He says good seeing you." Jen tells her and Lex stumps us both by signing back to him.
'Hi Axe.' Then she points at him and holds up to fingers. "You too." She says.
He lights up and hugs her, grateful she spoke to him in his language.
I get no hug or kiss but a 'night dad' before he heads to the stairs. I think he was more in awe of Lex and like all boys when in the presence of pretty girls, we do not kiss or hug our dad.
That kid is so my kid.
I laugh to myself and shake my head, Lex and Jen both looking at me. I say nothing, as is man code and look to Lex. "Did you learn that for him?"