“Chet! You really need to watch your language, especially at the brunch this Sunday. Try not to use vulgar language.”
“That’s right—the brunch is this Sunday,” he said before taking a sip of hot coffee.
Regina stood in front of him, hands on her hips, eyes narrowed and deadly. “Don’t you dare tell me that you’re not coming. I’ve been reminding you about it practically every damn day.”
“Watch your language, Mom.” Chains deadpanned. “Don’t break a blood vessel—I’m coming. I just thought it was next Sunday.”
A grin slowly spread across her face. “You’ve always liked to tease your mother. Bret will be happy you’re coming.”
“I doubt that, but I know you are.” He stood up from the table and brought his empty dish and coffee mug over to the sink. “Do you need me to bring anything?” he asked as he rinsed off the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher.
“What would you do if I told you to bring some quiches?” Her dark eyes sparkled.
Wiping his hands on a paper towel, he shrugged. “I’d swing by the store and buy them. I don’t think you’ve caught on that people don’t have to cook everything from scratch anymore.”
“Oh you,” she said, smacking him lightly on his arm.
After wadding up the paper towel, he threw it in the trash. “I’ve gotta get going. Are the boxes in the garage?”
Regina glanced at the clock over the stove. “I didn’t realize it was so late. I have to finish decorating one of the cakes that need to be delivered later on.”
“Do you want some help packing up the car?”
She shook her head. “Thanks, but your dad will be home before I leave and he can do it.”
“Okay.” Chains started walking toward the door leading to the garage.
“The box you want with your old textbooks and personal papers is on the right. It’s markedChet. Don’t take any of the other boxes. I have to go through them someday, and I don’t want you accidentally walking away with them.”
“No problem. I’ll close the garage door when I’m done. Did you change the code?”
“No, it’s the same. Did you want to bring some cake back with you for your friends?”
“No, thanks.” He turned the doorknob.
“I’ll see you on Sunday, and try and be good with Bret and your father… and stay longer than fifteen minutes, okay?” Creases lined her forehead.
“I got it. Bye, Mom.” He stepped into the garage, flipped on the light, then closed the door behind him.
When Chains spotted the box with his old name on it, he walked over and picked it up. Several other boxes surrounded it, and he kicked the lid off one of them and saw some of his old high school yearbooks.Mom won’t even miss these.Deciding that he’d take a couple more boxes with him than he’d intended, Chains stacked two of them in his arms and headed over to the SUV.
When he arrived at the clubhouse, Muerto, Eagle, and Aztec were hanging out by the big oak tree drinking beer. Chains honked the horn at them as he pulled into a space.
“I need help carrying in some boxes,” he said while opening up the trunk.
“Did you buy a bunch of shit in town?” Muerto asked as he walked over.
“Nah. I picked up some stuff at my parents’ house. I’m thinking of taking that job offer to do an online web design class, so I wanted to look at some of my old textbooks and class notes.”
“Doesn’t that stuff become obsolete, like, in a week?” Aztec asked as he pulled out a box from the trunk.
“Not that fast, but yeah, the technology changes real fast, but the principles are the same,” Chains replied.
“I hated school. Why the fuck do you wanna teach?” Eagle asked as he walked toward the front entrance carrying a box. “You’re already too busy. When was the last time, bro, you were at the strip club? A few nights ago you didn’t join us at Lust ’cause you had too much shit to do.”
“My work goes in cycles—I’m in a busy one now.” Chains pulled open the door and entered the main room.
“You’re even too busy to fuck, if the club girls are telling the truth,” Aztec said.