Chapter Fourteen
Salzy strode into theapartment, letting the screen door slam behind him.He hefted up two plastic bags.“I wasn’t sure what you liked to drink, so I got two twelve packs.You seemed to have liked the Modelo I had, so I got that, and then I got Becks.I like both so...”Salzy looked closely at Jamie, his eyebrows furrowed.“What’s up?You look...different.”
“I’m staying,” Jamie said.“I’ll put those in the fridge.”He took the beer from Salzy.
“What do you mean, you’re ‘staying’?”
Jamie opened the refrigerator, looking inside, he saw a half-used pint of milk, which he knew would be off.There was a nearly empty jar of Miracle Whip and he chucked both into the sink.He took one of the Becks and one of the Modelos, handing that one to Salzy.Jamie shoved the case of beer into the fridge and turned to face the man behind him.
“It means that I’m going to move back to Columbus and run the diner.”
Salzy’s mouth fell open.After a moment, he let out a loudwhoopand grabbed Jamie into a big hug.Just as quickly, he let Jamie go and did a little happy dance, spilling some of his beer.
“You get to clean that up.”Jamie said with a smirk.“What would Mamaw say?”
Salzy stopped.“First off, I think she’d tan your ass for bringing beer into her house and then she’d make you clean it up!That’s what I think.”
Jamie pointed to Salzy.“Youbrought the beer in, andyouspilled it.You clean it up.”
They looked at each other and burst out laughing.
* * * * *
They sat outside onthe veranda.Jamie in Papaw’s rocking chair, and Salzy in Mamaw’s.They didn’t say much till they’d finished their first beer.Salzy got them a second, again, letting the screen door slam behind him.When he sat down, he looked at Jamie and then back out towards the new spring growth in the fields.
“What made you decide to stay?”
Jamie thought a moment.“I think...I think it’s where I belong.”
“Yeah,” Salzy quietly agreed.“I think you’re right.”He leaned over and slugged Jamie lightly on the shoulder.“We can be brothers.”
Jamie looked at Salzy and frowned, rubbing his shoulder.“That doesn’t mean you get to hit me.”
“Sure it does.We’re brothers!”
“Since when do brothers get to slug each other?”
Salzy rolled his eyes.“All brothers beat on each other.It’s the law.”
“Law?Assault isn’t law, no matter who it is.”
“Listen, I have two brothers, and we are always fighting each other.It’s fun.”
“I don’t see what is fun about fighting.”Jamie looked away from the other man.“As I remember, fighting was painful and...humiliating.”
Salzy was quiet.“You were bullied, weren’t you?”he said softly.
Jamie nodded.
“See, this is where brothers come in handy.You fight one of us, you fight all of us.We always have each other’s backs.”
“But it’s okay for your brothers to beat on each other?”
Salzy faced Jamie, a huge smile on his face.“It sure is.”
