The Job Pt. 03

"Marissa is grateful for your offer and would like to accept," Jayden said as Doug was finishing attaching the last wheel back on the car. Doug dropped the last lug nut and it went rolling across the garage and came to rest under a work table. He had trouble believing Marissa accepted. Now he was concerned about what came next. What kind of fool would he look like to her. He started breathing hard, staring at where the lug nut landed.

Jayden walked over to the work table and reached under for the the nut. He was trying to not smile as he brought the nut back to Doug. "Doug, she needs help. You're giving her that help. Everything else will work out fine." He handed the nut to Doug who was taking some deep breaths. "Marissa won't bite and she will never treat you poorly. You two will be good for each other," Jayden said as Doug hand-tightened the lug nut and then drove it tight with the pneumatic wrench.

Doug took another deep breath and let it out. "What's done is done," he responded and looked over at Jayden. "She can stay for as long as she needs." Jayden smiled and slapped him on the back. Doug outwardly smiled back, but inwardly he was in full panic mode. Jayden stepped back as Doug lowered his car. It was finished in well under two hours. Doug was a man of his word.

Doug and Jayden headed back to the waiting room. Doug led the way until just prior to the entry. He hung back a bit until Jayden passed him up. Doug had no idea what to say to Marissa. He thought of two or three things on the walk over, but they seemed ridiculous now that he was almost upon her. Maybe he shouldn't have made the offer.

Marissa watched them enter and saw Doug's eyes looking at the floor. The first thing that came into her head was that Jayden talked him into it. Doug looked sad about the whole prospect. She tried not to get angry at Jayden since he saved her ass last night. He was only doing what he thought was right. She couldn't force this poor man to put up with her and the kids.

"Jayden told me what you offered, Doug," Marissa said while watching for a reaction. Doug lifted his eyes briefly and then looked toward the boys. "I can't let you take on my burden. These kids are a handful and I'm probably the worst of the bunch." She had to give him a way out. Jayden threw his hands up in the air. He thought it was already settled.

"My house has been empty for a few years now." Doug took another deep breath and looked straight at Marissa. "I would love to see your boys there." He spoke the truth. Doug wanted to relive the moments with his own father, only this time, he would be the oldest. "If you can put up with a dumb hick, you are welcome to stay as long as you need." Doug couldn't believe how long he was looking into her eyes. They were the prettiest eyes he had ever seen.

Marissa's head tilted a bit. Her impression of Doug and the whole situation changed in that moment. Doug's eyes were glued to hers and she saw sincerity in them. She also saw how hard he had struggled to get out the words. She and her kids would be safe with him. She moved toward him with Xavier still in her arms. Doug flinched at her approach, but she saw it for what it was now. She continued and held out her hand. Doug hesitantly took it in his.

"We thank you for this." Marissa was pouring sincerity back at him. "We could really use a safe place to figure things out." Doug's grasp was tender even with the coarse skin of a working man. Doug thought her hand was as soft as her eyes. Jayden was grinning from ear to ear. Doug thought he had held on to her hand too long when he finally broke his grasp. He headed over to the two boys who looked like they had finished their strange Lego creation.

"Well guys, it looks like you'll be staying at my house for a little while." Doug smiled for them and for the joy he was feeling. "I am Doug," he said as he lowered himself to their level. "What should I call you." Sebastian and Tristan rattled off their names and Sebastian included Xavier in the introductions. "Have I got a room for you two. It was mine when I was your age." Doug stalled for effect. "It's got bunk beds," he said it with a flourish. He might as well have told them to eat all the candy they wanted. Marissa smiled at the joy the boys showed Doug. Inwardly, she had visions of her boys falling off and breaking bones. 'Boys will be boys,' she told herself. If not a bed, it will be a tree. "Let's get you guys home," Doug said without thinking. Marissa wasn't quite ready to call it home, but she let the word slide.

Marissa and Xavier rode with Jayden while Doug spent all of two seconds talking the other boys into riding in the truck again. Jayden looked at all the open land and saw boy heaven. This is where young boys should grow up. So much to explore and do. He suddenly envied Doug.

"He would make a good father," Marissa said out of nowhere. She wasn't sure she wanted to say it out loud, but she hung it out anyway. Jayden did a double take.

"I am sure he would, but you've known him for less than a day," Jayden reminded her. "Don't you go attacking him. It would scare the hell out him." Jayden thought another warning was in order. "And never tell him what we did last night. If I know guys like him, he would take it very personally. Doug is willing to help you without preconditions or payment of the kind you're contemplating. Just let him be the good man he is." Jayden was inwardly praying that Marissa wouldn't sabotage the whole arrangement.

"What if I end up liking him?" Marissa already liked him because he liked her boys.

"Then let him make the first move." Jayden gave her a target that he was sure was years away, if ever at all. "If he does, then you can jump his bones. Just don't throw away this arrangement thinking you owe him anything more than he is asking for. Think how good this could be for your boys."

"Okay. I promise I won't be the one to screw this up." Marissa thought about her boys. It was time they had a little stability, even for a little while. Jayden was right, she would take it slow.

<<<<<>>>>>

The house was a huge wooden structure. It was built to house many generations of family together and built at a time when that was the norm. There were six bedrooms with three baths upstairs. A huge kitchen with a dining room that could seat twelve. Most of the front of the house was taken up by a large family room with a slew of comfortable chairs and an extra large couch. The entire house was about thirty years out-of-date and looked well lived in. Someone, at one time, was a serious doily lover. It smelled of home.

The boys loved the bunk beds. They loved that the room was packed with toys from Doug's and his father's youth. They were just getting to the age that electronics would begin to take hold, but for now, these toys would do nicely. Marissa found a bedroom across the hall from the boys. It was large enough to house her and Xavier. Doug had pulled a large bassinet down from the attic that would work perfectly.

"We'll need to take a trip to the grocery store later." Doug started talking as he walked between the two rooms. "Looks like we will be forced to eat Mac & Cheese for lunch." The cheers from the boys were expected and welcome. "I like hotdogs in mine. Think you two can slice some hotdogs for me?" The boys thought that would be a wonderful idea. Marissa cringed and was about to stop the inevitable bleeding when Doug poked his head in her room and whispered, "Plastic knives," with a smile on his face. He herded the boys to the downstairs kitchen. 'What a wonderful man,' she thought to herself.

"I have to go." Jayden poked his head into Marissa's new room. "I wish I could stay longer, but I'm a bit late already." Marissa rushed to his arms and gave him a hug.

"Thank you." Marissa's eyes were a little watery. "I don't know what would have happened if you weren't there last night." Jayden stroked her back, pleased he could do as much as he did.

"Looks like you'll be safe for while." Jayden broke the embrace. "Whatever decision you make, I am sure it will be a good one." He kissed her forehead and headed downstairs to say goodbye to rest of the crew. Marissa watched him walk down the stairs. 'What a wonderfully strange man,' she thought.

The boys said quick goodbyes. Doug had a truck, bunk beds and let them play with knives. Jayden was now second fiddle as far as they were concerned. He smiled at how quickly they made the transition. He shook Doug's hand and headed out the door. He made a mental note to check up on them in the future. It was more out of interest than any sense of responsibility. He figured he had handed that off to Doug, who he now envied just a bit.

Jayden hopped into his car and made his way back to the interstate. He was very pleased how the day turned out. Evansville was back in his sights and only about four hours away. He fired up his phone and kicked off Steppenwolf's "Born to be Wild." The ultimate way to start a day of traveling.