Chapter 7 - List of tasks (Part 3)

- Juliet, Sniper said, It's fine! We'll you go back to our house and get the extra key.
- Sure, Snipes! What an great idea! I said with as much sarcasm in my voice as possible. Let's just walk back to the house which is located about twenty kilometres outside town. That wont take more than an hour! I smiled.
- Nah, don't be stupid, we'll take the ca-
He interrupted himself as he turned to point at his van.
- Oh... right.

We went back in to talk with Engineer to see if he had any idea of what to do. As soon as we explained him what had happened, he insisted that he would give us a ride with his car to get the extra key. But since we were already late, so I suggested that they would drop me of at Scouts house. That way I could explain to him and his mom why we were so late. As YOU may understand, that wasn't my intentions at all. First of all, I wasn't in the mood for a long trip home an back with these guys. And wouldn't you know, they fell for it and agreed that was a good idea.

Knock. Knock. Knock.
A woman with dark hair and a red dress opened the door to the apartment.
- Oh hi! You must be Juliet. I'm Scout's mom, she greeted me and reached out her hand to shake mine.
- Hi, sorry for being so late. Sniper forgot the car keys inside the car when we where at Engineers store. They're on their way home to Sniper to get the extra one.
- Oh, okay. Well, accidents happens, we'll just wait for him a little bit longer. No worries. Scout is in his room. It's over there, she said pointing towards a white door. I'll be in the kitchen if you'll need anything. She left me and went into a room at her left.
I opened the door she had pointed at.
- Hello?
I didn't want to startle him so I tried to be obvious and not sneak up on him.
- Oh hey! C'mon in. Sorry 'bout my room being so messy, I just came home from baseball practice and I didn't have any time to clean it up, Scout said excusing himself.
That's when I noticed that his hair still were slightly wet. My guessing was that he had got out of the shower not very long ago. He was still wearing the gray hoddie and the lose fitting jeans. He sat on a chair by his computer.
- It's okay, my room at home usually isn't clean either, I said.

Ding dong
- Hi there, Sniper! I'm glad you could come over for a visit, Scout's mom said.
- Thanks, mate. Is Juliet here already? he asked.
- Yeah, she's together with Scout in his room. Why don't you come along with me to the kitchen, I think the coffee is about done.
They sat down by the table with respectively a yellow cup of coffee in their hand. They talked for a while about a little bit of everything. Scout's mom told Sniper about the problem with the annoying birds out in the quart yard. Scout's mom explained that she is the president of the association that's responsible for keeping it clean and there had been allot of complains about these noisy crows.
The surface of the black liquid they were drinking almost exposed the bottom of the cup by now. Scout's mom looked at Sniper.
- And how about Juliet? Are you two getting along? she asked.
- Well... I guess, he said. Look, mate, I'm gonna be honest. I don't like kids. And I'm not much for company either. So this whole apprentice project is more of a burden than a fun experience. Juliet is always talking about everything and nothing at the same time, she can't sit still and neither focus on the task or what I'm trying to teach her during training.
The woman dressed in red looked at him.
- Correct me if I'm wrong, Sniper, but this project was your idea wasn't it? she asked.
- Well, yes, b-
- Than why did you do this if you didn't like company in the first place? she cut him of before he even had a chance to try explaining.
He though quietly for a while.
- I'm... I'm trying to make my mum proud, you see. I'm a middle age single man without kids or plans on starting a family. Both my parents are disappointed with me and my mum even lies about what I do for a living. And I thought this would be a perfect way to even things out... but, I guess not.
The man filled with sorrow rested his face in his hand and the other one on the table. Scout's mom loosened the grip around her cup and reached out one of her hands to grab the one laying on the table in front of her. Laid it on top. He looked up to meet her friendly eyes.
- You are a good man, Sniper. You're trying to please everybody, no matter the battle. But sometimes you have to think about yourself to. Even though we can't send Juliet and Heather back home now, you'll just have to make the best of this. I know it can be hard. But try to do this not for your mother, Juliet or neither for me; Try to do this for your own sake. You might learn more from that girl than you teach her, she said with her kind smile on her lips.
- I guess you're right...
- I know I'm right. Now, let's take care of those fucking birds.
Even though Sniper was surprised of her choice of words, but he stood up of his chair with a smile and followed Scout's mom outside.

Pow!
- What the fuck was that? Scout asked out loud. He dropped the controller to walk over to his window to see what could have made that kind of sound in the almost abandoned playground outside the house. In curiosity, I followed him. There was not a soul out there. He opened the window and leaned over the edge to take a closer look.
- Hi, honey! his mom screamed. We're just taking care of the birds, don't mind us!
- Yo, Aussie! How's it hangin'? Scout shouted.
Sniper just glanced angry back at us and turned his attention back to the sigh of his rifle.
- Just minding my own business, maybe you should try it! he shouted back at his younger colleague.
Scout just shrugged his shoulders and snuck back trough the window.
- Are ya up for another round? I bet I'll beat you this time, Scout asked.
- If you dare, I answered.

It was near dinner time and Sniper and I had to head home for the night.
- Call me if you'll need anything, Mrs., Sniper said.
- The same applies for you, Sniper. Thanks so much for coming over, it was so nice meeting you Juliet.
- It was nice to meet you too, Mrs.
- See you guys at work! Scout said before closing the door behind us.
We headed to the car and went straight home. As son as we'd packed up all the groceries we cooked ourselves some dinner. It was another of those quiet "please don't talk" dinners. And after that we went straight to bed. Still, without a word.

Annons

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Anonymous Tue 13 Nov 2012 00:10

Älskar den! xD

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December 2012