Summertime Blues (for Zoe)

[RawDog33]

Tommy could just barely hear her when she called out to him, but her voice still made him smile. He took out his own earplugs and made his way over to her. He reached into a pocket as he approached her, and as he climbed the stairs up to the deck, tossed her a small clear plastic package with a pair of foam earplugs inside. “That’s the best I got,” he said.

“How are you doing?” he asked her, wiping the sweat from his brow with an old red bandana from his back pocket.

 

[rockinzoe]

She couldn’t remove the smile from her face as he approached, picking the pack up and sticking it in her pocket. “I’m good. I’d have been great if there had been no noise for another hour though.” She spoke softly, internally arguing with herself to stop grinning at him.

“You look like you know what you are doing,” she nodded towards the project, “Do you know what you are doing?” She bit the toast before taking a sip of her tea

 

[RawDog33]

Tommy smirked and shrugged. “I mean, I’ve never built a chicken coop before, but I’ve got a plan, I’ve got material, and I’ve got tools,” he said. He winked at her. “Just pray I don’t accidentally cut off a finger or something,” he said, before heading back to his work.

He stopped a few paces away, though, and then turned to her. “Actually, I could use an extra hand for a minute, if you feel up to it,” he said.

 

[rockinzoe]

She took another mouthful of tea, “Will I get in a mess? I’m planning on wearing this for work and I don’t want to get changed.” She paused contemplating it “Wet, dirty or covered in dust.” She listed off on her fingers before eating some more fruit.

She stood her mouth full and approached the stairs, “still want my help?”

 

[RawDog33]

Tommy smiled at her and nodded. “Yeah, come on,” he replied, and led her over to the part of the yard near the shed, where he had several beams of wood laying around, all of them nailed together to create a frame for the chicken coop. He leaned over and picked up one of the frames, standing it upright. “Okay, just come over here and hold this upright. It’s not heavy. I just need you to keep it steady.”

Once she had a grip on the frame, which was only as tall as Tommy, he stood up another, similar frame lying nearby, and moved it so it was at a ninety-degree angle to Ellie’s. He quickly used a drill to drive a screw into the wood, joining the two frames at the corner. “Cool, that’s all I needed,” he said. “Thanks.” The two frames now stood in the yard on their own, the beginning of a small shack for his chickens.

 

[rockinzoe]

She had laughed then, “That’s it?” She had been worried he would have covered her in sawdust and all sorts, one screw she could deal with.

Ellie stepped back from him moving back to look at the frame,
“Do you build much with your hands? Right now I could imagine you building something ridiculous like a house, just because you could.” For some reason she imagined herself in that house too in her own bedroom, she shook her head at herself.

 

[RawDog33]

Tommy shrugged. “Maybe one day,” he said. He looked into the distance for a moment, lost in thought, before looking back at Ellie. “My dad had all these tools. It wasn’t really my thing, but I’ve kinda taken to it,” he said. “He was a helluva woodworker. I’m not even close.”

 

[rockinzoe]

She nodded, a soft smile on her lips, she really needed to smile less around him!
“I bet he would be so proud.” Her voice was soft, “clearly the genes have been passed down. So you build our girls a house and then we will see about upgrading you to a bigger project right? Nice little three bed cabin by a lake, own beach and lovely sunshine eh?”
She stepped back, a little saddened to ruin the moment, “I’m going to finish eating, some of us are not so fortunate to not need to work on a day like this. Do you want a drink or something?” Walking back slowly as she spoke

 

[RawDog33]

Tommy smirked at her. “You buy the property, I’ll build the house,” he said. “And some water would be pretty great, actually,” he said, before moving around to the next part of the frame, raising it up from the ground, got it set just right, and then fastened it together with another screw.

 

[rockinzoe]

“It’s a deal.” She winked at him, turning on the spot she went straight inside, half filling a glass with ice and topping it up with water.

Ellie walked slowly back down to him, something about him building was so… manly! It was like it called to the cavewoman in her, that was it plus nobody else she knew was at all “hands on” most of them had trouble getting their head round an ikea flat pack.

She finally stood near the site, glass outheld

 

[RawDog33]

Tommy had the chicken coop all boxed out with the frame when Ellie returned with a glass of water, and Tommy didn’t realize just how thirsty he was until he saw it. “Thanks, doll,” he said, walking over to her and taking the glass and draining half of it quite quickly. “I appreciate it. Fuck, that’s good stuff,” he said, and promptly finished it off. “Thanks. I was thirsty.”

 

[rockinzoe]

She watched him drain his glass, she should have walked away, it was weird to stand there watching him.

“Do you want another?” What the hell was happening to her? She couldn’t stop herself being nice to him, then again she was going to get to play ‘house’ with the chickens so maybe it was a selfish thing. Keep him happy so she could have the eggs. And at least her tone was casual, carefree. The sooner she got into work with the drunks the better for her.

 

[RawDog33]

“I’m okay,” he said, shaking his head and handing the empty glass back to her. He grabbed onto one of the wood planks in the frame and gave it a little shake. “I think it’s sturdy enough for some chickens,” he said.

 

[rockinzoe]

“Needs wire though right? To keep them safe?” She folded her arms over her chest, tilting her head to the side,

“Tommy, where does one get chickens from?”

 

[RawDog33]

“Of course, they’ll have this whole area here to cluck around,” he said, waving to the rest of the yard near the new coop.

He raised an eyebrow at her question. “Eggs, duh,” Tommy quickly replied, winking at her and smiling.

 

[rockinzoe]

She narrowed her eyes, struggling to keep a straight face.
“Very funny. How many do you think you will get? Will you name them after girls you have slept with?” She laughed amused at her own joke, she really must go finish her food but found that her feet didn’t want to move.

 

[RawDog33]

“Well, I wasn’t going to get that many chickens,” he said, smirking at her again. He shrugged. “Probably like, five or six, I guess? To start with.”

He went over to the shed and picked up a large sheet of plywood, and carried it over to the coop. He leaned it up against the side. “Hey, can you just hold this up against the frame for me?” he asked her for her help again.

 

[rockinzoe]

Her eyebrows raised, her number obviously bigger than hers. She did nod putting the glass down and walking over where he wanted her. Carefully she lifted to where directed, looking over her shoulder to see if he was happy with it,

“So will you name one of them after me? Have a little Ellie floating around after I move out?”

 

[RawDog33]

Tommy chuckled as he took the drill and drove a screw home, securing the plywood wall to the frame. “I kinda figured you would name them,” he said.

 

[rockinzoe]

Ellie would never have believed you if you told her she would be so excited over chickens.
“Oh Tommy.” Moving her hand from the side already in place she put it over her heart, “Our little chicken babies!” She was far too excited, “Lots more roommates, though you will need to be wary, you will be vastly outnumbered by women, in your own house!” Her eyes caught her watch, letting out a small sigh.

“I really need to go, food and then work.” Her face fell, she was having too much fun with him lately

 

[RawDog33]

“Go on, get, you’re just in the way anyway,” he teased her, giving her hip a little bump with his own after he drove a few more screws into the plywood, securing it to the coop frame.

“I might pop in to the Library tonight to watch the ball game,” he told her as he went to grab another sheet of plywood.

 

[rockinzoe]

She had been gathering up the remains of her breakfast, finishing the last of the toast as she reached the door
“I hope you do.” She had called, thankfully with her back to him, she screwed up her face, cursing herself, how stupid she sounded.

Ellie left the house quickly, relieved to be away to be honest. I hope you do! I hope you do! What was going on with her, it was like today she had turned into some stupid flirting little girl, couldn’t stop herself it seems. Maybe she needed to find herself a date.

The night was fairly busy, quite a few coming in to watch the game, no matter how much she tried to stop herself every time the door opened she looked up, checking to see who it was.

By the time she was on her break he hadn’t arrived, it was good, he was probably too worn out or got caught up going to see some band. She didn’t mind, honestly, though perhaps she would get a car home.

 

[RawDog33]

“I hope you do,” she said.

Tommy decided right then and there that he would. When she left, he continued working on the coop for a while. It wasn’t finished, but he’d have some time tomorrow and the next day to get it done.

He got himself cleaned up, and ate some dinner. He did a little running around in the evening, making deliveries, and it was a little after nine that night when he did finally make it to the Library. The ball game was halfway over already, and the home team was winning. Tommy found himself a barstool.

 

[rockinzoe]

As she returned the door opened, her eyes flew to the door, but it was not Tommy. The bar seemed to be much busier than when she left it, but having only one person working will have that affect.

Her eyes scanned the mostly male patrons waiting to place an order, she tried to find the one who looked the most unhappy, the one who had been waiting the longest, except she was suddenly drawn to one who was not even looking in her direction.

She moved quickly, pulled in the direction she had to go in, bending down she pulled a beer and placed it in front of him,
“Evening.” She grinned

 

[RawDog33]

“Evening,” he replied, smiling when she brought him his beer. “Thank you very much,” he said, grabbing up the bottle and taking a drink. “Damn, that’s just perfect,” he said, setting it down.

“How’s your night going?”