Chapter 9

"All done, Boss."

Eddie peered up over the top of his bifocals to see Richie standing in the office door, wiping his hands on a dingy shop rag.  His young assistant had grease smeared down the side of one cheek and his shaggy hair was a nest of sweaty disarray.  Eddie chuckled at the sight.  The Boy may look like some kind of lazy California hippie, but he sure as heck was a hard worker.

"That didn't take long."  Eddie pulled the glasses from his nose and tossed them on top of the auto parts catalog spread open on his desk.  "You do know your way around an engine pretty good, don't ya?"

Richie just shrugged and grinned, then swiped a hand through his damp bangs.  The movement left his mop of hair even more disheveled.

Eddie tipped his head toward the chair against the office wall.  "Grab a seat.  You been on your feet all day."

Silently Richie did as he was told, taking three steps across the small room to lower himself on the chair.  He groaned quietly as he stretched out his long legs, the worn soles of his boots bumping against the desk in the cramped space.

Eddie's chair squeaked as he swiveled it to face Richie, then leaned back to prop his feet up on the open bottom drawer of the oversized metal desk.  "Chick called a few minutes ago.  He's on his way down from Jesup.  Got held up there a little longer than he thought, but he's comin' now, with your thermostat."

Richie nodded.  "Okay.  I'll be sure I'm here first thing Monday morning to help you open the shop."  Again he swiped a hand through his hair, then blew a puff of breath up over his matted bangs.

Eddie grinned.  "You been a big help to me today, Richie.  I woulda never got those repairs and oil changes done if you didn't take care of the customers.  I thank you for that."  His tone turned fatherly.  "You're a good worker, Son.  Your parents raised you right."

With a sheepish shrug Richie looked down at his scuffed boots.  "Thanks."  A sad little smile ghosted his lips.  "My Dad always told me to try my hardest at whatever I did and things would turn out right."  Richie couldn't keep the irony from his voice.

Eddie cocked his head to the side.  "I heard you sayin' today you came down South for a job, but things didn't work out.  What's that about?"

Again Richie shrugged, not able to bring himself to meet Eddie's gaze.  "Thought I could make it as a musician.  I guess I was just chasing a pipe dream."  He paused, surprised at himself for the candid answer.  He hadn't disclosed to anyone in Darien the real reason for his travels, not even Annie.  But for some reason Richie felt compelled to tell Eddie the truth.  Maybe it was because Eddie reminded him of his Dad, the one person in the world he always knew he could be straight with.

"Music, eh?"  Eddie waited until Richie slowly raised his head, then gave him a smile.  "That explains all that hair, then."  A warm chuckle rumbled from the big man's chest.

The tease made Richie grin in spite of himself.  "Yeah, guess so."

"Let me guess... you're a guitar player."  Eddie chuckled again while Richie nodded.  "You go to Nashville?"

"Memphis."  Richie shifted in his chair, pulling his feet back and leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.  He looked down at his hands as he twirled the greasy rag around his two index fingers.  "Thought maybe I could catch on with a record label there, or maybe get some of my songs to somebody recording at one of the studios."

"No luck?"

Richie sighed heavily.  "Not really.  I hung around the studios some, doing gofer stuff.  Got to do a little session work."

"Well, that's somethin', ain't it?"  Eddie smiled encouragingly.  "Your playin' was on somebody's record somewhere, right?"

Richie shook his head, his hair sliding over his shoulders with the movement.  "Nah.  It was just on some demos.  A real guitar player will cut the actual record."  He snorted ironically at his choice of words.

"You meet anybody?  Who could help you out, I mean?  Introduce you to big people in the music business?"

Richie chuckled at Eddie's well-intentioned question.  "Nah.  A couple guys came up and talked to me when I was playing the clubs on Beale Street, but when I got in touch with them later they didn't seem interested in my own songs. As long as I was playing Elvis and Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison and Chuck Berry I was fine, but nobody wanted to talk to some kid from Jersey who wrote songs about girls and cars and the Shore."

Richie took a breath, feeling again the stab of disappointment at his rejection.  "After awhile I realized I wasn't gonna get anywhere in Memphis so I moved on.  I kinda wandered around for awhile, trying to figure out where to go next.  Then I was in Florida a couple days ago, sitting on the beach with nothin' to do and nowhere left to go."

"Mmm..."  Eddie was quiet for a minute, watching Richie fiddle with the rag.  "So you're goin' back home now.  What're you gonna do there?"

Richie's shoulders slumped as his hands stopped their motion.  "My Dad's Union.  He'll get me a job at the Mill."

Eddie almost winced at the resignation in Richie's mumbled reply.  He could tell from Richie's posture the depth of his disappointment.  "Well... that sounds like a good job.  Steady work, good money."

Richie nodded silently, his dark hair curtaining his face as he blinked rapidly.

There was an awkward pause, then Eddie cleared his throat.  When he spoke again his voice was gentle.  "Richie, maybe it ain't none of my business, but I'm gonna say it anyway.  There ain't nothin' wrong with taking an honest job.  It may not be what you always dreamed about doing when you were a kid, but it ain't nothin' to be ashamed of.  You gotta do what you can to take care of yourself and your future.  You can still play your guitar, but you gotta put food on the table too."

Richie's shoulders slumped a little more, but he remained silent as Eddie continued.

"You're a good kid, Richie.  A fine young man.  You work hard, you're polite and respectful and good with people."  Eddie paused to grin.  "And apparently you're a pretty good-lookin' guy, judging from the way the ladies were smilin' at you today."

That comment elicited a husky chuckle of response from Richie.  Eddie saw a sheepish smile curve the corners of his mouth.

"Sooner or later some nice girl is gonna get her hands on you and you're gonna want to settle down, buy a house, start a family.  And you'll be set."  Eddie waited as Richie raised his head to meet his gaze, then winked.  "Son, if you can play the guitar, I bet you got girls linin' up, don'tcha?"

Richie snorted and shook his head, then straightened in his chair.  He pulled a hand through his hair again before slouching against the chair back.  "Naw.  I mean, I've dated some girls... but nobody special."

"Mmmm. Well, you're young.  Some little Honey will catch you one of these days."  Eddie chuckled and leaned back a little further in his chair, eliciting a loud metallic creak from the piece of furniture.  "So... what you gonna do tomorrow?"

Richie shrugged.  "Don't know.  Annie said there ain't much to do in town.  Probably just hang around, maybe read a book or something."

"Pretty much everything will be closed up tomorrow, except the churches."  Eddie raised an eyebrow.  "You Baptist?"

"No Sir.  Catholic."

"Oh.  Well, we got a Catholic church too.  Saint Agnes, over on Sycamore Street.  Don't know what time their service is but I'm sure it's on the sign out front."

Richie squirmed a bit at Eddie's assumption that he would be in attendance at Saint Agnes' in the morning. He hadn't been to Mass in months.  "Um.... okay."

Eddie noticed Richie's discomfort and chuckled inwardly.  He liked the kid, but now he was going to put him on the spot, to get to the conversation he had been meaning all day to have.  "Where are you staying tonight?"

"Uh, Annie said I could sleep on her couch again."  Richie's cheeks colored slightly as again Eddie's brow arched at his words.

"That so?"  Eddie drew out the two syllables, giving Richie time to get the message.  He paused for a moment, watching Richie shift again in his seat.  "You know, Annie's a special Gal.  She never met somebody she don't call a friend."

Richie cleared his throat nervously as he nodded.  "She's sure been nice to me.  I don't know what I would have done if she hadn't come along and picked me up yesterday."

"You woulda found your way here eventually."  Eddie chuckled quietly.  "There ain't no other service station for twenty miles.  You just woulda had to walk the whole way, is all."  His expression turned more serious as he gave Richie a direct look.

"But you're right.  Annie is a good girl.  She's been through a lot in her life, but every day she gets up and smiles and thanks the Lord for another beautiful day.  She's special, our Annabelle.  She's family.  To everybody in this town.  You get what I'm sayin'?"

Richie swallowed hard, flinching at Eddie's stare.  "Yes Sir.  I hear you," he replied hoarsely.

"Do you, Son?"  Eddie's chair creaked again as he leaned forward, dropping his feet from the desk drawer to the floor and leaning forward to give Richie an earnest look.

"Look, Richie... this ain't nothin' personal.  Annabelle's a grown woman, and she can make her own decisions.  And you're a young man, I ain't got no say over what you do.  But Annie..."  It was Eddie's turn to swallow hard as his voice turned husky.  "She's like my own daughter, has been ever since she was a little girl goin' to school with my Betsy.  I just don't want to see her get disappointed, ya know?"

"Wha... disappointed?"  Richie was caught off-guard by Eddie's comment.  His eyes widened as his brain wrapped around the meaning of the big man's words.

Eddie chuckled raspily at Richie's surprise.  The kid didn't even realize how obvious his interest in Annie was.  "Richie, I seen the two of you together.  You can't tell me you ain't attracted to her.  And let me tell you, Son... I ain't seen her so sweet on a boy for a long damned time.  Not since she was in high school."

Eddie gave Richie another long look, his expression gentling.  "Look, I'm not tellin' you your business.  But I'm just askin' you... whatever happens tonight, or tomorrow, or before you roll outa town here come Monday... just think twice before you break her heart, okay?"

Richie nodded slightly, sucking in a long breath as he tried to figure out how to answer Eddie's request.  Just as his lips parted with some semblance of a response, he was cut off.

"Hey y'all.... it quittin' time yet?"

Annie's musical drawl lilted through the door.  An automatic smile curved Richie's lips as he looked toward the office door.

Eddie leaned back in his chair, chuckling softly to himself at Richie's reaction.  He shook his head slightly as he realized that his warning might have been received, but it may not be remembered.  He could only hope his assessment of Annie's visitor was correct, that he was a good kid who would do right by her.

Annie's blonde head peeked around the door frame.  "Sheesh.  Hard at work I see."  She grinned saucily.

"Girl, this is the first time Richie's sat down all day.  Except when you drug him off to the park."  Eddie grinned at Annabelle.  "At least you brought him back with no bite marks.  'Least none I could see."

Annabelle moved fully into the doorway and gave Richie a sweet smile.  "I was careful," she teased.  She giggled when Richie's cheeks colored, and her heart fluttered a little when he didn't look away, his gaze holding hers.  "So... You done with him?"  Her question was directed at Eddie even as she continued to smile at Richie.  "We got plans."

Eddie laughed.  "Plans?  Oh Lordy.  I know what that means."  He gave Richie a grin when the young man swiveled his head in his direction.  "Watch out, Son.  She'll get you in a heap of mischief tonight if you ain't careful."

"Really?"  Richie couldn't stop his eager grin.  "She did mention something about 'mischief' earlier.  What the Hell... er...heck... is this place she's taking me?"

"Oh, you'll see."  Eddie and Annabelle exchanged a smile before Eddie's expression sobered a bit.  "Seriously though, Annie.  You be careful, 'kay?  You know things can get kinda rough out there.  And take care of Young Richie here."

"You know I will."  Annie smiled and stepped into the office, moving close to Richie.  She reached for his hand, delighting in the tingle of excitement she felt when her fingers curled over his. "C'mon Richie.  I'm ready."

"Uh... Eddie?  You need any help closing up?"  Richie's pulse raced as Annie tugged gently at his hand, urging him to join her.  But he didn't want to just run out on Eddie, especially after the serious conversation they had just not-quite-finished.

"Naw.  I'm just waitin' on Chick.  You already done everything else that needs doin'.  You two go on."  Eddie gave Annabelle a little wink and an affectionate grin.  "Think you're both ready to have a little fun."

"Damn straight," Annie shot back with her own sweet grin.

Eddie laughed and shook his head, then turned his gaze to Richie.  "Thanks for the help today Richie.  Now go have a good time tonight.  See ya Monday mornin'."  He watched a shy grin spread across Richie's face and he awkwardly raised himself from his chair.  Eddie noticed Richie didn't let his hand slip from Annie's as he stood and followed her to the door.

"Oh, Richie?"  Eddie smirked when Richie turned in the doorway in response to his name.

"Yes, Sir?"

"Good Luck, Son."