Page 128 of One Last Rainy Day
“Tatie,” he says, looking at my bike like he wants to ride it.
“What’s a Tatie?”
“Tatie means aunt in French.”
“You’re French? That’s what fortuner means?”
“You talk a lot,” he says, tilting his head.
I laugh at him. “I talk the same as everyone else. You talk funny.”
He squints at me again.
“You can ride mine, but just for a bit.” I hold the handles out to him. When he doesn’t take them, I sigh. He’s hardheaded.
“Okay. Well, I have to go.” I turn and walk slowly, knowing Daddy will meet me at the porch and skin my hide.
“I’ll get on, just for a...bit,” he says it like me. I turn back to see him rushing toward me before taking my bike by the handle. He sits on the seat, puts one foot on the pedal, and waits.
“Are you scared because you crashed?”
“I’m not scared,” he says through his teeth.
He’s scared.
“I crashed before, too, cut my hand good and bloody.” I hold it up for him. He doesn’t look mad anymore but still doesn’t push on the pedals. “Just...push the pedals really fast and hold the bars straight. You can do it.”
“Dom?” I hear called from inside his house. “Dom?!”
“That you?” I ask. “You Dom?”
He nods and drops his head. “That’s my brother,” he says as he gets off the bike and holds it out to me. “He won’t let me ride with strangers.”
“Okay,” I say. “Well...meet me tonight, after bed.”
He jerks his head. “He won’t let me.”
“Don’t tell him.” I smile.
“Oh.” His eyes go wide. “Okay.”
“It will be our secret.”
He nods.
I point to the streetlight. “Meet me over there. I need to get home. I’m going to get an ass-whoopin’ for coming to meet you in my church clothes.”
He throws his head back and laughs.
“You think that’s funny?” I smile. “That I’m going to get an ass-whoopin’ to meet you?”
He nods again and again, smiling, and I smile too.
“Okay, Dom, see you after dark.”
I look back as I push the pedals. “I’m Sean.”
He nods again, still smiling. The front door opens at his house as I turn the corner. “Dom, what are you doing? Get out of the street!”
