Concrete - 11. Plans

Thursday was Jamie’s busy day. He had been and still was delivering drugs for Gordon. He also had an appointment at probation at two. And then he just made it ten times more hectic by deciding to fill out some job applications on top of it all.

Pizza Hut, Dunkin Donuts, Door Dash, Jamie applied to anything that would let him be on the road most of the day. He and Gordon had discussed it. Gordon agreed he needed some kind of cover job, so, he was willing to let Jamie use the car while he did it.

It was one, and Jamie sat at Walgreens waiting for his last contact of the day. The guy was late, but Jamie was busy filling out his Door Dash application. They wanted a picture of his license, so he laid it down on the passenger seat and took a neat shot.

When he looked up again, a crazy haired, blond man was standing at the window. Jamie jumped, then realized it was his connect. He rolled down the window. “Jesus, you scared me.”

“What were you taking a picture of your license for?” the guy asked and Jamie saw he was missing most of his teeth.

“I’m trying to get a job with Door Dash,” Jamie said casually. “I need some kind of cover.”

“Why? Are you on parole?” the man laughed and Jamie glared at him. “Sorry. I guess you are.” The man held out a dirty bundle of money, and Jamie took it with his first two fingers, then handed the guy his baggie.

“I’ve got to be there in an hour, actually. So this is my last stop for today,” Jamie drawled.

“Me too, man. I’m taking this home and I’m not getting up again for nothing!”

Jamie sneered at the crack head. “Enjoy.”

“Will do!”

The man sauntered off, and Jamie rolled up his window and counted out the money.

It had only been a few days, but already, he’d made close to six hundred dollars. He didn’t have anywhere better to put it, so he’d stashed it under Harper’s mattress. He was really nervous about having so much money. He didn’t know how he was going to explain it if someone found it.

In the next ten minutes, Jamie finished his Door Dash application, then he lit up a cigarette and started back for Gordon’s trailer. He had to cash out first.

“Hi, Jamie,” Adam said sweetly when Jamie came in the house. He was seated at the couch, writing in his notebook. His whole face was lit up, and Jamie felt a little tingle of arousal as he surveyed the boy.

Every night, after Harper went to bed, Jamie and Adam talked and sent pictures back and forth. It was a weird way to get acquainted with a lovers body, but Jamie was enjoying it.

A little too much, perhaps. Just the sight of Adam on the couch, had Jamie’s cock perking up with interest…

Nervous, he cleared his throat.

“Are you sure you can’t do anymore today?” Gordon bustled into the room with another rolled up baggie. “I just got this call and the girl was crazy for it. Said she’d give you a tip if she didn’t have to wait until tomorrow.”

“I’ve got to do probation first, but sure,” Jamie said grudgingly. He didn’t feel comfortable bringing drugs to his PO but he’d just hide them in the car. They didn’t normally ask to search his vehicle…

“Poor girl’s going wild without it,” Gordon laughed. “I’ll call her back and tell her you’ll be by. It’s the girl that lives in the motel. Same room as before.”

“Sophie?”

“She didn’t give me her name, but probably.”

Jamie took the fold of money out of his back pocket and handed it to Gordon. They made an exchange. Money for drugs.

“I’ll have your portion counted out by the time your back,” Gordon said as he flipped through the bills.

Jamie nodded then turned back to Adam. “Think you can cover me? I might not be back in time to get Harper from the bus stop.”

“Sure,” Adam said, beaming. “I’d love to.”

“Thank you,” Jamie said, and he really meant it. “I couldn’t have done this without you.”

Adam’s smile softened. “You’re welcome.”

Jamie smiled back. His whole body tingled with affection and arousal…

Gordon looked between them and frowned. “I thought you were in a hurry.” Briskly, he grabbed Jamie’s arm and led him to the door. “You don’t want to be late, do you?”

“No. Of course not.”

“Then you’d better get going,” Gordon said. “We’ll see you in an hour or two.”

“More like two,” Jamie said. “They always drug test me.”

“Good thing you’re clean!” Gordon barked a laugh. “I couldn’t get through something like that. I need weed to live!”

“I used to be that way,” Jamie grumbled. “Of course, being in jail really limits your options.”

Gordon nodded sagely. “I know. That’s why I’ve got to stay out of that place.”

“Good idea,” Jamie laughed. “Welp, I’d better head out. Probation’s all the way downtown.”

“Bye Jamie, we’ll see you soon,” Adam called out.

Jamie met his gaze over Gordon’s shoulder, his eyes smoldering. “See you,” he said, then he turned away.

When Jamie got in the Impala, he hid the little baggie in the glove compartment. He sighed, then started the engine. He had a bad feeling about this, but he ignored it.

Jamie drove downtown. Probation was in a little brick building across the street from the courthouse. He pulled into the lot, parked, then flicked out his cigarette. He took a deep breath, then got out and started for the entrance.

Immediately, he was stopped at the medal detector. His belt always set off the alarms, so he held his arms up and let the officer wand check him.

“Who are you here to see?” the guy asked.

“Garrett.”

“Head up to adult probation on the second floor,” the officer droned, then he sat back down in his chair and seemed to forget Jamie existed. Jamie took it as a good sign and started for the flight of stairs behind the medal detector.

Upstairs, he checked in at the desk. It was all very rote and familiar, and Jamie’s nerves began to settle as he chose a seat and sat down to wait for his PO.

There were a few other people waiting their turn, but Jamie skimmed over them rather quickly. The probation waiting room was filled with chairs, and motivational posters. There was a corkboard in the back with information on drugs and rehab. Jamie was glad he’d never had to deal with stuff like that. He’d always just been able to stop when he needed to.

“Jamie?”

Jamie looked up and spotted Garrett in the doorway. He was young and attractive, with dark hair and eyes. He was just an ordinary PO, but Jamie thought he was pretty cool. He got up and followed Garrett into his cubical.

“How’s it going Jamie,” Garrett asked as he sat behind his computer.

“Not bad,” Jamie said casually. “Just hating living with my mom. Nothing abnormal.”

Garrett checked his computer. “So all your contact information is the same?”

Jamie nodded.

Totally relaxed, Garrett leaned back in his seat and put his arms behind his head. “I was just getting a water from the break room and I spotted you pulling in.”

Jamie raised an eyebrow. “In the parking lot?”

“I noticed you had a new car,” Garrett said, looking Jamie straight in the eye. “Where did that come from? You aren’t working, are you?”

Jamie’s face filled with color. “It’s my friend’s car. I’ve been doing some side jobs for him for a little extra cash. I bought my kid a bike with it.”

“Side jobs?” Garrett said. “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that, because that’s definitely not allowed.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

“How’s the job search going?”

“Uh… it’s going. I just put in a bunch of new applications this morning.”

“That’s good to hear,” Garrett said calmly. “But I wish you were putting them in more regularly. The job market is tough out there.”

“I know. I’m the one who’s trying to get a job.”

“I have faith in you. I know you can find something if you set your mind to it,” Garrett said, smiling faintly. “I just don’t want you doing any more side jobs. I’m going to have to mark it on your record if you don’t quit.”

“Oh, I’ll quit right now,” Jamie said, flat out lying. “No more side jobs.”

Garrett gave him a serious look with his dark eyes. “I hope you’re serious. Any little infraction could send you back to jail.”

Jamie nodded. “I know. I’m sorry I even said that.”

“Its cool. Now, do you have to pee?”

“Yep.”

“Come on, then. Let’s get you tested,” Garrett stood, then started for the bathroom in the back corner of the room. Jamie followed him. He knew the procedure by heart.

Once Jamie had a negative test, he and Garrett scheduled another appointment for two weeks then he was free to go.

“Do me a favor and put in some more applications this weekend,” Garrett said and Jamie said he would. He needed a cover. And fast.

Jamie left the building, and got back in the Impala. The baggie of drugs called out to him, and he exited the parking lot mapping out the motel in his mind.

It took fifteen minutes to get across town. Traffic was shit. He pulled in the parking lot and parked right in front of room 33, then took out the drugs.

The moment he knocked on the door, it was flung open and Sophie, in the same slinky dress as before, stood on the other side. The dress was stained now and Sophie’s hair was in rat nests. She didn’t look so good.

“It’s you! Oh, God, I’ve been fiending for hours.”

Jamie frowned, wondering what a crack fiend looked like. He stepped into the room and let the woman shut the door behind him. “Sorry. I had important stuff to do.”

“It’s alright. You’re here now.” Sophie smoothed down her ratty hair. “You do have the stuff, don’t you?”

“You got the money?”

“Yes, and a forty dollar tip for you,” Sophie said, then she ran to the bed and rummaged through her purse. “Sorry, it’s all I could afford. I just had to pay rent.”

“That’s fine.”

Sophie emerged with the money and she held it up for Jamie to take. He handed her the crack, then casually counted up the money. Three hundred dollars…

“I got the pure stuff this time,” Sophie said. “Its expensive, but it’s worth it.”

“Pure crack?” Jamie laughed. “You really don’t look so good. Maybe you should take a break.”

“I can’t take a break,” Sophie said, carefully untying the knotted baggie. “A break would probably kill me.”

Jamie watched the junkie tear into her prize. She snorted it straight from the bag, then straightened with a look of pure bliss on her face. “Ah, fuck, Jamie That’s just what I needed.”

“Well, good. I’ll just leave you with that,” Jamie said, then he started for the door.

“Hey,” Sophie called. “Do you want a hit? It’s good shit.”

Jamie froze at the door. “I can’t.”

“Why can’t you?” Sophie asked sweetly, and for a second, Jamie really considered it. He’d been sneering at crack heads all week, but it had been so long since he’d gotten high on anything… He kind of missed the feeling. “Come on. It’ll knock your socks off. I promise.”

Jamie knew he’d be drug tested in another two weeks. He didn’t want to risk it. “No. I said I can’t,” he said firmly, and with that, he exited the motel room.

Back in the car, Jamie cursed himself. He’d been so close to giving in… He just wanted a little taste.

Angry with himself, he drove back to the trailer in a frenzy of traffic. The amount of cars was really pissing him off, and by the time he reached home, he’d smoked all his cigarettes.

Hoping Brandy wasn’t still at the corner store, Jamie ran in for his favorite Eagle Hundreds.

“Hi, Jamie,” Brandy said from behind the counter, fluttering her eyelashes, and Jamie stopped dead in his tracks, caught like a deer in the headlights.

“Uhhhh…”

“Jamie?”

Jamie looked around to see Adam and Harper standing in the last aisle. Harper’s arms were full of junk food, but Adam had a little basket of groceries. Milk, eggs, bread, the basics.

“What are you doing here?” Jamie asked in amazement.

“Shopping,” Adam laughed. “I was wondering the same thing about you. What are you doing here?”

“Getting cigarettes,” Jamie said.” I just finished with that last delivery…”

“Good. So you’re done for the day?”

“Yes.”

“Cool. Maybe you can come back to the house with us and have some scrambled eggs. It’s about the only thing I know how to cook,” Adam said sheepishly.

“I guess I could eat.”

“Great.” Adam brought the groceries to the counter, then nodded for Harper to put her selections up as well. “Gordon has nothing to eat at the house. I figured we’d stock up his pantry.”

“Wait, I’m sorry,” Brandy interrupted. “Are you Gordon’s online boyfriend?”

“We’re not actually a couple, but I am living with him,” Adam said. “And we met online. A few weeks ago.”

“Wow. I can’t believe people actually meet that way. I’d be so scared I’d be murdered,” Brandy giggled.

“Well, people know I’m here, so it’d be kind of hard to get away with,” Adam said, looking toward Jamie. “Jamie’s my new friend and he’s got my back.”

“Oh yeah, Jamie’s the coolest,” Brandy said, looking at him longingly. “I wish he’d come to my house for scrambled eggs.”

Adam raised his eyebrows.

Brandy fell silent and rang up the purchases. “Anything else?” she asked as she put them into bags.

“I’ll get his cigarettes, too,” Adam said territorially. “I’ve got the cash for it.”

“So do I,” Jamie snorted. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Let me worry about you, okay?” Adam said, his eyes glittering with affection. “I want to do it, all right?”

“All right.”

Brandy got the cigarettes and added them to the order.

The second they were outside, Jamie packed his cigarettes against the palm of his hand. “I’m fucking chain smoking again,” he muttered to himself as he popped a smoke between his lips and lit up.

“Mmm, let me have one,” Adam said, and Jamie handed him one without a thought.

“Can I eat some of these?” Harper showed them a bag of candy.

“No,” Jamie said, blowing smoke out his nose. “You’ll ruin your dinner.”

“But we’re not having dinner. We’re having scrambled eggs.”

Jamie rolled his eyes. “You can have two pieces of candy and that’s it.”

“Okay!” Harper dug into her bag.

As they walked to the car, Adam carefully smoked his cigarette. The same nicotine rush as before made his legs woozy, but he just leaned on Jamie for support. “That lady in the store has a thing for you.”

“Could you tell?” Jamie laughed, banding an arm around his waist and helping him to the passenger seat. “She’s been flirting with me since I moved in. It’s getting old.”

“Everybody likes you,” Adam said coolly, puffing his cigarette. “You’re so popular.”

“Hardly. I’m more infamous than anything.”

“No. People like you. They want to be around you,” Adam said. “I know I do.”

Jamie thought about Adam’s words as he helped him load the groceries into the back seat. Harper got in beside the groceries and closed the door. They were all ready to go.

But when he got in the car, Jamie didn’t even start the engine. He turned to look at Adam. “The woman on my last job today offered me product.”

“Like, to smoke?”

Jamie nodded. “I’d just had my piss test for probation, so I was a little tempted to try it.”

“Oh, no.”

“Working with drugs always gets me in trouble,” Jamie whispered. “It doesn’t matter if I’m popular or not, I always screw this part up. I can’t help but to give in to peer pressure.”

Adam took Jamie’s face between his hands, the cigarette burning between his fingers. “This only works if you can be strong and avoid the temptations. You can’t turn into a crazy crack head.”

“I know,” Jamie groaned. “The girl who wanted to smoke with me looked an awful mess today. I don’t even know why it was appealing. I guess just the thought of release…”

“You can’t let go right now,” Adam said firmly. “You have to hang on, get out of probation, and work on getting us a house.”

Jamie snorted. “I have to get a job, too. My PO said side jobs aren’t permitted.”

“Well, we already knew that. Did you get a chance to put in any applications today?”

“I did three or four. I can’t remember.”

“That’s good, baby. That’s one step closer to our goals.”

Jamie smiled. He’d never had goals with someone else before. Becky always knew best and she just did whatever she wanted, when she wanted. She had no plans or goals. Everything she did was spur of the moment.

But already, Adam wanted to plan and settle down and be happy… He and Jamie’s ideas just clicked together, and Jamie liked the feeling immensely.

Leaning in, he kissed Adam in the quiet of the car. Their lips melded together and it was passionate. Adam’s cigarette was burning right next to Jamie’s ear but he didn’t care. He slid his tongue into Adam’s sweet mouth and tasted the delicious flavors inside—

“Eww! You guys!” Harper cried from the back seat. “That’s gross!”

“What’s gross about it?” Jamie broke away and ashed his cigarette out the window. “It’s just two guys kissing.”

“Yeah, but you were like sucking each other’s faces!” Harper giggled. “I saw tongues and everything!”

Adam laughed with her. “It probably was rather gross. Sorry.”

“Yeah. Have some respect next time. Get a room.”

“What are you? The kissing police?” Jamie asked, smiling.

“Worse. I’m your daughter.”

Jamie laughed then started the car. “Oh no. Not a daughter!”

“Your worst nightmare.”

“Save me, Adam!”

“I don’t know if I can,” Adam snorted. “I think she’s evolving.”

“Into what? An even bigger daughter?!”

They joked all the way back to the trailer. Jamie didn’t know it, but he’d really needed the laughs.