- 10 Dec, 2025 *
The News. Early October 1995. Sunday Morning.
The sign on the door was in Late’s handwriting.
NO EGGS
NO BREAD
NO MILK
SORRY!
Door opens, bell rings.
"Hey Boss, Kid. I see you survived the storm," Chad greeted them from behind the counter.
"Sam!" a voice called from the comics.
"Monroe!" Kid said, rushing over to the comic rack.
Jerk blinked. "Sam?" he thought to himself.
Monroe was nearly as tall as Kid, with bleached blonde hair dark at the roots, and a perm that had seen better days, lying limp partially tucked under a handmade knit cap.
"I thought you went to Tampa!" Kid laughingly said, wrapping their arms around Monroe and giving her a bear hug that lifted her off the floor. "I worried about you, little sister."
...
- 10 Dec, 2025 *
The News. Early October 1995. Sunday Morning.
The sign on the door was in Late’s handwriting.
NO EGGS
NO BREAD
NO MILK
SORRY!
Door opens, bell rings.
"Hey Boss, Kid. I see you survived the storm," Chad greeted them from behind the counter.
"Sam!" a voice called from the comics.
"Monroe!" Kid said, rushing over to the comic rack.
Jerk blinked. "Sam?" he thought to himself.
Monroe was nearly as tall as Kid, with bleached blonde hair dark at the roots, and a perm that had seen better days, lying limp partially tucked under a handmade knit cap.
"I thought you went to Tampa!" Kid laughingly said, wrapping their arms around Monroe and giving her a bear hug that lifted her off the floor. "I worried about you, little sister."
"Did, came back," Monroe shook her head as they separated. "My dad’s open mind didn’t last very long once he started drinking again."
Kid shook their head sadly.
Jerk realized he was staring and turned to face Chad. "How’s it been?" he asked.
"Pretty quiet." Chad had math homework spread across the counter. "A lot turn around when they see the sign."
"She said she was looking for ‘Sam,’ didn’t realize it was Kid." His eyes went to Monroe and then back to Jerk.
"Me either." Jerk shrugged. He began toying with his headphones, staring over Chad at the worn spot in the wall where Tiny always leaned against it.
Chad looked up. "Anything else?"
"Sorry, just thinking," Jerk apologized as he turned around.
"Kid and I are going to start taking stock levels soon," Jerk said over his shoulder.
Monroe leaned over and was whispering something to Kid as their brown eyes watched Jerk, curious.
"Oh, that’s my honey, Jerk," Kid said and took Monroe’s hand. "I’ll introduce you."
"I can’t meet him looking like this, I look terrible!" Monroe complained as Kid pulled on their hand.
"He’s already seen you. You going to try to steal him? Com’on," Kid said nearly dragging Monroe over. "Jerk, this is Monroe."
"Hello," Jerk said. "Happy to meet a friend of–" Jerk hesitated. "–Sam’s."
"That sounds weird, coming from you," Kid said to Jerk, amused. "Rather you kept calling me Kid." They turned to Monroe. "He started calling me Kid the night I met him, and I liked it."
"Sounded better than ‘Hey you’," Jerk tried to explain. "It was presumptuous of me." He scratched his head and looked away.
"Stop. I could have told you no," Kid chided him, serious but still amused. "I like it."
Jerk didn’t know what to say, so he nodded.
"I’m glad Sam found someone safe," Monroe said with a smile like a movie starlet’s. It faded. "We should all be so lucky."
"You have somewhere to stay? Are you close?" Kid excitedly asked.
"You could say that." Monroe looked embarrassed. "I’m staying in my minivan, it’s parked around the corner with a trailer full of my stuff."
"We’ve got a room, don’t we?" Kid’s eyes went to Jerk.
"No, it’s fine. I have a room lined up, it’s just waiting for the current boarder to vacate on the 15th," Monroe demurred. "And I have to keep an eye on the trailer."
"Star’s staying until her apartment gets power back," Jerk said. "She’s in the spare room right now." Jerk rubbed his chin. "What’s in the trailer?"
"My clothes, some of my tools, but most of those are in the van with me," Monroe told him. "But I’m fine."
"What kind of tools? You got a job?" Jerk started rubbing this thumb against the side of his face. His whiskers made the part he’d chewed raw flare. It kept the cicadas quiet.
Monroe looked suspicious. "What are you, a social worker?"
"No, I’m a guy whose father is probably about to dump the management of more properties on him, and I don’t like the people he uses." Jerk folded his arms. "Plumber? Electrician?"
"I’m a carpenter," Monroe said, relaxing a little. "Saws. Hand tools. Only useful thing my dad taught me."
"Do drywall?" Jerk asked. "That comes up a lot."
"What I’m doing now." She looked embarrassed again. "What I’d really love more than anything is a place to shower and shave."
"Kid can bring you upstairs for that, but I’ve got ideas for where you can park safely and not get harassed, if you’re intent on roughing it." Jerk reached over the counter, past Chad, and pressed the feed on the receipt paper.
"I said I’d help you with stock." Kid said while Jerk wrote some addresses on it.
"I’ll get started, help Monroe." Jerk handed the slip to Monroe. "If you stay at the last place, knock on the door and let the tenant know, or they’ll be calling Tiny."
"Thank you!" Monroe said, looking over the list.
Kid leaned in and kissed his cheek. "I’ll hurry back."
"Com’on, Monroe, let’s get your kit and then I’ll show you my room. It’s huge!" Kid said as they left.
Jerk put on his headphones and pressed play.