up, keeping a tight hold on his shirt to draw him in closer. He never let go of the back of Hunter ’s shirt and centered into the call.
Trent waited another heartbeat, then two before he answered. “No, is there a problem?”
“ Actually, yes. Our AC breaker is tripping and taking the lights with it. They came this afternoon to test the units and the breaker isn’t holding. Now, they won’t reset,” Gage said.
“ All right, and my guys have already left for the day?” Trent asked.
“ Yes, a couple of hours ago. The ceiling guys are scheduled in tonight and the AC needs to be tested first,” Gage said.
“ I’ll get someone over there,” Trent said.
“ Thank you, Trent,” Gage said.
“ Thank you… I mean, not a problem. Wait, goodbye,” he fumbled all over himself and finally disconnected the call, standing there a minute looking down at his phone before the blare of a car horn forced him back into reality.
“ Shit,” he muttered, pulling Hunter along while pushing the cart farther aside. They had stopped behind a car needing to back out of its space.
“ Daddy, you said a bad word,” Em said, watching him closely. Hunter also stood, staring up and back at him. Both kids looked a little uncertain as to what was actually happening. Trent looked around the parking lot, trying to get his bearings. He saw his truck parked only a few spaces away and for some reason relief flooded at the thought of finally getting to the vehicle.
“ Come on, guys. I need to get you in the truck. I have a work emergency,” Trent said. Hunter stayed stuck to his side, Trent never let go until he finally bent down and scooped Hunter up, under one arm, holding Hunter like he held a football. He tugged his truck keys from his pocket and hit the unlock button.
“ Climb in, buddy. You too, Em,” he said, lifting her from the cart, placing her inside the truck. They could handle their own car seats, but both sat there looking at him until they climbed to the back window of the truck, and watched him dump their groceries into the bed. His brain went ninety to nothing and he palmed his phone again to check the time. It was already four thirty in the afternoon. His crew had worked all night, then all day. This fell strongly into the asking too much category, but he dialed, John, his lead journeyman electrician.
“ Yo, boss man,” John said, answering the phone.
“ Hey, what’s going on?” Trent asked.
“ Havin a party in the back yard! Whew, man, you should stop by. Bring the kids. I have my kids this weekend. I have plenty of beer. Stop by, man.”
“ What? You have your kids this weekend? I wouldn’t have asked you to work last night,” Trent said, and stopped pacing the length of the truck to drop his head on the side of the bed with a thump. No way could he ask John to go.
“ Nah, man, it’s cool. The old lady watched them, they’re going home soon anyway,” John said.
“ How much have you had to drink?” Trent knew the answer, but prayed for a miracle.
“ Not too much, man. A six pack or two,” John said. “What up?”
“ Nothing, you stay with your family. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Trent said.
“ Cool, stop by if you can, man.”
“ Thanks, I’ll talk to you later.” Trent disconnected the phone and braced his head in his hand. So much for miracles. It only left Trent to do the emergency work call. His pacing started up again, walking the length of the truck and back again. He called Rhonny, but she’d barely left Milwaukee with hours to go before she got home. The phone call to Sophia went to voice mail. He didn’t leave a message. She had talked about a big date this afternoon, and he knew in his heart he couldn’t interrupt her. She’d been too excited.
“ Daddy, we’re in our car seats.” Hunter’s head popped out the open truck door and jarred Trent back to them.
“ Guys, I have to go to work,” he said, looking in the backseat to make sure they were buckled in right
Trent waited another heartbeat, then two before he answered. “No, is there a problem?”
“ Actually, yes. Our AC breaker is tripping and taking the lights with it. They came this afternoon to test the units and the breaker isn’t holding. Now, they won’t reset,” Gage said.
“ All right, and my guys have already left for the day?” Trent asked.
“ Yes, a couple of hours ago. The ceiling guys are scheduled in tonight and the AC needs to be tested first,” Gage said.
“ I’ll get someone over there,” Trent said.
“ Thank you, Trent,” Gage said.
“ Thank you… I mean, not a problem. Wait, goodbye,” he fumbled all over himself and finally disconnected the call, standing there a minute looking down at his phone before the blare of a car horn forced him back into reality.
“ Shit,” he muttered, pulling Hunter along while pushing the cart farther aside. They had stopped behind a car needing to back out of its space.
“ Daddy, you said a bad word,” Em said, watching him closely. Hunter also stood, staring up and back at him. Both kids looked a little uncertain as to what was actually happening. Trent looked around the parking lot, trying to get his bearings. He saw his truck parked only a few spaces away and for some reason relief flooded at the thought of finally getting to the vehicle.
“ Come on, guys. I need to get you in the truck. I have a work emergency,” Trent said. Hunter stayed stuck to his side, Trent never let go until he finally bent down and scooped Hunter up, under one arm, holding Hunter like he held a football. He tugged his truck keys from his pocket and hit the unlock button.
“ Climb in, buddy. You too, Em,” he said, lifting her from the cart, placing her inside the truck. They could handle their own car seats, but both sat there looking at him until they climbed to the back window of the truck, and watched him dump their groceries into the bed. His brain went ninety to nothing and he palmed his phone again to check the time. It was already four thirty in the afternoon. His crew had worked all night, then all day. This fell strongly into the asking too much category, but he dialed, John, his lead journeyman electrician.
“ Yo, boss man,” John said, answering the phone.
“ Hey, what’s going on?” Trent asked.
“ Havin a party in the back yard! Whew, man, you should stop by. Bring the kids. I have my kids this weekend. I have plenty of beer. Stop by, man.”
“ What? You have your kids this weekend? I wouldn’t have asked you to work last night,” Trent said, and stopped pacing the length of the truck to drop his head on the side of the bed with a thump. No way could he ask John to go.
“ Nah, man, it’s cool. The old lady watched them, they’re going home soon anyway,” John said.
“ How much have you had to drink?” Trent knew the answer, but prayed for a miracle.
“ Not too much, man. A six pack or two,” John said. “What up?”
“ Nothing, you stay with your family. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Trent said.
“ Cool, stop by if you can, man.”
“ Thanks, I’ll talk to you later.” Trent disconnected the phone and braced his head in his hand. So much for miracles. It only left Trent to do the emergency work call. His pacing started up again, walking the length of the truck and back again. He called Rhonny, but she’d barely left Milwaukee with hours to go before she got home. The phone call to Sophia went to voice mail. He didn’t leave a message. She had talked about a big date this afternoon, and he knew in his heart he couldn’t interrupt her. She’d been too excited.
“ Daddy, we’re in our car seats.” Hunter’s head popped out the open truck door and jarred Trent back to them.
“ Guys, I have to go to work,” he said, looking in the backseat to make sure they were buckled in right
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