Ox loaded his last box from the garage into the back of the company sedan. When he got in the back seat he could only see outside the window where he was seated.
"Are you sure that's everything Ox?"
"I's sure Ms. H. dats all der is."
"I should have known that moving day would be a chore even though we aren't moving any furniture."
"We've been here over a month now mom and we just naturally collect things."
"That's true Jack...but most people don't collect a new roommate and a garage full of stuff."
Jack smiled and then laughed.
"Looks like your our roommate now Ox."
"Dat be good cuz I ain't no lost cuzin or somethin'."
"You're crazy Ox"
"Alright boys...let's get going."
The sedan drove out of the alley off to the new house Greg had rented to Jack's mom. The drive across town was nice and the further south they drove the cleaner the streets, the more colorful the trees, and the whiter the people. After twenty minutes in the car, the sedan stopped in front of a beige ranch style home with a two car garage and basketball hoop affixed to it. Ox and Jack jumped out of the car as soon as the car was in park.
"Check it out Ox...we can play each other whenever we want!"
"You's can lose to me wheneva you wants!"
Jack smiled at Ox then motioned to his mom who already getting in the car to unload it.
"You's need help Ms. H.?"
"Yes Ox....you are so thoughtful...Jack why don't you learn some manners from Ox?"
"I'm coming mom..."
As Jack headed over to the car another car pulled up to the house. Jack recognized the car, it was Greg and it looked like Amanda was with him. As Greg turned the car off Amanda got out of the car along with Alan. Jack shook his head and turned away to help his mom.
"Hi Gina..."
"Greg!...What are you doing here?"
"I completely forgot to give you the house key yesterday...so I figured I'd bring it by this morning before Alan and I head off for practice."
"Wow....I'm so glad you remembered...I wouldn't have been able to get in otherwise...how silly of me...Thanks!"
"Come on in and I'll show you around...I was using this place as a corporate rental until a couple months ago...like I said it's fully furnished, so you shouldn't have any problems needing to go out and get furniture, appliances, or anything like that....Alan. Why don't you help the other boys bring things in."
Greg took the suitcase Gina was carrying and walked her up to the front door. Jack watched as his mom laughed and smiled at almost anything Greg said. Then he realized Amanda was standing a few feet from him.
"Hey!...How are you Amanda?"
"Good...are you gonna introduce me to your friend?"
"Um...yeah...sure...Ox, this is Amanda."
"Nice to meet you Ox."
"Is good meetin' you too."
Ox gave a curious look toward Alan who was still standing by his dad's car dressed in a white warm up suit with red trim. He pretended that he didn't know what was going on. Pretty soon Ox had put down the boxes he had unloaded and approached Alan.
"You play for da Hawks?"
"Yeah...so what?"
"I member you...I's school you wit my fade away last year."
Ox let out his toothy and gummy smile.
"I didn't think you were smart enough to remember what happened a year ago...now go do the job you were hired to do."
"Dis ain't my job foo'...it be my new home."
"Are you telling me that you live with the the fat dwarf and his troll mom."
"You's tink country boy look like a dwarf and his ma look like a troll....Hehe...you's crazy cracker boy...dey be my homies...got dat?"
"Shut up and go back to cleaning toilets or whatever it is you do."
Jack sensed that Alan was getting annoyed with Ox and walked over to bring Ox back over to help him with the car.
"Come on Ox...let's get back to work."
"I ain't finished talkin' to my Hawk friend..."
"Listen to the dwarf and bug off stupid."
"Don't call people stupid Alan!...You're the one failing English."
"Shut it Amanda!"
"It's good to see you have a bad attitude wherever you go."
"You wanna back that talk up...Dwarf?!"
"You's ain't gonna talk dat way to country boy."
"You're an idiot! This kids a dwarf not from the country!"
"Let's go Jack before Alan throws a hissy fit."
Jack and Ox had just about had it with Alan and were ready to take Amanda's advice and walk away when Alan reached out and slapped Amanda across the face.
"Don't talk nonsense to me you stupid brat!"
Jack clenched his fist and was ready to punch Alan when Ox stepped in front of him.
"Les' go country boy."
"You can't treat her that way punk!"
"She's my bratty sister and I'll treat her however I want!...Get him away from me giant boy!"
Jack's face was turning bright red, but Ox just kept walking him away from Alan. Alan opened the front passenger side door and got into his dad's car.
"I'm gonna kill your brother!...are you alright?"
"I'm fine Jack...it didn't even hurt...he's been a jerk all morning...he wanted to stay with my mom this weekend, but my dad is making him practice with the start of the season coming up and everything."
Amanda rubbed her cheek and showed a fake smile.
"Did you really school Alan last year Ox?"
"I's sure did...is fore dey kick me off da team....we's beat dem Hawks bad...but dey gets back Davis in da championship game."
"I do remember you Ox...you held my brother to like ten points or something."
"Dat me...Mr. Crazy tells me I's to take da boy dat be scorin' like a mad man...I's shut him down and post thirty point...is good game."
"I couldn't stop Alan from scoring when I went to the Hawks tryout."
"Well then Ox is gonna have to teach you how to stop him."
"I's not know how's to teach...I jus' play."
"That's right Ox...you just play."
Amanda genuinely laughed as Greg and Jack's mom came out of the house. Jack could tell that Greg was holding his mom's hand, but he didn't want to bring any attention to it. He still hadn't told Ox that his mom was dating someone and he knew that Amanda would probably be weirded out if she knew their parents were dating. Greg finally left the front porch and jogged toward the car.
"You coming Amanda?"
"Can I stay and help out here?"
"Are you okay with that Gina?"
"That's fine."
"I'll be back to pick you up before dinner time."
Greg smiled as he jumped into his car and sped out of the neighborhood.
"Okay boys...let's go...we've got to unpack and then we're doing some serious grocery shopping...we've got bare cupboards and I want to make us a good meal for our first night in our new home."
Jack and Ox inadvertently licked their lips and hurried off to unpack the rest of the car.