over the summer

"What?" Holden just about fell off his stool when Gage told him the news he was bringing his son home, and Halie too.

He stood up and walked around the thin kitchen, imagining the sun coming in, but there was none. No, his apartment was no more than a hotel room (a cheap motel room) with an extra bedroom and a kitchen and dining area. At least one closet was deep, but he was sure Gage didn't call to talk about his apartment.

"You, still with Irma?"

"Why?" Did Gage want to make something of it? Yes, they'd slept together once, but that was because his step-sister and her boyfriend visited the Fourth and they took Irma's room.

"Oh, I dunno. Thought..you know, maybe, we could hang out, together. Some time." Gage said.

"Some time? Where are you?" He winced, thinking they'd taken a detour along the way and were in Kansas City.

"We're almost to Omaha." He told him.

"Well..what happened to Macy? Wasn't she the love of your life, or something?" Holden asked.

"God, I dunno. I just can't talk about that right now, but...would it be OK..if you know..we came to see you, some time...Hey, I miss you bro." Gage sighed.

Holden sighed.

"You, can come anytime."

Gage sent him a selfie of himself and Alec. Even Halie was in the picture too.

Holden smiled.

Of course, when he got off the phone, Irma wanted to look at the photo.

"Did you ever meet him?" Holden couldn't remember.

She shook her head, no. She'd just gotten off from work. She worked as a cashier at the grocery store chain where Holden worked. Sometimes, they didn't have the same shift.

Irma went to shower and change. It was so good to have hot water. She knew Holden wasn't too keen on the place. They'd had their share of loud neighbors, but she'd seen worse.

Actually, she did like having her own room. Holden said she would.

She was hoping the hot water would wake her up, yet she could have curled up and taken a nap, but then again Jung would be on her mind, even if everyone did call him Junk and he didn't seem to mind. Of course, Jung was deaf and Korean too.

And he'd taken a liking to her. To everyone else, he seldomly gave them the time of day. He went in and shelved cans, priced Mac and Cheese with the snap of the price gun, and stayed out of everyone's way.

Perhaps, she was his only friend. And he wanted to teach her sign language. He talked with his fingers so eloquently. Actually, she thought the first time he passed a note to her, it was in Korean, but she looked at it closer and it was English.

He said she was helping him, but deep down she thought he was helping her.

Still, Jung was timid and shy. And of course, he wouldn't show his face around Holden. After all, according Jung, Holden was her boyfriend.