CHAPTER 18

FOUR POV -

The following Friday night we are all gathered around the table at the Priors playing dominoes after pizza and discussing the activities for the weekend.

The plans for the deck were straightforward enough, and the pros already have the footers and piling posts in place. All we have to do is the joists and boards for the deck, the stairs and the railings. Mr. Prior also wants to make some flower boxes and raised garden plots for Mrs. Prior if there are materials and time leftover.

When it is finished it will be almost 500 square feet including a little bump out area for grilling, or a hottub. The jury is still out, but Caleb gave me a nasty look when I suggested the hottub as a joke and winked at Tris. She just grinned at me and kicked me under the table.

An hour or so later, when I had to leave, Tris walked me out to my car. We were holding hands and it was just chilly enough that she probably wished she had gloves. I take both her hands in mine and put our hands in the front pouch pocket of my hoodie while I lean back against the driver side of my car. I parked in the driveway tonight, so we have the car between us and the house in case anyone is looking out a window. Tris stands on her tip toes and kisses me good night, then just leans her head on my chest for a minute. I sigh, enjoying the moment, but knowing I need to leave. I squeeze her fingers inside my pocket and say, "Caleb doesn't like me."

She turns her head to look up at me, resting her chin on my chest, "Don't worry about Caleb, he doesn't like anyone." Then she gives me a bright grin and says, "I like you though."

I smirk and look at her face in the moonlight, "Phew, that's a relief, since you've been kissing me all week."

"Thank you again for helping out tomorrow. I know dad and Caleb would never have managed this without help."

I take a deep breath and kiss her on the forehead then take our hands out of my pocket, "Ok, I have to go or I'll be late. Goodnight. I'll see you tomorrow."

SATURDAY MORNING -

Tris has an away soccer game, but none of us are going to watch this one so we can get an early start on the project. Instead, Caleb and I are headed to the hardware store for the first load of supplies with the rented trailer bouncing along behind the jeep. Zeke and Uriah will be at the house a little later with their dad's planer and table saw. I had hoped that Lt. Colonel Pedrad would also be able to help. The idea of Zeke and Uriah being the most experienced among us with spinning blades makes me cringe, but right now I want to cringe trying to carry on a conversation with Caleb as I drive.

The whole trip to the hardware store, Caleb is silent or answers my attempts at conversation with one-word answers. We have been together for almost an hour, between the drive to the hardware store and the time it took to pick up and load all the materials securely on the trailer. We get back in the jeep and both click our seatbelts, I go to put the key in the ignition and I wait before turning it. I can't take it anymore. I turn to him and I ask, "What is it Caleb? What exactly is your problem with me?"

He pauses a moment and then answers me in a smug voice, "I don't like the fact that you're taking advantage of my sister."

I am shocked and angry that he would think that. I tighten my grip on the keys, but manage to keep my anger out of my voice. "How exactly am I taking advantage of your sister, Caleb?"

"She is young, and inexperienced!" He says with more conviction than before.

"And... what is your point Caleb?"

"And, you have no right to take advantage of that."

"What am I doing that is taking advantage?" I ask him calmly.

He turns now and gives me a hard look, he no doubt thinks is intimidating, "You know what you did."

I take a deep breath in through my nose, hold it and pray for patience, "No, clearly I have no idea what you think I did."

"You kissed her!"

I can't help but scoff, which was probably the wrong reaction, but I really can't help it. It is completely ridiculous that he thinks I shouldn't be allowed to kiss my own girlfriend. That we shouldn't be allowed to kiss each other! "So? She is my girlfriend! I am allowed to kiss her if she says I can."

He is indignant now, like a child having a tantrum, "Did she say you could? Did you ask her? Did you ask my father?"

"No, of course I didn't ask your father if I could kiss her, that is crazy, but I didn't kiss your sister against her will. She would never do anything she didn't want to do, and I never would do anything against her will. I'm not like that."

"I know all about guys like you." he spits back at me.

I am getting annoyed again, "What is that supposed to mean, Caleb? 'Guys like me.'"

"I know your 'type.'" He finger quoted 'type,' and sneers before continuing with his theoretical understanding, "Older, popular, star athlete! You think you run the show and can take whatever you want whenever you want it and damn the consequences."

I turn in my seat to look at him directly, "You have seen too many after school specials, and you have me completely wrong Caleb. I don't know how to break it to you, but your sister is my first girlfriend. In fact, she is the first date and the first kiss I have ever had, and she means a lot more to me than you may ever comprehend. I do not take things with her lightly, and I have no intention of ever taking advantage of our relationship." I hope he understands how serious I am when I say this, but I highly doubt it.

He hesitates before answering, "You, you really care about her?"

I finally put the key in the ignition and turn it. "Of course I do. Even if we were not dating, I would still care about her. Your sister is an amazing person. She is genuine and caring, and honest, and brave, and so many more things I am still discovering. I know that the way we got together seems unconventional, but it really isn't. I drive her to school, we have a couple classes together and while getting to know each other we realized we liked each other - and decided to start dating."

He looks confused and says, "Beatrice told me the whole thing was your father's idea. Why does he want you two to date?"

"It was originally both our dad's idea that I should drive Tris to and from school, and yes, my father has encouraged us to go out, but the choice was always ours to make. I could never have forced her into dating me."

"Surely you encouraged it too. Beatrice isn't one to go chasing after boys!"

"I promise, it was a mutual decision and we eased into it after much reflection. Caleb, I swear I didn't trick or force your sister into anything. She has a mind of her own, and I am not sure you could force her to do anything that she didn't want to do." He gives me a dubious look, but doesn't say anything else until we get to the house.

It takes me a couple of tries to back the trailer straight down the driveway. Caleb is no help at all. He has clearly never hauled anything on a trailer. I manage to refrain from snapping at him to be quiet, and just clench my teeth and try to ignore him while I concentrate on which way to turn the wheel. After the third time, I manage to back the trailer all the way to the garage, then pull forward a few feet to leave space for unloading.

Caleb and I walk around to the trailer and let the gate down. Caleb just stares at the pile of wood with a bewildered expression, then glances up at me for direction. I nod at the wood boards stacked in the trailer and say, "Just grab the end of two or three of these big boards and I will get the other end. We will stack them in the yard according to size to start, okay?"

He nods and grabs three 2x10s and pulls them forward a foot or so before I can catch the other ends, then we walk around to the backyard. When we return for the next trip, the Pedrads are backing in their blazer next to the jeep. Uriah hops out jogging to the back hatch, pulls out the base for the table saw, hefts it on his shoulder and carries it to the back yard as well. Zeke follows behind with a large circular saw and a 50 foot extension cord.

"Hey Mr. P," Zeke says, when Mr. Prior walks out from the kitchen, "Where do you want this?" nodding his head toward his brother and the saw base.

Mr. Prior looks around and says, "Set up here by the corner of the porch, there is a plug here. Toss me the end of the cord and I will plug it in."

Zeke takes a few minutes to unravel the cord so it won't be a tangled knot or be underfoot and possibly trip someone. When he is finished, he tosses the end to Mr. Prior over the porch railing to be plugged into the house.

Caleb and I have been steadily unloading boards during this exchange. Zeke heads back to the blazer for two tool bags, and Uriah grabs the table saw to place on the base by the porch. When the blazer is empty, the Pedrads also join us and make short work of the rest of the boards.

Mr. Prior watches us silently for a moment, then claps his hands and rubs them together, "When you finish unloading, come up here. I got safety glasses and gloves for everyone."

Zeke catches my eye, whispering so only I can hear him say, "Mr. P. has no idea what he is doing, does he?"

I glance over my shoulder to see how far away everyone is, then just shake my head and smile at the pile of wood on the ground. What we have right now is a pile of raw materials that, with any luck, will resemble the foundation of a deck by the end of the day.

We all trudge up to the porch where Mr. Prior has a big grin on his face and is standing by a small pile of safety gear and five brand new tool belts he has gotten as a gift for us all for helping. "I wanted to take a minute before we all are elbows deep in sweat and dirt and sawdust to say a heartfelt thank you. I know that Caleb and I could never have done this on our own. We don't have the tools, the experience, or the knowhow to pull a project of this magnitude together. It may be cheesy, but I got you all new toolbelts as a token of my gratitude and appreciation."

I mutter my thanks and step up to grab gloves and safety glasses and pick up one of the belts. Zeke and Uriah, ever enthusiastic, have huge grins on their faces and are already buckling the belts around their hips. Caleb just stares at the last remaining belt. His father already has one on, complete with shiny new tape measure, hammer, level and square pencil.

Once we are all kitted out in our safety gear and Baby Bob Vila belts, Mr. Prior pulls out the blueprints. We consult the plans and materials list to confirm we have the right number of boards before we cut any of them, and all the right types of fasteners.

He rented an air compressor and nail gun so the assembly should go pretty smoothly once we get going. But first, we move the 2x10 boards into their position as joists and lay out metal joist hangers by the ends of the boards. There are support posts every 8 feet so we don't need a longer joist span than a single board, and he didn't have to buy special joist boards. The joist hangers are attached at the end of the board with wood screws, then the 2x10 board is secured vertically to the 4x4 post using the bent angled side of the joist hanger. It is relatively straightforward and simple, but you really need three people to do it properly: one on each end to hold the board steady, and a third to check position with a level and nail it into place. If there is a fourth person, they can be the one with the nail gun.

As we are a working group of five, this should have been a smooth process, but it is not. Mr. Prior follows directions and is a quick study, Zeke and Uriah are experienced with their hands and have a lifetime of experience working together. I am somewhere in the middle, and Caleb is hopeless. We have settled into the probably predictable roles of Uriah and Zeke holding the board, Mr. Prior checking it for level, and I am nailing it in place.

There really isn't much for Caleb to do. He started off the day peppering us with inane tidbits of trivia and historical information about the tools we are using, and how decks used to be built. Then he moved on to information about the logging and construction industries at large, but for the last half hour or so he has been complaining about being tired, and hot, and maybe getting blisters, and how his back already hurts, and why didn't his dad just let the professionals do the whole deck if they were already here for the posts, etc.

I take a break to go to the cooler and get a gatorade, just to walk away from his whining. I look up at the sound of a car honk. Shauna has just pulled in with Tris, and I glance at my watch. How is it possible we have been here for four hours already?

The girls get out of the car and come around to the back yard carrying a huge bucket of fried chicken, a bag of sides and two gallons of iced tea. Zeke also looks up when he hears the car honk, sees Shauna and the food, and hits his knees in gratitude - overly dramatic in the way only Zeke can be.

Tris smiles at the scene and the progress in the backyard saying, "We figured you guys would be hungry by now and we'd surprise you."

Mr. Prior has finished nailing in the board that the Pedrads were holding and turns, "Thank you Sweetie, that is so thoughtful of you. I'd give you a hug but I am a mess right now. How was the game?"

Shauna had a pretty nasty bruise after last week's game, but it has now faded to a sickly green color with just a tinge of purple, and doesn't seem any worse than it was yesterday in school. Tris, on the other hand, has a scabbed gash on her outter thigh and the outside of her knee. She is favoring it as she walks to the edge of the porch to set the bucket and bag down on the top step.

I can't help it, my concern propels me forward, and I reach her before her father does. "Tris, what happened to your leg?"

"Are you hurt badly?" Mr. Prior asks before I am even finished.

She just shrugs her shoulders and looks down at her leg saying, "It's not as bad as it looks, just a deep scratch that bled more than the nurse liked. They yanked me in the first half, but the girl who slide-tackled me got kicked out of the game for it. Shauna and I will take the food inside and lay it all out like a buffet. You guys take a break, get cleaned up a bit and come in to cool off and eat."

Mr. Prior looks fondly at his daughter and once she is inside, he says quietly that she reminds him so much of her mother. We unplug the power tools and generally tidy up the yard before making our way to the house and the half bath that is off the kitchen.

TRIS POV -

Inside, Shauna is helping by laying the food on the counter while I get plates, napkins and utensils. She laughs, looking out the window at the guys, "I about died when we came around the house corner and they're all in tool belts looking manly and hot. What a thing to do to an unsuspecting woman!"

I laugh and look over my shoulder at Shauna, "All of them, or just one in particular? Zeke and Uriah are pretty handy, you already knew that."

"Knowing a thing and seeing it with your own two eyes are different, but it does make for a tasty sight, right?" She peeks out the window again to make her point.

I laugh and happen to agree with Shauna, but I am saved from having to answer by the guys coming in to fix plates for lunch. They take turns washing up and eventually we are all crammed around the little kitchen table. I am seated between Four and Caleb, Dad and Shauna are at the head and foot of the table, and Zeke is across from me with Uriah. I look around and at my dad, he is thrilled to have the house full of people. He hasn't said it, but I know he is lonely without mom.

When lunch is finished, Shauna heads home, Dad and Caleb help me clear away the leftovers while Four, Zeke and Uriah head back outside to get back to work on the deck.

"Dad, how much more do you want to get done today?" Caleb askes, as he wipes down the table.

Dad looks out the window at the work they've already done and says he'd like for them to finish the joists at least. Then next weekend there are only the railings and deck boards to install. He doesn't say anything, but I can tell by the expression on his face, that Caleb was hoping Dad would say they were done for the day. He is too proud and stubborn to say it outloud though, and heads back outside when the table is clean.

"Dad, what can I do to help?" I ask him when the kitchen is clean.

"You don't have to Beatrice, we have more than enough hands with your brother and your friends helping." he answers.

"Dad, I can't just go up to my room and hide out while everyone else works."

"Alright. Come on then."

We walk out together and Four turns to look over his shoulder at us and smiles. It's a slow smile, bringing a little flash to his dark blue eyes. I love it when he does that. "What?" I ask when I walk up to him.

"What are you doing? You're going to help out?" he asks.

"Sure. Why not?" I say, looking around, then back at him smiling. "I can build things too. I just need someone to show me what to do."

Four shrugs and hands me the nail gun, taking a few minutes to explain how to load more nails when it runs out, and where the trigger and safety features are. We walk over to where the next joist is set up and ready to be secured to the posts. He points out where the nail should go and helps me position the nail gun and says, "Lean into it, brace your body weight forward so you don't get bumped backwards when it kicks a little." He places one hand on my lower back and uses his other arm to guide mine. I am distracted by the feel of his hand on my back, it's so warm I can feel it through my shirt as if it was directly on my skin. My mind starts to wander and he must realize it because he nudges me to get my focus back on what I am doing, "Now gently squeeze the trigger, and… Yes, Perfect. You're a natural." He kisses my temple lightly and smiles at me. A surprising show of affection right here in front of everyone.

Uriah watches it all unfold and winks at me when I catch his eye. "If you two lovebirds are finished…." he leaves off the rest of the statement and Caleb clears his throat dramatically.

I can't help but laugh. I've never used a power tool before, never built a thing in my life. I have a huge grin on my face, I just know it. I hand the nail gun over to Four so he can fasten the joist board on the opposite side, but he shakes his head and says it's my job now. He explains once there is one nail in each end of the board holding it in place, I can go ahead and install the remaining nails without their help, meanwhile Dad and Four move on to the next joist and get it in position while Caleb checks it for level. By the time I am finished with the remaining nails, they're ready for me on the new board. Meanwhile, Zeke and Uriah start working on the stairs.

With all of us working, the rest of the joists are in place and the stairs are done by 3:00 p.m. Dad declares we are done for the day. He turns to Four, Zeke and Uriah, "Thank you guys so much for your help today. I know we would never have been able to do this without you all." He is fairly beaming, and I can't help but notice Caleb's sour expression on his face. No doubt he is feeling overlooked and put out by how much dad appreciated the outside help. Why can't he even try to get to know these guys? If he tried, he might like them.

When the tools and remaining materials are stored away in the garage, Uriah suggests we all go bowling to celebrate. Dad politely declines, saying he doesn't want to intrude on our fun and that we've earned it after a long hard day. I didn't really work like the guys did, but I want to go bowling.

I can tell that Caleb is really sore, but doesn't want to admit it. I turn to him and ask him specifically if he'd like to come out and go bowling. Instead he announces he is going to stay in tonight and work on a paper that is due. Hearing that, Four looks at me and raises an eyebrow. I just shrug and shake my head. I have no idea why Caleb would rather write a paper than go out with friends.

I walk with the guys to the driveway and thank them again for helping out my dad and brother. Four squeezes my hand and gives me a quick kiss, "I'll be back around 6:00 p.m. to pick you up, ok? Oh, and let your dad know I'll come get the trailer tomorrow after Church."

"Ok. I'll see you in a little while."