The Brothers Dixon

Daryl and Jacqui sat down the next day and together they designed her new kitchen. Jacqui liked the idea of a brick wall. It was Virginia after all. Red brick was everywhere. Wood flooring would fit with the style but the old kitchen flooring had been replaced long ago. Daryl was glad to find he could take down the wall to the adjoining room and add to the kitchen without putting in a header. That room had wide oak planks underneath the linoleum that would be perfect. "You have an attic?"

Jacqui looked puzzled, "Yes, I do".

"Let's go take a look".

Jacqui led the way upstairs to a large storage space, "Here it is?"

Daryl began to measure off the space. "See those planks? They were put in when the house was built. We can take these planks, replace them with plywood up here and have the planks milled again. We'll have plenty to finish the kitchen and you can keep the rest."

"When can you get started?" Jacqui seemed eager to have a new kitchen and Daryl smiled, "I can start this afternoon with the renovation. Are you prepared to live without a kitchen for two weeks?"

"Let's get started."

Daryl came back that afternoon with Theodore Douglass and Joaquin Morales. Theo was new to the job but Daryl liked him immediately when he met him the day before. Joaquin had worked for Horvath Construction for years.

Jacqui had cleared out the cabinets by the time they were back. She wanted them donated to a resale shop for Habitat for Humanity. Theo and Joaquin took the cabinets down carefully and Joaquin drove them to the donation center.

The demo crew spent the rest of the day taking up the attic floor and replacing it with new plywood. It was hot as the hubs of hell up there and Jacqui brought up pitchers of icy sweet tea. By late afternoon the attic's new floor was in and the planks were on their way to becoming flooring for the kitchen.

Jacqui and Daryl talked on the front porch at the end of day. "The dumpster is coming tomorrow morning and we'll take down the walls and old flooring. Start putting in new studs and framing for the electrical." Daryl took another long gulp of sweet tea.

Theo came back from delivering the planks. "I have the receipt from the millers. They were drooling over those planks. They'll buy them if you want to sell."

Jacqui handed him a glass of tea. "Those planks have spent a hundred years in this house. Maybe they'll be here another century." Theo thanked her politely and Daryl noticed that those two seemed to be hitting it off very well.

The next morning the kitchen area looked as if bomb had went off in it. Daryl had to leave to go do another estimate but he was knew that Theo and Joaquin had it covered.

Merle was waiting for him at the empty store front. "About time you go here, Lil' Bruther. I can get this building for a song because the owner just wants out."

Daryl eyed the run down building warily, "You want to put your bookstore here?"

Merle nodded, "I have money. I took the money that our aunt left me and had it transferred to another bank before we moved here. C'mon in, I want to introduce you to Christie. She works at the bookstore."

The building was fundamentally sound but it needed some updating. Daryl talked with Christie while Merle talked with the owner. Daryl noticed how often Merle's eyed drifted toward Christie. What was that asshole brother of his thinking?

Think with the other head, Merle. You can't have anything to do with Christie. Same as I have to stay away from Carol. They are safer away from us. The White Warriors will kill me and have you watch it. What would they do to Christie if they thought that you were involved with her?

Christie wasn't anything like Merle's usual woman. She was intelligent, witty, and classy. And sober, educated, and Black. What would a woman like Christie see in his brother? My advice to Christie, "Run, Forest, run".

Daryl waited until he and Merle were on the back deck that night to bring up Christie. "I saw you with Christie today."

Merle tensed beside him, "She's funny as hell. Got a way with words. Not bad looking for a Black woman." Playing all cool like you hardly noticed the woman that you couldn't stop looking at.

First time Merle's wanted a woman who wasn't a drug whore and I have to shut it down. "Christie's beautiful and you two could probably go down life's pathway hand in hand, but if the White Warriors find out that their favorite snitch had a Black girlfriend?"

Merle walked to the end of the deck and stared out for a minute or two. Then, he walked back and sat back down, "You're right, Daryl. I just was enjoying being Michael Reynolds and forgot that I'm really a druggie convict named Merle Dixon. What would Merle Dixon want with a Christie Alston?"

Damn, I've hurt him. "Merle, she likes you too. Don't know why, but she does. Maybe after you get through testifying against the Stowers, then everything will settle down." You gotta have hope, Merle.

"I'll still be Merle Dixon." Well, there is that. Can you stop sabotaging yourself?

"You not just Merle Dixon. Michael Reynolds has a good head for business and he'll make money at his bookstore. Merle Dixon's got testicles the size of cantaloupes to take on the White Warriors."

Merle grinned, "I can't afford to have Horvath Construction do the renovations. So I think we can work on the new store after you get finished work every day."

So every evening they met at the new bookstore and worked until late into the night. Merle let Christie and Glenn run the bookstore while he was at the new location. Christie's son, James liked to hang around the new store. Merle was teaching him how to do drywall and lay tile. Christie's daughter, Jada painted the walls and then painted murals on the newly painted walls... Both kids liked Merle, called him Big Mike. Daryl was just relieved that they didn't call him Little Mark.

The days turned into weeks and the weeks into months. Jacqui's kitchen was finished and she invited Mark to dinner at her house to celebrate. He brought Merle along because she said that he could bring a date. Theo was there that night too and Jacqui had invited her best friend, Christie Alston who brought Jada and James. Joaquin and Maria were there enjoying an evening out without their kids.

Everyone admired the kitchen, with its wide oak plank flooring, brick accent wall, and soapstone counters. Daryl took photos with his phone and wished that he could send them to Carol. She would love the display of Fiesta ware that brought so much color in the space. God, I miss her. I wish she was with me tonight. Want her to see what I helped to create.

Merle and Christie were admiring the soapstone countertops and Daryl could tell that Merle was happy that he got to spend the evening with Christie even if it with her friends and family. Merle treats her like a casual friend, doesn't cross the line into anything more. That's how I know that he really cares about her. He puts her safety ahead of what he wants.

Jacqui and Theo had cooked enough food for twenty people. They are a team already.

Daryl was sitting between James and Jada. Somehow the conversation turned to camping and hiking and he found himself inviting them along for a trip that weekend "If your mother agrees". Maybe this is wrong but I'm giving Merle a chance to have some time with Christie.

Christie grinned evilly, "Let's see, they have to walk for miles, cook their own food, sleep in tent, poop in the wilderness, and can't ask for anything for at least twenty four hours. How much would you charge for forty eight hours?

Daryl laughed, "We could leave early on Saturday and come back on Sunday evening. No charge."

They got back late Sunday night. Daryl dropped Jada and James at Christie's house. The two teenagers hugged their mother and chorused, "We're hungry."

Christie laughed, "Mark not feed you two?"

Daryl protested, "We ate a couple of hours ago."

Jada and James hugged him, "Thank you, Mark. We're going back in October, right?"

He hugged them back. Sometime since last spring after he met Carol he had begun to accept and return affection. Just one more thing to thank her for when this is over.

Daryl unexpectedly hugged Christie, "You got great kids." Jada sees beauty in everything. Taking photos all weekend. James has been hanging around Big Mike too much because he runs his damn mouth all the time. Wish Merle could be their dad. Never thought I would wish that on anyone.

Merle was waiting when he got to the house. "Summers called yesterday morning. He is coming to visit us tomorrow evening. He says that there is news about the Stowers case."

Daryl took a deep breath. Tomorrow Summers would tell them when Merle would testify. The Stowers would go to jail and maybe there would be some way for him to have a life with Carol.

"So how was your weekend, Big Mike?"

Merle grinned, "Never you mind about my weekend. Let's just say that hearing from Summers wasn't the best thing that happened to me this weekend."

Merle was already at the house when Daryl got there the next evening. Merle lit the charcoal while Daryl showered. The hamburgers were almost ready when Summers showed up.

Summers wasn't dressed in his usual dark suit. He had on shorts and a t shirt and he looked younger and tougher without the suit.

He took a chair on the deck, "Let's sit down and talk. You aren't going to like what I've got to say."

Merle handed him a glass of iced tea, "What's going on?" He moved the hamburgers away from the direct heat and sat down.

Daryl sat up straighter in his chair. The shit is hitting the fan.

Summers began, "Ford and I were never in charge of the case. Our job was to build the case against the White Warriors and specifically the Stowers family. We were tasked to get Merle out of prison and to provide new identities for you. Federal prosecutors were supposed to take over. They did." He took a drink of tea.

"The holdup in securing the indictments was because they wanted to charge to find the source of the explosives. Long story short. The Stowers family has worked out some sort of deal with the prosecutors. They gave up some guy who they claim was their source for explosives and they dropped the case against them. It's over. Merle, you don't have to testify, but if the Stowers find you, you're still a dead man. And you Daryl, you can't go back to Atlanta. There is a branch of the White Warriors operating there."

"What the fuck are you telling me? The Stowers are home free. How could that happen? "Merle was outraged.

Summers shook his head, "I don't know. We had enough evidence to convict them. It is out of our hands. Ford is furious and he is retiring after this. I am rethinking my options."

"I spent a year with Larry Stowers. Listening to his ramblings and his wild stories. The Stowers family aren't just prejudiced. They're crazy. They will blow up a church someday. They won't stop with one. Linda Stowers seemed saner but she is as committed to the plan as the brothers. These kind of people can find explosives anywhere. They'll have someone else to do the dirty work and they'll be far away with an airtight alibi." Merle got up and began to fill up the plates. His shoulders sagged and for a moment he looked like the old Merle, angry and desperate. He picked up one of the plates and threw it down the deck breaking it into a hundred pieces, "We can't let them get away with this."

Daryl sat silent. He couldn't go back to Atlanta, but could he contact Carol and convince her to come here? Maybe they could move out west somewhere. Merle had tried to do the right thing and what did they have to show for it? Living in constant fear of discovery and not being able to be with the women they loved.

Then, he thought about his father. A monster coming down the hall slapping his belt against his hand in anticipation of the beating he was going to bestow on his son. Daryl would hear that sound and know that he couldn't get away. His father was too strong. Daryl had hated his father all his life and hadn't had the courage to fight back. The old man was dead now and was he still afraid to fight against him? Was he going to spend his life being afraid or was he going to fight back this time?

"We're going to kill them. It's the only way to stop them. Just tell us where they are and we'll do the rest." Daryl was surprised that his voice sounded so confident. Like I plan to kill several people every day.

Merle moved toward him and hugged him. "You take off and get your woman. Move somewhere else. Start over. Ain't your fight, it's mine." That sounds like a plan. I'll just sneak out the door. Don't mind me.

"No, we're doing this together." We're going through the fire together, Big Brother. We're the Dixons and we get shit done.

Summers was making himself a hamburger, "I am still a federal agent, so will you please stop planning capital crimes in front of me. Next weekend both of you are going camping. I have some friends that are going to become your friends. More like your brothers probably. They think a lot like you. Now let's eat."

Merle found a broom and swept up the broken glass, "You don't sound much like a federal agent."

Summers grinned, "I won't be one by next weekend. Ford and I erased every trace of you two from the bureau files. I didn't come here to recruit fellow campers but if you are volunteering? We have openings."

The bookstore's open house was a success. Merle worked the crowd like a career politician who was behind in the polls. The polished cement floors and the murals gave the space a certain style. Merle had added a coffee bar and the aroma of the different coffee choices permeated throughout the space.

Merle was wearing a new suit and a big smile. He had given up greeting the crowd and was now eating with Christie and the twins. He looked like a man without a care in the world.

Merle had signed his will today in a lawyer's office and Daryl as signed as witness. Merle had willed everything to Christie. Daryl's will left everything to Carol. Mark Reynolds left the money from the sale of his house and a lamp that he loved and she would know when she saw the lamp that Daryl was dead.

Jacqui and Theo were catering the event and the food tasted even better than it looked which was pretty damn good. Jacqui was sporting a new diamond on her hand and Theo was grinning more than Merle. I love a happy ending.

Glenn brought a hot chick way out of his league, but the girl acted like Glenn was the only man left in the world. Maggie and her sister were working in the book store now. The little sister wanted to sing tonight so Merle let her. The song that Daryl liked the best was a duet with Maggie and the little sister, "The Parting Glass".

They sang sweetly together and he could see the proud look on their father's face. The words to that song seemed to stay in Daryl's head.

Of all the comrades that here I had

They are sorry for my going away

And all the sweethearts that e'er I had

They would wish me one more day to stay

But since it falls unto my lot

That I should rise and you should not

I'll gently rise and I'll softly call

Good night and joy be with you all

Carol was the sweetheart that might want him to stay. He certainly wanted to stay with her, but he knew that it was his lot to rise and call good night. They were leaving tomorrow night for a cabin in the North Carolina mountains. They were going to be away a week or so. Or maybe forever.

AN

The muse didn't like the rain so I couldn't seem to get this chapter going. The sun finally decided to shine so I pushed on through.

Next chapter you meet the "comrades" that are going on this mission with the Dixon brothers.

I know that the house porn sort of faded away, and Daryl isn't full of snark these days. He is downright melancholy.

What do you think?