War

Rick sighs and shakes his head. Turning back to Clay, he sets his hands on his hips. "So when are you gonna find a job that doesn't require you to deal with shady characters?" 

Bristling, Clay sits up again, irritated. "Not everybody's got a seat in the lap of luxury, ya know. I'd say I'm doing pretty well since I'm a part of the population that actually works for a living. You think I like living in a dump and working nights at a sleezy gas station? At least I pay my bills." 

"Whoa, whoa." Rick holds up his hands. "I didn't mean to rile you up. I'm glad you've got a job, I just hate seeing you like this." 

Clay's shoulders drop a little as he calms down. "Sorry. I've just heard that speech too many times, I guess."

"You mean your dad?"

"Who else?" 

"Well... I'm not him. I don't hold an honest job against any man." Rick reaches out to turn Clay's face, looking more closely at the cleaned-up injuries. "How about coming home with me and spending night?" 

"Aw, no. I don't wanna be a pain. Only reason I came up here was 'cause I thought you might let me work off payment or something instead of slapping me with a bill like the hospital would." 

Rick rolls his eyes. "Well don't worry about that. You're-"

"I'm not gonna let it go," Clay states flatly. "I might not be able to afford much, but you're gonna have to let me help pay for it somehow." 

Rick thinks for a moment then finally shrugs. "Okay, I'll think of something. But for now, would you please spend the night with me and Janet?"

Clay hesitates, but eventually nods. "Yeah, okay."

"Good. Now you stay put here a while longer. I gotta go talk to the chief about a few things. But I'll be back."

"'kay." Clay lays back down again, biting his lip as it hurts just to move. He knew he needed a better job. A better place to live. A better life. There just hadn't been anything within his reach lately. Watching out of the corner of his eye as Rick leaves, Clay's attention moves back to Misty who was working nearby. "He always like that around here? Telling everybody what to do?"


Pulling back from Stacy's kiss, Eric grins. "Mmm... well, I wouldn't want ya to be all lonely now."

He takes a bite of his cinnamon roll and chews thoughtfully. "This weekend, huh? Stay here and work or go to town with you and the kids... work... town... boy, that's a tough choice." 

He glances at Stacy out of the corner of his eye, another grin toying with his lips. 


Ashlee's willingness came as no surprise, and Dylan nods. "Okay. I guess we'll do that then." 

Standing for another couple moments, he finally turns to leave. "I got stuff I gotta do. See ya later."


Getting sprayed with weeds, Rosalyn's eyes widen and she looks over her shoulder to find Chad still hard at work. She smirks and yanks a large weed from where she was kneeling. Taking aim, she hurls it at Chad's head but looks down before it even hits. She swallows a giggle, though fears she may have just entered into a war.