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"No problem. Enjoy, hun. Let me know if you need anything else."
"Thanks, I will."
She leaves, and I push the plate away, causing Harrick to narrow his eyes in suspicion. Yeah, me pushing food away isthatunusual.
I'd been planning on telling my brothers soon anyway, but since I got busted at the library, it seems like a good time to tell one of them at least.
"I'm thinking of getting my GED," I announce, then explain to Eddie, "I dropped out of school early."
He gives a small nod. "How early?"
"Ninth grade."
Harrick's brow is furrowed, his jaw set tight. "Our fucking father."
"It's not his fault," I say, since I'm always the one who defends him. "Well, it's notonlyhis fault."
Harrick stares at me intensely. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means…" I take a breath. "It means I can't read very well. I… I never learned. Not properly, anyway."
"Oh," they both say at the same time.
"Yeah.Oh. I've been thinking about this for a while, but I'd like to learn to read, and then I'd like to sit the GED."
"I see," Harrick says, taking it all in.
"Sorry if this is a stupid question or out of line, but you run a business, don't you?" Eddie asks.
"I run a timber yard. Not like I need a PhD for that. And like I said, I can read some. I'm also great at faking it, and I get help whenever it comes to anything complicated."
Harrick's intense eyes land on me. "Is that why you always come to me with contracts to review?"
I scratch the back of my neck. "Yeah."
He gives me a small nod. "If you want to get your GED and learn to read, that's great, man. I fully support you, and if you need anything, I—"
"We," Eddie interjects, and Harrick smiles.
"If you need anything, we are both here for you."
"Thank you…both."
"And sorry about my stupid joke before," Harrick says. "I wouldn't have said it if I'd known."
"It's fine. No one knows."
"What about Marsh?"
I shake my head. "I'll tell him next."
"Right."
I look between them, then taking advantage of the lull in conversation, I pull my plate back and set about destroying the chocolate stack. It's only when I'm about halfway done that a thought occurs to me.
"Wait." I finish chewing. "How did you know I was at the library yesterday?"
"It's Thickehead," Harrick replies with a shrug. "Everyone knows everything around here. You take a big enough dump in the morning and by lunchtime, you're the talk of the town."
