Small Town USA: Famous in a Small Town (Short One)

Chapter Thirteen: Conversations

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Memphis was still staring at the door that his brother had disappeared through. He couldn't believe how big of an ass he was. He was only fifteen months older than Memphis and he had picked on Memphis until Memphis was old enough to fight back. Their sister Jewel was only five year older than him and even though she was done high school before Memphis even started, they were always close growing up. She was there the day he brought the triplets home from the hospital. She helped him find his first apartment and painted the nursery.

Jake had gone away for college but Jewel didn't. She went to the community college and got married when she was nineteen to her high school sweetheart and they were still together. They also had three kids, but not at the same time. Jake didn't have any kids. He met his wife, Kendra, at college and brought her home one day and they never left. She said she liked the small-town life. She'd been pregnant once, but she lost the baby and whether it was by choice or not, she never got pregnant again.

They also had a younger sister, Kodi. She was ten years younger than Memphis. She'd left the day after she graduated high school and never looked back.

"Hello?" Natalie said smiling at him.

Memphis turned his head and looked over at her. "Sorry... Hey," he said in a less than enthusiastic voice.

"So, that was your brother?" she asked.

Memphis took a sip of his beer. "Yeah he's a dick. Sorry about him, by the way. He thinks he's quite funny. He really needs to learn to think before he talks."

"That's ok," she said shrugging. "I'm a lot tougher than I look."

Memphis glanced at her but didn't say anything. She tapped her hands against the bar. She was nervous and had no idea what to say. She really didn't want to get up though because she'd never find the courage to come back. She tried to think of literally anything she could say to him.

"I'm new in town," she said and then felt stupid about it.

"Yeah, I heard."

"Did you remember to buy coffee?" she asked.

Memphis dropped his head. "Damn it."

Natalie laughed. "I don't know if we've been properly introduced, so... I'm Natalie Hansen, I'm from Boston."

Memphis looked at her for a few long seconds and Natalie honestly had no idea if he was going to say anything at all. She felt her stomach get tingly.

"Memphis Wheeler," he finally said.

"Nice to meet you Memphis Wheeler. Memphis is an interesting name. I don't know if I've ever heard it before."

Memphis shrugged as though he'd heard that comment a million times, likely every time he met someone new. "So, Boston? You're a long way from home. What brings you here?"

"Teaching job at the high school."

"Gotcha."

"I have your kids in my some of my classes."

"Well, in that case, I apologize in advance for whatever stupid shit they pull."

"They seem like good kids. But you really don't seem old enough to have them."

"Well... I am. But I guess that's what happens when you get your girlfriend pregnant at fifteen."

"Yeah, I heard that."

Memphis nodded and his eyes drifted down to his beer. "Everyone has."

"Like I said, I think it's amazing that you stayed."

Memphis stared at her. He was hard to read. His face never seemed to change with any thought. Just when she thought he was going to tell her to go away, he continued on the conversation. She wasn't sure if she should've brought up his kids, or if it was a sore subject but after four vodka cokes, that was about the only thing she could think of to say. And it wasn't like he was carrying the conversational ball.

"Where was I going to go?" he finally said. "They were in short supply of parents once their mother took off. Can't say I had much of a choice."

"I still think it's amazing."

"OK."

Natalie felt stupid but she desperately wanted to keep talking to him so she searched her mind for anything else she could say. "So... Why are they all named after cities? Is it because of your name? Family unity kind of thing."

"Most people think Aurora is after the Disney princess."

Natalie put her hands out. "Aurora, Illinois. Who doesn't know that? I thought it was kind of cool when I saw their names."

"They actually had other names at first but their useless mother never submitted the paperwork, so when I found that out, I changed their names. I didn't like the names she gave them anyway. She did that annoying thing where they all started with the same letter."

"What were their names? If you don't mind me asking."

He did his stone-faced stare again. His brother may be the sheriff but she felt like he should do interrogations. She couldn't see to many people holding up under the heat of his gaze.

"Jenny, Jessie and Jamie."

"I like Jamie for a boy," she without thinking. Then she realized how stupid that was to say. She closed her eyes and swore at herself in her head. Who says something like that? Liquid courage was also liquid jackass.

She opened one eye and looked at him but he was looking straight ahead again. "I'm sorry, that was completely inappropriate. I've had a few drinks, forgive me."

Memphis waved her comment off. "No worries."

"Hey Dave, can I get another. And one for Memphis here," Natalie said.

"You're buying me a drink?"

"Yeah. Least I can do, so why not?"

"Alright."