Noah had his eye on the flat screen television, which sat on the floor next to a box marked GAMES.

Can I look at your games? Noah signed to Jackson after we had finished eating. Noah signed to Jackson after we had finished eating.

"Sure," Jackson said. "Want me to help you set it up?"

"He's good at that kind of stuff," I said.

Noah scampered over and opened the box. He held up Modern Warfare III Modern Warfare III with a look of wretched pleading on his face. with a look of wretched pleading on his face.

I shook my head.

"What's wrong with Modern Warfare Modern Warfare?" Jackson asked.

"We don't play games where we kill imaginary people just to have fun," I said.

"'Kill imaginary people just to have fun'?" Jackson repeated with a smirk.

"That's the rule. I'm the pinko commie b.a.s.t.a.r.d of the family and my son is following in my footsteps. If you've got a game where he can shoot people like Mitt Romney and the Koch brothers, hey, I'm all for it. Until then...."

"So you're a bit political?"

"Don't tell me that you're one of these morons who doesn't vote because you don't think your vote will make any difference."

"I never had time for it."

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! So you're the reason why we're drowning in all these ideologically inebriated Tea Party mad dog types."

"I take it you're not Republican."

"Just the thought of the Republican party makes my b.a.l.l.s jump back up into my s.c.r.o.t.u.m."

"I'll keep that in mind," he said with a smile. "Would you like another beer?"

Jackson fetched fresh beers from the fridge while Noah got the game console hooked up.

We watched him play for a while.

"I shouldn't have brought him," I said, "but I couldn't get a babysitter. Well, I already had one for this morning when I had to work. Couldn't afford another one, is what I'm saying. Just so you know, we're a package deal. I'm telling you that straight up before you've got any skin in the game."

"Two for the price of one, eh?"

"Something like that."

"Is that supposed to scare me?"

"I hope not, but it's the truth. Noah's my main man. I might be able to squeeze you in now and again for a quickie, but he's my first priority. His mom ran off on him. I'm not about to do the same."

"I think it's kind of s.e.xy dating a single dad. I've never done that before."

"So we're dating now?"

"I don't know. Should we be?"

He put his hand on my bare knee to emphasize his point.

"A tempting proposition," I said. "North meets South. It could get ugly."

"b.u.t.t ugly," he said.

"The naked truth could be...."

"Worth seeing?" he suggested.

"Definitely," I said. "But we're a conservative lot down here."

"Does that mean we can't hold hands while we're out in public?"

"Something like that."

"A challenge. I like it."

"It's like they say: If you love Southern men, raise your gla.s.s. If you don't, raise your standards."

"Can't say I've heard that one."

"You need to get out more. You any good at courting?"

"There's a first time for everything," he said.

"I think I'm going to like you," I said.

"If you like me now, just wait until I get you alone and in bed."

"Promises, promises," I said dismissively. "Takes more than a sugar mouth to shake the sugar tree, darling."

He leaned over and put his lips against mine. His hand fell to my crotch, felt the sudden, urgent hardness there.

"We've got to be careful in front of the children," I said, pulling away. "But not too careful."

Noah was too engrossed in the whole Xbox extravaganza to notice or care.

"You remind me of Daryl on The Walking Dead The Walking Dead," Jack observed.

"The redneck with the crossbow?" I said, incredulous, and somewhat offended.

"Yeah," he said. "He's a hottie. Just like you."

"A hottie?"

"Oh, yeah."

"You're not so bad-looking yourself. A bit too clean, like a metros.e.xual fella. Probably got a bunch of antiaging cream in your bathroom or something, but you in Dixie now, boy. You walk around looking pretty and these Southern girls will scratch your eyes out because they're afraid you'll tempt their husbands into committing horrible, unnatural sins."

"I should hope so."

"It's the least you could do," I agreed. "Makes life far more interesting. At least until you get sent up the river on a morals charge and they use you as a pa.s.s-around-Patty in the prison shower. Those guys at Parchman are h.o.r.n.y b.a.s.t.a.r.ds, I hear. And I should know."

"Why is that?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out. Can't spill all my secrets to some Yankee carpetbagger, not without the tequila slammers."

"The plot thickens," he said with a smile. "I'll have to put tequila on my shopping list."

I got to my feet, stretched my cramped legs.

Jackson stood, a hint of a smile about his lips.

"We'd best mosey on down the river," I said. "Got school tomorrow."

"Can you do me a favor?" he asked.

"What's that?"

"Shut up and kiss me like you mean it."

So I did.

After stoking my internal fires-like any more stoking was necessary at that point-the meth baby and I took our leave.

I wiped my lips as I walked to the car.

d.a.m.n, he was hot.

Noah giggled.

4) Even bigger

WE WERE WERE reduced to underpants to cope with the summer heat. I was tempted to turn on the window unit in the living room so we could bed down in there, but there was no money for such extravagance and I could not risk having the electricity shut off again for not paying the bill. Did that once already. It wasn't pleasant. reduced to underpants to cope with the summer heat. I was tempted to turn on the window unit in the living room so we could bed down in there, but there was no money for such extravagance and I could not risk having the electricity shut off again for not paying the bill. Did that once already. It wasn't pleasant.

Noah climbed into his bed.

It's hot, he complained.

I know, I said.

I wiped at his face with a wet washcloth to help cool him off. I adjusted the box fan so that it wasn't blowing directly on his face.

Did you like that man? he asked he asked I nodded.

He would be a nice boyfriend, he said.

Did you like him?

He knows how to sign! But he's not very good.

You can teach him.

I pushed hair out of his eyes, looked around his small room. Noah was an Iron Man fan, had a poster of Iron Man III Iron Man III on the door to his closet. Above his desk was a shelf full of pictures of the two of us, his mother conspicuous by her absence. Dirty clothes were discarded all over the floor. A wooden chest held an overflow of toys. Spider-Man curtains graced the windows, which were shut and barred because we lived on the first floor. on the door to his closet. Above his desk was a shelf full of pictures of the two of us, his mother conspicuous by her absence. Dirty clothes were discarded all over the floor. A wooden chest held an overflow of toys. Spider-Man curtains graced the windows, which were shut and barred because we lived on the first floor. Robinson Crusoe, The Swiss Family Robinson, Huckleberry Finn, War of the Worlds Robinson Crusoe, The Swiss Family Robinson, Huckleberry Finn, War of the Worlds and other novels sat in a corner, unread. I added compulsively to the pile from my trips to used-book stores, hoping he would pick up my love of reading. So far, I'd had little luck on that front. Like many deaf kids, reading was difficult for him. and other novels sat in a corner, unread. I added compulsively to the pile from my trips to used-book stores, hoping he would pick up my love of reading. So far, I'd had little luck on that front. Like many deaf kids, reading was difficult for him.

Does he like you? he asked. he asked.

I don't know.

I hope he does. I don't want you to be sad all the time.

I'm not sad all the time. I have you.

Do you love me?

A lot.

Would you still love me if he was your boyfriend?

Of course.

Are you sure?

Yes.

You wouldn't leave me for him?

Not a chance.

He bit at his lip as if not sure whether to believe me. Given what his mother did, it was understandable.

Do you love me a lot? he asked. he asked.

I nodded.

As big as a house? he asked. he asked.

Bigger.

The grocery store?