Chapter 40 The Little Things (1/2)

The night passed by quickly and Laz awoke to the sounds of Bill yelling up at him. He got up quickly, grabbed his phone without looking at it and went down from the loft.

”Run to the fence and back and then come get breakfast.” Bill walked out without saying another word as Laz took off out the door into the woods. The last time he was here, he had just enabled his hearing and seeing senses. Now that he actually had a spiritual sense, the woods seemed far more alive. He could still use his senses to see beyond 10 meters, but within the 10 meters, he knew everything that was there and what was happening. It was like an invisible bubble surrounded him and within the bubble, he knew all.

Quickly completing the run to the fence and back, as Laz approached the barn area, he saw Bill and his grandpa sitting next to the grill, cooking some fresh eggs and sausage while drinking coffee. They both always seemed to enjoy a camping style breakfast as Laz noticed there was even an old style kettle hanging over the open fire.

Laz grabbed a tin cup and poured himself some of the pipping hot coffee while he sat down on a log and blew on the hot liquid. Both men watched Laz as he blew on it again and again, trying to cool it down somewhat before taking a sip. Their expressions resembled a couple of kids keeping a joke to themselves as Laz took a big sip. He could feel it burning his throat as the hot liquid ran down his throat. It almost felt like he had drank a cup of liquid fire as he could help coughing several times, trying to get his throat to relax.

”What the hell?” Laz said between coughs.

Both men looked at each other and practically fell over, shaking with laughter.

”What kind of coffee is this?” Laz asked after he finally settled down.

”Irish Cream. What do you think?” Grandpa Crowe replied as he started to sit up again.

”Irish Cream?” Laz asked while looking at the cup.

”Don't think too much about it and just have another sip. Just go a bit slow on it, alright?” His grandpa advised him while taking a sip of his own coffee.

Bill just sat there and drank some more of his own, enjoying the company his best friend and best friend's grandson provided. It hadn't been this lively at his place in a long time.

Laz took a slow sip and felt the burning on his throat again, but it didn't seem that intense this time.Looking at his grandpa, he wanted to ask why he had come out here, but didn't know how to phrase it and instead just asked, ”How are you feeling, grandpa?”

”Oh, I'm good today. I just wanted to visit Bill for a bit and decided to pop by earlier.”

”Oh, that's good. I'm glad you're alright, grandpa.”

”Ha! This old man isn't about to die yet there little Laz,” his grandpa responded while smiling.

”Of course, things are probably going to be a bit hectic every now and then.”

”Why is that grandpa?” Laz couldn't help but ask.

”That's because that Joey decided to take off without saying anything. I'm asking your Grandpa Bill here to come over every now and then and see if anything needs fixing. At least he cleaned out his place first though. I was afraid we would have to torch it,” Grandpa Crowe joked while laughing.

Laz couldn't help but lower his head and turn a bit red. It only now occurred to him that he never mentioned what happened between him and Joey and didn't think about the fact that Joey actually did something around the place.

”Eh? What's wrong there Laz? Might want to drink that coffee a bit slower,” Bill suggested while pulling out the plates to put the food on. He then passed the plates around while Grandpa Crowe took the initiative to refill everyone's cup.

Taking another small sip, Laz looked up at the two old men who were absorbed in their thoughts and the food, not paying much attention to Laz.

”This coffee tastes really good once you get used to it,” Laz complimented after a few more sips.

”Actually, the coffee itself is crap, but it tastes good after a while cause of the alcohol in it.” Bill stated while munching on a sausage link.

”WHAT?” Laz asked, openly shocked.

”HA HA HA.” Both men roared with laughter again at Laz's shocked. He never thought they would allow him to drink but it seemed like they were doing it on purpose so he settled down rather quickly.

”Laz...” Bill started to say but was quickly interrupted by Grandpa Crowe.

”Laz, my dad always used to say that when a boy becomes a man, it's his dad's job to give him his first drink and to tell him, 'You are now a man.'” Grandpa Crowe said rather seriously.

”But Grandpa,” Laz muttered. ”I've not even been with a girl yet...” Laz's voice trailed off as though he was rather embarrassed to say it in front of these two. He only realized right now that he did indeed still feel like a boy in front of these two and he respected them far more than he could say.

Not matter if it was how his grandpa had taken care of him over these years or how Bill had started training him when he needed it most, he understood that both of these old guys were people to be respected. It was as if they understood the world far more than he ever could.

Bill looked at him seriously as well and said, ”Sometimes, being a man isn't just about getting your rocks off with a woman. It's about your state of mind, your strength, and your ability to rely on only yourself when the time comes.”