Akayuki (Red Snow)--Michael's Past Part 6

Disclaimer: The following is a work of fan fiction. It is intended for entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance to actual persons living or deceased is purely coincidental.

~o~

“Let me be your assistant.”

A month had passed and Lonnie still ditched school every weekday to spend time in the tea house “helping” Michael. Yes, actually helping and not harassing customers or Michael himself. 

Michael expected this latest request. In fact, Annie had forewarned him.

“Lonnie’s from a large family—mom, no dad, three brothers and two sisters. Lonnie’s the youngest. He gets lonely, so once he latches on to you, he’s yours until you dump him on someone else. Ask Laurie if you don’t believe me. He followed her around for months before you showed up and piqued his interest.”

“No,” Michael answered.

“What?! Why not?” Lonnie followed Michael out of the kitchen and into the dining room. 

“You’re too short.” Michael approached the table where a man in a tan traveling cloak waited.

“You’re too tall,” Lonnie retorted. “You’re as tall as Mount Fuji.”

“No one is that tall, young man.” The elder man at the table watched as Michael set a mug of green tea in front of him. He studied Michael's face for a moment before asking, “Is this what you are doing now, Michael?”

Michael did not answer. 

Lonnie looked between the two men.

“You know this geezer?” he asked Michael.

Michael scowled.

“Assistants don’t insult the customers.” Michael shifted the serving tray to his left hand and used his right hand to deliver a flick to the boy’s forehead.

“So I can be your assistant then?” Lonnie asked, rubbing his forehead. 

“No.”

“But you said…”

“I said, assistants don’t insult the customers. You insulted the customer, so go home. You aren’t assistant material.”

“Well, do you know this geez…gentleman, Boogeyman-sama?”

“‘Boogeyman-sama’?” The older man lowered the mug of tea from his lips.

Michael scowled.

“Lonnie, go home. Now.” He used his free hand to give the boy a push towards the doors.

“Aw! But it’s not quitting time yet.”

“You don’t work here,” Michael reminded him.

“Not yet,” Lonnie retorted.

“Never.”

Michael and Lonnie glared at each other.

“Does anyone else work here?” the older man asked, searching the dining room area.

“No,” Michael answered. 

“Annie worked here until Boogeyman-sama knocked her up,” Lonnie supplied. “Now she has to stay home and rest while this guy runs the tea house into the ground.”

“Would you like me to knock you out?” Michael asked, his free hand clenched into a fist.

“You wouldn’t hit a kid.”

“I’m the Boogeyman, remember?”

Lonnie ignored the threat.

“If you make me your assistant, Annie won’t worry about you.”

Michael scowled.

“Annie’s not worried about me.”

“Sure she is,” Lonnie said. “Just the other day I heard her tell Laurie she was afraid her baby was gonna come out looking as butt ugly as you.”

Michael made a fist of his right hand and prepared to bring it down on the boy’s head when the older man rose from his chair and caught Michael by the wrist.

Michael scowled at the man.

“I was joking, sensei.”

Lonnie, who had covered his head with his arms, opened his eyes and peeked out at the adults.

“‘Sensei’?” he asked, lowering his arms and studying the older man. “You taught the Boogeyman?”

Michael recognized the twinkle in Lonnie’s eyes. Annie said I needed to dump him on someone else.

“I’m a doctor,” the older man clarified. “I’m Samuel Loomis. Michael was my patient for fifteen years before…”

“I’m not your patient anymore, sensei.”

“I’m Lonnie Elam. So, what’s wrong with him?” He jerked a thumb at Michael. “Other than being the world’s most butt-ugly Boogeyman.”

Loomis-sensei laughed at this while Michael turned his back on the older man and Lonnie and returned to the kitchen.