Big Poppa ~ Part III

7.

“Out of our way, Bowen!” The shouting made Delwyn jump up from his low stool, just in time to avoid collision with the cart. The man who had shouted patted his shoulder as he passed by. “Sorry about that,” he said, “We couldn’t stop anymore. Don’t tell the big guy I yelled at you, alright?”

Big Poppa had heard it, and stood in the doorway of the canteen, glowering at his co-workers. But he didn’t burst out to demand an apology. Instead, he grinned and walked to Delwyn. “Did he just call you Bowen?” he asked, with an amused undertone. “Told you they would accept it...”

“Yes...” Delwyn was surprised, and nodded slowly. After the first surprise, he looked around for a safe spot to sit, but their project was all built in with car parts and tools. He worked in the garage for almost two years, now. Things had changed. It had become busier, with bigger projects, more cars, more men, and they were all packed together. “I need fresh air,” he sighed.

Poppa squeezed his broad hips and bulging belly between the tanks they used for welding and a stack of new wheels. “I know what you mean,” he muttered. He looked up when he heard his name, and groaned. “John, don’t tell me I have to come in the office? I just managed to work my way to my spot...”

Chapman nodded knowingly, walking towards the big man instead of asking him in. “It’s bad, isn’t it?” He looked around, still nodding. After a moment of humming, he sighed deeply. “We’ve grown out of this place,” he said. “Mary is afraid to come here, lately. She says it’s too dangerous to visit us, because of the lack of space to walk.”

“She’s right,” Poppa rumbled. “I can’t move my ass, and I’m not afraid to get dirty. It’s only a matter of time before something...” His last word got lost in a terrible sound of crashing, cursing, and yelling. “...happens,” he concluded when it was quiet again.

Chapman and Delwyn ran towards the crash, where one of the men was helped up by his mates. A shelf had collapsed, unable to hold the increasing weight of boxes and tools. The man had missed a terrible accident by a hair. White as a sheet, he sank down on a chair, which someone had quickly cleared. “That does it,” Chapman said firmly. “We’re moving to a bigger place as soon as possible. Mary and I have been looking for suitable halls and has found a place. Those who want to see it, come with me. The others can go home for today. You’re not staying here, not until we’ve made more room. It’s only a matter of time before someone gets hurt real bad.”

“What do you want to do?” Delwyn asked Poppa. A day off sounded great, but he was very curious about Mary’s choice as well. Chapman’s wife had a lot of influence in the garage.

“I want to see where we’re possibly going,” Poppa smirked. “Get in the car, we’ll follow Chapman.”

*

The hall was huge. It was new, modern, easy accessible, and far away from the old workshop. It was surrounded by trees, and a small lake was nearby. Delwyn stared, jaw dropped, while Poppa chuckled softly. “Do you think she did it on purpose, or...”

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Delwyn finally said, smirking. “This? This is the place Mary found for the garage?” He had hated it, when it was built. It was far enough from the cabin, but as the constructors had worked on it night and day, it had been bloody annoying at times when they wanted peace. Poppa had thrown up a large fence around the premises even before it was finished, because he didn’t want anybody to swim in his lake, no matter who was going to occupy the new building.

Poppa burst out in a laugh, unable to contain himself any longer. It drew the attention of Chapman. “What do you guys think? Poppa, what’s so amusing?”

“When can we move?” the large man asked, still grinning. “And I mean move, because if this is the new place, then we’ll move to our cabin permanently... It’s right behind, there. At the other side of that lake.”

“A lake? There’s a lake?”

“Yes, and it’s private property. It’s mine, John. This building has been thrown up, right at the border of my private land. We hated it. But now? I would love to work here...”

Chapman positively beamed. “Great,” he said with passion. “Your consent is all I wanted to have.”

Delwyn couldn’t believe his ears. “We will permanently live in our cabin?” he gasped, even before Chapman stopped talking. “When?”

“Start packing,” Poppa grinned, wrapping an arm around his husband’s shoulders. He pecked a kiss on a cheek. “You finally got what you wanted, hm?”

“Yes, finally!” Grinning as well, Delwyn answered the embrace.

“The missus will be very pleased,” Chapman smirked. “Damn, I hate it when she’s right... Come inside with me, hm? Let’s take a look.”

It was easy to picture the garage with all the tools and parts, and to see the difference. The men walked around, mumbling and nodding, pointing and painting their vision. There was even a second floor, for the offices. “Man, this place is big,” Poppa said, after finishing the tour.

“Perhaps a bit too much, yes,” Chapman agreed. He had only talked to his star mechanic, so far. The others would follow their lead, he reckoned.

“Big enough for two separate garages?”

“What do you mean?”

Delwyn blinked. “Poppa,” he said warningly, “Leonin doesn’t want you to interfere, remember?”

“Leonin should shut up,” Poppa rumbled. “Siarl asked for my help.”

“What? When?”

“Guys...” Chapman lifted both hands. “What are you talking about?”

Poppa simply snorted, and legged towards one of the sides of the huge space. The hall was a rectangle, and they had already pictured the paint room at one of the sides. The other side could become a bigger, separated place. They would still have enough room for a second large, workable garage.

Delwyn sighed deeply. “One of Poppa’s old friends has a garage,” he explained. “Motorcycles, not cars. He’s looking for a new place...” To be closer to his husband, he added in his thoughts. He imagined Leonin and Siarl, entering the workshop and meeting the square mechanics for the first time. With a soft groan, he rubbed his face. “Let’s say he’s a bit colourful...”

“Rainbow-coloured?” Chapman joked, winking. He laughed at Delwyn’s stunned expression, and slapped the boy’s shoulder. “You know I’m alright with men like you and Big Poppa by now, right? We all are, I’m sure. Surely you’re not afraid of what we think, anymore...”

“It’s slowly getting to me,” Delwyn nodded quietly. “But...” Because Chapman slapped his shoulder again and walked away, he didn’t finish his sentence. But Siarl owns a BDSM sex club, he continued in his thoughts. He would visit Leo, every now and then. Perhaps he would even bring Jean with him. And where Jean went, so would Pryce... He saw his boss talking to Poppa, nodding enthusiastically. With another deep sigh, he shook his head and turned around. As Jean would say, what could possibly go wrong...?