The day at the Johnstones had been a long one in that there was a lot to do with regard to the painting, though John soon found that the hardest thing was actually waiting for the paint to dry. Going from the first to the second coat was fairly easy, as they could simply start in one place and by the time they'd finished putting on everything on that first coat was completely dry and thus they could get started with the second coat. John also had the sense that some of it was also helped along by the fact that he'd never done any sort of work like this before. But Henry Jenkins Senior was nothing like his father and didn't berate him when a mistake was made. In fact, more often than not, Henry demonstrated how to do something and let John learn from the mistake in a way that didn't go after him. That seemed quite polite and respectable.
And while they'd worked they did socialize on things, as it was a means to pass time. Of course, the biggest thing that still weighed on John's mind was just who he was and everything that his father, James Harper Senior, had tried to demand as gospel even if no one else in the area thought the same way. It was something that shaped a lot of John's confusion over various things and how they'd manifested in dreams. He could remember the most recent ones... one with him speaking with a weretiger version of him with Ginger, a werewildcat version of him with another werewildcat that he didn't recognize, him and Ginger as adult humans. He thought there might have been another weretiger version of him there with another male weretiger, but he wasn't sure at the present time. All of them would have had something that he knew his father wouldn't like. And a part of John even suspected that his father wouldn't approve of Henry doing work for a gay couple.
John was past that and he knew that his father's beliefs and biases were wrong. After all, even among those he knew to be straight in Alabama didn't have families like he did. They didn't have a father that physically and mentally abused his wife and children, and that had been enough for him understand that much. But that didn't change the mental and moral wrestling matches that he'd had with himself over who he was. Thoughts of Ginger made him pause, and seeing her in her fursona had done more than he'd initially thought possible or even likely given his past experiences... or lack thereof, in Alabama. But those thoughts conflicted with John's memories, and as John thought back on them as he and Henry finished applying the last of coat of paint, John had to admit to himself that those past memories weren't bad and that a part of him did seem a bit jealous of the Johnstones. And that sort of thing did creep into the conversation with Henry through the day.
"Well... things do look good," Henry said with a smile as he looked at the deck and porch now painted and ready for whatever weather Washington State would throw at them, assuming it didn't start pouring rain in the next five minutes.
"I suppose so..." John said slowly as he looked back to Henry who was collecting up the painting trays. Most of them were pretty empty at the moment, but there was one that looked like it had a little bit of paint left in it. "So... what's next?"
"Clean up," Henry answered, "the best part of the job. If you can get all the brushes to the tailgate, I have some plastic there that we can wrap them in. I'll wash them out when we get back home."
"Not back at the shop?" John wondered.
"We're pushing three PM right now," Henry answered, "if we go to the shop, you might miss out on seeing Ginger on her way home."
The mention of Ginger's name made John smile for a moment, as that was something that he was looking forward to. He wasn't completely sure if anything was romantic, sexual, or anything else, but he did like Ginger and was happy to talk with her. In this, he knew that even if he was able to determine as to whether or not he was gay, straight, or bi, he would want to stay friends with Ginger. That would also apply as to whether or not he became a were. He did wish to remain friends with Ginger, and the proposed walking tour for Saturday was loosely planned, though for the moment that was all John knew there. As such, he quickly collected the brushes and began to make his way back to Henry's truck, which was still parked out front.
"What about the paint trays that still have some paint in them?" John wondered, "and the painter's tape?"
"We can safely put the paint we didn't use back in the bucket once we get the bucket to the truck," Henry answered, "and that will be easier to move since we've used a fair amount of paint with the job today. And at the truck, there will be less of a risk of spilling paint on the lawn."
John nodded. They had laid down some tarps and things as a "work area" to ready the trays when the day started, and while they had been careful, those tarps did have a few splotches of paint on them. Which showed the importance of avoiding a mess that would likely do damage to the lawn. John privately wondered if that was something better handled on the tarp before they moved things, but then Henry was older and while John wasn't exactly scrawny, neither was he strong enough to move things like the paint bucket easily. Henry probably the order of how things would be cleaned up to make things easier for him, and since John was really only learning things at the moment, he really couldn't argue.
They made their way back to the truck, with its tailgate down and the ladder they'd used sticking out the back. Henry set the trays down next to the ladder and then motioned for John to move over to the side of the truck. He did so, while staying on the sidewalk. Henry walked around him, opened the passenger door, and then returned to John with box of clingwrap, which he then opened.
"And now for the brushes," Henry spoke calmly, "I'll wrap them and then you can lay them in the bed of the truck. The plastic will keep the air out and will make cleaning the brushes easier. Then we'll go get the paint bucket and bring it back here. Then while I put what paint we didn't use back in the bucket, you can go back for the tarp. Make sure it's folded so that no paint hits the grass."
"And the tape we used?" John asked as he watched Henry wrap one brush in the cling-wrap plastic.
"By the time we get everything else done, the paint should be fully dry and we can recover and wad up the tape," Henry answered, "by then it'll be close to three thirty and we'll be back at home before Ginger can get to it."
John nodded as Henry wrapped the brush and then returned the brush to him. John then placed it in the bed of the truck and the process was repeated with the other brushes and rollers. It didn't take super long and that let them then move on to the following steps that were part of the cleanup that Henry had outlined. John followed along and did his best to help, though his mind remained semi-focused on Ginger, as she was, after all the only person in Moon Lake that he really knew personally outside the Jenkins. Even if what was between them would only amount to friendship, it was something worth having, as that was something the Harper children had largely lacked in Alabama. He knew that most of Jenny's and James Junior's friends were school friends with very little contact outside of school, if at all. Janice might have gotten a bit more, but she was in much the same situation as the rest of the Harper siblings. But Ginger... Ginger was a friend, and one that John did wish to see.
The process ultimately involved a few trips back and forth, though John felt he was getting a bit better with things. And folding the tarps proved fairly easy as there wasn't too much of a breeze that day. He able to get them folded so that any and all paint that might have spilled onto the tarp wouldn't end up on the Johnstone's lawn. As he brought the tarps back to Henry's truck, he found that Henry wasn't there. The paint trays were now empty and the paint bucket had its lid back on, but Henry was nowhere around the truck. As he set the tarps down on the bed, though, he did hear Henry's voice and looked over toward the house and could see that he was already removing the tape while on his cellphone.
"Everything is dried and we're finishing up our cleanup," John heard Henry say, "If you and Reggie haven't paid in advance, Huck should have the bill sent to you." There was a pause for a moment, which allowed John to come closer. The conversation did continue, however. "No, you don't pay me. Huck will handle the payment for John and I. Just as the business has always run." By this time John reached Henry and the conversation reached its end and Henry hung up his phone and turned to John. "Just letting Frank know our work is done... and I'll add that you've done a good job. You can be proud in that."
"Thank you, sir," John answered politely.
"Come on, let's get all the tape picked up," Henry spoke, "then we can get home in time for you to meet with Ginger."
John nodded and agreed with that. And it wasn't long before all the tape was removed and the Johnstone house looked quite well... at least with regard to what John and Henry had spent the day painting.