Chapter 7
The sun shone through the window and onto Zeke’s face. He wrinkled his nose and then opened his eyes. He took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. He got up, took a shower, and got dressed. Then he walked downstairs to join Crix and Holidee for breakfast.
“Hey, sleepy head,” Holidee greeted him when he walked into the kitchen. Zeke smiled at her and sat down to a bowl of cereal. Before he could finish eating, though, someone knocked on the front door.
“I’ll get it,” Crix said as he got up from the table. Zeke and Holidee listened to Crix’ footsteps echo down the hallway. They heard the door creak open. “Zeke, I think someone’s here for you,” Crix called from the door. Zeke got up and walked quickly to the door. Holidee followed close behind him. When Zeke reached the door, he looked through the screen and burst through it. He embraced another boy, and laughed.
“What are you doing here?”
“Well, getting you, of course,” The other boy said. Zeke let go of the boy and walked back inside with him.
“Tom, this is Holidee and…Mr. Jublemaker.”
“Please, call me Crix.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Crix.” The boy turned toward Holidee. “And you, Miss Holidee.” He took Holidee’s hand and kissed it. Zeke lightly thwacked him on the head.
“Stop it, Tom, you’re making me look bad.” Tom laughed, along with Zeke.
Crix smiled and watched the two boys laugh. They reminded him so much of himself and Gregoric. “I believe we do not know who you are.”
Tom looked at Crix. “I’m sorry. My friend here forgot to introduce me.” Tom smacked Zeke’s stomach and continued. “I’m Tom. Tom Becket. Best friend of Zeke Wolford. His mother sent me over here to fetch him. Apparently he got lost.” Tom smiled as Zeke shook his head.
“Tom’s always trying to make me look bad.” Zeke laughed. “He’s staying with us for the summer.”
“Well, why don’t you stay a while?”
“I’d like that.” They all walked into the living room and sat down. Holidee looked at this new boy with curiosity.
He didn’t seem like the type to be best friends with the most popular guy at school. He seemed nice and gentle, but a little rough around the edges. He was alert and cheery, and he looked a lot older than Zeke. He wore a headband. It was army green and tied around his head, making his black hair fall over it. It was about two inches thick, and it looked like something out of the Vietnam War. His black hair was thick and dark. It was short, but long enough to stick out over the bandanna a little. He was wearing camouflage shorts and a sleeveless shirt. He wasn’t built like Zeke. He looked tough. He was a little shorter than Zeke, but stood up straighter than him. He held his ground. Hooked to his cotton belt was a sheaf about six inches long. A handle was sticking out of it. It looked to Holidee like a bowie knife. Why is he carrying a bowie knife with him? She figured it was a thing he had.
“So, Tom,” Crix said after they sat down. “tell us about yourself.”
“Well, there’s not much to say.” He looked at Zeke and then at Holidee. Then he looked back at Crix. “I live with my mother, attend school, try to keep my grades decent, and keep Zeke out of trouble.” Tom leaned back into the chair, as he got more comfortable. “I spend most of my summers with Zeke. We’ve been friends for years. I have no brothers or sisters, but I do have an aunt who lives with my mother and I. I enjoy hunting, fishing, and horseback riding. I have a pretty good shot on a rifle, and I tackle harder than anyone on the football team. I don’t mind math, but I love science. And I want to go into the military someday.”
“Well, sounds like you have a pretty good outlook on life.”
“Sure do. What could be better than waking up in the early morning and sucking in the humid air? That, to me, tells me I’m alive and well. I have one more day to be thankful for, and, by golly, I’ll be thankful.”
Crix smiled as his hand came up to his mouth and he rested his elbow on the arm of the chair. “How old are you?”
Tom smiled mischievously. “How old do you think I am?”
Crix studied him. “Well, you look about twenty, but you’re friends with Zeke, who’s about sixteen or seventeen, so I’d say you’re about eighteen.”
Tom laughed. “I get that a lot. Believe it or not, I’m actually younger than Zeke. I’m sixteen. He just turned seventeen.” Tom had deep, brown eyes that almost looked black, like his hair.
Crix spotted the knife on his belt and pointed to it. “What’s with that?”
Tom looked down at his knife. “Oh, this? Nothing. It’s just something I carry around. You know, I feel safe with it. You never know what or who could be waiting to jump you.” Tom looked at Crix and Holidee and then at Zeke. “So, these are the people who saved you?” Zeke nodded. “Man. You’re lucky, Zeke. You could’ve died out there.”
“Yes, he could’ve.” This was the first time Holidee spoke to Tom. Tom rotated his head to look at Holidee. He stared into her ocean blue eyes. Holidee saw no fear, no question, and no gratefulness in his eyes. They were expressionless.
“And, I bet that he has you to thank the most.” Tom said seriously, and then he smiled. “No wonder he didn’t come running home. He had very good care here.”
Holidee blushed and Crix laughed. Then Crix spoke up. “Well, you both are welcome to visit anytime you like, but right now you should be heading back home.”
“Yes sir. There is someone very anxious to see her son.” Tom looked at Zeke after saying this. “And we’ll hold you to your offer on the visits.” Tom stood up, followed by everyone else. “Zeke, shall we go? It’s quite a bit of a walk.”
“You walked?” Holidee asked, as she followed Zeke and Tom to the door, along with Crix.
“Yes. It’s good exercise, and the scenery is beautiful. I enjoy walking. Zeke, though, is more of a runner.” Tom smiled. His white teeth shone and were in perfect condition. Holidee could definitely tell he had a good soul, even if he was a little rough around the edges. Crix and Holidee bid them good-bye and watched them walk away. They looked like brothers. Zeke put his arm around Tom’s neck and rubbed the top of his head with his fist. Holidee turned toward Crix.
“Was that how you and my dad were?”
Crix watched Tom and Zeke a little longer and then turned to face Holidee. “Yeah. We were exactly like that.”
“I thinking you’ve taken a liking to that Holidee.”
“What’re you talking about?”
“I see it. Don’t lie. It’s bad to lie.” Tom smiled and looked at Zeke.
“Okay. So what if I do like her?”
“Well, it’s going to be a little hard for everyone at school to not notice if you date her. And I do mean everyone.”
“Yeah, I know. But she’s so real. She’s not like the other girls at school.”
“That’s for sure. What was with her eyes?”
“I think they’re beautiful.”
“Oh, no. It’s already started.” Tom stopped walking and squared Zeke’s shoulders to face him. “Look, man, if you’re going to get with this Holidee girl, there’s one condition I have.” Tom looked him sternly in the eyes. “You can never abandon me. I won’t stick on ya like glue, but I’m not about to be left in the dirt, either.”
Zeke could tell Tom was a little worried. “Tom, I would never leave you for any girl. You’re my best friend. You’re like a brother to me. And brothers stick together through everything.” Zeke smiled and they continued walking.
“So, what is with her eyes?”
“I don’t know. They are a little different aren’t they?”
“A little? That’s an understatement. Every time I looked at them, I thought I was watching the ocean.”
“I don’t know, Tom. All I know is that those two back at that house saved my life. I am indebted to them. Forever.” Tom nodded in agreement. They turned a corner and could see a little blue house standing near the beach. It was small but cozy. The shutters
were white and seagulls rested on the gray roof. An older woman, who was in her forties, was sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch. When she saw the two boys, she nearly jumped out of the chair and ran towards them. Tom smiled and looked at Zeke. He clasped a hand on one of his shoulders. The woman met them halfway to the house. She threw her arms around Zeke and kissed him on the cheek.
“Mom, I’m okay,” he said, but the woman continued to smother Zeke with kisses. After several minutes, she finally stopped and let go of him.
“Here he is, Miss Mira, safe and sound,” Tom said.
“Oh, Thomas!” Mira hugged Tom and kissed him on the cheek. “Let’s get you boys out of this cool air. You could get sick.” She led the boys toward the little beach house. Once inside, they all gathered into the living room. Tom and Zeke sat on the couch. Mira stayed standing. “Thomas, would you be so kind and get us some lemonade?”
Tom raised his eyebrows at Zeke, and slapped him on the back for reassurance. “Brace yourself,” he whispered. Then he left. Mira turned to look at her son. Her face was stern.
“What were you doing out there during that storm? You know how dangerous storms can be, especially if you’re in the water. What were you thinking? You could have been killed!” Zeke listened to his mom. He knew better than to cross her. She continued lecturing him for several minutes. “What was going through your head? Were you thinking? I mean, you couldn’t have been thinking, because if you had been, then you wouldn’t have been in the ocean during a storm! What were you thinking?”
“I-” Tom walked into the living room and saved Zeke.
“Miss Mira, I’m sure he has a good reason, and if he doesn’t, then you should be thankful that he’s alive. I’m sure he learned his lesson. He knows not to do that again, right?” Tom looked at Zeke, who nodded. “There, you see. Now let’s enjoy this lemonade.” Tom set down three glasses filled with lemonade on the table. Each one of them took a glass and started to drink the cold liquid. Tom smiled at Zeke, who was grateful for Tom’s rescue. Zeke loved his mom, but she was a mom. She worried too much. This time, she had a good reason to worry. He had almost died. But, all of the other times, she had no good reason. Zeke was an only child, so that probably had something to do with it. His parents were divorced, and he lived with his dad. He visited his mom once a month and all summer.
Tom finished with his lemonade and looked around at the others. What to say? What to say? he thought. Nothing came to him. He was going to try small talk, but Zeke spoke up first.
“I think I am going to go upstairs and lie down. I still don’t feel 100 percent.” Zeke walked upstairs. Tom and Mira heard his bedroom door shut. Mira went into another room. Tom looked around at the empty room and shrugged his shoulders. He reached into a pocket on his shorts and pulled out a wrinkled camouflage hat. He stretched his legs over the couch and put the hat over his eyes to block out the light. Then he folded his arms, put them behind his head, and slept.