“That’s because they don’t have a problem with it. I still think mom and me would be better off with my real dad.”
* * *
The front door slammed. “Damn idiots,” Stump’s mom said loudly. She came through the house and into the back yard where Stump and Myles were still sitting in the shade. “This neighborhood needs a doggie park,” she said as Dogg rushed towards Stump as if they’d been apart for an eternity.
Stump petted their pal. “Why? What’s wrong?”
“First off, we were just up the street and the Kline’s mutt charged us. I thought the two of them were going to chew the hell out of each other.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Fortunately we got out of there okay. Then on the way home, a squirrel bolted across the road. You know how Dogg is. He went after it, but I couldn’t hold him back. He damn near got run over. If we had a doggie park, Dogg could run around with some dogs with better social skills. Nobody would worry about their pets getting killed.”
“And they could sniff each other’s butts.”
“Yeah, that too,” Jean said, shaking her head. “How’d you guys do? Did you have a nice talk?”
Myles stood. “Stump’s not sure it’s a good idea for us to get married.”
She spun her head toward Stump and back to Myles. “Did you tell him he’d be the best man?” Back to Stump. “You ought to be honored.”
“It’s not my fault I told him the truth.”
“What truth? Myles is the nicest man I’ve ever met and I love him. What’s the problem?”
Myles took a step toward Stump’s mom and kissed her on the cheek. “He wants to find his dad. I can understand that. I’d want to know such a thing like that too—if it were possible.”
“Oh, that again. Well, it’s not possible. I’ve told him that before.”
“I think I’d better leave you two alone. Maybe you can work things out if I’m not in the middle of everything.”
Jean sighed. “Okay. Give us a little time and I’ll call you later.”
“See what I mean?” Stump said to Myles. “It doesn’t matter what I think. You guys are going to do whatever you want anyway.”
After Myles left, Jean sat in the chair next to Stump. “Honey, can’t you let this father thing go? It’s very uncomfortable for me.”
“No. This is important to me. He might be rich and drive a nice car, not a dumb pickup truck.”
She stared right at him. “Would it make any difference if I said I’m ashamed to talk about it?”
“I bet you told Myles.”
She let out a long low sigh and her chin fell to her chest. “Alright,” she said, lifting her head back up. “If I tell you what happened, do you promise never to bring it up again?”
“Depends.”
“Okay then. It’s against my better judgment, but here goes.”
He leaned forward.
“I’ve told you the truth all along,” she said, putting a hand on his knee. “I really don’t know who he is. When I was in school I suffered from low self-esteem, like lots of girls do. Then, the summer after I graduated I had my first romantic encounter. I don’t have to tell you what I mean by that, do I?”
Stump shook his head. “Who was it?”
“That’s not relevant to what you want to know. Anyway, I was flattered that anybody would want me. It made me feel attractive for the first time. After that I did the same thing with somebody else and somebody else after that. Then one time I went to a college party. There were lots of college–aged people drinking and going up to the bedrooms. They just kept saying NQA, NQA.”
“What’s that?”
She shook her head, “’No Questions Asked.’ It was supposed to be exciting to do it with somebody you didn’t even know.”
Stump twisted his head. “Did you do that?”
His mom sighed. “I was young and stupid – and way too drunk. Some older guy I didn’t even know asked me to go upstairs with him and I went along because that’s what everybody else was doing. They just kept saying NQA, NQA. I was so drunk I barely knew what was going on.”
“Isn’t that rape? Didn’t you turn them in?”
“I couldn’t turn them in, Honey. Everybody knew what was going on upstairs in those bedrooms. They’d just say that I wanted to be like everybody else. They’d stick together and I couldn’t prove otherwise.”
“But don’t you know who he was? Couldn’t you find out?”
“Not really. That’s what I’ve tried to tell you over and over. I didn’t know any of them, the college guys or their guests. I doubt if anybody knew everybody who was there. When I found out I was pregnant I was too humiliated to ask questions. Now, those people probably have their own families. Even if I could find out who they are, I wouldn’t want to risk ruining their families. I’m ashamed of it, for both of us. But I thank God it brought you into my life. You’re the most important thing that’s ever happened to me. More than Myles, more than Grandma and Grandpa, more than Aunt Gerry. More than all of them put together. Now can you understand why I had to keep it from you? It’s painful enough without dragging you into it.”
“What took him so long?”
“Who? What?”
“Myles. What took him so long to ask you? I could see you loved each other a long time ago.”
Happy tears joined Jean’s fresh new grin. “Does that mean you’re okay with us getting married?”
“Love goes both ways, Mom. Now that I know what happened, I have to show respect.”
Chapter Sixty-Eight
Later that night, and right after their AA meeting, Myles and Jean went to his place. “How’d it go?” he asked.
She backed up a full step. It was the kind of question that used to make her light a cigarette. “I hated it. I finally realized he wasn’t going to drop the topic until he got a believable story out of me so I made up a watered-down version of the truth.”
“What did you say?” he asked, leading her into the kitchen.
“It was bad enough admitting I did something stupid, but I didn’t see any benefit in telling him that his mother was a criminal.”
“Understandable,” Myles said looking through the fridge. “Sometimes we have to tell little white lies to protect the people we love.”
“I think he believes the important part—that I really don’t know who the father is.”
He pulled out a couple Cokes. “I think he’ll be fine. He’s dealt with tougher situations.”
Jean opened the upper cabinet and produced two small glasses. “I hope so because something else came up that’s going to be just as tough on him. Earlier today, my sister called. She and Dirk are moving to Texas.”
Myles’s poured the soda. “Oh, really? Why Texas?”
“Work. They were hurting financially because of the economy, but he found a job outside of Houston, so he took it.”
“A double-edged sword for you, I’d guess.”
“Right. I’m happy for them, but I’m not sure how Stump’s going to deal with it. He can’t remember a time when Willie wasn’t in our lives.” She rinsed out a dishrag and cleaned a few drops off the countertop that Myles spilled. “Gerry invited him to spend the night and then go with Dirk in the morning to get a few things out of his office. Stump will make a little money.”
“So you’re alone for the night?” Myles asked with a naughty grin.
“It was either clean out our own grossly over-stuffed shelves in the catch-all room for free or go with his cousin for a few hours and do essentially the same thing in a cool air-conditioned building for money. What could I say?”
“Good point. Sounds like he’s not going to have that many more opportunities to be with them anyway. When are they moving?”
“Six weeks. They have to sell their house. Thankfully they’ll still be here for the wedding. Gerry can help me plan it all—flowers, food, decorations. She likes those things.” Jean looked around the room. “God knows I can use the help. Tomorrow a neighborhood kid i
s coming by around eight to start painting.”
“Neighbor kid? Does he know what he’s doing? I might be able to help.”
“I think he’ll be okay. He’s young, but he’s painted a few places around the area. And he’s affordable. Anyway, Stump got out of cleaning out our pig sty once again.”
Chapter Sixty-Nine
Dark clouds were slow-dancing in the skies when Uncle Dirk dropped Stump off with a fresh twenty bucks in his jeans. “Whew,” Stump said, crumpling up his nose when he stepped inside. A couple towel racks and the light fixture from the central bathroom were on the living room floor and a bunch of painting supplies had gathered on a drop cloth in the hall.
A young adult stuck his head out of the bathroom. “Hi. You must be Stump. I’m Jason.”
“What stinks?”
Jason raised a paintbrush. “Oil-based primer. We put it in bathrooms because it doesn’t blister with the moisture.”
“Where’s my mom?”
“Shopping, I think. She should be back shortly.”
Stump wiggled into his own room, tired from a morning of tugging furniture and boxes around. He would have liked to plop on the bed and read a muscle magazine, but the shower curtain beat him to the spot. He sighed and put on some cruddy old jeans and went looking for a plastic bag to use to clean up the back yard. Just then he heard a car door slam in the driveway. A moment later his mom poked her head in the door. “Hi, son. Could you help me and Aunt Gerry bring in some things?”
His eyes nearly popped when he got his first look in the back seat. “Good God. You guys must have bought everything the store had.” He grabbed a giant package of paper towels.
“There’s more in the trunk.”
In the laundry room he placed the towels on the only available space – on top of the dryer.
“When we get these items unloaded,” his mom said, “Aunt Gerry and I have more to do. I’d like you to pick up all the dog poop before it rains, and then clean out the laundry room so Jason can paint it.”
“But I’m tired. Can’t I do some of it later?”
“You’ve already put it off too many times, Stump. I want you to put a big dent in it. At least get those old puzzle magazines of yours out of there.”
“But I was planning on looking through them again.”
“Yeah, right. They’ve been in there for three years and you haven’t even touched them.”
“I can’t help it if I’m too busy.”
“You poor boy,” she said sarcastically. “I’ll meet you back here later. Myles might take me to a movie tonight. You might be able to go with us if you want to.”
“Gross. I think I’d rather hang out and play video games or something.”
“Suit yourself. Just get as much done as possible so Jason can paint. Okay?”
After his mom left Stump took another gander at the combination laundry/catch-all room. He set a few paper bags full of other paper bags on the floor and opened an old dusty box, which contained some of his puzzle magazines. Oh, yeah. He was reviewing a brainteaser when the phone rang. Richard wanted him to come over. Why not? The laundry room could wait.
He scooted down the hall to the main bathroom. “Hey, Jason. How long will it be before you get to the laundry room?”
Jason rubbed some paint on his coveralls. “I still have to finish the bathrooms, then do the kitchen. I won’t be in there for a couple days.”
“Good enough, I can still clean this place out tomorrow. I’ll leave a note for my mom.”
* * *
Although Stump and Richard had spoken on the phone quite a few times while Richard was in the hospital, Richard had only been home a few days and this was the first time they’d gotten together in weeks. Anxious to see The Big Dick (as Stump had begun calling his buddy), he employed his run/walk technique to get there a little quicker. They’d have plenty to talk about.
Slightly winded when he arrived, Stump sucked in a few deep breaths as he entered Richard’s home. The unpleasant blend of antiseptic, yesterday’s chicken soup and bathroom reek was more unpleasant than the paint fumes at his own house. Stump had to breathe through his mouth as he made his way toward Richard’s room.
A hinged hospital bed dominated the room. The drapes were drawn and the lights were low. The air was as heavy as in an underground fort. A bag of clear fluid was dripping into Richard’s arm and a larger tube was coming from under the covers and draining a nasty fluid into a bag beside his bed.
Stump’s first glance at his buddy revealed that Richard more closely resembled a shriveled after-shower penis than a Big Dick, but he resisted the urge to say so. “It’s hot in here, Dude. You want me to open a window?”
“You can turn up the air conditioning if you want to.”
Stump waved his hand in front of his face. “Gotta do something, Dude. Can’t you smell anything?”
“You get used to it,” he said, sounding defeated.
Stump made a fist and tapped Richard on the arm. “Welcome back. For a while there, I wasn’t sure you’d make it. Good thing that awning broke your fall.”
Richard wiggled from side to side and scooted up a few inches.” If I ever get a chance to get even, those guys are going to wish I would have died. I’ll run over them in a car if I have to.” He motioned to the side table. “Hand me that water bottle, would ya?”
Stump handed it over. “The Dark Knight just came out on DVD. Have you heard about it?”
“Not much. It’s Batman, isn’t it?”
“And the Joker. Everybody says it kicks ass.”
“You got a copy? It sounds like a good way to get my mind off all the shit I gotta deal with.”
“No, but they’re at the store. Where are your folks? If they’ll take me I can show them what to get.”
“They ain’t here. It’s the first time I’ve been alone since the fall. My dad’s at a lawyer’s office and my mom had to go to the drug store. But they wouldn’t buy those things anyway. They’re dead broke from all the hospital bills and everything. They’re always fighting about money.”
“No shit. I thought my mom and me were the only ones who did that. But now I find out Cousin Willie—you remember him—and his family have to move to Texas ‘cause they’re having a tough time too.”
“What about you? Any luck finding your old man?”
“Naw. Turns out my mom was telling me the truth. She doesn’t know who he is.” He smiled. “But she is getting married and I get to be the best man. Myles seems alright, so this could work out okay after all.”
“I hope so.”
“I’ve got an idea. I just got a few bucks for working and didn’t really have anything in particular to buy with my money. Why don’t I run home and get it, then I can buy a copy of The Dark Knight? Iron Man is out, too. I could come back here and we could watch it together.”
Richard smiled. “Would you?” He lifted himself as best he could. “I’d really appreciate it.”
Stump grinned. “Dude. When you just sat up it was like The Big Dick just got a hard-on.”
Chapter Seventy
Lightning ricocheted off the clouds when Gerry and Jean returned home from shopping. They each grabbed as many paper sacks and plastic bags full of goodies as they could and ducked inside. Jean flicked on a light, causing Dogg to whimper a happy welcome-home greeting from the back yard. Paint fumes suggested that progress had been made down the hall, but neither Jason nor Stump were around. Jean shook her head. What else could she expect?
She observed a drop cloth in the hallway with paint supplies stacked on top. She sighed. She couldn’t let Dogg in with those things in the way, but before she could move them she first had to finish unloading Gerry’s car.
After the sisters made a couple more trips between the car and the house Gerry hurried off. Alone, Jean cracked open the kitchen window to encourage the paint fumes to trade places with the more pleasant breeze from the outdoors. There was a note on the fridge: Stump was at Richard’s an
d would clean out the laundry room tomorrow. Figures. Always tomorrow.
A fresh bowl of dog food kept Dogg busy while Jean checked out the hall. The bathroom was full of ladders and tools, but the laundry room, which was even messier than before, had a little room on the floor. It would have to do for now.
She returned to the kitchen and put away the groceries and other items before she crammed a new collection of plastic and paper sacks onto the already overcrowded laundry room shelves. Now she could open up that hallway.
She jammed the drop cloth and paint supplies onto the limited space on the floor and carefully put the paint thinner can and brushes on top of the mess. The door wouldn’t quite close but it was good enough for one night. A faint smile visited her lips. In the old days such moments led her to cigarettes and screwdrivers.
Back in the kitchen, Jean let Dogg in just as the phone rang. She smiled. “Hi, Myles. I was just thinking about you. I’ve been running around all day and I’m too exhausted to go to our meeting tonight. I just want to grab a hot bath and wind down.”
“You should have thought of all that before you agreed to marry me,” he teased.
“I still would have said the same thing.”
“Don’t worry about it. I understand. I’ll check with you tomorrow. You’ll feel better by then.”
“Thanks for understanding, Honey. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Free for the evening, Jean retreated to her private bathroom, threw a capful of bubble bath in the tub and turned on the hot water. She hit the play button on the CD player and placed lighted candles in their designated places. After she closed both her bedroom and bathroom doors she turned off the overhead light, disrobed and settled gently into her glorious pool of luxury. Already soothed, she gently rested her head on the back of the tub and closed her tired eyes. She needed this.
For the next forty minutes Jean’s favorite songs floated in and out of her sleepy mind while she welcomed a collection of happy thoughts about the rewards of sobriety and Myles and finally finding true love. She appreciated the aroma, the warmth of the water. The peace. Everybody had forgiven her past. She didn’t need cigarettes or screwdrivers. It was the closest she’d been to heaven on earth since the day she rescued Stump from a horrible fate with his biological mother.
Eventually, she came out of a deep calm. She smelled smoke. Startled, she opened her eyes to a light haze and sat up. The smoke was stronger than she first thought. One of her neighbors must have lit a fireplace and it was blowing her way. She had to close her windows.