Chapter 43:
Jack surfaced from the celebration and crash landed back into reality as his mom and dad stood at least ten feet apart not acknowledging one another. Jack walked towards them and before he could speak his mom raised her voice.
"I will not allow you go with your father Jack. You need to come home with tonight, no matter what happened between us today."
Jack stopped to think through the details of what occurred prior to Davis's hard fought victory. He knew he would not budge on his stance of moving in with Greg and he didn't want to put all his chips on his dad's sudden change of heart.
"I'm not leaving until the three of us talk."
Jack's mom sighed and closed her eyes. His father nodded in consent.
"Look. I don't know where to start, but we used to be a family and we used to work through everything together. I don't know what's happening today and I don't know why all of this happened on a day that should have been a celebration. I love you both and I know what I need for in my life. I need you both."
Jack's mom held back her emotions while his dad slouched and looked at the ground.
"Jack honey. I love you too. We'll work something out."
"We need to work it out now mom, I won't leave until it's worked out."
"Is it true that you're seeing someone Gina?"
"You have no right to be part of this, but I'm allowing it because Jack wants it that way."
"I'm not proud of what happened Gina."
"Not proud! You should've stayed in that slum instead of groveling back to me."
"Do either of you want to let me know what you're talking about?"
"Your mother is kicking me to the curb Jack."
"Does she know where you've been?"
"Yeah...she knows."
Jack's eyes widened and pierced his gaze at his mom.
"I didn't tell you because I thought you wouldn't understand."
"I asked you about him every day we lived in Parsons and you told me you didn't know. You lied to me mom."
"I protected you Jack and I would do it again."
"Fine...so where have you been?"
Jacks full attention shifted to his dad.
"You told me it was a long story, let's hear it."
"Jack I don't think you're old enough to understand."
"Damnit Dad! I'm almost fourteen!"
"Fine. When the recession hit, your mother and I started struggling financially. I picked up some odd jobs around Parsons. One of the jobs was making deliveries to Missouri. I guess you could say I was the middle man. I didn't know what I was delivering until I got run off the road by a motorcycle gang. They told me they were looking for a guy that fit my description who had been running stolen property along back roads."
"What did they do?"
"The roughed me up a little and took the package I had with me in the back of the truck. As they left they made a comment about getting their drugs back. I went back to the guy that hired me and told him what happened. He told me that I owed him money for losing the package. We got in an argument because I told him I wanted out. He showed me a picture of you playing at the school and of mom working in the front yard. I knew they weren't pictures we had taken; he'd been watching you both. He said I could pay off the debt if I worked for him on the border. I didn't have any other way to make up the money so I told your mom I had to go to work for him. He didn't say how long or anything like that, he told me there'd be a truck to take me down there in a few days. I had to do it or he'd hurt you and your mom."
Jack watched his father shed tears for the first time. He looked at his mom who was restraining herself from becoming emotional.
"I don't know how many laws I've broken over the last two years paying off my debt, but I sent your mom four or five letters while you were still in Parsons. I couldn't send money. They had me watched so close I thought I'd never get out. I finally earned their trust enough to let me go and I came to find you."
"You're a drug dealer?"
"No son, I'm not a drug dealer. I got mixed up with the wrong people, that's all."
"Tell him about what you did while you were down there!"
"He's too young Gina. I'm not going to tell him."
"Do you want me to trust you dad? You've got to tell me."
"I hurt people Jack."
"You told mom this?"
"I didn't have a choice. If I didn't do it they would hurt you."
"Do they know where we are?"
"I don't know Jack. I know they let me go free and clear. They didn't have to, but they did. I had a choice to stay and I came here to find you. Does that count for something?"
"It's too late to count. Jack and I are leaving."
"No we're not! We're talking this out!"
"There is nothing left to talk out Jack! Your father is a druggy and a criminal! We're leaving."
Jack's mom quick stepped to Jack and took him by the hand. As she pulled to leave Jack remained firm in his position.
"I said we're not leaving!"
"I can't do this Jack! I can't be around him, he's destroyed himself. He's not who he used to be."
Jack's mom couldn't hold back the tears any longer, she started to sob.
"I'm not going to leave with him mom. I don't even know if he has a real place to stay. I just need to get this figured out."
"There nothing left to figure out Jack honey. He's not fit to be with you and he knows it. Now that he's back he can file for a divorce and we can figure it out in court."
"Why would you get divorced?"
"Because I don't love him anymore and he loves something much more than me."
"Is it true dad?"
"I'm going to get help Jack. It doesn't have to be like this."
Jack looked at his father who was falling apart. His father looked ashamed and scared. He wiped his tears and turned to walk out of the gym.
"Don't go Dad!"
"He doesn't have a choice Jack. He can't deal with the choices he's made. He needs to get help."
Jack started to cry as his mom held him close. His father kept walking and didn't look back. He was abandoning Jack again and this time Jack knew it was deliberate. He fell to the ground and cried into his mom's blouse. She comforted him as they sat isolated on the same court Jack had just triumphed in victory.
Chapter 44:
"Jack! Ox! The movers are here!"
"We know mom, we're already outside."
Jack watched the truck back into the driveway of the house and inched closer to the garage full of boxes. Jack couldn't be happier on his first day of summer vacation.
"Did you boys get all the stuff from the basement Greg told you take?"
"We got it mom. I still can't believe he gave us half of the stuff in this house."
"He's not that bad of a guy Jack."
"I know mom, but I'm glad you stopped dating him."
"You know I don't handle people with hot tempers and his definitely came out on the basketball court."
Jack clutched his ribs.
"How could I forget?"
"You ain't still hurt you baby."
Jack jabbed at Ox and Ox jabbed back and then bear hugged Jack.
"Knock it off you two. If we're gonna make this work we've got to be on our best behavior."
"It's gonna work fine mom. You got the guardian ship papers signed, right?"
"Yes. Ox's mom was thankful that we agreed to take care of him."
"It's kinda like getting a brother."
"You be white country boy, I ain't yo brother."
Ox let out a huge smile.
"Whatever...I get to live with you that's all I care about."
"So what? You don't care about me?"
"Come on mom, I care about you too. I helped you get this job didn't I?"
"You coerced Mr. Roderick into giving it to me."
"I just told him you were looking for something di
fferent, I didn't know the University was looking for a new events scheduler."
"You knew...you just wanted to be close to your old Coach."
"It's just a good move for you to make something on your own."
"You be talented Mrs. H. Dis be a good fit."
"Thank you boys. I appreciate your support, but I'm really doing this so we can be close to the mountains."
"Can you believe we're gonna be living right next to them?"
"It's pretty neat Jack. This is going to be a good move for us. We're turning a corner."
"You're turning the corner mom. By the way, does dad know we're moving?"
"I saw him yesterday when you were at school. He knows."
"Is he getting better?"
"It's taking a lot of time, but he sounds better."
"Is he still sad about your divorce?"
"Yeah, he's taking it pretty hard, but he still loves you. He told me he wanted to come to one of your games when he gets out in the fall."
"We'll just be practicing in the fall, but I guess he can come to a practice."
"I'm sure he'll be there and we'll all be anxious to see Ox play high school ball."
Ox got embarrassed.
"I's gonna be da only black fool on my team."
"You're gonna be the best on your team Ox. And you only have to hold the team together for a year before we get to play together."
"I still ain't believin' you be playing for da sorry Bruins next year."
"Hey pal...they made the tournament and Alan's missing half the games next year so I'm thinking it's anybody's game."
"Just rain da three's Jack...rain da three's!"
Jack looked at Ox and remembered their first one on one game in the alley. He didn't think that game would change his life. Gratitude filled his heart for a homeless boy who took the time to teach him to trust in others, work hard, and never give up.
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