They kissed again, more fervently—until they were mauling each other in the shadows of the night.
When she finally came up for oxygen, Vicki grabbed both of Billy’s wandering hands and whispered, “Thank you for being so patient with me, Billy. I know it hasn’t been easy.” She kissed him again. “I want you just as bad as you want me, believe me, I do.”
Billy nodded. “I know…and I’m ready whenever you are,” he said, grinning.
Vicki leaned in and kissed him again. “Soon,” she whispered. “I promise.”
Billy suddenly felt lightheaded, as most of the blood in his head raced south toward his crotch. He smiled—on the outside. Beneath the surface, however, he fought the great battle of adolescence—coveted desires versus humility and selflessness. It was an all-out war, the body pitted against the heart and mind, struggling against desires that originated at the DNA level. As Billy gave Vicki’s hand a gentle squeeze, his raging hormones pulled against the morals and ethics he’d been raised to believe. It was like he had an angel sitting quietly on one shoulder and a devil jumping up and down, screaming, on the other. “Soon,” he said aloud, filled with hope. “How ’bout some ice cream then?”
“As long as I get to treat,” she said.
He extended his hand.
She grabbed it.
“Good,” he said, “’cause it may take a few sundaes to get my body temperature back to normal.” While Vicki giggled, something in Billy’s loins stirred again. I’m not kidding, he thought.
⁕
Billy had just lain down with Jimmy when he called Vicki’s cell phone. “Please tell me you’re thinking about me,” he said.
“I’m thinking about you,” she whispered.
“Good. Me too,” Billy said, ignoring Jimmy’s relentless pleas for attention. “And I’ll be dreaming about you just as soon as I fall asleep.”
Jimmy rolled onto his back and waited.
“I hope so,” Vicki said.
Billy scratched Jimmy’s belly. “Well, goodnight then.”
“Goodnight,” she whispered in her sweet voice.
As Billy worked Jimmy over, he could still hear Vicki’s breathing. “Text me just as soon as you get up.”
“I will,” she promised.
“Okay then,” he said, “goodnight.” While Jimmy flipped over and prepared his nest, Billy reluctantly ended the call.
“What an amazing night,” Billy told Jimmy, as he stared at the ceiling, recalling every magical detail. “We had burgers—that you would have really liked—for dinner. Then we…” He stopped.
The dog’s snoring was light for a moment or two, but was picking up volume with each breath—like an old locomotive gathering steam.
Billy turned to his side and smiled. “Sorry to bore you, buddy,” he whispered, “but you would have loved to hear about this one.” Draping his arm over the dog’s heaving chest, Billy closed his eyes and drifted off, thinking about Vicki to the rhythm of each breath.
⁕
It was Saturday morning. Billy grabbed his mom’s car and headed straight to Charlie’s house. By the third knock, Charlie answered the door; he remained in the threshold, not inviting Billy inside.
“Have you had enough time to think?” Billy asked, already feeling agitated.
“I went to see Detective Swanson yesterday,” Charlie whispered.
Shocked, Billy’s heart stopped for a millisecond. “You did?” he asked. “And what happened?”
Charlie lowered his voice until it was barely audible. “And I told him that I didn’t have a problem with Dalton, and that I didn’t know anything about the accident until I heard about it the next day.”
“Oh Charlie,” Billy said, his heart beating again—now from the pit of his stomach.
“What did you want me to tell him, Billy?” Charlie hissed, defiantly.
“Did he buy it?” Billy asked, shaking his head.
Charlie thought about it. “He asked me a few more questions,” he said, shrugging, “but I think he might have. Either that or he doesn’t have enough evidence to pursue it any further.”
“Oh Charlie,” Billy repeated, filled with disgust.
Charlie’s eyes glazed over. “I went there with every intention of telling the truth, Billy, and doing the right thing for Dalton’s parents,” he whispered, torment plastered across his face, “but when I got there, I just couldn’t do it. I was too scared.”
“Who’s at the door?” Charlie’s mother barked from inside the house.
“No one, Ma,” Charlie yelled, turning back to Billy. “I have to go,” he said. “I’ll talk to you later.”
As the door closed in his face, Billy’s head was spinning. “Sure you will, Charlie,” he muttered, trying to exhale some of the toxins that poisoned him. “Asshole.”
⁕
Ten minutes later, Billy met Sophie at the mall to pick out an anniversary gift for their parents. On his way, he forced himself to call Charlie’s cell phone. It went right to voice mail. “Charlie, I forgot to tell you that my mom’s been asking why you haven’t been around for dinner,” he said, trying to sound friendly. “You might want to stop by and eat with us some night…if you want to that is.” As he hung up, he thought, Maybe if I can get him in my house, I can talk some sense into him.
As Billy approached the mall’s front doors, he spotted his sister sitting on the ground with her legs crossed, Native American style. “Hey,” he called out. Sophie looked up but he could tell right away that his face didn’t register for her. “Sophie?” he called out again, extending his hand. For a moment, she studied his face and then her distant eyes returned to reality.
“Billy…” she said with a smile. She grabbed his hand and, with Billy’s help, jumped to her feet.
“Are you okay?” he asked, knowing something was wrong with her.
“Yeah,” she said, “just daydreaming I guess.”
“Did you wait long?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know,” she said and stepped into the mall, with Billy on her heels—confused.
Walking a few steps behind his sister, he suddenly detected the sweet stink of marijuana—again. But it can’t be, he thought, and grabbed her arm, spinning her around to face him. “Sophie, have you been smoking weed?” he asked, smelling it on her but still not believing it.
She smirked. “Yeah, so what?” she asked, starting to turn around.
He yanked on her arm again. “Are you crazy?” he asked. “Do you have any idea how pissed Mom and Dad would be if…”
“Why, are you going to squeal on me, Billy?” she asked.
Billy’s rising blood pressure was making him feel like the top of his head was about to pop off. He was so sick of that question. “No, I’m not going to squeal on you,” he said, “but I…I just can’t believe you’re smoking pot, Sophe. I would have never thought…”
“…because you haven’t felt the pressures of college yet, Billy,” she snapped defensively. “Just wait until you’re taking five classes and then working full time to pay for it. It’s so stressful…you have no idea.”
Billy still couldn’t wrap his head around it. No way, not Sophie, he thought, but that perspective of her was clearly a delusion carried over from childhood.
“Grow up, Billy,” she said, shaking her head. “It’s only pot. It’s not like I’m booting heroin to help me relax.”
As she started to walk away, Billy took a few moments to realign his jaws.
For the next hour—while Billy tried wrapping his disillusioned head around his straight-laced sister using drugs as a crutch—they walked the mall, visiting one store after the next. From the strong smells of the leather shop to even more overpowering scents in the candle shop, Billy kept redirecting Sophie. “They’re not going to want any of this crap,” he said.
“How do you
know what they want?” she asked.
“Well, I know Dad’s not going to want a pumpkin scented candle. And I’m pretty sure Mom wouldn’t appreciate matching leather vests.” He shook his head. “Why don’t we just get them a gift certificate or something?”
She considered it. “Maybe an overnight at a bed and breakfast?” she thought aloud. “It might be nice for them to get away for a night or two.”
Billy snickered. “Dad at a bed and breakfast? Are you kidding me?”
“Whatever, Billy!” Sophie said, much too loudly. With a huff, she obnoxiously stormed away. “I’m hungry,” she announced.
“What the hell…” he said, following after her. Before he knew it, they were standing in the food court.
Sophie made a beeline to The Wok and ordered sweet and sour pork.
Billy shook his head in disbelief. She hates pork, he thought, as he walked off toward the Italian vendor to grab a plate of bland ravioli.
They met at a small table in the middle. “You hate pork,” Billy told his sister, as he took his seat. “And you hate Chinese food.”
“Do I?” she asked, seriously. She took one bite and her face twisted in disgust. A moment later, she began picking at Billy’s ravioli.
Shaking his head, he slid his plate over to her. “It’s all yours,” he said.
Sophie devoured the plate like she hadn’t eaten in weeks, while Billy watched on—feeling both disgusted and amused. “What about something from Victoria’s Secret?” she suggested, grinning. “They’d both enjoy that.”
That’s it, Billy thought. “Why don’t we just get them separate gifts this year?” he said.
“Whatever, Billy,” she barked again, making everyone in the food court stop and stare at them.
Billy stood and started for the mall exit. Although he found it easy to ignore all the bad looks sent his way, it was a little more difficult to process what he’d just learned about his sister—the angel.
⁕
Since he needed to get to work on time but had not yet been able to fix the loud exhaust on his car, Billy had no choice but to hitch a ride to the animal shelter. “Please, Mom,” he pled, “why can’t you drop me off on your way to work?”
“Are you ready to go right now?” she asked.
“Can’t you just wait a half hour?”
She shook her head. “Your dad’s not home until tonight and I need to get to the pizza shop right now,” his mom told him. “Go next door and ask Mrs. Jacobs for a ride,” she suggested with a smirk. “I’m sure she’d love to help out.”
“Mrs. Jacobs?” Billy repeated. “Are you kidding me, Mom?”
She smiled. “You know what they say about beggars, right?”
“But her kids are animals.”
“Which is probably why she’d love to get out of the zoo for a few minutes,” his mom said, and smiled. “Besides, I thought you loved animals?” She grabbed her purse and headed for the front door.
“Yeah, the four-legged kind,” Billy mumbled, before picking up the kitchen phone to call Mrs. Jacobs.
After securing the ride, he texted Vicki again. I really wish I could explain how much I love you, he wrote. I’ll call you just as soon as I get out of work. He threw on his jeans and Four Paws t-shirt. He turned to Jimmy. “Ready to go to work, old man?” he asked.
The dog collapsed onto his belly, his snout lying flush to the floor.
“Come on now,” he said.
Jimmy didn’t budge.
“You’re all done with that place, aren’t you?”
Jimmy just lay there, staring off into space like Billy was invisible.
“I understand,” Billy said. “That’s fine.” He scratched the scruff of Jimmy’s neck. “How ’bout showing me that million dollar smile?”
Jimmy looked at Billy like he had a better chance of meeting God right there and then.
“Okay,” Billy said, chuckling, “you don’t feel like smiling. I get it.” He started for the door. “I’ll be back soon.”
Jimmy stood, sighed once and, if Billy didn’t know better, turned his back on him in disappointment.
Billy lingered at the front door for a moment, watching as Jimmy limped over to his plaid dog bed.
Mrs. Pringle stood up and hissed. Arching her back, she lifted her right paw with her invisible claws at the ready.
Jimmy tried to back up but was having a tough time, like his reverse gear was broken.
Billy shook his head. “Oh man,” he muttered.
With his tail tucked between his legs and his head hung low, the passive mutt walked away from the vicious cat.
“Big baby,” Billy whispered, closing the front door behind him.
Mrs. Jacobs’ SUV was idling at the curb, with her three brats already screaming at each other in the back seat. “Oh man,” he repeated.
⁕
Billy walked into the animal shelter, alone. “Jimmy quit,” he informed Arlene.
She grinned. “The audacity of him,” she joked, “no two-week notice or anything, huh?”
Billy laughed. “When Jimmy would rather hang out with Mrs. Pringle, you know he’s made up his mind.”
“I’d like to meet this Mrs. Pringle someday,” Arlene said. “She sounds like a very strong female.”
Billy smirked. “You can have her if you want,” he joked.
Arlene laughed. “Still just a dog person, huh?”
Billy shook his head. “Not at all,” he said. “Thanks to this place, I’ve learned that I love all animals.” He shrugged. “But Mrs. Pringle is different. She’s so manipulative, she’s evil.”
Arlene laughed hard. “A strong female indeed,” she joked.
Billy laughed.
“Why don’t you start on the interior kennels? I walked through there ten minutes ago and my eyes are still stinging from the stench.”
“I’m on it,” Billy said.
“And then you can help the vet with the inoculations when he comes in,” she said. “You know how he gets if the animals aren’t properly restrained.”
Billy nodded. “I’ll get the room cleaned up before he gets here.” He thought about it and chuckled. “It probably sounds strange, but I actually like helping with the inoculations.”
“It doesn’t sound strange at all,” she said. “There are few ways we can help these animals more.”
Billy nodded. As he walked away, he realized—for the first time—that he was playing a vital role in the shelter’s daily operations. When I first started, I cleaned kennels, did tons of laundry and helped maintain the building and grounds. He smiled proudly. Now I help socialize both the dogs and cats, focusing on their health and adjustment. He’d also become as comfortable with large dogs as he was with the smallest animals. Which is a good thing, he thought, considering the majority of the shelter dogs are Labrador-sized.
Two hours later, Billy rocked one of the whiny puppies—which had just received its shots—to soothe the trembling animal.
Arlene approached him, grinning. “Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask you,” she said, “are you still floundering about what to take in school?”
Billy nodded. “If it were just school, I wouldn’t be so freaked out. But I’m floundering about the future, you know…my life.” While the puppy whimpered, Billy gently stroked its tan coat.
Arlene watched him rock the puppy in his lap. “I’m fairly certain it’ll come to you before long, Billy,” she said, smiling wider. “It might even slap you in the face when you least expect it.”
Billy peered into his mentor’s eyes. She must know something I don’t, he thought. As if she already knew the answer, Arlene spoke with great conviction—like Billy’s future was obvious and would become known to him soon. Although he had no idea what that answer was, he already felt better. “Thanks Arlene,” he said and continued to p
acify the tiny pup.
“My pleasure,” she said, smiling so big she was starting to resemble a circus clown.
Staying later than his shift required—and not submitting the extra time to Arlene—Billy felt compelled to do everything he could to help. I never realized how many animals get abused or abandoned, he thought. Utilizing his years of computer experience, he updated the newsletter and put a new face on the Four Paws website. Once done, he posted photos and brief descriptions of the dogs and cats at the shelter that were available for adoption. He was becoming good at writing catchy blurbs in order to attract new pet owners. But it’s still not enough, he thought. For a supposed menial job that started out with him cleaning cages, he now felt driven to help find homes for some of God’s creatures that were at risk of being destroyed. I need to do more, he told himself, whatever I can.
Working deep into the early morning hours, Billy launched a social media campaign of awareness, as well as promoted several upcoming fund-raising opportunities. Somewhere along the way, his summer job had become a mission. And my time is definitely better spent trying to save animals than playing video games, he decided.
At one point, he looked up at the clock. Shoot, it’s later than I thought. I need to get home, he thought. Jimmy must be worried sick. Billy picked up his cell phone and dialed his father. He might get pissed at me, he thought, but he’ll definitely come and get me.
⁕
Billy was happy to forfeit sleep in order to spend time with Vicki. “Can I borrow your car?” he asked his mother the next morning.
“Where are you off to this time?” she asked.
“To see Vicki,” he said, trying to keep his eyes open.
“Didn’t you get in late last night?”
He nodded. “I had to work late.” He smiled. “Sometimes the animals need help at night, too, Mom.”
His mom opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. She was speechless.
“I got a few hours of sleep,” he said. “I’m fine.”
“A few hours?” she repeated. “Wow, you must really like this girl.”
Billy’s yawn was challenged by his smile. Oh, if you only knew, he thought. “I have a question, Mom,” he said.
The Changing Season Page 22
