Boondocks

by Casey Peeler

  Sleep consumes me, and as the sun begins to rise on a brand new day, I know that I can’t wait for five o’clock to arrive. I get to enjoy the great music and the people, but most important, I get to be me.

  Walker

  At six in the morning, I wake up to someone touching my wrist. Glancing up, I see her. “Chauna,” I mumble, and she shakes her head no. “Where am I?” I ask.

  “You’re in the hospital. I’m Kelly, your nurse. Just checking your vitals before the doctor does his rounds.”

  I nod and look to my right to see Mom is still asleep in the chair. It makes me smile to know she chose me over Dad. Looking at my phone on the table, I wonder if Chauna called me. As I press the home screen, I don’t see anything. Should I send her a text? Looking at the clock, I know that she’s still asleep. I’d hate to wake her, but she’s got to know I’m okay.

  Walker: Good mornin’, Princess! Sorry I haven’t called, but I couldn’t.

  I wait, and of course, there’s nothing. I doze back off and wake with a light knock at the door.

  “Mr. Bentley, how are you feeling this morning?” the doctor asks.

  “Okay. I mean, not like I could run a marathon or anything, but I’ll live,” I say with a smile.

  “Good. Looks like you’re going to be discharged today as long as you have a decent ride out of here.”

  “Yes, sir. My aunt is coming to get us,” I say.

  “Great.There are a few items we need to discuss before I can officially release you,” he says.

  “Yes, sir,” I say, and Mom is now awake and apologizing for not waking sooner.

  “Mrs. Bentley, it is perfectly fine. I wanted to talk to Walker, but I know you are his legal guardian. What doctor would you like me to send your file to?” he asks, and I have no idea. I look to Mom for guidance. For the first time in a long time, I actually need my mom, and knowing she’s here makes me feel good.

  “Walker will need to follow up with a doctor in a week. This is going to be something that takes time. If you take things easy, this process will go smoother.”

  “How long before I can ride my bike or work on cars?”

  The doctor pauses. “At least twelve weeks, but that’s if you follow all discharge instructions and keep following up with your doctor.”

  Mom looks at me. “He will.”

  The doctor asks if we have any questions and then leaves us alone to finish my discharge papers.

  Chapter 34

  Chauna

  What the heck is that annoying chirp? Pulling myself from a hard sleep, I groggily sit up and try to figure it out. Working into the wee hours of the morning is rough. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I realize it’s my phone. I take it in my hands and look at the screen in disbelief. Walker. I quickly read his text once more. As excitement begins to fill my soul, other emotions start to take over… uneasiness, then rage. Why couldn’t he call Where has he been? I don’t even know what to text… so I don’t.

  Tossing my phone back on the other side of the bed, I try to go back to sleep, but thoughts of Walker consume me as I toss and turn. Screw it. I can’t sleep, so I decide to get ready for the day. As I take my shower, I think of what I want to say to him. I have to text him back, or do I? After getting ready, I do the only thing I can think of. I get in my truck and drive to his house for answers.

  I park my truck in the driveway and walk to the front door. As I turn the doorknob, I realize it’s unlocked. As I walk into the house, it’s obvious no one has been here for days. I feel as if I’m violating their privacy, and not to mention the fact that I’m totally trespassing, but I try to keep that out of my mind.

  Closing the door behind me, I’m careful not to mess with anything, but I don’t think anyone would notice. It’s obvious they left in a hurry. My mind begins to wander as I play out different scenarios, but one wins out. What if Walker knew about his dad? What if he knew the entire time? Surely not. Why would he do that? He hates his parents… or that’s at least what he told me.

  I wander around the house and realize that Walker’s life is totally different than mine. It’s one that I couldn’t ever get used to, but as I walk to the kitchen and look around, I notice an abundance of glass jars. I don’t think his mom’s the canning kind, and then it clicks. Moonshine. I just found a little piece of the puzzle, but I still have no idea what this has to do with my daddy.

  Walking toward the bedrooms, I stop at an open door and realize that it’s his parents’ room. That place is a disaster, but there isn’t much in the room. Walking in, I close my eyes and try to replay what could have occurred within these walls and soon decide I’m better off not knowing. I walk out of the room, leaving the door open like I found it, and I know the next room has to be Walker’s.

  As I enter his bedroom, my senses go into overload. I take everything in. His room is perfectly organized. There’s no clutter, the bed is made, and it’s as if he appreciated what little he had. Tracing my fingers on his dresser, I close my eyes. It’s almost as if I can see his perfect image in front of me. His perfectly messy hair and rock-hard abs that I loved to run my hands over. The smell of his bold leather scent tickles my nostrils, and I can almost feel his arms around me.

  Just as I’m about to get lost in his memory, I’m startled when someone places their hand on my shoulder. My eyes fly open, and I jump to the moon. Turning around quickly, I’m caught off guard when I see that Jimmy is standing behind me.

  “Sorry, Chauna. I didn’t mean to scare you,” he says with concern.

  “Well, you did. Why didn’t you call my name or something?”

  “I did, but you didn’t answer. Look, I was on my way to work and saw your truck. You shouldn’t be here,” he says, and I become curious.

  “Why’s that?” I ask.

  “’Cause if I hadn’t walked in, Ivan would have. You know my uncle’s an ass.” I agree.

  “Have you heard from him?” I question.

  “Not since the last time. I wonder if he and his mom have moved somewhere else since Troy’s locked up,” he says, and hurt consumes me. I hadn’t even thought about his mom and what he might have to do for her.

  “I got a text from him this morning,” I say.

  “You text him back?” Jimmy asks.

  “I don’t even know what to say, or if I even want to talk to him,” I say as I cross my arms and we begin to make our way out of the house. I look over my shoulder and pray that I’m wrong. I pray that he’s not off in a new town, and I pray that he comes back to me with one hell of an excuse.

  “Understandable, but don’t you think he needs to hear something?” Jimmy questions, and I about lose it.

  Pausing, I stop and look at Jimmy. His eyes widen as he realizes he’s about to get an earful. “Look here. The cops just told me his dad killed my daddy. He just vanished. Who does that? I need answers, so if anyone needs to hear something, it’s me,” I say as I storm out of the house and toward my truck.

  “Chauna, wait!” Jimmy yells as he tries to catch up with me.

  He places his hand on my shoulder again. “Get your damn hand off me for the second time. If you hear from him, tell him if he wants to talk to me, he knows where to find me,” I say as I hop into my truck and get the hell out of there.

  Walker

  Mom and I talk about what’s next while we wait for Aunt Mary and the official discharge papers.

  “Walker, have you heard from her?” she asks.

  “No,” I reply. As I look at my phone for the millionth time, I start to wonder if she’s ever going to call.

  As noon approaches, there’s a slight knock at the door. I tell them to come in and see that it’s Aunt Mary. She looks just like my mom, but not as worn from living a hard life.

  As my aunt closes the door behind her, my mom stands and gives her a hug. It’s hard to believe she and my mom haven’t seen each other in years, and at the drop of a hat she comes to our rescue.

  “Walker, how are you?” she asks as she takes
a seat beside me.

  “I’ve been better, but I’m okay,” I say.

  “You’ll be back to riding in no time,” she says with a smile and a hug.

  “Did Uncle Scott come with you?” I ask.

  “Actually, he did. You didn’t think I’d drive a truck and trailer to Georgia alone, did ya?” she says with a little laugh. “He’s gone to get your bikes.”

  “Thank you, Mary,” Mom chimes in.

  “I’m just glad we could help, and that the asshat’s locked up,” she says, and I start to laugh, but stop abruptly when pain shoots through my chest. “We can save those laughs for later when you can laugh without a care in the world,” she says.

  Mom and Aunt Mary begin to talk about what has been going on with each of them, and this makes me smile. Maybe, just maybe, Mom will be able to leave her past behind. Their conversation comes to a halt when the nurse enters and goes over all of the discharge information. I’m to see Dr. Taylor in Asheville next week, and just like that, I’m on my way to freedom.

  Aunt Mary makes a quick call to Uncle Scott and lets us know he is a few minutes away. The nurse leaves me alone to get dressed, but as Mom goes to leave, I ask her to stay. There’s no way I can do this myself.

  Never in my seventeen years do I remember my mom helping me get ready. I mean, I know she would have had to when I was an infant and toddler, but at some point I just remember the bad and nothing good. As she tries to give me my privacy, I attempt to slide my pants up. Struggling, she assists me and assures me that the first items we are stopping to purchase are some pajama pants and button-up shirts.

  The nurse brings in a wheelchair to roll me out to the truck, and as the glass doors open, I see my bike. It makes me smile, and then they help me get into the passenger seat.

  The ride from Commerce to Barber isn’t too bad. I sleep for most of the drive, but when I’m awake I enjoy hearing Aunt Mary, Mom, and Uncle Scott catching up.

  As we cross the North Carolina line, I’m glad to be almost home. Uncle Scott looks to me. “Looks like that extra room we have is going to come in handy,” he says with a small chuckle.

  “Yeah, I guess so, but what about Mom?” I question.

  Silence fills the air. “Walker, I don’t know what’s going to happen when I get back. They may end up charging me with something,” she says.

  “They haven’t so far,” I say.

  “I know, but if they know I knew about the moonshine, then I’m guilty by association.” Suddenly, I feel sick. I was more involved than Mom was. What if I get in trouble, too?

  “What if…” I start to say.

  “No worries, Walker. No worries,” she says, and I don’t mention it again.

  Arriving at my aunt and uncle’s house, I realize why we never visited. They live outside of Barber on the lake. Looking around the lake, I can’t see Mark’s place or our spot. Their house is in the sticks, and that’s funny since Barber is a little hick town. The house itself is something out of a fairytale. Chauna would love this place. The two-story, wood-framed home has a wraparound porch and a metal roof. The porch faces the water and road, and I now know why my uncle snickered about the extra bedroom. I’m sure there’s enough room for Mom and me.

  When I walk inside, the smell of apples hits my nose. “Sorry, y’all. I was making apple preserves when you called. Just kinda left things a mess,” my aunt says as we walk toward the stairs. “Walker, there is an extra bedroom on the first floor. I think that would be better so you don’t have to worry about the stairs. Barbara, there’s a few to choose from upstairs.”

  “Oh, I can sleep on the couch,” Mom replies.

  “I’ll be dern! No sister of mine is sleepin’ on the couch. Now, walk your pretty little ass up those stairs and pick a room,” she says with a smile and her hand on her hip. I wonder what those two were like growing up. They are so different, yet their mannerisms are the same.

  “I was just trying to be close to Walker in case he needed one of us at night,” she says in a huff as she walks a little heavily up the steps.

  Uncle Scott looks at me and shrugs. “Come on, Walker. I’ll help you get settled.”

  Following him down the long hallway, we pass several doors before he opens a room that is the size of our house near the mill.

  “Will this work for ya?” he asks.

  “This is fine. Thank y’all so much,” I say as my uncle opens the curtain and turns on the TV. I take the bag of new pajamas and set them on the bed. Grabbing a pair, I decide to put them on before getting comfortable.

  Uncle Scott looks at me, and I tell him I should be fine, but I know that’s a lie. After he laughs at me for a few minutes, he helps me finish pulling them over my ass.

  “Walker, I’m just glad to see you, but I wish it weren’t for these reasons.” He laughs. “You know I saw you in Boondocks one night, or at least I thought it was you. I’d gone in to get a bottle of shine from Darren, and you were dancin’ with the Jackson girl,” he says, and I stiffen. I’ve got to see her.

  “Yeah, Chauna’s my girl,” I say, and he looks at me funny.

  “First thing, son, you need to talk about her like she’s more than your girl.”

  “What do you mean?” I ask.

  “You’ve got a lot to learn. She’s like the sugar in your tea, the dill in your pickle, and the stars in the night sky.”

  Now that I think about it, my uncle is right. That’s exactly what Chauna is to me. “I never thought sayin’ she was my girl was a bad thing.”

  “Just think, Walker,” he says as he taps my temple lightly. “One more thing. What in the hell happened that night? I’ve heard all kinds of rumors, but I’ve got to know.” I take a seat on the bed, and he helps me slide under the covers. I start to tell him all that I know as he takes a seat in the chair near me.

  He doesn’t say a word once I finish, but just looks out the window. After a few minutes, he stands and looks at me. “That girl deserves to know what you know, and for you to leave her… I don’t care why you thought it was a good idea. It wasn’t.”

  “What should I do? She doesn’t even know I have family in town, and she hasn’t returned my text yet.”

  “Try to call her again, and if that doesn’t work, this old man will help you see your girl. Now get some rest,” he says.

  Chapter 35

  Chauna

  Putting my truck in the wind, I drive like a bat out of hell. I keep driving until I look around and realize that I’m on the other side of the lake by the Archer house. Kicking off my shoes, I walk to the end of the dock and dangle my feet in the water. I take a minute to close my eyes and pray about what to do. When I open them, I take in the house that is the size of a country castle. It sits right on the water, yet it’s hidden away from the world. It’s a country girl’s dream, and I think about how I always wanted to live there when I was a child. Lane and I would sneak over here and go frog giggin’. I stare at my phone. I hit reply to the message and wait for the words to come. Finally, I just text what I need.

  Chauna: I need to see you.

  I sit and wait for a reply. I can’t seem to shake the feeling that Walker is close by. I know he’s not in Barber because his house is empty, and Jimmy hasn’t seen him, so I know it’s just wishful thinking. As my mind tries to convince my heart to give up, my phone rings and butterflies tickle my belly. Walker. I don’t want to answer, but I know that I won’t be able to live with myself if I don’t.

  “Hey, Princess,” he says.

  “Hey,” I say, trying to keep my guard up. The line is quiet.

  “How are you?” he asks.

  “Better than I was, but still not where I’d like to be.”

  “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there. I had to—” he starts, but I cut him off.

  “Walker, I don’t know what you felt like you had to do, but I can promise you that leaving me was the worst thing you could have done. Do you know what it was like to have no one?” As the words leave my mouth, I feel ashame
d. He’s never had anyone to count on. I have because losing something feels worse than if you never had it to lose in the first place.

  “Listen, Chauna. Let me explain,” he pleads.

  “Fine, then meet me at our spot,” I say.

  “I can’t,” he says.

  “Can’t or won’t? Walker, I lost my daddy, and you vanished into thin air. This seems to be a thing for you. I can’t keep doing this. I need answers, Walker!”

  “I can’t. And I know. I will be able to tell you everything soon.”

  “Right,” I say with a half-laugh.

  “Chauna, I can’t drive,” he says, and I still for a moment.

  “What?”

  “I can’t drive, but don’t worry about that right now. I want to see you and explain what happened.”

  “Okay, can I come to you?” I question.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Are you in Barber?” I ask, praying for a yes.

  “I’m at my aunt’s.”

  “Oh,” I say with disappointment.

  “Listen, we just got here a little while ago, but I’m in Barber.” What the hell? He has family in Barber?

  “You have family here?” I question.

  “Yeah, they live out by the lake. Where are you?” Suddenly, I know where he is as I look toward the Archer house.

  “Can you walk outside?” I say as I quickly make my way to my truck. Cranking the engine, I put it in drive and kick up dust as I make my way to the house.

  “Yeah. It might take me a minute, though,” he says, and a smile escapes my lips.

  I turn up their long driveway. I can only remember coming here a few times as a kid with my mom for church functions. If I’m right, then I know that Walker has good blood running in his veins because Scott and Mary Archer are as good as gold.

  Walker

  The moment Chauna says to walk outside I’m completely confused. There is no way she knows where I am. As I pull the covers off my body with my good arm, it pulls my other side, and pain shoots through my body. I wince but don’t make any sound.