by Bradon Nave
“Oh, sweetie. You did a number on your head,” he heard her say softly.
“It’s nothing we can’t work on, bud. Everyone needs help from time to time, Johnny. We can get you help,” Jackson said as Johnny looked up at him through his tears.
“I, I understand if you want me to go,” Johnny muttered as he attempted to stop crying.
“No. You’re not going anywhere,” Graye said as she placed her other hand on his shoulder.
“No, you’re not. This is your home now,” Jackson said in a reassuring voice. “Johnny, I’m not sure why you’re so afraid of your father. If you would just talk to us, maybe we could try to understand. But you need to know that you’re safe here. No one is coming for you out here,” Jackson said as he began to stand up. As he regained his footing, he reached his hand out to offer the boy assistance.
Johnny took his hand and the man pulled him up to his feet.
“Come on, bud. Let’s go get you cleaned up,” Jackson said as he motioned in the direction of the house.
Chapter Twenty-One
Unrest
Graye
He’s passed out. I’m sure the warm milk helped,” Graye said to her husband as she entered the kitchen.
Jackson was sitting at the kitchen table; his hands covered his mouth as his elbows were resting on the tabletop. “What the hell happened to him? Who the hell could…I just don’t get it,” Jackson said as he stared across the kitchen at the backsplash above the sink.
“I’m going to call Brian tomorrow. I’m sure he can offer some insight,” Graye replied as she grabbed the empty glass from the table and walked toward the sink.
Brian Mulberry was a dear friend of Graye’s and Jackson’s. He was also the school psychologist for the school system Graye taught for. Brian had been involved with the family extensively throughout the years. When her father passed away, Brian was there for her and her family, acting both as a professional counselor and a genuine friend.
“He needs help, Graye. But I meant what I said about this being his home.” Jackson broke his stare from the wall and looked at his wife.
“I agree completely. I’m happy that he’s here. But we need to get him the assistance he needs,” Graye replied, thankful her husband was so receptive to helping the boy through his mental debilitation.
Jared entered looking a little surprised to see both his parents in the kitchen at this hour.
Graye was not as surprised to see him, as he would often raid the fridge at night.
“Is everything okay? Why are you guys up?” the boy asked as he sleepily made his way into the kitchen, slapping his bare feet on the hardwood floor as he entered.
“What are you doing up, young man? It’s nearly two in the morning,” Graye snapped halfheartedly.
“I was just a little hungry, so I thought I’d grab a midnight snack I guess. Am I interrupting something here?” he asked his parents as he began to look concerned.
As Jared looked at his mother, she could tell by the boy’s expression that her abrasive tone had caught him off guard. Immediately, the woman felt remorseful as she rarely snapped at him.
“No, bud. You’re fine. I think there’s still some leftover bacon in the fridge. Knock yourself out. I think I’m going to try this sleep thing again,” Jackson said as he stood up from the table.
Graye watched as her son walked to the fridge and Jackson put the boy in a gentle head lock, kissing the back of his head.
“Pops, dammit.” Jared chuckled as he broke free.
“Good night, you two. I love you guys,” Jackson said as he exited the kitchen.
“Night, Pops,” Jared said as he opened the fridge, looking for the leftover bacon.
Graye quickly walked to her son and kissed his cheek, hugging him tightly. “Good night, son. I love you so much, sweetheart.”
“Love you too Mom, ya big meanie,” the boy said, smiling as he bit into a slice of cold bacon.
Graye smiled, and then quickly followed her husband out of the kitchen.
As she pulled the bedding back, she looked at her husband, who was obviously deep in thought. “What are you thinking?” she asked with a half-smile.
“What could have happened that was so horrible it would cause a fear like that in an eighteen-year-old kid?” Jackson asked as Graye searched her mind for answers, disgusted by the thoughts it conjured.
“I’m sure it was horrible. I don’t understand how someone can suffer so much, and still be able to smile and try to be happy,” Graye replied as she fluffed one of the pillows. “I think that is what breaks my heart the most. He wants to be happy, but he’s haunted by this fear that his father is going to find him.”
“It’s more than just that. Something else is going on. He genuinely thought the man was here, he thought he was with him tonight,” Jackson proclaimed passionately.
“I’ll call Brian in the morning. Maybe he can come for supper some night next week or something,” Graye replied as she walked toward the door to shut the light switch off.
“Are you afraid of what he is going to say?” Jackson asked as his wife flicked the light off.
“No, we need to know. That’s the first step to Johnny getting better. Like I said, I trust him, and I want him here, but he does need help. If he is going to have a productive school year and, well, a productive future, he is going to need help now.” Graye climbed into bed as they heard Jared place a dish in the kitchen sink. She kissed her husband goodnight as she listened to her son walk into the living room and up the stairs.
***
Johnny
As Jared got to the top of the stairs, the bathroom door opened. Johnny came into the hall, heading to his bedroom.
“Man, you can’t sleep either?” Jared asked as he approached Johnny in the hallway. That simple question let Johnny know that Jared was not yet clued in on the evening’s events.
At this point, Johnny fully understood that his father was nowhere near the farm, nor had he been at any point in the evening. He was once again back to his best mental clarity, although the boy would not allow himself to drift off to sleep again after the late night rendezvous.
“I guess not. Roof?” Johnny asked as Jared yawned and leaned up against the wall. Jared scratched the back of his head.
“Nah. I guess I better not. I just ate and had some milk and I’m actually kind of sleepy now,” Jared said, patting his stomach.
“All right then. See you in the morning.”
“Night, man.”
As Johnny entered his room, he found himself feeling embarrassed by the night’s events. At the same time, a depressing sense of discouragement came over him. He sat down on his bed and put his back to the wall on the right side of the window. He had finally escaped the clutches of his father, and from the shack of a house. He was finally free, yet it seemed like the further he got from that day, and the more time that passed, the worse his mind got. Then he thought about the incident in the kitchen. He was so sure that there was someone at the door that even Graye had difficulty convincing him otherwise. He knew that the Everetts were right, he needed help.
The only gratifying aspect about the situation was the idea of possibly obtaining mental stability. Johnny knew that the life he was living now was by far the best one he had ever lived. This past week had actually been beyond his greatest expectations. He smiled slightly at the thought of living at the Everett place and not having nightmares or delusions. The idea seemed almost unachievable, but he took comfort in what Jackson and Graye had said. Everything they said they were going to do so far, they followed through with.
Johnny drew his knees up to his chest as he sat on the bed. He knew this would be a long night, and he hoped it would pass quickly.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Good Morning
As Johnny yawned and listened to the playful banter taking place downstairs, he contemplated going down and telling everyone good morning. He had heard the voices of Graye and Bryce, but had yet to hear Jar
ed or Jackson. Every time he decided to get off the bed, something held him back. He was very tired, and knew his face more than likely showed it. He intentionally stayed awake all night for fear of the nightmares.
His eyes felt scratchy, and his mouth was sticky and dry. His head hurt from where he hit it on the hardwood the night before, and after a detailed examination he found he had several small bruises on his limbs from the fall. He thought little of it, as physical bruises seemed to only sting a short while, and then fade away. The boy heard footsteps coming up the stairs. He yawned as he watched the doorknob, anticipating it opening and one of the family entering to say good morning.
He heard the footsteps reach the top of the stairs and quietly make their way down the hall to his room. Rather than wait to be surprised by whoever was about to enter, he got off the bed and headed to the door. He was anticipating Jackson inquiring as to whether or not Johnny would like to go out on a call with him. He was somewhat surprised when he opened the door and found Graye as she was literally just about to knock.
“Oh,” Graye said in a surprised voice; the woman was obviously startled.
Johnny imagined she had been up for a while, as she was wearing a nice pair of jeans and a graphic t-shirt. Her hair was fixed nicely, and she even had a small amount of make-up on. Until this interaction, Johnny hadn’t seen the woman in make-up. He thought she almost appeared awkward, thinking the woman looked much prettier without it.
Johnny smiled with puffy, tired eyes as he opened the door wider.
“Morning, sweetheart,” the woman said as she smiled warmly.
“Mornin’.” Johnny smiled as he headed back for his bed.
“Sweetie, I was wanting to talk to you about a few things,” the woman said as she entered the room and sat down on the boy’s bed as well.
“Are you mad at me for last night? I really am sorry, I don’t know—”
“Absolutely not. There is no need for apologies. None whatsoever. The last thing I want you to think is that I’m upset with you in any way.” Graye lovingly placed her hand on his shoulder.
Johnny loved these simple gestures. They reminded him so much of his mother’s loving touch. Even though his mother would be considered a horrible parent by most any societal standard, Johnny truly cherished the affectionate moments she shared with him as she reassured him that he was loved.
“I just wanted you to know that Jackson and I meant what we said. I don’t want you to feel like your place here has been jeopardized in any way. I understand that you are not ready to talk to us about what is going on, but I do think that you need to talk to someone, sweetheart.” Graye tilted her head and gave the boy a small smile. “Do you think you can talk to someone? I have a good friend, and he is amazing when it comes to talking. He’s the psychologist at my school. I called him this morning, and we are going to meet for brunch to catch up. I was going to ask him to meet you sometime this week if that was okay with you.”
Johnny was uncomfortable with the conversation, yet he knew things had escalated to a point where they could no longer be ignored or even downplayed. He understood completely that he needed help that even the Everetts couldn’t offer.
“I want to talk to you. I want to talk to you and Jackson. I just can’t,” Johnny said softly as he looked at the floor, feeling his hands become hot with anxiety as his heart rate began to increase slowly. “I wanna make this better. I’ll meet the guy,” the boy said as he looked up at Graye. He knew he would eventually have to talk about his past. His biggest concern at this point was distinguishing what had happened from what was happening. He was beginning to feel as if everything was running together, and processing it all was becoming more difficult as the days went on.
Graye reached around and grabbed the boy’s other shoulder, squeezing him. “He is a great guy, you are going to like him. Now, are you about ready for some pancakes, young man?” The woman stood up from the bed.
“That actually sounds really good.” Johnny, feeling anxious and excited about talking with this friend of Graye’s, looked up, and smiled.
Leaving his bedroom, Johnny had a small sense of hope. The tiny euphoria almost compensated for the lack of sleep.
As Johnny walked down the hall following Graye, Jared opened his door.
“Boo yea!” Jared yelled at Johnny while he made a goofy face. The boy’s hair was a mess.
Johnny jumped back and started laughing at Jared’s unusual appearance.
“Lookin’ good there, man,” Johnny said, chuckling as Graye turned from the top of the staircase.
“Oh, now that is priceless, son. Pancakes are on the table, boys,” the woman yelled out as she continued walking down.
“Man, let’s eat and go shoot some hoops,” Jared suggested as he walked into the bathroom.
“Sounds like a plan, dude.”
At the table, the family appeared in good spirits.
Jackson had finally dragged himself out of bed.
The puppy was wailing from the laundry room. She acted as if she were being tortured by being crated.
Bryce was having difficulty keeping her head up, let alone trying to eat her pancakes.
Jared and Johnny were making ugly faces back and forth across the table, laughing and moving through their huge stacks of pancakes at incredible speed. Johnny seemed to have a second wave of energy and a relaxing sense that today was going to be a good day.
“Mom, why aren’t you eating? Was there not anything left?” Jared asked with full cheeks as he sat his fork down, seemingly remorseful for taking so many pancakes.
“No, sweetie, you eat as much as you like. I’m having brunch with a friend in town here in a little bit,” Graye said as she started to chuckle.
As if a black cat went off in the kitchen, little Bryce sprang to attention. “Momma, I wanna go! I wanna go to town too!” the sleepy little girl said excitedly.
“We will see if you are still awake by the time your mother leaves,” Jackson said as he patted his daughter on the head.
Graye began laughing as she looked at her syrup covered daughter.
“Dude, I’m gonna probably puke up pancakes while we’re ballin’,” Jared said, smiling and chewing at the same time.
Johnny apparently found the comment funny; Graye, however, didn’t seem to appreciate her son’s humor.
“Seriously? Thank you for a most nauseating visual.”
“Let’s get out there before it gets too hot,” Jared said as scooped up the last bite from his plate.
“You boys head out, I’ll clean up,” Jackson said as he continued eating.
“Thanks,” Johnny said, smiling as he stood from the table.
“Yea, thanks, Pops!” Jared said as the boys left the kitchen.
The two teens were both bloated with breakfast, and were basically taking turns shooting while standing still. They had only been shooting the basketball for a few minutes, yet Johnny found himself completely miserable. The morning was beautiful, but the lack of even the slightest breeze made it almost intolerable. Today was yet another typical Louisiana day, the sweltering humidity and relentless insects made the game more of a swatting match. Johnny felt he was going strong for only having a few hours of sleep. He was actually used to sleepless nights.
“Dude, basement?” Jared asked Johnny as the teen wiped sweat from his forehead.
“Race ya.” Johnny said sarcastically as he picked the ball up off the ground.
The boys lethargically walked to the house. The idea of playing video games in an air conditioned house while breakfast digested sounded much more appealing to Johnny than shooting a ball and sweating profusely.
“Dude, we should go check on the dogs,” Johnny said as he stopped walking abruptly.
“I don’t want to. I’m just not ready to go out there yet, I guess.”
“Sunny?” Johnny asked as he watched Jared’s expression turn rapidly.
“Yea,” Jared said as he continued walking to the house.
&nbs
p; Johnny and Jared headed in the front door just as Graye was grabbing her purse.
“Boys, I know you don’t want to even think about food right now, but I’m bringing lunch home with me,” the woman said as she looked in her purse and grabbed her keys out.
“Eh, Mom. I think I’m good for a few days,” Jared said he walked by.
“I’ll see you guys after a while,” Graye said as she headed for the door.
Johnny smiled, told her good-bye, and headed through the kitchen to the basement.
Johnny decided playing a basketball video game rather than exerting physical energy. He noticed Jared hadn’t been much for conversation. Rather than question continuously how to play this particular game, Johnny decided to watch intently. As Jared was in the process of losing to the generated team, he pushed pause and set the remote down, exhaling in an almost irritated manner.
Johnny instantly thought the worst. He figured that Jared needed his space and that he was growing irritated at being around him nonstop. Just as Johnny had made up his mind to leave the basement and give Jared some room, Jared turned to him.
“We got her when I was fourteen,” Jared said, looking over at Johnny. At first, Johnny was confused; he had no idea what Jared was talking about. “Pops brought her home, she was even smaller than Bethany. He found her right before the sun went down on a dirt road coming back from a call. She was covered in big, fat-ass ticks and fleas. We scrubbed the hell out of her with dog shampoo. Pops said her belly was swollen from worms, so he treated her.”
As Jared spoke, Johnny noticed his friend’s eyes swell with tears. Johnny realized Jared just wanted to talk about the loss of his dog. “We put her in the laundry room after we got her bathed and dewormed. Pops said I could keep her if I took care of her. The first night we had her she cried and cried, so I snuck downstairs and brought her upstairs to bed with me. Dude, the next morning I had puppy shit and worms all over my bed, in my hair, and all over my pjs.” Jared began laughing as he described the situation.
