Wild Ride

by Rebecca Avery

  “Umm…well she did tell Matt that we needed to be quieter so we must have been bothering her. Actually we were pretty loud for most of the night so…” he said. “I’m not real good at being sympathetic and shh…sorry.”

  She could only smile at his obvious attempts to curb his appallingly foul language. She could only hope the boys didn’t take to cussing like a sailor based on his example.

  Perhaps that would cause her father to rethink this whole community service idea of his. Then again she hoped not. She found herself liking Chuck regardless…

  “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said, picking up his backpack and slinging it across his shoulder.

  After locking up as she heard him tear out of the drive on his motorcycle, she headed upstairs to check on the boys and Meredith. She looked in on Ben first and found him completely out. She kissed his cheek and then headed down the hallway to Matt’s room. He woke slightly when she entered his room.

  “Hey Mom… Chuck’s awesome,” he said before drifting back off to sleep.

  The smile on his precious little face made her wonder if perhaps her father did know what he was doing with this whole scenario of community service after all.

  Kissing his cheek as well, she headed down the hall to Meredith’s room. Opening the door Carla was surprised to find her daughter sitting in the wheelchair as though she’d been waiting for her to get home. She looked less pale… but angry… very angry.

  Chapter Three

  “You need to call Grandpa and put a stop to this whole…Chuck thing,” Meredith began. “I can only imagine what the house must look like! He had the boys outside playing football in the heat! Then he let them help him make dinner instead of fixing what you told him to. After that they tore up the living room…or at least it sounded like they were destroying it,” she finished indignantly.

  Carla stopped the smile that threatened to show itself on her face and forced it into submission. Just this morning as she’d helped Meredith bathe she’d been almost in tears at her strong willed daughter’s melancholy state.

  Looking at her now, one would never have guessed it had been months… no… closer to a year since this Meredith had lived here. A sparkle of fire lit her eyes and her cheeks were flushed from the righteous conviction of her words.

  “Are you even listening to me, Mom?” Meredith said with disgust. “He offered to ride the boys on his motorcycle for God’s sake! Oh and did you know that he cussed at Matt?”

  “I’m sorry honey… I am listening… I’m just tired,” she said. “Matt didn’t say anything to me about Chuck cussing at him.”

  “Of course not… he’s won them over!” Meredith said angrily. “The boys laugh at him about it… like it’s some big joke. He even calls them his little buddies… I mean really, Mom?”

  “Well I can’t do much about it tonight or even tomorrow for that matter. There’s no one else I can get to watch them on such short notice,” she lied.

  If one day of Chuck in the house had caused this amount of emotion in her… and Matt for that matter… what would a week do? Chuck wasn’t going anywhere. Foul mouth or not!

  “Oh my God, Mom! What about the boys? Aren’t you concerned about what he might do to them or teach them? I mean have you seen him? He looks like a gang banger!” she said in disbelief.

  “He has a nice smile…” Carla offered.

  What the hell was her mother thinking! What was Grandpa Patterson thinking for that matter?

  Sighing in exasperation at her mother’s non-committal attitude about the whole situation, Meredith sat back in her chair. He did have a nice smile…and those eyes.

  “Whatever, Mom, don’t take this seriously. However, don’t say I didn’t warn you when Bennie starts cussing in church!” she said smartly, watching Carla’s face for a reaction.

  “What is all this really about?” her mother asked quietly.

  What was this about and why did she even care? What was it about Chuck that had her so… pissed off? Thinking over the events of the evening she realized she was angry because he hadn’t listened to her… hadn’t even considered her really… just kept doing what he wanted… being loud.

  Forcing her to participate because of the noise when she didn’t want to… when she wasn’t even in the same room!

  “It’s just…he’s so…loud!” she finally choked out, unable to look her mother in the eye. He also was a little wild between the things he said and did.

  She was being ridiculous. She knew that but… pity she could understand. She’d received nothing but pity since the accident… for both the loss of her father… and her limb.

  This was more like indifference… like he didn’t understand… or care… that she was different now… handicapped. Treating her like her wishes for quiet and solitude didn’t matter… like she’d been out-voted by the majority. That was what had her so pissed.

  “I’ll talk to him tomorrow before work,” Carla sighed in resignation.

  Her mother looked stressed…tired…old. Had the accident caused this change in her? Or was it Meredith that had aged the most beautiful woman in the world? Guilt hit Meredith in the stomach like a fist.

  She’d been so busy recovering… grieving… from the accident she’d not noticed the toll it had taken on her mother until just now.

  Taking a deep breath she said, “No, it’s fine, Mom. He’s probably just adjusting to all this. I’m sure someone… like him… isn’t used to having small kids around. That’s all.”

  “I won’t be here to judge how… bad… things are so I have to rely on what you and the boys tell me,” her mom said pointedly.

  “I’ll try to keep an ear out… keep you posted,” she smiled.

  “Well, if it gets to be too much or anything really bad happens, you can always call me at work,” her mother said. “I’m tired and am going to sleep. Do you want some help getting back in bed?”

  “No, I think I’m going to stay up for a little while yet. I can get it,” she replied.

  “Ok, honey, goodnight,” Carla said and closed the door as she left.

  She wheeled herself over to her vanity and picked up her makeup bag then began sorting through it to determine what, if anything, was still usable after so long.

  It all needed replaced but in the unlikely event she’d have to deal with Chuck…she couldn’t let him see her looking like the mess she was right now.

  What? Where had that come from? He wouldn’t notice anything other than her stump anyways… like everyone else... including her ex fiancé Joshua.

  Josh was majoring in finance just like her when they’d met in her freshman year of college. They had been the perfect couple her sophomore and junior years of college. All of their friends envied them. Both sets of parents had been thrilled when they got engaged at the end of her junior year.

  Then tragedy had struck a mere four months later and Josh had taken one look at her injuries and started to back pedal. So much for the ‘in sickness and in health’ part of the whole deal.

  Why did she even care what Chuck might think of her? If not for the accident she’d have both a degree and been married by now and wouldn’t even have given him another thought.

  As for Josh, she couldn’t blame him… the accident hadn’t just stolen her dreams and goals… but his as well apparently.

  Josh had visited in the beginning, but those visits had become fewer and farther between until he’d finally admitted that he wasn’t prepared to care for an invalid for the rest of his life. He’d promised they would remain friends but after one final visit she hadn’t heard from him since.

  Her friends’ visits had also become less frequent and eventually stopped all together. They were living their lives… their dreams and their goals. She was stuck here… with her memories… listening to the noise of an overgrown wild… child.

  The following morning Chuck decided to call Gran for a cake recipe. Edna, or ‘Gran’ as she was affectionately called, was Bobby’s grandmother. The
old woman was a saint if there really was such a thing.

  When he’d first started working at the shop he’d been homeless… sleeping under bridges or abandoned buildings… bathing in public restrooms… and eating when and where he could. Gran had taken one look at him and known… how he couldn’t say… but she had.

  He’d shown up for a party that Bobby invited him to and she’d honed in on him and after studying him for a minute had insisted that he rent the spare bedroom in her house so he would be closer to the shop. His instincts were top notch and he’d known that she was aware of his situation… somehow.

  He’d lived there for about six months until the shop got off the ground and Bobby was able to hire him on full time. Gran had taught him all about how to clean and cook during his brief stay... when he wasn’t working at the shop.

  When he’d moved into his first apartment Gran went on a cleaning spree to clear out all the clutter and had basically set him up with everything from dishes and towels to furniture. When he’d thanked her for letting him stay and helping him out she’d assured him that he would return the favor… by painting her house.

  He’d spent the next three weeks scraping and painting the outside of her little house. Somehow that home maintenance project had endeared her to him more than taking him in off the street.

  “Gran… it’s me, Chuck,” he said when she answered.

  “Well how’d your first day with the kids go?” she asked.

  “It was good…I think they like me,” he said.

  “Of course they do… what kid doesn’t like a big strong ten year old?” she chuckled.

  “Very funny… you should do stand-up,” he said with a laugh. “The little guy’s birthday is tomorrow and he wants to make his own cake…”

  “Oh you should try that new cake recipe I used for Gretchen’s party. I thought both the cake and the butter cream icing were splendid,” she gushed.

  “Well actually that’s why I called,” he said with a smile in his voice.

  “I’ll write it down for you and send it with Lilly… she’s feeling a little green this morning and may be late to work… morning sickness is still bothering her,” she said.

  “Ok and thanks,” he said. Then deciding to ask what had been nagging him since yesterday he said, “Gran? Can I ask you something?”

  “You just did… but go ahead,” she chuckled again.

  “There is an older sister that lives with the two kids I’m watching. She was in an accident that killed their father and she lost a foot. She stays up in her room and refuses to do… anything… participate… whatever,” he said. “Normally I wouldn’t give a shit but the little guy wants her to join in for his birthday.”

  “You being so full of it and all, I can imagine how that would bother you,” Gran said.

  “Hey! I’m not that full of shit!” he laughed.

  “I didn’t say you were full of that… now did I? Life, Chuck… you’re full of life. I saw it the first time I met you. Losing a limb is hard on a person… having to relearn to do things differently than you’ve done your whole life and learning to accept the changes in your appearance can do a real number on a person,” she said. “Sometimes a person will let that kind of loss just take over until they can’t function anymore.”

  “I get that, but doesn’t she realize that she’s hurting her brothers by doing that shit… and her mom too?” he asked.

  “That’s the unable to function part, Chuck. Until she wants to take back control of her life or she’s forced to… unfortunately that will be the case,” Gran said with a sigh.

  “It’s been a damn year since her accident… I’d be bored out of my fu… frickin’ skull if I stayed locked up in my room 24/7,” he said.

  “That’s because you’re full of it… life,” she said.

  “But in the meantime… how do I get her ass downstairs for Ben’s birthday?” he asked.

  Gran laughed. “Oh, Chuck… it’s like describing the taste of French Fries to a potato. I don’t know the answer to that… sometimes instinct will tell you how to handle a situation. You’ve got good instincts Chuck… just listen to them.”

  When he arrived at the Johnson’s house later that afternoon and knocked, Carla answered the door wearing a smile… almost like she was happy to see him.

  He smiled back when she invited him inside. Ben came running around the corner and tackled him around the legs. It would have been a great tackle if he was big enough to make an impact. Fortunately for Chuck the little guy merely shoved him back a step.

  “Nice hit, boy!” he laughed, picking him up and tossing his little squirming body around the back of his neck so his legs were draped over one shoulder and his arms over the other.

  Carla simply laughed and headed into the kitchen. He followed trying to see around Ben’s arm which was draped across his forehead. When they reached the kitchen he pulled Ben around and then flipped him over and sat him on the ground.

  “Do that again Chuck!” he giggled.

  “Maybe later… go get your brother. We’ve got a cake to make,” he replied. Ben took off at a dead run.

  “Now with tomorrow being Ben’s birthday, I am only working until six tonight. I’ll pick up a pizza on my way home for dinner so don’t worry about making anything. I’m off tomorrow for his birthday so you won’t need to baby sit but you’re still welcome to come by for dinner and cake,” she smiled.

  “Sounds great… have fun at work,” he said, pulling the cake recipe out of his back pocket and unfolding it. Ben returned with Matt in tow and the excitement poured off them.

  “Chefs, commence with the washing of the hands!” he said.

  Matt pulled a kitchen chair over to the sink and Ben climbed up and began washing his hands. Carla just smiled and said, “See you later, boys, be good for Chuck.”

  They yelled their goodbyes as he preheated the oven and then began looking through cabinets for the ingredients on the list. Matt found a mixing bowl and a cake pan while Ben found a measuring cup and measuring spoons.

  “You want one big cake or cupcakes?” he asked.

  “I want one big cake with lots of icing and candles!” Ben yelled in his excitement.

  “Ok!” Chuck yelled back.

  The boys both giggled and Matt said, “Are you going to yell every time he does?”

  “Are you going to charge me a quarter every time I mess up and say a bad word?” he asked in return.

  They looked at each other and then back at him “We’ll give you three free ones but after that you have to pay up but only if you don’t yell… you’re louder than Ben,” Matt said with a laugh.

  “Why thank you,” he said with a smile. “And it’s a deal.”

  The boys took turns adding in the ingredients he measured out for the cake and then Matt used the mixer while he and Ben found all the ingredients for the icing.

  He held the bowl while Ben scooped the batter into the pan and then he put the cake in the oven. Matt set the timer on the oven.

  The evening went smoothly with the cake turning out better than he’d expected… thanks to Gran. After having a slice of pizza with the boys he headed out.

  He stopped at Wal-Mart and found a couple of smaller Nerf guns for Ben’s birthday gift. He had a bigger one that Dickie had given him as a gag gift to piss off Becca Waters, his attorney. He and the boys each having a Nerf gun… they could really have some fun.

  He decided to stop off at Tommy’s house to see Gretchen and Melody… and to sweet talk Dana into wrapping Ben’s gifts. Dana was Tommy’s girlfriend and the best thing that could have possibly happened to him and his kids.

  He hung out for a while and then headed to his new apartment. Dana had let him take over the lease on her apartment when she moved in with Tommy. The place was like the Taj Mahal compared to the shit hole he had been living in.

  After a good night’s sleep and having put in a full eight hour day at the shop he was feeling pretty good as he headed to the Johnson’s
house. He’d stuffed the two gifts, a kid’s sized helmet and his own Nerf gun in his backpack and, after parking his bike, he took his Nerf gun out and put it in the bushes next to the front door. He’d no sooner done so when the door swung open.

  “Chuck! It’s my birthday!” Ben yelled.

  “Well Happy Birthday, buddy!” Chuck said ruffling the boy’s hair.

  He laid his gifts for Ben on the table next to the ones already piled up there when Matt entered the kitchen. He held out his fist to Matt and the boy bumped it and smiled at him.

  “She said no, Ben… sorry,” Matt said. Ben’s little face looked sad as he climbed onto one of the kitchen chairs.

  “Who said no?” Chuck asked Matt.

  “Meredith… he wanted her to eat dinner down here with us but… she wants a plate in her room like usual,” he said looking at Ben.

  Seeing the disappointment in Ben’s face made him… angry. He rarely ever got angry but seeing a five… now six year old disappointed seemed to be having that effect.

  He probably shouldn’t get involved but… when had that ever stopped him before. Hell he wouldn’t be here now if he had that kind of control over himself.

  “You want Meredith to be down here for dinner, buddy?” he asked. Ben nodded with his sad little look.

  “Alright then… I’ll go get her,” he said.

  Both boys looked at him and then at their mother just as Judge Patterson stepped through the doorway of the kitchen. Chuck stopped mid stride and looked at the old man. He looked… normal… without his black robe on.

  Judge Patterson waved a hand motioning Chuck through and holding his other arm outstretched as though pointing at the stairs. Was he daring him?

  Nodding his acknowledgment of the challenge to the old man, he headed up the stairs taking them two at a time. These people were nuts but he’d take the dare and raise them one older daughter delivered to the dinner table! He stopped in front of the door to her room and knocked.

  “Are you decent in there?” he hollered through the door.

  “Go away!” he heard a female voice holler back after several moments of silence.