Blackbird Flies

by Chynna T. Laird

  “I’m River,” he whispered. “I like you.”

  Payton lightly shook the little guy’s hand. “Nice to meet you, River.”

  “Here,” said Liam, hoisting Payton’s bag onto his shoulder. “We’ll put your stuff in your new room while we’re down there.”

  On the way down the basement stairs, Payton quickly scanned the upstairs. No piano. But at least there’d be others in the house besides him and his dad. Something, or someone, else to focus on until everyone felt more comfortable talking about why he was really there.

  Silence wasn’t such a bad thing.

  Three

  Payton was rescued from the playroom after half an hour of playing fairy princesses with his younger siblings. Getting caught wearing a tiara and pink wings wasn’t exactly a proud moment.

  “Um, excuse me Fairy Payton,” his stepmother said from the doorway, seemingly trying her best to repress a laugh. “We’re going grocery shopping and your dad wanted to know if you’d like to come.”

  Payton’s face crimsoned while he removed his tiara and wings. “I guess so. Stores are open here on Sundays?”

  Katie nodded. “Yeah. Everything’s always open. It was weird for me to get used to that too when we first moved here.”

  Dahlia and River jumped up. “Yay! Car ride!”

  They sprinted from the room, and thundered up the stairs.

  “Take a pee break, then put your shoes on,” she yelled after them. “Dad’s waiting outside.”

  Payton tossed the toys they’d been playing with into the toy box, shrugged, then stuffed his hands in his pockets. Katie stood in the doorway, preventing him from making a quick exit. She walked over to the toy box, replacing the lid.

  “Hey, let us know if there’s anything you like or need while we’re out, okay?” she said, straightening the bookshelf. “You know, if you like certain things for breakfast or need certain soaps or shampoo or whatever. We just want you to be comfortable while you’re here.”

  Payton stared at the floor. “Thanks. Really. I’m not that fussy. It’s fine. Whatever you get would be okay with me.”

  “Okay,” she said, folding her arms, smiling. “Let’s go, then. Maybe we can get some ideas for supper, hey?”

  He nodded.

  She nodded.

  Then he sped-walked past her to the stairs, rushing them three at a time, and shuffled to the front door.

  He found his shoes neatly lined up in the hall closet alongside all the black, polished combat boots. He noted the sweaters, jackets and army gear neatly hanging and ‘combed.’ That, he’d learned, was the term for pulling on all the clothes ever so gently so they all hung the same. He had a sudden urge to mess up the entire display, but resisted. No need to stir the pot too soon.

  Katie reappeared by his side. “Ready?” she asked.

  He was startled from his thoughts. Geez, how does she do that, he wondered. She just appears out of nowhere when he least expects it.

  He hated that.

  He stuffed his size thirteen feet into his well-worn sneakers and opened the screen door. “Yup. Let’s go.”

  The kids were already in their car seats, yelling to Payton to hurry. Noting the small space between his siblings’ seats, he silently hoped the trip would be a short one.

  For his butt’s sake.

  Two hours later, the MacGregors got back home. Boy, when they shop, they shop. Payton was dragged to Safeway, Costco and SuperStore. And shopping with busy kids that run around everywhere asking for extra stuff just added to the experience. Even Dad seemed slightly irritated.

  Payton decided right then that he hated shopping.

  His grandmother had taken forever when she shopped, but that was only because she couldn’t move around as fast. She’d suffered for years with arthritis in her hips. Grandpa had always hated shopping too, and had always sent Payton to go with Grandma, then picked them up after a set time. Payton never minded, though.

  His ‘parents’ though, they just loved shopping. Or, maybe it was that they just liked spending money. Nah, it couldn’t have been that since Liam complained about all the money they’d spent the entire way home.

  “Wow, groceries cost a bloody fortune!” he said. “And the kids don’t even eat a lot of what we got. Waste of money.”

  Katie clicked her tongue. “How will they learn to try new things if we don’t expose them to it?”

  “Well, why don’t we just waste your money next time?” Liam said.

  Then he cranked the stereo. Silence the rest of the way home. Payton thought about suggesting they check the prices of things once in a while instead of just grabbing stuff, and turfing it into the cart. Or made a list, at the very least, like Grandma had always done. Then the end bill wouldn’t be such a big shocker. Payton decided keeping his mouth shut was a better option at the moment.

  Dahlia and River fell asleep in their seats on the way home. When the family got home, Katie poured each child into each of their beds, then went to the kitchen to put the groceries away. Payton heard music coming from the basement.

  His stepmom rushed around the kitchen taking out pots, pans and ingredients.

  “Why don’t you go lay down for a bit until we get supper ready? You must be exhausted. It’s supposed to get into the double-digits this afternoon. Maybe we can go out in the backyard later. The kids would love to show you their treehouse.”

  “Not sure I’d be able to fit inside there, but that sounds cool.”

  She snickered. “Well, if you fit Dahlia’s fairy wings, I’m sure you could shimmy into the treehouse. It’s all good. Go get some rest.”

  A nap sounded good, actually. He nodded, then went into the basement. He saw the light on in the computer room beside his assigned room. He looked in the doorway. Liam sat at the computer desk, his foot tapping to the lively beat of Celtic music. Payton frowned, still hearing the clanking from the kitchen.

  Guess Dad has done his duty for the morning, he thought. He wondered how often his father hid down in there.

  Ah well.

  Whatever.

  He went to his room, shoving the door closed behind him, taking a scan of it. Actually, it wasn’t that different from his room back home, except it was a bit…girly. The walls were a powdery peach with cream-colored trim. Cream curtains with big orange flowers covered the window and the rug matched the walls. He remembered Katie saying something about them having a live-in nanny. Not sure whether she was there anymore, but he figured it was supposed to have been her room.

  There was a bed, a three-drawer dresser with a mirror, a side table and a small computer desk with a swivel chair. Liam had slung Payton’s canvas bag over the back of the chair and had placed his duffle bag neatly in the closet. Payton shook his head, then dug his MP3 player and headphones out of his canvas bag. He stuffed the tiny buds into his ears, then flopped back onto the bed. His feet hung off the end.

  Comfy.

  He fast-forwarded through several songs until the gentle acoustic guitar introduction to ‘Blackbird’ by the Beatles flowed through his ears.

  He closed his eyes.

  So far, he didn’t like Alberta very much. At least not what he’d seen. It was too fast and too much. The cars drove too fast. The people moved and talked too fast, and nothing seemed to close. Even the liquor stores were open on Sundays.

  Thank God I didn’t live here with Mom, he thought.

  Mom.

  …take these sunken eyes and learn to see…all your life…you were only waiting for this moment to be free…

  She’d loved that song. She’d listened to it during her ‘down’ cycles. It seemed to have calmed her, for a little while. Music always seemed to help her…somehow. Suddenly his heart ached so much his throat tightened. He rolled over on his side and hit rewind.

  This sucks, he thought.

  It all sucked so bad. He just wanted to go back home.

  His real home.

  He missed how it took Grandma ten minutes just to decide on a br
ick of cheese. He missed Grandpa’s early morning whistling while he got breakfast ready. He missed their gentleness and kindness and that they didn’t try so hard to make him happy. They were just…there. And, most of all, he missed his piano.

  Tears swelled in his eyes, so he squeezed them closed. He refused to cry.

  No crying.

  That meant he’d accepted things, and he wasn’t going to.

  He hit rewind for the third time, then rolled onto his back again. He dozed off. After what seemed like mere seconds, he awoke to his bed rocking and shaking. He reached up with both hands, gripping the headboard, so he wouldn’t fall off the bed.

  “Wake up! Wake up!” Dahlia and River shouted, bouncing around his legs. “Mama telled us to come get you for supper.”

  Blinking the film from his eyes, he looked at the digital clock. He’d fallen asleep for almost two and a half hours. He made a mental note to lock the door if he ever wanted to sleep in.

  Kids.

  He stood, stretched, then yawned, Dahlia and River shadowing his every move. Payton watched them, thinking there was enough cuteness before he’d had a chance to wake up.

  “Let’s go eat,” he said, walking to the door.

  One tiny hand grabbed each of his, tugging him.

  “C’mon! C’mon!” Dahlia said. “Mama made special stuff for ya. Come see.”

  ‘Special’, huh? Guess this would be when he’d finally know what was going on.

  And he wasn’t sure he wanted to know.

  Four

  Dinner was a perfectly executed roasted chicken with all the trimmings, his favorite. Lights dimmed. Ole Blue Eyes was on the stereo from the living room, and Dad was at the head of the table. Payton smelled a side order of ‘buttering up.’ He wasn’t totally comfortable with the whole scene, but he was hungry.

  The familiar surge of icy-cold panic flooded his stomach when he saw the opened bottle of Sauvignon Blanc in an ice bucket in the middle of the table. But once the family sat down, the feeling faded. The mood was happy…everyone laughing, joking, and talking about the day’s events. It was sort of like being back at his grandparents’ house, only not quite as comfortable. And, to his relief, the wine bottle stayed one-third full.

  After a dessert of apple pie with ice cream, Katie rose to clear the table. Payton got up to help, but she waved at him to sit back down.

  “No, no. Let me take care of this for tonight,” she said, balancing three plates up her arms. “I have to get the monkeys ready for bed anyway. Why don’t you guys go check out the back yard and…chat?”

  She shot Liam a weird look. One of those looks wives gave their husbands when they want them to mow the lawn or do some chore around the house they’ve been putting off. Then she scurried out of the room.

  Payton leaned back in his chair.

  Here it comes, he thought. The big, “I’m-so-sorry-I-wasn’t-there-for-you-your-entire-childhood-but-I’m-going-to-make-it-up-to-you-now,” speech.

  He just hoped there was no more hugging.

  Liam sipped the last drops of wine from the very modern stemless glass. “I think that’s a great idea. Wanna see the rest of the place?”

  “Sure,” Payton said. “Why not?”

  His dad led the way to the back door. As they walked by a short hallway on the right, Liam pointed and said, “Down there is the main bath, the kids’ rooms and our room. Both bathrooms have showers and stuff so you can keep any of your toiletries in the main one. Sure you noticed there’s no bathroom down in the basement.”

  Payton wasn’t sure whether that was a joke. He smiled anyway. And he hadn’t heard the word ‘toiletries’ used before from younger adults. Must be an army thing.

  Continuing the ten-cent tour, Liam pointed to the left. “Here’s the kitchen. Help yourself to whatever you want, except for what’s in the booze cupboard, of course.” He winked.

  Was that a joke?

  Payton hated people who made jokes so subtle he missed it. It made him feel stupid. He was more of a sarcastic, in-your-face kind of person himself, like John Lennon, and he appreciated that approach a lot better.

  More polite smiling.

  Liam cleared his throat. “That’s the family room,” he said, pointing just beyond the kitchen cupboards. “Katie doesn’t like us watching too much TV so you’ll find it off most of the time during the day.”

  The TV must have been entombed inside the massive television stand cupboard. The room was simply furnished with an L-shaped couch, rocking chair and the stand. There was a kitchen table with four chairs in an eating nook area, with a tiny table and two tiny chairs positioned just beside the kitchen cupboards.

  How sweet.

  Behind the stand was floor-to-ceiling windows and Payton saw the small pool outside. That was a cool thing. You know, except for the frost clinging to the pool cover.

  “I wanted to change it to a hot tub,” Liam said. “At least we’d be able to use it all year ‘round. Katie and the kids like the pool. So, it stays.”

  They stared out the window for a few silent moments. It was getting darker but, apparently, they were still going outside.

  “Let’s go out for a few minutes,” Liam said, slipping his runners on.

  Payton shoved his feet in his own shoes, then they toured the ginormous yard. It was about three times the size of his grandparents’ yard. The MacGregors had a small herb/veggie garden, a couple of apple trees, a sandbox and even a two-story tree house, that Katie had mentioned.

  Great, he thought. I see myself being forced to spend a lot of time in there.

  The only thing Payton found wrong with the entire setup was that people’s yards were too close together. One person’s fence touched the next person’s. Whoever designed the area had the intent of cramming as many people as possible in the space.

  Sad.

  Payton shuddered. He’d forgotten to put his sweatshirt back on before going out. He hugged his lanky frame in a lame attempt to create the body heat he lacked.

  The two men stood in the middle of the yard, nodding.

  Nodding and smiling.

  Nodding and clicking their tongues.

  After a few minutes of nodding, clicking and shivering, Payton had had enough.

  “Thanks for the tour, but I’m freezing.”

  “Did your grandparents tell you why you’re here?” Liam asked, staring at the neighbors’ kids bouncing on their trampoline.

  Payton shrugged. “No. Only that I didn’t have a choice.”

  Liam tightened his lips. “And how do you feel about that?”

  “I dunno. It’s all kinda weird…” Payton frowned, his teeth chattering.

  Hurry it up, he thought. Geez! Get to the point.

  The sun had disappeared, and his breath hung in the air in small puffs.

  Liam’s gazed stayed forward. “I took the day off tomorrow. I have somewhere I’d like to take you, if you’re interested. It’ll help explain a lot.”

  Holy crap, Payton thought. Why doesn’t anyone just come out and say anything around here?

  “Sure, fine,” he said, wandering back to the door.

  They went back inside, and said their goodnights. Liam disappeared down the hallway. Payton detoured at the bathroom, brushed his teeth and washed his face before going downstairs—something he had to do no matter how tired he was.

  So, “funtime” with Dad tomorrow?

  Great.

  Like he had a choice about anything anymore.

  Five

  After his second toddler wake-up call in the last 24 hours, just after six o’clock, Payton seriously considered a heavy-duty lock for his door. Somehow his siblings jimmied the lock allowing them entry for Mission Sneak Attack: Jump-On-Big-Brother. The kids were cute and all, but not before the sun came up. Definitely not before the first cup of coffee of the day.

  The kids ran up the stairs for breakfast. He laid in bed for a few minutes, staring at the ceiling.

  I hope things calm down a bit soon, he
thought. This is so not the kind of wake up I need.

  He went upstairs for a shower, seeing the kids sitting at their little table watching their kid show, and softened. He never had that. The calmness. Just being able to be a kid…

  Then Katie’s voice brought him back, “Payton, I want to introduce you to the kids’ nanny, Nahline. She’s only going to be here for a few more weeks. She was living in the room downstairs, but she’s got to go back to Thailand to help her family.”

  Payton didn’t even care in the moment that he had bed head and bad breath. What difference did it make at that point?

  “Hey. I’m Payton.”

  “It is nice to meet you, Payton. I am only here for the kids but if I can help, let me know.”

  He forced a smile. “It’s all good. I think I can handle myself. No worries.”

  Payton had a shower, then came out with Nahline dressing the kids, and getting Dahlia ready for school.

  “Have a good day, kiddo,” he said, holding his towel around himself.

  “Will you be here when I get back?” she asked, tackle-hugging him.

  He secured his towel, then said, “Of course!”

  “Okay. You have a good day too.”

  With that, the nanny took the kids outside, and Payton made his way downstairs to get ready for his adventure with Dad. He was still groggy, but once Katie’s army-strength java, and waffle and sausage breakfast pulsed through his veins, Payton was ready to face whatever Liam had in store for him. And the adventure started early. They were in the truck heading to…wherever…by 8:30 sharp.

  Great, he thought. Another long, silent car ride. At least Katie chatted once in a while.

  Okay maybe she chatted too much.

  Yeah, silence was definitely better.

  To top things off, he’d forgotten his canvas bag in his room, along with his MP3 player. Liam turned the radio on, but instead of going to the classical station, he kept it on ‘Classic Rock’ with some morning announcer guy who sounded like that Wolfman Jack guy from the House of Frightenstein. That really awful show where the same guy played five or six different characters and Vincent Price did the opening and closing of the show.