The Carolyn Chronicles, Volume 1

by Derek Ciccone

  “I did, and it came down to the final shooter to decide it.”

  “Who was the final shooter?”

  “You were.”

  “Me? How could I be the final shooter when I was sleeping?”

  “Because you’re the one who taught me to live life without fear. And if I didn’t take this … at least give it a shot … it wouldn’t be because I didn’t want to, it would be because I was scared.”

  “What would you be scared of?”

  “Being away from you … having to leave the people I care about. And that maybe I’d find out that I wasn’t good enough.”

  The gears were grinding again. “Is Lindsey going with you?”

  He shook his head. “She’s bringing me to the airport, but then she’ll be back for her first day of school. Come to think of it, somebody else has their first day of school today … who might that be?”

  “Me!”

  He just smiled at her. “First grade—wow. Can’t believe how fast the time went.”

  “I think we already had this conversation.”

  “And we’re going to keep having it until you’re an old lady.”

  She giggled, but then moved on to more pressing concerns, “So if you’re not going to be here, who’s going to pick me up from school?”

  “Like I told you, Billy and Dana are going to watch you. They will be in charge of that.” He swept her into his big arms. “I’m going to miss you so much.”

  He released her, setting her lightly back down on the bed. “I think you’re going to be the best hockey coach ever, Daddy.”

  “Thanks, sweetheart—that means a lot. But you’re sure you’re okay with this?”

  She nodded that she was.

  Chuck got up before the tears sprang from his eyes. He headed for the door, but had one final reminder, “You be good for Billy and Aunt Dana, got it?”

  When he turned back, she was already back to sleep.

  Chapter 48

  Billy watched as Carolyn strolled into the kitchen and took a seat at the breakfast nook—streams of sunlight reflected off her tangled hair.

  “What happened to the outfit I bought you?” Dana asked.

  It wasn’t actually one outfit—it was one for each day of Carolyn’s first week of school. All dresses from the trendiest boutiques in the area, but it appeared that Carolyn was in more of a T-shirt and jeans mood this morning.

  “It’s for Ryan—it’s his big day today, ya know.”

  A nice sentiment for her fallen friend, but Billy got the idea that the school wouldn’t see it the same way. “I don’t think you can wear that shirt to school.”

  It read Puck Off Cancer across the chest, the Fs in Off were in the form of hockey sticks.

  “Why not?” Carolyn challenged.

  “Because it says a bad word,” Dana said.

  Carolyn agreed. “Cancer is like the worst word.”

  “I was referring to the puck part, actually.”

  “Why would a hockey puck be a bad word? Hockey is the best thing ever invented,” she said with a shake of the head, as she headed back to her room to change. “Grown-ups make no sense.”

  She returned, now wearing her HT4H T-shirt—Hat Trick 4 Hope—not exactly the outfit Dana desired, but one that was less likely to get her suspended.

  It was clear that Carolyn was testing them, like a substitute teacher, and they would need to pick their battles. This wasn’t one of them.

  Billy finished his breakfast masterpiece, one of Carolyn’s favorites—Cream of Wheat, mixed with chocolate chips. It also included a “milk mote” around the outer portion of the bowl, creating an island effect in the center, which he sprinkled with sugar.

  Dana tested it to make sure it wouldn’t burn Carolyn’s tongue. And once it passed inspection Carolyn dug in. But her gobbling started to slow, and Billy could tell that she had entered into deep thought.

  “Something on your mind?” he asked.

  “If my dad isn’t here, who’s gonna yell at me when I do something bad?”

  “Here’s a novel idea—how about not doing anything bad?”

  She blew out a sigh. “That’s not very realistic.”

  Good point.

  “Here’s how this is going to work,” Dana said. “You’re going to try to test our authority, see how far you can push us. We will then respond with an iron fist.”

  Carolyn laughed. “An iron fist is funny.”

  “It won’t be if we’re forced to use it,” Billy said, but not impeding her laughter.

  Dana continued, “We can’t afford to appear weak, so if you do something bad, then Billy is going to give you twice the punishment that your dad would have. If he’d ground you for a week, Billy will ground you for a month for the same crime. Got it?”

  “Me? What about you? I thought we were supposed to be a unified front,” Billy questioned.

  “We all have our roles, based on our skill sets … and I’m not cut out to be a disciplinarian.”

  “And I am?”

  Carolyn continued laughing. “You two are cuh-razy.”

  She had already mastered a “divide and conquer” strategy. It was pretty clear who was going to be in charge for the next couple months, and it wasn’t Billy or Dana.

  They finished breakfast and then loaded into Billy’s Cherokee, including Nails, who would ride in the back.

  The first stop was to drop Dana at the New Canaan train station, which she would take into her office in the city, as she had meetings scheduled with a couple of prospective authors today.

  Billy pulled to a stop, kissed her goodbye, and she stepped out of the vehicle. She began rummaging through her purse and a confused look came over her face.

  “What is it?” Billy asked.

  “I must have forgotten my train pass back at the house.”

  “We can go back.”

  She shook her head. “No—there’s no time. I’ll just buy a ticket on the train.” She continued to search the purse, and again grew flustered. “Crap.”

  “What now?”

  “I must have left my wallet with the pass … probably sitting on your dresser.”

  Billy reached into his pocket looking for money, but Carolyn beat him to it. “Here’s twenty dollars, Aunt Dana.”

  Billy looked at the crisp green bill in her extended hand. “Where’d you get that?”

  “My dad left me money in case of an emergency, and this sure seems like an emergency.”

  “That’s so sweet of you, but I can’t take your money,” Dana said.

  “But kids money works as good as grown-up money, right?”

  “It does … it’s just the principle of it.”

  Billy found some money of his own and handed it to her. “You’re a lifesaver … again,” she said, and ducked in the Cherokee to give him another kiss.

  She looked to the backseat. “You just be your awesome self today and hope they can handle it,” she said, and blew her a kiss. Carolyn caught the imaginary kiss and placed it onto her rosy cheek.

  “Don’t forget to say goodbye to Nails, Aunt Dana.”

  “Bye, Nails—see you tonight,” she said, even if the dog didn’t seem overly interested in trading pleasant salutations with the weird human lady. They watched as Dana headed to the train platform, and then they were off to school.

  The school was only a few blocks from the train station, but traffic was at a standstill along the route, as it was socially mandatory for all parents to make an appearance on the first day of school. Police were attempting to direct traffic, but it wasn’t helping much—the small village just couldn’t handle the volume.

  But it did give Billy and Carolyn a few minutes to talk. “Are you coming into our class like that time you did when Miss Stevens was my teacher … I mean Lindsey?”

  “No—that was pretty much a one-shot deal.”

  “Then what are you going to do today?”

  “I’m going to Waveny Park. I have to work on my next PB&J book, and
I’ll be able to let Nails run around while I write.”

  She nodded. “I think he’ll like that, but he gets tired pretty quick.”

  “Then he can lay down. That’s the beauty of the park—you can do whatever you want.”

  “I wish I was going to the park.”

  “You like school.”

  “But you can’t do whatever you want.”

  “That’s true.”

  She then changed subjects, to an uncomfortable one. “I really should go to Boston to be with Ryan.”

  “That is nice of you, but I don’t think there’s anything you can do at this point.”

  “I can rub his head.”

  “Why would you do that?”

  “Because he told me it’s good luck, and I’m his good luck charm. And he needs all the good luck he can get today.”

  Billy couldn’t argue that. “With all the people thinking about him, and praying for him, and rooting for him, he’s in good hands. Plus, he’s got the best doctors in the world. And if he was here right now he’d tell you to go to school, have fun, and not to worry.”

  She appeared resigned to it. “Am I ever going to see him again?”

  “Of course you are—as soon as he gets better.”

  She looked sideways at him, detecting his bullshit.

  “I don’t know.”

  She pondered the implications of the answer. “I just don’t get why this had to happen to him.”

  “I wish I had a good answer for you, but sometimes stuff just happens—there’s no explanation for it.”

  “Will you do me a favor?”

  “If it’s within reason.”

  “If stuff just happens to me, will you take care of Nails?”

  Her words felt like a sledgehammer to his heart. “Nothing is going to happen to you.”

  “But you just said …”

  “I know what I said … fine, if something were to happen to you , which it won’t, I’ll take good care of Nails. Happy now?”

  “I’ve been better.”

  “You’ll be fine once you get to school and see all your friends.

  They finally reached the school, pulling into the circular drop-off zone, filled with more Bentleys than buses. Welcome to New Canaan.

  Billy recalled the times he used to drop Anna and Maddie off at their school. He missed that. Each and every day was special, but there was something about the first day. It was like a new beginning, with endless possibilities.

  “Do you want me to walk you in?” Billy asked.

  Carolyn shook her head. “I can do it.”

  Not a surprise—Miss Independent.

  “Knock ’em dead kid,” he said as she maneuvered out of the vehicle.

  “Won’t I get in trouble for that?”

  “Good point—just have a great first day,” and because it was Carolyn, “and try to stay out of trouble.”

  She said her final goodbye to Nails, whom she also warned to be good for Billy … and also to stay out of trouble.

  Her face then turned serious when she reminded Billy of his promise to take care of Nails if anything were to happen to her. He felt terrible that such thoughts even entered her mind, but how could they not with what she’d lost, and another loss on the horizon, in Ryan? But he forced a smile, assured her that he would care for her dog, and then watched her walk to the front of the school … all by herself.

  Chapter 49

  Carolyn stepped onto the curb in front of the school, her lunchbox at her side, and her My Little Pony backpack bouncing on her back—the same one she’d had since nursery school, refusing any attempt to buy her a new one.

  She was met by Little Hawk, who greeted her, “What’s up?”

  “The sky.”

  “I wasn’t talking about the sky.”

  “Then the moon.”

  “I hate talking to you,” he said, then inspected her. “How come you got to wear jeans and a T-shirt to school?”

  It sure looked like a more comfortable way to go through the day than the knit, collared shirt and khakis that Little Hawk’s mother had made him wear.

  “My dad moved to Nashville, so I can do whatever I want.”

  “That’s cool.”

  “Not really. Did you bring what I asked for?”

  “Where’s my money?”

  She gave him two twenty-dollar bills, and he handed her the juice box.

  “Nice doing business with you,” he said, and walked away.

  Teachers were gathering students and lining them up to enter the school. Carolyn spotted her teacher, Miss Brady, and the kids from her class. She also noticed the school principal, Mrs. Samuelson, nearby, and she ran to her.

  “Carolyn—great to see you back this fall,” she said with the happy smile she always had. “I think you’re in Miss Brady’s class this year, she’s having her class line up over there.”

  She pointed in the direction of Miss Brady, but Carolyn didn’t even look. She had something more important to discuss. She waved Mrs. Samuelson down so she could whisper in her ear, “I had an accident.”

  Mrs. Samuelson followed Carolyn’s eyes to the large stain on the front of her jeans. And in case she wasn’t sure what it was, Carolyn added, “I peed in my pants.”

  The principal remained calm, keeping her smile. This wasn’t her first rodeo when it came to urinary accidents in elementary school, and it wouldn’t be her last.

  She kept it positive, “What do you say, we go get you cleaned up?”

  Carolyn was in agreement, but she had one other request, “Can I use the teacher’s bathroom? It has more privacy … with my special situation.”

  All school officials were aware of Carolyn Whitcomb’s “special situation” and what came with it. Such as the mandatory checkups with the nurse each day after recess, knowing that a simple game of soccer could lead to anything from unknowingly having sand in her eyes to a broken bone she couldn’t feel. And while she’d never had a previous bathroom “accident” at school she was more prone to it, so an extra pair of clothing was kept for her, just in case.

  Mrs. Samuelson agreed to Carolyn’s request, and stealthily took her to the teacher’s bathroom, which was unoccupied at the moment. “Do you want me to get you a change of clothes?” she asked.

  Carolyn nodded. “That would be nice of you.”

  “Do you need any help?” she asked, as Carolyn slipped into the bathroom.

  “No—I can do it. It’s not like it hasn’t happened before.”

  Mrs. Samuelson held back a look of sadness—the fact that this was a common occurrence for such a young child.

  “Just the clothes … and make sure nobody sees me in here … it can be a little embarrassing.”

  “Sure thing,” she said, adding a reassuring smile.

  When Mrs. Samuelson returned with the new outfit, she knocked, letting Carolyn know that she had retrieved it. But the voice she heard back wasn’t Carolyn’s. And it caused her to open the door.

  “Hey—how about a little privacy?” Jared Hawkins, also known as Little Hawk, said, as he finished washing his hands.

  “What are you doing in here, Jared? This room is off-limits to students.”

  “If Carolyn can use the teacher’s bathroom then why can’t I? It’s only fair.”

  “How did you know Carolyn was using it?”

  “I was following her”

  “What do you mean, following her?”

  “I wasn’t stalking her, if that’s what you’re saying. She might get all the attention for being the painless kid, but she’s not famous enough to stalk.”

  What a strange, strange boy, she thought, but having met his father it was understandable.

  “Then where is Carolyn?”

  He shrugged. “I guess she went back to Miss Brady’s class.”

  “Which is exactly where you should be. So if you’re all done I’ll walk you back, to make sure you get there.”

  “I’m six—I can walk all on my own.”

&n
bsp; “Maybe so, but just to be safe … and please don’t use this bathroom again without permission, got it?”

  “But our bathroom smells like farts.”

  “I’ll get right on that,” she said, trying to hold back a smile.

  Chapter 50

  Carolyn walked with a steady pace, sometimes hopping, sometimes skipping, until she arrived at the corner of Park and Elm Streets, where they had earlier dropped Aunt Dana off at the train station.

  She waited on the platform, surrounded by a lot of men wearing suits. They were all looking down at their phones. Grown-ups were always telling kids to watch where you’re going, and to pay attention, but they were always staring down at their phones. No wonder none of the adults saw me leave the school, Carolyn thought.

  She hid amongst the grown-ups as she boarded the train, gripping tightly to her backpack. There was a blonde lady sitting next to a window who smelled like the perfume counter in the mall. “Is this seat saved?” Carolyn asked.

  “It’s all yours,” the lady said, and Carolyn sat in the aisle seat.

  “I’m Carolyn, by the way.”

  “I’m Lilith—it’s nice to make your acquaintance, Carolyn. Are you traveling alone?”

  “I’m six now, so I can. When I was four, I had to say I was five to be on the train.”

  The lady looked curious. “I didn’t know there was any sort of age limit. But I’d never really thought about it.”

  “That’s what they tell me, but I don’t know if you know this, grown-ups sometimes don’t tell the truth.”

  “I am very aware of that … and men in particular. So where are you headed?”

  “I’m going to Boston.”

  “Are you sure you’re on the right train? This one is going into New York.”

  “I know—I have to change trains at Grand Central Station, and take it to Penn Station, and that’s where I get my train to Boston. It would be a lot easier if it would just pick me up at my house, like the school bus.”

  She laughed. “Now wouldn’t that be nice. You sound like quite a traveler for such a young girl—do you go to Boston often?”