Keeping the Tarnished (20 page)

The two teens leapt over the ditch and into the cornfield, but Johnny feared it was too late. He knew for certain this vehicle was his father’s shitty old truck, and he was convinced the man had spotted them. As Johnny watched from a few feet within the cornfield, he pushed Jared behind him and stood shaking in front of the boy. He knew if his father had in fact seen them that the man would undoubtedly hurt him beyond anything he had yet experienced, if not kill him. Johnny had already made up his mind that he would tell Jared to run, he would make his friend run away, no matter what happened. Johnny’s nightmares seemed to be coming alive as the old truck began to slow drastically and came to an abrupt stop.

“Run, Jared!” Johnny said wildly as he turned and pushed his frightened friend a few feet further into the field.

Jared’s eyes were wide with fear, the boy seemed as though he wanted to run for simply not understanding what the danger was.

The truck was idling in the middle of the road as the boys heard one of the doors open and someone step out onto the gravel.

“Who’s there? Who the hell is in my corn! Show yourself,” an aged, male voice said. A sudden look of relief came across Jared’s face as inhaled deeply and stepped around Johnny.

“Mr. Morris, it’s Jared.” Jared made his way to the ditch as Johnny stood frozen in place, completely overtaken with fear.

“Jared? Jared, boy, what are you doing out here, son?” Johnny heard a kind, weathered voice ask of his friend.

“Sorry, Mr. Morris, I guess we must have thought you were somebody else,” Jared replied nervously as he jumped back to the road.

“We? Who you got with you? A lady friend?” the old farmer asked with a smile as he looked curiously into the field just as Johnny had mustered the courage to show himself. “Jared, son, just what are you doing hiding in my cornfield with another man?” the smiling man asked sarcastically.

“This is my buddy, Johnny. He stays with us at our house,” Jared said as he looked back at Johnny, who was about to leap over the ditch, as well.

“Stays at your house? Is this boy family?” Mr. Morris asked as Johnny felt he fell in the stereotypical character of nosy neighbor quite fantastically. As Johnny jumped over the ditch and walked over to Jared, Mr. Morris looked at him in a peculiar manner.

“Yes, sir. He’s family,” Jared proclaimed as Mr. Morris extended a handshake to Johnny.

“Well, there’s nothing wrong with more Everett blood. It’s nice to meet you, young man.”

“Nice to meet you too, sir,” Johnny said as his heart rate was slowly beginning to decrease. The boy could feel several beads of sweat falling his forehead and his face felt flushed.

“I’ll be cuttin’ this shit here soon and you little bastards will have to find someplace else to hide out at,” the old man said as he loaded back in the seat of his truck, slamming the door loudly. “You boys stay outta trouble and outta my fields, ya hear?”

“Yes, sir,” Jared replied as the truck began pulling off. As Johnny watched the truck depart in a cloud of dust illuminated by red taillights, Jared turned to Johnny with an inquisitive look on his face. “Dude, what the hell was that? Mr. Morris is one of my parent’s good friends. Why did you feel the need to hide from him?”

Jared appeared irritated as Johnny looked at the boy. Johnny knew this wouldn’t be something he could get out of without providing some sort of explanation.

Jared stared at him, waiting in the dark for an answer, the boy’s eyebrows, lips, and nostrils indicated that he was upset about being frightened and drug into his neighbor’s cornfield.

“I thought…I thought it was my dad’s truck. It sounds just like the damn thing and even looks like it in the dark,” Johnny said as he put his hands behind his head and turned his back on Jared.

“Dude, you’re my best friend, just tell me why the hell you’re so damn scared of your dad finding you,” Johnny heard Jared say from behind him. The two boys stood silent for a few seconds, until finally Johnny put his hands down and turned to Jared.

“I don’t want him hurting…I don’t want him hurting you guys if he finds me here,” Johnny said with a shaky voice as he studied Jared’s face for a reaction.

“Hurting us? What do you mean, hurting us? Pops has about six or seven guns, and I’m pretty sure he could beat some ass,” Jared said in a much calmer tone. “Dude, he’s not going to find you here, and even if he does there’s not a damn thing he can do about you being here. You’re eighteen years old, you’re here on your own free will, and there’s nothing he can do to you. Did he beat you, man? Did your dad beat you or something?” Jared asked yet again.

“I don’t know,” Johnny said as he turned from Jared and began walking back to the house.

“What you mean you don’t know?” Jared demanded in a calm, yet stern, voice as Johnny continued to walk, hoping the question would fade like a bruise. “Dude, why won’t you just talk to me? What do you mean you don’t know?” Jared repeated the question in a more demanding tone of voice as he began walking to keep up with Johnny.

“He used cigarettes and belts and sometimes nothing,” Johnny said softly as his pace began to increase, Jared now close behind him.

“What do you mean? He smoked? What do you mean he used nothing?” Jared continued as Johnny stopped walking and put his hands back behind his head, turning to face his friend. He stared blankly at the ground, eyes fixed, with a statue like composure. Without making eye contact, he stood motionless for a few more seconds.

“He would wake me up for school with cigarettes on my back when I was sleepin’. He used the belt a lot, and sometimes he would leave his belt buckle on if I had been really outta line. Sometimes he was just too mad to take the belt off so he’d just start punching me; he didn’t use anything else, just his hands.” Johnny put his hands down and briefly made eye contact with Jared, whose mouth was hanging open in disbelief.

Johnny turned from his speechless friend and began walking again. The confessing teen was surprised that he didn’t have the oppressive sense of guilt that usually accompanied any slight disclosures. This was more than a slight disclosure; this was the first time the boy had said out loud what had taken place in his father’s house. The black eyes, busted and fat lips, and bruises in every stage of healing spoke for themselves to several classmates, teachers, and other people in the boy’s life who chose to look the other way.

This, however, was more than that; this was the first time the boy had told anyone what his father had done to him. He didn’t feel guilty, he didn’t feel relieved, he merely felt numb and empty as he walked on the Louisiana dirt road. He walked a bit further before he heard Jared run up behind him.

Jared ran in front of Johnny and placed his hand up to stop the boy from walking any further.

Johnny looked at Jared as his friend’s eyes glistened with tears in the moonlight.

“Dude, I’m not sure…I don’t even know what to say. But, dude, I meant what I said, you really are my best friend. I don’t think you’re a freak, and if that motherfucker shows up anywhere in this parish I swear to God he’s gonna regret it,” Jared said as he put his hand down and stepped back.

Before Johnny could respond, two more headlights appeared behind them.

“Aww, shit, I bet that’s Mom and Pops. They said they were heading home.”

As Jared stared up at the lights, Johnny grabbed the boy’s arm and looked at him as desperation made its way up trachea and tightened in his throat.

“Please, don’t tell your folks about this. I don’t wanna talk about it anymore tonight,” the boy pleaded with his friend.

“No worries,” Jared replied, “it’s been a long day, I say we just catch a ride home and get some shut eye.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

Preparation

Johnny woke up at nearly nine to the sound of slamming metal in the front yard. A horse trailer full of round fold-up tables and chairs was Johnny’s wake up call. After Johnny finished rinsing the toothpaste out of his mouth, he headed to Jared’s room to see if the boy was awake or not. Johnny felt rested, like he could do a little heavy lifting, so he was hoping Jared would be up for it as well. As he knocked lightly on the door, he heard someone coming up the stairs.

“Good morning, sunshine,” Graye said as she appeared at the top of the stairs. “Sweetie, if you’re looking for Jared, he’s on the couch with a wet rag on his head, and a trash can beside him. I hear you two wild men had quite a night of pizza and ice cream,” the woman said as she smiled and kissed Johnny on the forehead.

“Is he okay?” Johnny asked with concern in his voice as he headed toward the stairs to see his friend.

“Oh, he’s just suffering from the friendly symptoms that come with being a little lactose intolerant,” the woman replied as Johnny headed down the stairs.

“Man, are you okay? You look like hell,” Johnny asked as he stepped off the staircase and approached the couch. Jared was in a white tank-top undershirt and old shorts with a rag on his forehead. His stomach looked swollen and bloated as he held it with both hands.

“Dude, my gut is hard as a rock. I’m plum miserable,” the boy said as he began rubbing and pushing on his lower abdomen with both hands.

“Man that looks painful. You look kinda like you’re pregnant,” Johnny said as he stared at Jared’s swollen belly.

Jared began to chuckle a little as Johnny sat down on the coffee table across from him.

“Do you think you’ll be okay by tonight?” Johnny asked, concerned as he watched Jared grimace in discomfort.

“Oh, yea, dude. It happens sometimes, I’ll be good to go for some serious eats tonight,” Jared replied, however, his facial expression and the way he was rubbing his stomach made the boy’s words less than convincing.

“I’m gonna go and ask your dad if he wants some help setting up, you want anything?” Johnny stood from the coffee table, stretching and yawning.

“Nah, man. Pops will probably appreciate the help though.”

“Johnny!” an excited Bryce came running through the front door with her rambunctious sidekick, Bethany, not far behind her. The little girl smiled as she ran to Johnny and hugged him, “Come see the lights me and Momma hung up!” Bryce grabbed Johnny’s hand and led him to the front porch as Graye began descending the staircase. As they exited the house, Johnny saw the hanging orange and white string lanterns draped across the front of the porch awning. There were already several serving tables either set up, or leaning against the north end of the house. Most of the chairs were still folded at the end of the house too.

“They’re beautiful, you and your momma did a great job!” Johnny praised the little girl as Graye appeared at the screen door, watching the two interact. “Where’s your daddy at?” Johnny asked the girl as she stared proudly at her work.

“He’s in the barn, getting the game stuff. Where is your daddy, Johnny?” the little girl asked innocently as she looked at the boy with a smile. As Johnny looked at her, his mind immediately went back to the previous night’s events. He was somewhat embarrassed at the mistaken identity, but he had yet to acquire the normal sense of guilt he was so accustomed to when he disclosed details of his past.

“I’m gonna go help your dad, Bryce,” the teen said, smiling at the little girl who had messy hair and a big smile across her face.

“Well, then I’m gonna go with you!” the little girl proclaimed happily.

“B, Momma needs your help up here,” Graye chimed in from behind the screen door. The little girl looked disappointed at her mom.

“Aww, man. Okay, Momma. I’ll help you.”

The day was beautiful, and there was even a slight breeze, which seemed to carry the lingering scent of skunk from the penned dogs. As Johnny reached the barn, he saw a filthy, dusty Jackson pulling items out of a large plywood crate. He imagined this was the stuff that little Bryce was talking about. The three dogs were sleeping lazily in their crates, more than likely out of extreme boredom.

“Hey there, bud. You come to get dirty?” Jackson asked as he held a croquet mallet up proudly.

“Yes, sir,” Johnny replied as he walked in to examine the equipment more closely.

“Your buddy still gassed up?” Jackson asked, smiling at Johnny as he dusted his dark blue jeans off with his free hand.

“He spared me the details, but he looks like he’s about to pop.” Johnny continued to look at the game pieces and was growing increasingly interested in the concept.

“I don’t know what that boy was thinking. Ice cream will tear him up every time, and he ate almost half a gallon,” Jackson said as he picked up one of the croquet pieces. “Have you ever played?” Jackson asked the boy as he set the mallet down and walked toward the lowered tailgate of the truck, grabbing the large glass of iced sweet tea. The condensation on the glass made Johnny’s mouth water.

“Nope. It looks kinda cool though, do you play a lot?” Johnny squatted down and picked up the large wooden red ball. It looked weathered, as there were several scuff marks and large chips of paint were missing.

“I used to. It’s more for the kiddos than anything. You know, bud, there’s gonna be quite a few people here tonight. I just want you to know that if at any time you don’t feel comfortable, you and Jared can leave the scene and go game in the basement.”

“I’m sorry about Tracy,” Johnny said as his thoughts transitioned from intrigue to shame in a matter of a few seconds.

“No. You’ve got nothing to apologize for. That’s not even what I’m getting at, bud. I just want you to know that you don’t have to feel obligated to be around a bunch of people you don’t know if you aren’t up for it.” Jackson took a huge gulp from his tea and sat the glass back down on the tailgate.

“Graye’s taken care of your school records request, we just need to get your medical records, and you’ll be good to go in a few weeks. Are you excited about starting school with Jared?” Jackson asked.

“Yea, I’m nervous as all hell, but I’m excited to get this year done with,” the boy replied as he offered a slight smile.

“Well, we need to sit down with you and Jared and talk about college. I know Jared wants to go to school in town so he can stay out here—he really liked the tour of McNeese. What were you thinking?” Jackson asked as Johnny had no clue how to respond. College had never been a valid option for him.

“Oh, I don’t think I’m gonna go to college. Not yet, anyways,” Johnny said as he put his head down, kicking up dirt. This was a sore subject for the boy. He was naturally intelligent, and despite the extreme adversity he had endured, he did surprisingly well in school, and even enjoyed his studies.

“Why are you wanting to wait, bud?”

“I think I’m going to get a good paying job and save a year or two, and then I’ll probably go.” Johnny wasn’t necessarily comfortable talking about furthering his education after high school, but there was really no way of getting out of it.

“So, you’re gonna get this great job right out of high school, huh?” Jackson asked, smiling at the boy as he looked up at the man. “What are you wanting to be when you’re all grown up?” Jackson asked with a playful tone to his voice.

Johnny didn’t take long to respond, this question he could answer confidently, “I think I wanna be like Brian; I mean, I don’t wanna be gay, I wanna help people by talking to ’em.”

Jackson began to chuckle. “Well,” the man said, smiling, “I think you’re gonna do great at helping people. I do, however, think it would be a better idea that you start as soon as you’re done with high school. I know Jared would be thrilled if you went to McNeese with him.”

Johnny thought that surely Jackson could understand that he didn’t have the money to pay for a college education. He didn’t understand why the man was being so persistent.

“Listen, Johnny. If you are serious about going to school next year, then we’re gonna make sure you go to school. My wife and I have been very blessed, and we have already decided we’d love to help you through school if that’s what you’re wanting to do, and you don’t need to worry about paying for it, just concentrate on getting the grades, and not letting those girls get in the way.”

Johnny stared at Jackson; he remained completely speechless—his jaw lifelessly agape. There were no words to thank someone for such selfless generosity. The boy felt his mouth form an uncontrollable smile, his insides tingling as he placed his hands behind his head, drawing in a deep breath.

Jackson took a few steps in his direction,

“I haven’t seen my boy this happy and carefree in a while, he absolutely loves having you here. My wife loves you to death, and is thrilled with your decision to stick around. Bryce talks about the new boy nonstop, and even Daryl Morris spoke very highly of you during our thirty minute phone call this morning, that nosey bastard. We’re all glad you’re here, bud, and I’d personally like to see you stick around. You boys can stay at the house while you get your degrees, that way you’re not worrying about paying bills and recovering from hangovers. Paying for school is something I refer to as seed money. We help you out, and in turn you take what we’ve given and do something awesome for yourself and others around you. It’s all about growing something great, something to be proud of. I know…I know that sounds cheesy as hell, but the greatest man I’ve ever known, my father-in-law, told me the same thing once when I was just a bit older than you.”

Johnny may have been looking at the ground, but the kid could feel his excitement beaming, and he couldn’t hide it. The idea that a college education could actually be in his future sent a euphoric surge through him that he couldn’t contain.

“So, does that sound like something we can shake on?” Jackson asked, smiling as he walked toward Johnny with his hand extended.

Johnny, somewhat embarrassed by his uncontrollable smile, shook the man’s hand.

“I don’t…I don’t even know what to say, sir.” Johnny said as Jackson put his large hand on top of the boy’s head, gently shaking it.

“You don’t need to say anything. I think that smile says it all. I love ya, bud, and I’m thankful you’ve decided to stay here with this family.”

Jackson’s words were almost foreign to the boy. Johnny couldn’t remember a single time that his father ever told him that he loved him. To Thomas Tregalis, the word love meant weakness, and was to be ridiculed and disgraced and beaten into something unrecognizable. Johnny did love this family, more than they could imagine, but he wasn’t even near ready to make that proclamation. Johnny briefly looked up at Jackson, making split-second eye contact.

“So, you wanna help me set up all those damn tables? I think that’s gonna take a bit of time, and that damn party tent gives me hell every year,” Jackson said as he turned from Johnny and began walking to the door.

“Yea, of course, whatever you need me to do,” Johnny said graciously. The boy didn’t have the emotional capacity to process everything all at once, and he felt like he was almost in a state of shock. He understood that, to the Everetts, displays of affection were a daily activity that strengthened the bond of the family. To Johnny, although it wasn’t necessarily unwelcome, it was something he was going to need to adjust to, and coupled with the idea of going to college, it was almost overbearing. The boy felt himself begin to smile again as he followed Jackson out of the barn.