A New Family

Chapter 9

A New Family

 

Trust is not something you give lightly, as Mrs. Downing closed the door and took her seat next to me, she calmly raked me over the coals; when she spoke my real name. “Eric, I don’t understand why you felt the need to keep your real name a secret, but after a long talk with your Grandmother, she gave me the reason why you prefer it. She did seem surprised when I mentioned the name you gave me.”

Her eyes crinkled and asked if that was the name I would prefer going by, as Mr. Downing took the only seat in the room. She told him what the name EJ meant and seemed amused. They asked the story behind my wounds. I nodded to indicate that I would like to go by EJ and gave them the details, as little as I could and watched his bright blue eyes turn to a stormy gray; the way that Jeff’s did when he was upset over the trouble I was in. 

Mrs. Downing’s eyes seemed to melt into pools of steel beams when she raked her eyes over me clarifying the injuries in her mind. If my parents were in the room they might be dead or wishing they were as Mr. Downing arms tensed. She asked, “I am assuming your Grandmother doesn’t know about this considering she seemed surprised how badly hurt you were.”

I answered no; trying to moisten my throat, and then told them that I had planned to stop by and inform her personally, but ended up here instead. Mrs. Downing rolled her eyes as Mr. Downing chuckled, but soon stopped as she folded her arms and glared at him. I knew I was being a smart mouth and replied: “Sorry ma’am, it’s just that I have been through a lot lately and didn’t mean to be smart about it.”

She squeezed my hand. “You should know up front we do not condone lying, but I will let it go for now considering you had good reason by doing so. Personally, I like the name EJ and it seems to fit you and so that’s what we will call you.” She also informed me that my Grandmother would be here within the hour and Doctor Hatfield would be in to check on me at shortly after and asked if I was in any pain.

I said yes and she handed me a couple of pills from the pill bottle and a glass of cool water to swallow them with. I had really had a bad headache because of my poor eyesight and not wearing my glasses. My parents had them when they left me nothing but my boxers. I could see fairly well without them. Just couldn’t read anything that wasn’t in very large print or to see with more clarity instead of the haze that I see when looking closely at things or people.

For those that have read my series What’s Behind The Looking Glass, I have taken out the fiction regarding some moments. I won’t say which ones for those cheaters out there, but I can tell you this. My Grandmother is nothing like the one described in my series, but it comforts me knowing that everyone likes my Grandmother. Even though anyone that knows her thinks she’d get a kick out of how I have transformed her character. For if she was anything like her, I doubt she would have been easily lied to and would have done something about this a long time ago; instead of letting happen time and time again. But don’t feel too disappointed; she still had plenty of spunk when she got riled up.

While I waited for my Grandmother and the pain pills to kick in Mr. and Mrs. Downing introduced me to the rest of the family which turned out to be half the county. Julie was the first one as she squeezed my hand and being the oldest of the five children at the young age of nineteen and took after her mother with the same hair coloring but wore her hair down slightly below her shoulders and put flowers in her hair. Julie had deep blue eyes like her mother and her brothers except for Anna and Sam the youngest of her three brothers. She had a small petite frame and was considered very mature and pretty for her age.

She loved all her brothers and her sister Anna, considered them her best friends. She was a tomboy at heart loved to tease and wrestle with them on the floor or in the dirt. Had done so often enough when they and she were younger while other girls went to parties or played with their dolls. She’d rather stay home and spend time with her family. More so since she graduated from Payson High School two years ago and never looked back while her friends went onto college. The family was her most important goal.

Anna stood next to Julie and gave her the space so I could see her and the rest of them as they stood silently against the bedroom wall. She to was a tomboy at heart and could feel comfortable wearing jeans rather than nice farmer dresses like her sister Julie and her mother. She was considered short for her age at five feet "two, but that didn’t stop her from beating her brothers when came to wrestling.  Her eyes were a soft chocolate brown which went well with her light brown hair that when the morning sun shined on it turned it to golden honey.

Anna was known for her stubborn streak that matched her mothers. Some times she worries that her family hid things from her because she does not act as mature as her sister Julie. Thinking they needed to always have to handle her with kid gloves. If only they could see her who she really is, not a little girl anymore but a young woman. Perhaps after she graduates from High School this coming year, things will change for her like they did for her sister. There is nothing more she loves than having her bothers around her all the time and being with her sister and mother. She hopes when she grows up she can make them proud of her.

Robert is the type of guy that takes life seriously when it comes to making a hard decision. He has always looked up to his father and knows without a doubt he can talk about anything with him without feeling embarrassed regarding any subject. He too like his sister Julie was very mature for his age of a fourteen-year-old teenager. But he feels that time has slowed down as he watched other kids his age go out and do things that neither his Pa nor his Ma would approve of; while inside wishes he could just grow up to be an adult today instead of waiting. He had plenty to do right here helping his Pa take care of the farm than getting in more trouble. If it was one thing he learned it was responsibly and be responsible for your action or suffers the consequences.

Robert resembled his father regarding his broad shoulders and hair color of soft brown hair and blue eyes or should he say one blue eye and one green eye depending on the light. He stood tall at an average height of five feet six inches. Lengthy and sprite when he moved and considered doing nothing more than being with or playing and teasing his two brothers Will and Sam. Yet some times he did not agree on things regarding his sisters Julie and Anna, but no matter how hard they made him blush or teased him. He loved them and held them in high regard when asking for advice.

Will was 13 and the same age as me. Still very much a kid at heart getting in trouble whenever he could, but he was not considered a bad kid wanting attention. Yet it was true he acted out more for the fun than question the consequences. To say he was a handful at times would be stating the true nature of his fun-loving self. He too took life seriously like his brother Robert, just not as serious as he would have liked. He preferred to play in the sun and fish and swim in the pond near the house more often than he did his chores and has been grounded more times than he can count.

Will was still waiting for his growth to kick in like his brother. Not just because his brother Robert and his friends at school teased him about it enough. He tried to stand tall a four-feet eight inches, with his size six feet, unlike his bothers size nine. It was true he’d never be a basketball star or make the team playing football, but there was always track. After all, he has to outrun his sisters from time to time.

Will liked to wear his hair long just barely over his ears and enough to keep it out of his deep blue eyes like his mother. He was proud of his lengthy stride and his high cheekbones like his Ma. He always had a smile for a girl whenever they would wave to him in the hallway or the classroom as he watched his brother roll his eyes.  He was known as the jokester yet he could be the sweetest guy around when he chose to.

Sam was the youngest of the five children age 8 and a half; roughly a little younger as my brother Aaron.  He has the most adorable puppy dog brown eyes that would make you melt when you look at him. It was true he was short for his age at three feet and two inches. He had a tendency of jumbling his words when he got upset or nervous and was worse around strangers. His thick brown hair would curl at the ends when it needed to be cut or combed and still had his cute baby face with his strong jawline was just shaping like his Pa’s and his brothers.

His favorite thing to do was to play in the dirt or wrestle with his brothers and sisters. Sam like most boys his age hated bath time and would run until caught. But once he was in the tub. He would play with his little sailboats while his brothers or sisters would bathe him. If he had a favorite chore on the farm it would be feeding the chickens and the horses. The pigs always seemed to be too smelly for his taste, but he could see the advantages of playing in the cool mud as he dug his bare toes into the dirt. He hated shoes like me and went barefoot whenever given the chance which was most of the time considering Ma didn’t like us wearing shoes in the house and preferred we all went barefoot to prevent always mending our socks.

That my friends is the Downing’s; my one and only true family, but I don’t want to jump the gun after all a life story is a life story.

It wasn’t long after I met everyone that Mrs. Downing shooed everyone from the room and left to answer the doorbell. Mr. Downing stayed in the room with me; I told him I would be fine if he had things to do other than watch paint dry, but he wouldn’t hear of it. For once I was glad. I was already convinced that he was a stand-up guy and I could easily see him as my father; the one I have always wanted.

I knew deep down that wasn’t going to happen for reasons I will never understand. The Downing’s are neither LDS nor part of any faith that I was a were of and were not foster parents granted in the state of Utah.  Two strikes against them and my Grandmother hadn’t even met them. I knew without a doubt that I was either going to be sent home or going to another foster home. I tried to shut my eyes as I wrestled with the problems of my certain doom.

It wasn’t long before I heard my Grandmother’s voice as she gasped seeing my black and blue face as if I had been in a prize fight; which wouldn’t be all that far from the truth. Along with the cuts and scrapes that covered my face and arms almost made her knees give way, as Mr. Downing quickly guided her to the chair. I heard her slump as she looked me up and down in somebody else’s bed. Her husband brought in two folding chairs, taking one of them for himself.  

Grandma introduced herself to Mr. Downing taking his hand giving him a firm handshake. Julie brought in some tea and a fresh pitcher of ice water and set it on the table and poured me a glass before leaving the room. My Grandmother was not a patient woman as she sat drumming her fingers on the chair declining the tea, and poured water instead. I knew my case was lost before it even began with the question regarding religion.

My Grandmother seemed calmed even though they said they are not LDS or part of any other religion. All she asked was "Do you believe in God?" My mouth went dry fearing the answer, but the answer was yes. So why was my Grandmother not concerned considering she’s the one that has harped on it the most? Making damn sure that any home I was placed in had without a doubt met this criterion.

“Alright EJ,” she said. “You and I have some decisions to make, but first I want to hear your side of the story and don’t you dare leave anything out. I believe I have been lied to enough these last couple of days. Your parents say you are at some scout camp, yet here you are lying in bed so beat up that I barely recognized you when I walked through the door, and I believe these nice folks deserve the same courtesy; so young man lets hear it from the top. I want the whole story not just bits of pieces this time.”

Two hours later and half drained pitcher of water; I started from the top repeated everything that you have read up to this point. I have never lied to my Grandmother and she knew it as she and Mrs. and Mr. Downing wiped the tears from their eyes. I felt bad laying my problems at their feet, but I didn’t have anyone I else I could talk too or turn to regard them. I did however left out the part of me running off to Las Vegas with my brother Aaron. Somehow I don’t think my Grandmother would have been proud of me. Despite how badly injured I was.

When my Grandmother makes a decision, it may as well be cut in stone as she leaned over and kissed my bruised cheek and I asked if I could use the bathroom before I peed all over myself again from all the water I drank; plus my stomach was beginning to feel cramped. She giggled with one more kiss announcing to the world that I needed to go to the bathroom. My face turned red with embarrassment, but Mr. Downing didn’t hesitate as he picked me up wrapped the sheet around me and carried me down the hall setting me on the porcelain thrown closing the door while he waited for me on the other side.

It wasn’t long before Dr. Hatfield arrived, and I was right, I had heard that name before as my Grandmother was talking up a storm as they were getting reacquainted while she introduced me to him by shaking his hand. Doctor Hatfield is known as Doctor Richard Hatfield, the last of his breed known to make house calls in Santaquin county; his office 113 main street and three stores down from Stringum Goods & Hardware. And right next to the Santaquin Pharmacy. If you’ve ever been in Santaquin you’d blink and miss it, but Doc didn’t mind. He loved small towns where everyone one knew everyone and their business.

Heck, he’s birthed and raised half the county for going on sixty years. Some would say back in the days he was a ladies man. With his dark brown hair now white as snow right down to his handlebar mustache and bushy eyebrows. Most people would think he be impostor to Kernel Sanders it wasn’t for his height just below five feet and seven inches. He served in Second World War taking and trained the best nursing staff a hospital could be found.

He may have been old fashioned, but no doctor could beat his bedside manner or his temper. Doc Hatfield was known to toss a gurney through a door, but when all was said and done; he did his job and he did it well. Better than most doctors today. He always looked his best with a smart bowtie with different colored spots to get the attention of his cliental. Man or beast paid him sometimes in coin sometimes in whatever they got or made. All he cared about was their welfare, not his own and a good friend to have on your side.

Doc did his best as he reexamined me from head to toe. Making sure I was well covered around the waist so I wouldn’t be embarrassed as we listen to him tsk a lot. And I would jump or scream out in pain when he touched the more sensitive wounds. My Grandmother was becoming really mad. Mad enough to chew nails and bit their heads off before spitting them out. I have never seen my Grandmother so angry as I repeated the same story over again to him, while he wrote it all down and took pictures of the injuries. To document the abuse by my parents and my sister Susan had caused me not more than three or four days ago. I still looked like a bruised piece of fruit that had sat in the sun too long.

By the time he was done and wrote up a prescription for the pain and one to help me sleep due to the night terrors that I was guaranteed to have for a very long time. He and my Grandmother were off to file custody papers having her say. “Stay in that bed and I will return with your brother; hopefully by dinner time and your glasses if they are still in one piece; if not I will you get another pair.”

She tsk’ ed at the very thought on how many pair of glasses a boy like me went through. “Then me and you are going to have a nice long chat,” emphasizing the word long. Mr. Downing walked them back down the hall as Mrs. Downing sat with me only leaving me long enough to start dinner and giving orders to her boys to set up a bed and a cot for my brother and my Grandmother while her husband brought in her suitcase and set it in the corner.

Apparently, my Grandmother was staying long enough to decide what to do with my sorry a*s. It was a shame that I couldn’t stay here. But as I said before they did not meet her requirements, and I have never seen her back down from them not even once. I could argue with her until I was blue in the face before she would back down. Most likely I’d be here long enough to the point I was out of danger due to my fever, and be placed in the car and move in with her so she could care for me until a foster home could be found meeting those requirements. And once again I would have to change schools not that this one matter to me and school would be out in a matter of a few days anyway.

Knowing from experiences and due to my attendants and poor grades I knew without a doubt that I would be attending summer school; while the other students were allowed those few months off playing in the sun. Providing I lived long enough and providing my parents don’t come after me once they find out where I have been hiding and the small matter of being that I am still alive. 

I know people question the laws back then and have a hard time believing that this kind of abuses can happen and the fact they can get away with it. But I tell you it did happen the way I said it did back then, yet I can say without a doubt that if these things happened today with the new laws that are in place. People like my parents would be rotting in jail, but pick up a newspaper or watch the news, you will find that still happens even today. It is just harder to get away with it.

Reviews

[M Garcia]

Great chapter. I was about to repeat myself here. I am off to read more.

[Shep]

thanks for the review

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

I’m reading backwards sorry I got confused with chapters anyway this ones good