Guests part 2

Chapter 51-1

Guests

Part 2

 

Mom had previously called each of the parents to bring clothes they could change into because they would all get wet and their scriptures. Giving the break down what Dad and Shane had planned for the lesson with outdoor games. Time was given for everyone to change like the girls. Mom had the boys do the dishes, since they had already come in shorts, and all the fathers as well. Brother Nile's and Dad were about the same size so he borrowed a pair from him so he wouldn’t have to run home.

Dad would divide into teams of 3 with six people on each team for the obstacle course. Tossing water balloons to their partners to place 6 balloons per person in their buckets on their team without breaking them; with a card with a scripture on it that they had to look up for each balloon when they accomplished the task.

Then moving on to the final phase where they would wheelbarrow their partner across the finish line with a hard-boiled egg in their mouth at the end of a spoon, and drop it into a glass jar designated for their team. The trick was they had to rotate each of their teammates, until they each got to look up, toss, and catch then wheelbarrow each person on their team. Before the other teams made it to the finish line; the winner with the most eggs wins. Trust me not an easy task, but fun when it’s hot outside.

Everyone was nice and cool and wet; having the time of their lives as they helped each of their teammates across the finish line. Having a quick prayer and wrapping their wet clothes into their towels it was soon time to end the night on a high note. It was decided that each of the families would rotate each month on continuing the new tradition. All I can say was Shawn missed out on a night of fun; having to still do his 20 laps while everyone else was preparing for bed, noting it was still a school night. Dad hosed Shawn off before Mom would even allow him in the house. I was so tired and wired considering our team won by two eggs, by the time the drugs kicked in I was already out cold.

It was nearly 5:30 by the time Mom woke me for breakfast. While everyone else was getting showered and dressed for school, Dad had left early as I watched him pull out of the driveway. Mom taking my morning stats like she does every morning and making sure we all had a good hot breakfast and pills I needed and keeping an eye on the clock. I envied them as I watched Shane walk Arthur down to the corner to catch the bus right at 7:30. The house was once again quiet with just Mom and me and being the last one to bathe before Mr. Pratt arrived. He was 5 min early by the time Mom had I dressed and ready at the table with my notebooks and lots of sharpened pencils.

Mom opened the door letting him in, saying “good morning Mrs. Rothwell, it feels like rain on the horizon.” Setting his briefcase on the table and opening the test where I had left off yesterday. Mom looked at the clear blue sky seeing not so much as wisps of a cloud. Frowned when she noticed he hadn’t removed his shoes tracking dirt onto her clean carpet. She growled. “You either kindly remove your shoes right this minute or you can teach or whatever you do outside.”

Mr. Pratt nodded and apologized saying he had quite forgotten, noticing the dirt he had tracked in the door leading all the way to the table. Mom liked a clean house and shoes had no business walking on her clean carpets. Kindly waited for him to do so and handed him a broom and the dustpan pointing to the floor. Stating she had enough to do as it is, telling him next time he won’t forget. Reminding him, he had to be out that door by no later than 12:00 or she would throw him out by his coattails. Again he apologized and set to his task cleaning up the mess he had left. Grumbling “that he was not a butler or a maid nor a babysitter;” Mom stared him down; that it was best to remain on her good side and quietly cleaned up his mess.

Mom smiled seeing his big toe sticking out of his socks, personally, I thought it was the highlight of her morning and surprised she didn’t make him take those off as well. But instead, she smiled and went about doing her daily household chores. Watching him become part of the furniture as he sat reading a book, the same one he was reading the day before. We laughed when he started snoring, only to jerk up quickly hearing us move about the room. I had finished the boring test and was waiting for him to finish grading it. Taking a quick bathroom break wondering where I had gone off too. Mom tapped her foot sitting at the table asked. “Well Mr. Pratt, you have almost an hour and a half left. Do you plan to teach him or want to give him more tests?”

Mr. Pratt looked at the clock and stating that I didn’t take as long as he expected me too. But he had already gone over most of it. That I indeed was at the top of my class and shouldn’t have any need to hold me back in the 8th grade. According to the scores, that everything from his POV would only be a refresher course to maintain what I had learned until I attended school in the later part of the year.

Mom stating. “Yes, but the arrangement had been made, and he will attend Lehi Jr. High as planned and it is not up for debate.” Mr. Pratt nodded said “he wanted to state that from this moment on he would be preparing me for an early start in the 9th grade, instead of having to backtrack going over the same martial that I had already learned. Regardless if they had made pre unnecessary arrangements and will document it with my caseworker and note it in my file; that I should be in enrolled at Lehi High school in the 9th grade this year.

Mom was angry when she said. “Fine, prepare him for the 9th grade and he will coast through the 8th grade with a better understanding that will prepare him to tackle the 9th grade next year and will be one step ahead of his classmates. Either way, he will be attending the 8th grade regardless. During the third block and fourth block as we arranged with his caseworker. Now since you have no further need of him today. I suggest you leave and call me when or if you are ready to continue;” pointing to the door.

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Block scheduling is a type of academic scheduling in which each student has fewer classes per day (common in middle and high schools) (e.g. 4) Each class is scheduled for a longer period of time than normal (e.g. 90 minutes). In one form of block scheduling, a single class will meet every day for a number of weeks, after which another class will take its place. In another form, daily classes rotate through a changing daily cycle.

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Which was a new form of schooling that recently started to take place in some parts of the school district at the time; unlike now it is more of common practice? It also allowed me to bank more credits then I needed before I graduated from High School giving me 3 options, Attend college early, get a GED instead and joining the military or spend my last year and a half coasting until graduation; by doing other things. Like becoming a teachers aid, work in the school cafeteria in food prep and washing dishes. Work in the library as one of the aids. And become involved in drama (plays, stage crew ect.)

I chose to coast and take the GED which banked more credits than I would need to graduate but didn’t bring enough to allow me to graduate early. I was stamped 4F un-medically fit to join the military another thing my father held against me when it was his fault causing PTSD and night terrors. So I coasted through taking the required class I couldn’t score high enough, on like English and math. Which ended up only one actual class per day two maximum.

Mr. Pratt placed my test into his briefcase. Stating he will be in contact after he contacts both schools and sees what he will be needing to teach and return on Monday with my textbooks and schedule of what I would be taking in the near future. Mom walked him to the door handing him his shoes and slamming the door saying “you do that;” grumbling what an infuriating man.

Mom decided to skip my nap considering it was too early for lunch and was too early to change my bandages. So we hopped in the car and ran some errands and stopped at local McDonald's in town and had unhealthy burgers and fries and two large milkshakes. On our way back we stopped at American Fork High School pool and soaked in the pool just the two of us or she soaked and I swam jumping off the diving board practicing my cannon balls. When we were nice and cool she signed me up and the entire family for a membership. By the time we got home there were two police cars and Dad looking at a map with brother Nile's; Mom grumbling “Dad” as we pulled in asking him “what is going on is the house on fire?”

Dad breathed a sigh of relief seeing me telling her he had thought I had run away and she was out looking for me. The officer asked if I was the one they were looking for. Dad nodded that I was and called off the search. Telling Mom next time please leave a note so they wouldn’t spend unnecessary resources looking for a kid that wasn’t missing. Mom agreed stating she wasn’t expecting her husband to come home early or there would be no reason for a note. A cell phone would have been nice to have, but again they weren’t invented yet.

Dad asked if I would be willing to go with brother Nile's until dinner was ready so he could spend some time alone with Mom. I nodded that it would be fine. I couldn’t decide if he was mad or worried. Until I overheard that my parents had stopped by looking for me. I froze in mid step. Until Scott knelled down and looked me in the eyes seeing the fear. Telling me to take a deep breath and breathe. I nodded and feeling unsafe and walked quickly to his house with my eyes scoping the area. I heard him bolt the door and told me to go to the room I was in yesterday so he could secure the house.

By the time he came in I was shaking in fear; nearly jumped right out of my skin as he closed the door to my room. Placed me into his arms telling me I was safe, nothing was going too happened to me. I knew somebody told them where I was, but the question was who? The phone rang startling me, out of my thoughts; letting Scott answer it. Scott said it wasn’t a problem and hung up the phone. I heard the water running in the tub, and watched him come back in saying that Dad thought it best that I stay here overnight. To make sure that if my parents came back that I wouldn’t be anywhere they would expect to find me. Somehow that didn’t make feel any better, but I nodded that it would be fine.

Dad brought over my backpack with everything I would need. Telling him they were still on for scouts and he and Mom decided that they would all join us so everyone was together. So if my parents did come back nobody would be home. We had learned that it was the Payson School District that had notified my parents that my records had been transferred and was confused to why I hadn’t been in school. Scott said the more the merrier asking if Arthur would be joining us. Dad said he decided it wasn’t a good idea and didn’t want to put stress on the boy.

I knew the real reason; it was the marks and scars that would bring up questions. Scott didn’t push it. Telling Dad he had just run a warm tub for me hoping to relax me. Dad said that was a good idea and would be meeting us at the pool around 7:00. Scott was right the warm tub did relax me. Even better knowing I was completely safe here in Scott’s house. I didn’t have to worry about the monsters breaking loose or the wild anger of Dad or Moms lashing out at me. My shoulders and muscles relaxed feeling the warm water as I closed my eyes in total bliss.

We ordered pizza and watched TV until the rest of the scouts arrived. At 6:00 and went over the material that we would be doing tonight. Shane pulled me side asking me if I was alright I nodded I was fine even though I wasn’t… knowing that my parents now know where I lived. In fact, it terrified me. Shane told me that Dad said for him not to leave my side for any reason until the threat was gone. Asking Scott which room I would be staying in so he could drop off his sleeping bag and personal items. Scott told him two doors down on the right. Shane nodded and came back afterward to help look after me.

If I wasn’t clean now I certainly wouldn’t be; after two baths and two trips to the pool. Mom and my sisters waved to us while I was scoping out the area just in case my parents showed up here, looking for me. Dad noticed as I stood watching the doors and squeezed my shoulders telling me that wasn’t a chance they would allow them to come anywhere near me. But I have heard those words many times and still, my parents found me, it didn’t matter who I was with nor did it matter where I was; they still found me and I would pay the consequences for it.