Buying Silence Part 1

Chapter 89

Buying Silence

Part 1

I knew what Dad was doing by arranging a quick family retreat, not only was he hiding me where no one could find me or allow me the opportunity to say what Dad had done to me and my brothers down in the basement. Dad was trying to buy my silence. I also knew why Dad had chosen to let me bring my dog and our horses.

Of course, I didn’t say anything. I simply followed orders and climbed in the truck with Sparky safely tucked away in his cage. Having Dad check to make sure the tailgate and the horse trailer were closed and locked up tight. Yet it did make me feel better knowing that with us they would be safe from harm in case our friends decided to come back. Dad took no chances of setting the alarm and listened to the three beeps telling him that he had 1 minute to leave before the doors locked or enter the code that only Mom and he only knew.

Dad didn’t take chances after last time, this time everything that could be done had been done, if the alarm went off the police would be notified and even if the power went out all the cameras and alarm would go onto battery back up. The house was locked like Fort Knox and I didn’t pity the person that thought they could get away with it a second time.

I also knew Mom. A mouse or rat would starve before they found a crumb of food left open. I also knew that every scrap of food that was in the fridge or the freezer was sitting in the back of the truck. I doubted the upstairs pantry held more than cobwebs, which said Mom and Dad wanted us far, far away from our friends. In some ways, it frightened me knowing that my parents had tried this very thing so they could kidnap me and my brother and not raise an alarm of panic.

Dad nudged me patting the seat closer to him, I hesitated and realized that unlike my father he loved me and was trying to make up for what he had done to me. Yet I couldn’t let it go so easily so I declined the offer. Telling him I didn’t want to distract him from driving. I knew I hurt him as we both looked away and listened to the radio keeping the silence between us.

It was Mom that suggested that I’d be the one to ride with Dad in hopes we could makeup or differences. By offering treats and portable 16-bit games to my two younger brothers, telling them to keep the sound down if they would both ride with her. Knowing it drove her crazy listening to the little beeps of sound over and over.

Mom had nerves of steel when it comes to staying calm, games like these unnerved her. Even more so when Shane and I had gotten an Atari when they first came out and would play it all day long until she or Dad set a time limit. Sometimes she would cuss Dad out for joining in and extending or time, going way past bedtime. Let’s just say we all had a thing for Pac-Man and Donkey-Kong and worst of all Space Invaders.

I kept my eyes on the side mirror and the road watching the countryside and Mom following behind us driving Shane’s small truck. I didn’t ask why we left the cars home, I simply knew that Kerry, her husband, and Jody would pick them up and park them in their driveway, and after all, it’s not my first rodeo which also said we would be doing so rough riding where cars weren’t welcome.

I watched as Dad pulled into the gas station to top off our gas and telling us to fill three ice chests with soda and ice, and ask the shop keeper if they could purchase 10 more stacks from the back, handing me a crisp one-hundred dollar bill telling me to keep the change.

Mom hated the idea of us drinking so much soda considering it was mostly sugar, but Mom always let it slide until after you’re sixth and sometimes you would be able to pry two more if she was in a good mood telling us to eat double our vegetables at supper time. Mom reminded Dad that she still had some shopping to do and give her the time to do it. Dad said. “Yes dear, but I want to get there sometime before morning,” which either stated he didn’t have all day or we were going somewhere really far.

Dad quickly unfolded the map running his fingers across it, telling Mom the next time we stop for gas. There should be a grocery store where she could do her shopping while we watered the horses and give us all a chance to stretch our legs, tossing the keys to me.

Mom smiled watching Dad climb into the passenger side telling me to be careful, reminding Dad I didn’t have a driver’s license. Dad waved to her as if wasn’t a big deal and made his self comfortable; I was shocked by the fact that Dad would even let me drive on the open road. Yet he had let me drive on the back roads in Highland in the car or send me for something in town every so often, but this was the first time he allowed me to drive his new truck.

I remember what Shane told me when it came to foster kids not being allowed to drive or get their driver license. Yet Dad had somehow changed his mind on a great many things regarding how a foster kid was treated in his home. The fact that I was turning 17 in December said he trusted me enough not to run away. Even Mom would let me chauffeur her every once and awhile. So when the opportunity came I took it.

I asked Dad if he was sure about this, he simply nodded his head, telling me to check and adjust my mirrors. Placed his beat-up ball cap over his eyes and grinned.  Told me too turn left and follow the road towards Provo canyon and keep going until the gas meter says a quarter of a tank.

I said. “Ok Dad, so you do realize I have never driven anything bigger than our car or pulled a trailer before?”

Dad simply reached over and placed his hand on my shoulder and said. “Son, I trust you, just take it slow and easy, you’ll be fine.”

I took a quick swallow and turned the key saying a prayer. “Oh Please God, don’t let me hit anything,” and turned on my blinker and pulled out of the gas station. I knew Dad was playing possum as I watched his jaw and arms tighten when I made the turn just a little too sharp. Yet like he said once I got the hang of it, I did just fine.

I used to get nervous whenever I saw a police car, considering I didn’t have a license, Yet not once have I ever been pulled over for it. Shane says it because most of the cops know our cars and Dad has many friends. Plus the fact I looked old enough to drive or Mom, him and Dad were with me. All I know I was shaking inside when 5 police cars passed by me and circled around started to follow me.

Dad was the only one that wasn’t nervous, not even when they flashed their lights and told me to pull over.  I thought here we go I am going to jail. I rolled down the window as Dad reached inside the glove compartment for our registration. Mom pulled forward in front of me telling the boys to wait inside the truck. I wiped my hands on my shorts several times by the time the officer’s arrived Dad was still calm as a cucumber.

Dad smiled. “Morning Officer’s,” handing him his license and registration, he asked for mine and I was about to say I didn’t have one until Dad pulled out a piece of paper. I watched stunned as Dad said that he was teaching me to drive and was enrolling me in Drivers Education in the coming fall. Providing I kept my nose clean.

My mouth flew open hearing the news for the first time. Dad grinned knowing he got the reaction he wanted. I watched as the Officer handed Dad back the documents, telling him that they had gotten alert that I was in trouble and I was out of my boundaries. Dad and I both looked at my watch, confused not seeing a single warning light blinking, yet it was quite dead that wasn’t even showing the time.

Once they realized that I was safe and my watch malfunctioned, most like from the turn-table even though we both didn’t say anything that it was more than likely that it had shorted it out. Dad simply removed it from my wrist by simply cutting the band off with his pocket knife and waited for the Officer to cancel the alert. When the alert was off, Dad reached inside the glove compartment pulling out a replacement. Stating he always has a backup, both knowing my parents and how fast I wear the watches out.

Dad told me that he gets them at a discount rate because the ones they send him are based on a study on how they can improve them. Even though he hates the questioners that he has to fill out for each watch, it pays for its self tenfold when comes to my safety.

Dad lifted off the back of the old and the new watch, placing the anti- tranquilizer compound inside the new compartment and quickly secured it to my wrist. Having the officer scan the new one into the system and waited for the yellow light and three beeps that said it was armed and ready to go.

Mom smiled and came around to the other side and gave me a kiss on the cheek. Telling me that cat had been let out of the bag and wanted to surprise me with it on my birthday in December. Dad grinned replacing his cap and made himself comfortable as I watched Mom get into the car and waited for me to pull ahead of her. I was beginning to think it was all a dream and it was one dream I didn’t want to wake up from. 

I repeated it over and over in my mind, “I am getting my license.” Then realized it was a bribe for my silence. That this whole thing was a bribe, feeling that warm fuzzy feeling leave me cold inside. I wanted to scream, I wanted to be angry at Mom and Dad for thinking it would be so easy to buy my silence. Yet deep down inside of me, I didn’t want to accept that I could be so easily bought, but in truth I was.

I didn’t help knowing that Mom and Dad knew it was one of the things I really wanted and had told me several times no because I would use it to run away so I simply stopped asking yet he and Mom been letting me do it for months hoping to make feel like every other kid my age.. I sighed and asked. “Dad, why are you really letting me get my license when all this time you and Mom had been against it, knowing if I had one I could run away?”

Dads grin faded as he lifted off his ball cap to look at me said. “Because son, you’ll be 18 in another year, and the fact you haven’t once tried to run away, have proven that we can trust you with the responsibility.”

I nodded keeping my eyes on the road said. “So it has nothing to do with putting me inside the turn-table?”

Dad didn’t answer right away placing the ball cap back over his eyes said. “Look, son, I am just showing that I can trust your judgment, but ask yourself, if you were in my shoes would you not do anything to protect your own children from harm?”

Dad did have a point I would do anything to protect my family. Yet it still felt as if Mom and Dad were buying my silence. After a long silence, Dad said. “Besides it's not that I don't know where you are every seconded, it just means we both have something to lose. You would lose the right to drive until your 18 and lose the freedom and trust that you have earned with us. I would lose you and your two brothers if it got out that I had used the turntable on you boys. So it would be best if you and I kept that secret to ourselves.”

Mom and Dad had me dead to rights, knowing if I said anything the State would take me away, and place me into a home for boys or worst send me home to live with my mother, questioning if that really wouldn’t be so bad, yet Dad and Mom where the closest thing to having real family. They also knew how I felt about my brothers being placed into the system, knowing I would never let that happen.

I knew he was waiting for my answer, but I wanted him to sweat for just a moment longer. I waited until we came to the road that would take us to our new campsite, ever since our other one had been ruined and pulled over and looked at Dad and said. “You got yourself a deal Dad, but if Shawn or Arthur tries too sexual abuse me or my brothers and you do nothing. I’ll tell everyone that will listen to me, and damn the consequences.”

Dad reached over and shook my hand letting me break contact first. Mom came to our window asking us why we had stopped, according to Dad we still had 150 more miles to go before our next stop. Dad simply said that he had decided that we should spend the night at our favorite spot and get a fresh start in the morning.

Mom simply said that was an excellent idea and told Jared and Jason the news watching them both give each other a fist bump. Dad traded places with me being the more experienced driver, and personally, I was quite relieved knowing there are several tight corners and in places that are so narrow you could easily drive off a cliff. I missed our old spot, but it would be some time if ever we would or anyone be allowed to uses it.

Dad had made an arrangement that Shawn and his friends would be the ones to fix what had been ruined regardless if it took more than 1,000 hours of community service. It would be up to them to make it right even though they didn’t help destroy it in the first place. If it took them the rest of their natural life Dad simply didn’t care. He also emptied both Shawn, Danny’s and Arthur bank account and gave the money to the game and wildlife to use it in helping them repair the damage that was done to my employer's personal property and to the spot up Santaquin Canyon. The rest would be worked off personally by them.