Four: Give In

I mulled over walking over to the Finster home, knocking on the door, and demanding Greg come outside to see his son.

 

I replayed the scenario each time in my head and it never ended well. Liam moved around in his crib, but never woke up. He was so tired from his exciting day out that he would be asleep for hours.

 

After an hour in deep thought I grew tired and left my bedroom to head for the kitchen. I hadn't eaten anything all day because I was trying to lose the baby weight. So far I had great success, but who knew how long that would last.

 

This years summer had come on uneventfully. I spent most of my time in my room with Liam. He was my entire world and there wasn't anything I wouldn't do for him.

 

Once I made my sandwich I headed back up stairs where I ate in silence and then dozed off.

 

I awoke to knocking on my door. I looked over at the crib and Liam was now standing up holding the bars, smiling at me.

 

My door swung open before I could tell whoever was knocking to come in.

 

"What are you still doing asleep when that baby obviously needs your attention?" Mom asked barging in.

 

"I just closed my eyes," I said, trying to move the plate off the bed as I spoke.

 

"Whatever," mom said to me, "there's some boy at the door for you. Who is he?"

 

"I don't know," I said with my eyes wide open.

 

"He knows your name so you have to know him," mom snapped.

 

I thought to myself as I tried to gather my thoughts.

 

"I feel like s**t," I moaned because my stomach was cramping.

 

"When you eat like a monster what the hell do you expect?" mom said as she moved into my room toward the crib.

 

"Not much I guess," I groaned into my pillow.

 

"I'm not going to play door man for you," mom started, "you have a beautiful child here just screaming for your attention and you'd rather spend it with some boy who won't give two licks about either of you."

 

"Oh my God," I said as I got up from the bed.

 

"You better start praying harder because Arthur and I can't support you any longer," mom said, "you need to find work. I won't have you lazying about chasing after these guys. Not this summer, not ever again."

 

"Man," I sighed as I went through my closet and pulled out some shoes.

 

"I hope you don't think I'm baby sitting for you," mom called to me as I left the room.

 

At the foot of the stairs stood Eddie, beaming from ear to ear.

 

When I reached him mom was coming down still ranting on and on.

 

"I have to bring my son with me," I said and that didn't phase him.

 

"Alright, do you have a car seat?" Eddie asked.

 

"It's in the garage," I said as I moved around him and to the kitchen.

 

"Just show me where it is and I'll put it in, stay in the house, I'll be back when I'm done," Eddie said as I opened the garage door that was connected to the kitchen.

 

"Thank you," I said to him, grateful that I wouldn't have to hear mom for much longer.

 

I turned around and took Liam out of mom's arms. She looked perturbed, but this finally stopped her rant.

 

"Who is that?" mom asked again.

 

"That's Eddie, he's Eliza cousin," I said as I finally found his name in my short term memory.

 

"I hope he likes kids!" mom said before leaving Liam and I standing there.

 

I turned around just as Eddie opened up the garage door and motioned me to come out. I did so and to the car I went.

 

I buckled in Liam into the backseat before climbing into the front with Eddie. He had the air blasting this time and the chill felt good against my face.

 

We pulled off to the right and went to the stoplights. I wasn't in the mood for talking and our silence was made comfortable by Eddie's radio. A smooth tropical beat flowed out and I immediately felt at ease.

 

Once on the freeway Eddie turned down the radio and spoke.

 

"Where's a good ice cream shop around here?" he asked me.

 

"Um, you don't know?" I said, not answering his question.

 

"My parents stayed here in California until I was eleven and then we moved to Texas," Eddie explained.

 

"Why Texas?" I asked finally daring to look at his face.

 

"Living is cheaper, people are nicer, and there's more scenery," Eddie replied, "have you ever been?"

 

"No, I've barely been out the city," I said, reminiscing about my disastrous trip to Gilroy.

 

"Too bad, Texas is beautiful. You should come visit me sometime," Eddie went on to say.

 

"Maybe, so how come you never came out to visit Eliza when she was living with the Clovers?" I asked growing braver by the minute.

 

"It's all over stuff that happened long ago and after Eliza's death I regretted that any of it had kept me from her," Eddie said and I could hear the pain in his voice.

 

"I'm sorry," I said turning away from him.

 

The sun was just beginning to go down, but I could see the heat rising off the road.

 

"Instead of ice cream, do you just want to grab dinner?" he asked me.

 

"Sure," I said.

 

How could I be mean to a guy who was still grieving over the death of his cousin?

Reviews

[Tina Kline]

Good chapter. Wonder where this guy is going to lead? I know Myra still wants Greg.
Interesting.