Departures

A Chapter by lawrence bear

Chapter Eleven

In deep thought, I didn’t know I drank what was the last of my beer. Damn, I would look at the empty can and shake it. Maybe there’s enough to quench my last bit of thirst. Oh, whom am I kidding, I was left wishing I had more. Well, the headache was gone, for now. And so was my beer. I stood by the truck, dwelling my loss.

“Out of beer?” Christian caught me in a daze.

“Yeah! Wish I had more, I have a headache this big.” I stretched my arms out.

“Wow,” He laughed. “That’s some headache!”

Laughing now, I told him what uncle had done the day before. Taking me out on the town, and now I was paying the price. I told him uncle had bought me a six-pack for the road, but I wished I had some more. But I didn’t tell him; I was starting to enjoy the little buzz I was getting before I ran out.

“I have eighteen in trunk of my car if… well, you can have it if you want.”

“Damn rights.” I quickly responded. “I mean, thanks, your number one in my books Chris.” I smirked.

He laughed, and my thoughts toward him changed. Not that he gave me beer, okay maybe a little, but we were bonding. I thought I never see myself to speak to the guy, let alone to have a beer with him. A beer!! You’re probably thinking. Of course I had a beer with him, I may be selfish, but not that selfish. Besides, the beer was his to begin with, and I didn’t want him to think of me as a jackass, if I hadn’t offered to share with him. Okay, maybe I had gotten off the wrong the foot about him, the guy wasn’t so bad. Not the way I was making him out to be anyway. Jeez, and it had to be booze that brought us together. We got some sort of connection that day, I said some, and I still bemoaned the guy.

I looked at my watch, and it was half past noon. I was feeling great; my head tingled instead of pounding. Mm, the beer tasted mighty fine. I then loaded the boat, no more complaints. Well, not at the moment. Then it was time to leave to set the nets. Uncle jumped on while I was untying the line. I was going to get in and he stopped me. I wasn’t sure why, and I figured because I had a few beers. I looked at him, with my eyes I was wondering.

“Not today,” He smiled. “Not this trip.”

“I just had a few, I’m fine.”

“Lawrence,” He stared at me. “I’m taking Christian on this one.”

That look was I don’t know, but it didn’t seem, it wasn’t him. I was mad with myself. I shouldn’t have had those beers. And he shouldn’t have invited Christian along. That guy was interfering with my quota. I was stuck for words; I didn’t really know what I felt and what to think. I was raged at Christian, I was mad as hell at him. Watching as they depart, my blood was boiling. My head started to pound again; I can feel my heart beat in it. And my eyes burned, like they were on fire. I stood there biting my tongue, the b*****d. I hope you rot in hell Christian, you c**k sucker…

I watched until they became a dot on the horizon. My heart filled with mixed emotions. I was hurt that I was left behind, and mad the same time. I don’t know. Do you understand what I’m trying to say? Or at least, trying to get at. It’s, ah forget it. Christian, he was enemy number one. I know what I said earlier; I said he was number one in my books. I just didn’t say what book.

Turning to leave the dock, I noticed Riana looking at me before she disappeared into the shed. I was peeved and a little tipsy. I went to the cooler box, and dug out another beer. Drown those sorrows; I guess I should be happy for uncle. He was trying to sew his wounds. I made a fire out in front of the shed. Blowing on it to catch then put on some small dried twigs. And then I put more small branches on the fire.

The crackle of the fire soothed my angered soul. I then put bigger logs on once it got going. I sat there listening to the fire, taking a shot every now and then. The wind blew a little, and the fire started to heat up. Feeling more relaxed as the fire cracks and hisses. I gazed over the lake, “Here’s to you guys.” And took another shot.

After a while, my fire raged as I did earlier in the day. But not so much now, as the fire took over. I hadn’t noticed or even heard Riana to sit by me. My mind was else where, and the beer in the cooler box, was getting lesser. I was so much in deep thought I didn’t know she was talking to me. She kicked my chair to bring me out of my state. I glanced at her.

“Huh, what? Sorry, you were saying?” and then smiled.

“I asked you, what have you been up too? And how things are with you?”

“Oh, just fine and dandy. I’m good.” I had said.

And in the back of my head, I was thinking. “Things were fine until you should up with that, that thing you call a husband.” Now those thoughts were circulating again. What has come over me, I could be at least nice to her. Show more respect towards her, as she was only here to see her dad.

“Christian did not want to go out with dad.” She looks intently at the lake.

“Huh, what?” I wasn’t sure if I heard her right.

“Christian,” She looked at me. “He can’t swim.”

“What!!” Now I was worried. “Does uncle know? Why didn’t you tell him?”

“I don’t know, I thought maybe he would tell him. But dad kept telling how wonderful it was out there on the lake. Christian didn’t know how to say no, when dad had kept asking him to go out on a run. He was only being polite towards dad.” She wiped her eyes as tears rolled down her face.

“It gets rough out there.” Is all I can think of at the moment, “I only hope things go smoothly.”

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