Keeping the Tarnished (7 page)

Chapter Thirteen

Release

The sun arose shyly over the far horizon, as if for some reason it wasn’t quite ready to begin its daily task of lighting the world. Red and orange clouds provided cover as it finally peeked through and blessed the Louisiana farmhouse.

Graye had pried open the guestroom door slightly to see if Johnny had woke yet. The boy was still sleeping as the sun began to peek through his opened window. She wondered why he had opened it. The cool air from the air conditioner must have freely escaped through the window the entire night.

Johnny was a very handsome boy. Not the kind of handsome one would have to search for, the kind of handsome that most everyone could agree upon. There was so much mystery yet to be unmasked. His scruffy face and messy dark brown hair seemed to compliment the sleeping boy’s olive complexion in the natural light.

It was then that it struck her. She, her husband, and her children were but a chapter in this boy’s tragedy; his story, however, was still being written. She and her husband’s decisions and actions could determine the outcome of this young man’s future. It was as if the pen that was writing Johnny’s story was now in their hands. She was happy he was there. She understood that learning of his past and why he was running was now a priority if he were going to stay permanently.

She knew that not every day would be a day of basketball and pizza parties, and when he began to face his demons he would need monumental support. She also knew that she and Jackson both were jointly coming to the mutual decision that they were ready to make an impact in this young man’s life, regardless of the challenges associated with it. Smiling, she took one last look at the sleeping boy and closed his door. She imagined the look on the boy’s face when he received the news this evening that he would not be needing the assistance of the salvation place he had spoken of, anytime soon.

***

Johnny

As the door closed, Johnny opened his eyes. He lifted his hand to block the early morning sun’s intrusiveness. Even at this early hour, Johnny could tell this day was going to be a good one. He slept the entire night without a single nightmare. There were no cold sweats, no palpitations, and Johnny knew exactly where he was at as he rolled on his side and smiled sleepily.

Suddenly, a small rush of euphoria rushed through him as he sprang from the bed. He had almost forgotten completely about Mr. Hops. He headed for the bedroom door in anticipation of learning the fate of the small animal. He opened the door and walked quickly toward the staircase.

There was only natural light lighting the house at this point. Jackson had been gone for a few hours already, Graye was nowhere to be seen, and both the other kids were sleeping in. It was only seven thirty-eight, but Johnny was excited to see if the rabbit had improved. He raced down the stairs and nearly slipped off the last stair of the case. His socks were slick on the stairs and hardwood floors. He walked quickly through the living room and kitchen to the laundry room.

As he opened the door he saw the box sitting on the washing machine.
Please don’t be dead, please don’t be dead,
the boy thought to himself as his heart raced and he walked toward the shoebox. Taking a deep breath, he placed both hands on the box and opened it. There, inside, was a bright-eyed, fat, little rabbit, about the size of a baseball, sitting contently in the corner of the box. Prior to Johnny’s interruption, the rabbit had been chewing on the lettuce they had provided it the night before.

Johnny smiled in relief as he reached his hand down slowly to the small animal. As he got close, the rabbit lunged slightly at Johnny, causing him to jerk his hand back. The boy began to laugh. “Hey there, little fella, no need for attitude this early in the morning,” he said, smiling at the cranky rabbit.

“They can be feisty, can’t they, sweetie?” Graye asked as she walked up behind the boy smiling, and still in her royal-blue house robe.

Johnny turned around, happy to see someone else awake. “I think he’s ready to head back home,” the boy said as Graye put her arms out, embracing him in a hug.

“Good morning, sweetie. Yes, I’m sure he’s ready to get out of that box,” the woman said as she turned and walked toward the coffee pot on the kitchen counter.

Johnny stood motionless—dumbfounded. He had not been hugged by an adult since his mother left him. He felt warm inside and began to smile.

“You think the dogs will bother him if I take him out now?” Johnny asked.

“Oh, they’re put up at night in the barn. They like to roam after the sun goes down, and we got tired of the phone calls from annoyed neighbors six miles up the road.”

Johnny turned and closed the box. He carefully picked it up with both hands and began walking from the kitchen.

“I’ll start breakfast here in a little bit, Johnny,” Graye announced as he exited the kitchen.

“Thank you, Graye. I am pretty hungry,” the teen replied.

He exited the house through the front door and went down the porch stairs.

***

Graye

Graye watched him as he came into view from the kitchen window. The boy began walking in the direction of the stable. She was happy the rabbit had survived the night. She loved that it made the boy so happy.

“Um, where’s my breakfast, mommaroo?” a sleepy, shirtless, bed-headed Jared asked as he entered the kitchen. He yawned loudly and hugged his mother.

“Hey now, young man, I was just telling Johnny I was about to start it up,” she said as she hugged her son tightly.

“Where is he? I thought he was still in bed?” Jared asked as Graye turned from him and grabbed her coffee cup.

“He is releasing Mr. Hops out by the horse stables.”

“Awesome,” Jared replied as he looked at Graye with a solemn look on his face. “Mom, are you and Dad going to take him to the Grace House?”

Graye turned her back to Jared and inhaled deeply, letting it out slow.

“It’s a complicated situation, Jared, but no. Your dad and I are going to offer him a room upstairs while he finishes school.” Graye placed her coffee cup in the sink and looked out the window. Before she even completed the sentence, Jared was flashing a huge smile. “That is, of course, if that is okay with you and B, and if he even wants to stay here with you two crazies,” the woman said as she turned to her son just as Jared put his arms out and walked to his mother to hug her.

“That’s awesome. You guys are awesome. That is seriously awesome,” the boy said excitedly as he hugged his mother.

“I think so too, son.” The woman embraced him back, and then pushed away, looking at the boy’s face.

“Not a word to him or your sister until your father and I speak with him first. There will be ground rules that he will be expected to follow, just like you and B,” she said sternly as Jared quickly released her and turned for the front door.

“Yea, yea, I’m gonna go watch the release!” Jared ran for the door happily, hoping he didn’t miss the grand release of the small cottontail.

“I’m serious! Not a single word!” Graye hollered at her boy as she smiled and walked toward the refrigerator.

Chapter Fourteen

An Invitation

Jackson

“Between what I bought him and the clothes that Jared provided, I’d say he’s going to be set up pretty well,” Graye said to her husband.

Jackson looked appreciatively at his wife. He was thankful for her secretive efforts as the woman had changed out the bedding in the spare room to something more masculine and moved the boy’s clothes into the room without being noticed. She had taken the painting of the woman down, and Jackson had moved the remainder of the heartworm medication into the second spare bedroom. Johnny’s new clothes were placed on his bed, and the clothes that Jared had provided were hanging in the closet. Both Graye and Jackson were excited by the idea of inviting him into their home on a long-term basis. The couple had decided the best way to extend the invite was not to embark on a dramatic family meeting; rather, the couple felt a subtle invite with a twist would be less awkward for the boy.

“Are you nervous?” Graye asked.

Jackson inhaled deeply, glancing at his wife. “No. I think this is the right thing. I really do. The only time I question it is when I say it out loud because it sounds bat shit crazy.” He knew that would make his wife smile. She hugged him as he kissed the top of her head. “I’m going to call him up.”

Just as the boys were wrapping up the final basketball game of the evening, Jackson summoned Johnny to the porch.

“Johnny!” Jackson yelled to the boy from the front of the house. Both boys stopped what they were doing and turned to Jackson, who was in his scrubs and smiling near the porch swing. “Can I talk to you for a second?” the man called out to the boy as his nerves finally began mounting.

Even from the porch, Jackson noticed Jared trying to contain his smile, as he knew what this conversation would entail. Johnny, on the other hand, appeared instantly oppressed. Jackson imagined what the boy was thinking. The thought of Johnny worrying about being taken to a shelter put an ache in Jackson’s gut. As he watched Johnny approach with a nervous smile and nearly defeated posture, he knew the boy must have been thinking he’d outstayed his welcome. “Hey, bud. Can we talk?” Jackson asked with a smile as Johnny walked up the stairs.

“Yea, of course,” Johnny replied nervously as he leaned against the porch railing.

Jackson could tell by his facial expression that the boy was worried about what he had to say, so he made no waste in time. “You know we have all been so busy lately, and we could really use another hand around here. I know Jared would sure love some extra help with the daily chores, and I could use another hand sometimes when I get a crazy call. So, well, we wanted to know if, well, we wanted to know if you might wanna finish up your senior year here with Jared and stick around a while.”

Jackson studied the boy’s face—he could tell Johnny was completely caught off guard by the invitation. Jackson witnessed an array of emotions flood over Johnny as the boy’s mouth remained agape and he simply stared at Jackson with a dumfounded look on his face. Within seconds, his cheeks, which were already red from playing basketball, flushed even redder as the boy seemed to search for the words to respond.

“Um. Well. Yes, sir. I’m not one to tell a person who needs help no, so, yea, I can definitely stick around and help out,” Johnny said as his voice cracked slightly.

Jackson walked toward the boy and extended a friendly handshake, as if they were making a deal. As Johnny shook his hand, Jackson pulled him in and gave him a brief hug.

“It’s settled then, bud,” Jackson said as he looked at the beaming boy. “Graye has just about got your room ready upstairs, and she took the liberty of getting you some new threads for when school starts back up.” As Jackson spoke, Johnny kept his head down. He hugged the boy again in a full embrace.

Jackson attempted to empathize with the boy’s situation. It must have been overwhelming to go from homelessness to having a permanent sanctuary. Jackson noticed Johnny was crying. As the teen pulled away from Jackson, he attempted to dry his eyes, but the tears kept coming relentlessly.

“I’m, I’m sor—” The boy attempted to apologize but was unable to speak.

Jackson was beginning to choke up as well, witnessing the level of appreciation the boy had toward the gesture. He instantly knew they had made the right call.

“No worries at all, bud. How about you sneak up to the bathroom and get washed up for supper,” Jackson suggested in a friendly tone. He didn’t want Johnny feeling embarrassed for crying.

Johnny offered one more appreciative smile before retreating into the house.

By this time, Jared had begun his trek to the porch. Jackson watched his smiling son approach.

“Daddy!” Bryce yelled as she came flying through the screen door. “Daddy, what is wrong with Johnny? Why is he crying?” the girl asked hysterically, looking up at her father.

As Jared got to the porch, he became concerned.

“He was crying, Pops?” the boy asked.

“What did you do to him, Jared?” Bryce asked, placing her hands on her hips.

Jackson put his hands up as if to silence everyone. “Kids. Johnny is just really happy right now. Sometimes people cry when they get really good news,” Jackson said as reached down and picked his daughter up and watched his son walking up the porch.

Jared was giving his father a look of approval as he walked up and started tickling his captive sister.