Coming Home (Norris Lake Series) (6 page)

He had seen rabbits before in the woods, of course, but never one this close.  The wild brown rabbits spent many a morning stealing carrots and lettuce from the old woman’s garden,  but this one was different than any he had ever seen.  He looked at Beth whose dark black eyes smiled at him warmly. He looked from her dark eyes to the rabbit’s pink eyes and white fur.   She pointed at the rabbit, kissed it and then pointed at Stephen’s chest.  Beth then leaned over and kissed Stephen on the nose.  He looked at her shocked.   No one had ever kissed his nose.  The old woman had rarely touched him other than to steer him from one place to another. 

Suddenly, Beth took his hand and pulled him towards the swing and George and Jeremy.  Stephen’s face tightened and he gritted his teeth as he resisted her pull.  She turned towards him put her hand on his cheek, smiled and kissed his nose once again.  She leaned her dark head towards his and pulled a lock of his blonde hair forward over his shoulder.  She then placed the rabbit in his arms.  He held the rabbit its small form huddled tightly against his dirty white t-shirt. 

She turned towards the swing and motioned for him to follow.  He stood for a moment looking back at the squad car and then at Beth.  He turned and followed Beth towards the swing as if he’d made the decision to stay. 

"I want to go higher!  Push harder!’ Jeremy shouted.  George pushed Jeremy again. 

"Let Stephen have a turn,” Beth said. 

"No way.  It’s my turn,”  Jeremy whined.  Beth grabbed her brother around the waist as he swung towards her and stopped the swing. 

She hugged him and whispered., "If you’ll let Stephen swing, I will let you have my hour of T.V. tonight.  You can watch anything you want." 

Jeremy smiled,  "okay".  Beth motioned Stephen over to the swing. 

"Here Uncle George, will you hold Harvey," Beth said handing him the rabbit.

"I’ll go put him away,” George said walking back towards the hutch.   Beth crawled into the tire. 

"You get in on the other side" motioning Stephen to get climb opposite her on the flat tire.  He crawled on placing his legs over hers.  She held her hands tightly over his around the neck of the rope. 

"Push us, Jeremy".  Jeremy put his hands on his sister’s back and pushed gently. 

"Harder, Jeremy,” Beth insisted.  Stephen’s eyes clenched tightly.  They swung like a pendulum under the huge oak tree.  Brown leaves fell from the branch adding to the autumn blanket that covered the thick green grass.  A mountain of leaves, raked from their two acre back yard, sat piled to one side of the tree ready for burning.  Beth squeezed Stephen’s hand and he opened his eyes.  She laughed at his expression, made a silly face at him.  He turned his head to watch the ground spinning by beneath them and let go of the rope. 

"Stephen, no!  Jeremy, help him," Beth yelled as the boy’s legs slipped off of hers and he fell from the swing into the pile of leaves with a large thud.   She drug one foot on the ground to slow the swing and tried to climb out of the tire.   Running to the pile of leaves, Jeremy grabbed Stephen’s hand. 

Stephen sat up his hair covered with leaves, eyes wide.  Jeremy dropped on to his knees in front of Stephen.  A little red leaf fell from Stephen’s forehead and landed on his nose where it stayed. Stephen looked at the leaf crossing his eyes.  Jeremy laughed and leaned forward to brush the leaf from Stephen’s face.  Stephen recoiled from the boy. 

Jeremy sat back on his heels, grabbed a big handful of leaves and threw them into the air.  They rained down over their heads.  Stephen looked at Jeremy in surprise.  Jeremy grabbed another handful of leaves threw them into the air and then dove into the huge pile.  Rolling over he sat up, his brown hair full of leaves too. 

"Is he okay?" Beth asked looking from her brother to Stephen. 

"He’s okay.  I am teaching him what to do with a pile of leaves,” Jeremy said, throwing a handful of leaves at his sister.  She laughed and jumped into the pile next to her brother.  He covered her with leaves throwing them into the air. 

"Come on Stephen,”  Jeremy said.  Stephen, the fall forgotten entirely, threw a handful of leaves at Beth. 

"No fair.  No fair.  It’s two against one,” she squealed throwing leaves back at them both.  A flurry of leaves filled the air as they rolled and fought a frantic leaf war.  As Stephen tried to stand, Beth and Jeremy laughed pulling him back into the pile of leaves.  Stephen squealed loudly.  Beth and Jeremy stopped, staring down at Stephen on his back in the pile.  He shrieked again an odd sound, but a noise all the same. 

"See he can make noise,” Beth said.  "If he can do that, he can talk." 

"We can teach him,” Jeremy agreed.  Stephen looked up at the pair of dark eyes and for the first time since he arrived smiled. 

Chapter 3

The crowds were dispersing after the football game.  Where there were once hundreds of people in Jackson Square to see the Oak Ridge High School versus their rival Clinton, now there were just teenagers leaning against cars talking in loud voices about the exciting plays, voluptuous cheerleaders and handsome football players. 

Curtis, Beth, Michael, Sarah, Rodney, and Caitlyn stood in front of Big Ed’s Pizza at the corner of Highland and Jackson.  It was a pizza joint that had stood the ravages of time remaking itself year after year after year as the football crowds came and went.  It was located in a long two-story red brick building built in the early 1950s next to an old style movie theater which was at one time the only motion picture business in town. 

The inside walls of the restaurant were also red brick with large glass dividers along the counters and ovens so customers could watch their pizzas being made before their eyes.  High school student employees became expert pizza jugglers as they made the dough from scratch and stretched it by tossing it in the air like an ever flattening Frisbee.  The joint served beer and pizza; a limited menu but enough to draw a record crowd each weekend. 

Big Ed was just that; a 250 pound, muscular, Italian with a graying flat top, white shirt, white pants and a white apron covered in flour and red sauce.  He was an ex-marine who found his destiny in the restaurant business once he’d left the service.  All of the high school students who worked there were a mirror image, from the white outfit to the buzz top haircut.  It didn’t matter if you were male or female, the haircut and uniform were mandatory – just like the military. Everyone had the same short do. Big Ed didn’t discriminate.  It made the place unique in itself.

The teenagers stood in front of Big Ed’s, trying to determine what they wanted to do with the rest of the evening. 

“Let’s get a pizza,” Cat suggested to the group. 

“I don’t want pizza.  I’m stuffed on chips and hot dogs from the game,” Curtis complained.  “Let’s get some beer and get drunk on my Dad’s house boat”. 

Michael and Beth both turned simultaneously as they heard a loud chorus of jeers erupt from the crowd of teenagers to their right.  Beth grimaced as she realized what was happening.  Stephen was there on his bike coming toward them.  The kids behind him were making fun of him as they normally did.  She let go of Michael’s hand and stepped towards Stephen’s motorcycle to stop him.  He braked and slid to a stop next to her putting one foot on the ground.  Jeremy on a matching bike braked next to Stephen.

“Hi Stephen.  Hi Jeremy,” she said with real warmth in her voice.  She loved her older brother, Stephen, with all her heart and would do anything she could to protect him from the ridicule but there wasn’t much she could do except continue to offer her support.

“Hi. Sis,” Stephen said.  His white hair and pink eyes made him unique and he hated it.  All Stephen wanted was to be like all the other kids and not stand out like a freak.  “You getting some pizza?” he said staring at the ground. 

“Hey, Beth,” Jeremy echoed pulling himself up to his full 5 foot 8 inch height.  He wasn’t as tall as Stephen or Beth’s friends but he could certainly made up for it with attitude and determination.

“We were just deciding.  I don’t know if we will but you are welcome to come with us no matter what we decide to do.” She put her hands on the handlebars of the motorcycle, then cupped her hand on his cheek and pulling his face up so she could look into his eyes.  He looked tempted and started to get off the motorcycle when Michael Tarlington walked over to him. 

“What you doing freak?” the dark good-looking boy said. 

“Don’t call me that, Michael. You know I don’t like it. Why do you hang out with this jerk, Beth?”  Stephen stepped off the motorcycle and dropped it on the ground taking a step towards Michael. 

Beth took a quick sidestep in between the two boys.  “Stop it both of you.” Turning to her boyfriend she said, “Michael how could you?” 

Michael stopped in mid-step and realized what he had done. “Hey man, I am sorry”. He held his hand out to Stephen. 

Stephen looked at the hand for a moment and then shook it. “Naw man, it’s cool. It’s not the first time and won’t be the last.”  Stephen picked up his motorcycle and swinging one long leg over the seat.  “Beth, I am going to head home.  You want me to tell mom and dad anything for you?” Stephen sat with one foot poised on the kickstart. 

“Tell, them that I will be home by midnight and not to worry,” she said a sad smile on her face.  With that, Stephen peeled off down the street.

“I’ll go after him, Cat,” Jeremy promised. “Then I’ll come find y’all later.”

“Okay and Jeremy, thanks”.  She smiled and wished her brothers were closer.  They had been fighting and competitive for as long as she could remember.

Jeremy smiled at her and zoomed off down the street after Stephen. 

“Hey, man, stop!” Jeremy called as he caught up with Stephen. 

They pulled the bikes to a stop simultaneously at a stop sign.  It was a quiet two lane street that ran around the perimeter of Norris lake so there wasn’t a car in sight.  Stephen idled down his bike so they could be heard.

“What do you want Jeremy?” Stephen growled.

“Let’s go with Cat and her friends.  It would be cool,” Jeremy pleaded.

“Are you crazy? She nor her friends want us along.  They think we’re losers,” Stephen spat angrily.

“Cat, wouldn’t think that and I’m no loser.”

“You are too.  You’re just as big of a joke and loser as I am.  Learn to live with it.”

“You may be one, but not me.  If I am a joke it’s because you’re my brother.  You’re a freak.”

“You little bastard.  I don’t have to take that from you.” Stephen dropped the bike and in one move grabbed Jeremy by the front of his shirt.  He dragged Jeremy off his bike.  It fell with a crash cracking the plastic fronting.  Stephen reared back and slammed a fist into Jeremy’s face.  Jeremy staggered back and then plunged forward fiercely.

“You prick, look what you did to my bike!” Jeremy screamed as he swung wildly at Stephen.”  The punch connected with Stephen’s ribs knocking the breath out of him. Stephen fell violently to the ground his back jarring the ground. Jeremy jumped on him and grabbed his white hair slamming Stephens head over and over on to the ground.  “Arghhh!  I would kill you if I could.  It’s because of you that I’m teased.  I hate it.  I hate you.”

Stephen flailed at Jeremy finally connecting and able to roll the smaller teen off him.  He crawled away and lay panting.

Jeremy grabbed his bike righting it.  He jumped on and gunned the motor. 

“Jeremy, don’t go…” Stephen started.  “I am sorry.  I didn’t mean any of it.”

“Go to hell, Stephen,” Jeremy shouted and roared off into the night. 

An hour later, the pounding of loud rock music blared out into the darkness mixed with the sound of teenage laughter and splashing water.  The warm night air held a hint of coolness.  A slight breeze brushed the lake like lips against a lover’s cheek.  The sky was filled with thousands of sparkling stars.  Every now and then a star fell from the sky granting a wish to an unsuspecting soul.  Not a single cloud blemished the heavens.  A full moon provided a glow of light which was enough to see by even in the middle of the woods even where no other lights were visible.  A faint smell of wood smoke indicated that someone had decided to start a fire either to dispel the cool night air or to provide a romantic setting. 

A splash punctuated the throbbing of a bass guitar and another feminine squeal split the air.  Someone was having fun. 

"Hey Rodney, throw me a brewski,” Curtis, a skinny teenager with long blonde hair shouted as he sat on the edge of the houseboat, his toes dangling in the water. 

"Curtis man, Catch,” Rodney replied.  He too was about sixteen.  Rodney was the exact opposite of Curtis, brown hair cut in a short flat top haircut and muscular physique of an athlete.  He’d recently started to grow a mustache and taken up smoking to promote the impression of maturity.  Though Rodney was a regular on the football squad, he still kept company with Curtis who was one of those kids who made straight A’s without even cracking a book.  They had lived next door to each other all of their lives and had been thrown together by their parents for almost every occasion, from bar-b-ques to birthday parties. 

"Michael, turn up the tunes". Rodney yelled at his other friend.  Michael was considered new to town.  He and his sister Cat had only lived in Norris about a year or so.  Prior to that, they had lived in nearby Knoxville with their mother.  In a short time, Michael and Rodney had become fast friends since each was heavily into sports and working out. 

The houseboat belonged to Curtis’ parents.  They were out of town and often let the kids stay on the houseboat at the marina during the summer, as long as it remained docked.  This was the first time the kids had taken the houseboat out without their parent’s permission.  Even though Curtis said it was okay, Rodney had his suspicions that Curtis was trying to impress his new girlfriend Cat and really didn’t have his parent’s permission at all.  No matter, Rodney thought to himself, it wasn’t his ass that would be in a sling if something happened.  Rodney walked over and plopped down next to Curtis on the edge of the houseboat. 

The kids had left about 9:00 p.m. from the marina and were now anchored in a small cove a few miles from the dock.  Curtis’ dad had stocked the houseboat with beer and liquor during the summer, locking it in a small, little-used, closet.  Curtis had lifted the key from his dad’s key ring before his parents had left on vacation, planning this outing all along just to be alone with Cat.  When he’d asked Cat to come out on the houseboat with him, she had said no, unless she could bring some of her friends along for protection.

Beth, Sarah and Cat were all inside the houseboat putting on their bathing suits while the boys stayed out on the deck listening to music and drinking beer.

“Where’d you get that? Sarah asked Beth pointing to a silver bracelet on Beth’s wrist. 

Michael gave it to me earlier tonight.  Isn’t it beautiful? she said holding out her wrist to the other two girls. 

“It’s great,” Sarah cooed.

“How romantic” Cat agreed.  “I wish I had a boyfriend who lavished jewelry on me, even if it is my brother.”

“Did you help him?” Beth asked.

“No.  He did this on his own,” Cat answered.  “I am just as surprised as you are.  I am glad for you.  I can’t wait to see if he proposes.”

“Do you think he will?” Sarah posed.  “That would really be romantic”

“I want to marry Michael, Cat,” Beth confessed. “Would that be okay?”

“It would be okay with me, Beth.  You know I love you like a sister, but my dad would hit the roof if he thought Michael or I would even consider not going to college.  It would be like Hiroshima going off.”

Beth pulled her friends together holding their hands.  “Michael’s going to ask me to marry him tonight.  I just know it.”

“This is so perfect! Beth, you would marry Michael. Cat would marry Curtis and I would marry Rodney. We could all have babies and they could grow up together.  We could stay here together and be friends forever,” Sarah cooed.

“Curtis and I haven’t even kissed. Saying that we’ll get married is rushing it,” Cat admitted. “I do like him though, even if he is your brother, Sarah.”

              Sarah grabbed Cat’s hands.  “Try it, you’ll like it.  Maybe he’ll slip you the tongue.”  The girls giggled.

             
“Gross,” Cat and Beth shrieked in one voice.  “Let’s get out there.”

It was about 11:00 p.m. now.  They had grilled some burgers and were well into their second case of Budweiser when Rodney had suggested that they all go swimming. 

"Hey, Beth,” Michael called banging on the door of the houseboat.  "Let’s go.  We’ve already been in and the water’s great."  Michael set his beer down on the deck and jumped off the side of the houseboat into the water. 

The girls came out of the interior of the houseboat each sporting a swimsuit. 

"Wheeee. Whoooooo!" Rodney wolf-whistled.  "You three look good enough to eat." 

"Oh wouldn’t you like to,” Cat said setting her towel down on a lawn chair.  She walked over to Curtis and sat between him and Rodney”. 

"Beth, baby, come on in,” Michael pleaded.  He pulled himself up on the back dock of the swim platform.  "At least come sit near me, sweetheart." Beth rolled her eyes smiling at all the attention and walked over to sit near Michael.