Provider's Son (25 page)

“Uh...he might have had one or two.”

“One or two.”

“Actually, no, I dont think he did. He was the D.D.”

“So he didnt have one or two?”

“No, I dont think.”

As much as Levi hated being in the police car it was good to feel warm again. Even if the warm air seemed to intensify his headache. He rested his head on the cool glass to compensate.

“Is you Cree?” Levi said.

“Im asking the questions, but no, Im not.”

In less than ten minutes Levi saw what appeared to be Jon's vehicle parked half onto the shoulder of the road. Although, it was more stopped than parked. Levi stared it as they passed and saw Jon's head slumped against the driver side window. The policeman saw it as well, because he turned around and went back. Levi prayed Jon had only passed out and nothing worse.

“This wouldnt happen to be your friend would it?” said the officer, his emotionless dark eyes staring at Levi in the rear view mirror.

“It could be.”

“That dont look like a Toyota Matrix to me.”

“Sorry by, I was thinking we went in the other rig.”

“See now that I know youre lying to me its going to make things more difficult for you. And him.”

The policeman spoke into his radio and got out of the car. Jon's black hair was smeared up against the glass as the officer rapped his knuckles on the window. There was no response first and Levi's stomach knotted in worry. The policeman rapped on the window again, much harder, and this time Jon sprang away like a marionette. He then rolled down his window and he and the police officer had a conversation.

Jon failed the breathalyser, with five times over the legal limit.

“Beautiful morning,” Levi said, when Jon got in the back of the car with him.

“So what happens now?” Jon said to the police officer.

“What happens is I take you to the station and you lose your license for a while. Unless you want to contest it in court.”

“Maybe I will.”

“Thats your right.”

“Look at you, brother. A civil servant for white people. Night in shining armour for the ruling class.”

Dark eyes in the rear view mirror again, but no response.

“You could have at least been a res cop.”

“You could have least been sober. While driving.”

“I wasnt driving. I was stopped. You cant nail me for that.”

“The keys were in the ignition. You were in care and control of that vehicle. Im sure you didnt push it there.”

“I guess the court will decide.”

The officer shrugged.

“With a white judge of course,” Jon said. “And divided we fall...”

No response. Levi was getting a kick out of the conversation.

I cant place you,” Jon said to the policeman. “You grow up in the city or on a reserve?”

“Reserve.”

“Any chance of you telling me where?”

“Conne River.”

“What?” Levi said. “Youre a Newfie?”

“Born and raised.”

“You dont sound like it.”

“Ive been here fifteen years.”

At the police station Jon was formally charged with impaired driving, and his fingerprints were taken. From there they were both taken to the “drunk tank.” Levi was surprised by the quiet. There was no shouting and mockery as he was used to seeing in the movies. Occasionally he noticed a tired set of eyes watching him walk by, but that was all. There was only one holding cell left, so they were both placed in that one.

“How long do we have to stay here?” Jon said.

“Until you sober up,” the policeman answered.

“Sure wer not drunk anymore,” Levi said.

“We get a phone call,” Jon said.

“You watch too much television, buddy,” he said, and walked away.

“Jesus…I just remembered I was talking to some hitchhiker last night,” Levi said. “I think I was…” He stared at the wall, trying to remember the conversation, if it had happened, but his head was pounding.

Jon buried his head in his hands.

“I didnt mean that shit I said last night,” Levi said.

Jon didn't respond.

Shirtless, and still stinking of urine, Levi got in the back of Jon's father's SUV. Jon climbed in the passenger seat. Bill Smith was at least a foot shorter than his son, and with his black leather jacket and unassuming manner, Levi still found it hard to believe that he held the position he did.

“Looks like you boys had quite the night,” were Bill's first words. He stuck out his plump hand at Levi's and pumped it like a military man. “Ive heard a lot about you, but no one told me you liked being shirtless in September. Boy, you Newfoundlanders are tough as Clydesdales! You smell like one too.”

“Dad,” Jon said.

“Im just kidding my friend,” Bill said.

As they drove back to Camp Wisti it was obvious Jon didn't want to talk but Bill prodded him so much that it seemed Jon gave in if only to shut the man up. In the voice of a man racked with illness he began telling him everything that happened, but leaving out key parts about Levi, who was glad he did. But midway through his story he stopped and told his father to pull over.

“Why?” Bill said, grinning.

“Pull over!”

Taking his time Bill applied the brakes and eased to the side of the road. Before he came to a complete stop, however, Jon was out of the vehicle and running out through the bushes. Bill laughed at him.

“How much did the boy drink?” Bill said, turning around in his seat. He was still smiling, but his eyes penetrated Levi, who could now see that behind that good humour lurked a sharp intellect like Jon's, but with more wisdom to carry it.

“Way too much,” Levi said, staring out the window at where Jon had gone. “I cant remember.”

“You would think a grown man and experienced boozer like yourself would have watched out for him.”

Levi was confused by the sudden accusation, not quite sure if Bill was joking. “Hes a grown man,” he said.

“You are correct, my friend,” Bill said, turning around. “Theres parts of that story he left out though. What are they?”

“Parts about me.”

“Oh boy, what are they?” Bill said, as if he fully expected Levi to tell him everything. And even though Levi felt it was none of the man's business he found himself doing exactly that. Bill seemed entertained. And his laughing put Levi at ease.

“I havent been that drunk in a long time,” Levi said. “Things got out of hand.”

“Even more drunk than you were when you dumped a bucket of rods on top of a safety rep?”

The smile fell from Levi's face.

“If my son hadnt saved your ass by calling me that day you wouldnt have even been drinking in Fort McMurray last night,” Bill continued. “You would have been drinking in Newfoundland.”

Levi tried to straighten up in the seat, but his bare back was stuck to the leather so that he was literally squirming.

“If you got me aboard this rig to put me down I can get out right here and call a cab in the next gas station. Its not my goddamn fault your son cant handle his booze.”

“Youre the one with no shirt on my friend.”

“Id rather have no shirt than no license.”

Bill looked out through the window at where Jon had run off. “Where is that boy gone?” he said, as casually as if Levi and him were chatting over coffee. In fact, with every word Bill spoke there was no sign of anger or confrontation, only humour and straightforwardness.

Levi stared at him. “Buddy, Im starting to think youre half cracked.”

“Dont worry,” Bill said. “The law wont let us fire alcoholics. We would have to put you in a program.”

“Im not an alcoholic.”

“Oh boy I think you are. Ive known one or two.”

“I bet you have,” Levi said.

“Aha! Now wer getting somewhere.”

“So whats the problem here? Is you jealous or something? I cant help if you got no relationship with the boy.”

Levi's words had struck a nerve. He was staring at the side of Bill's face, and for the first time saw the mirth disappear, if only for an instant.

“Jon is intelligent, but he hasnt grown up yet,” Bill said, after a moment. “He acts like hes too smart to be influenced by anyone. But hes full of shit. The truth is my son is easily influenced by certain people. And youre one of them. In you he sees a man's man. Youre a fisherman, youre good with your hands, youre tough. Thats what Im told anyway. My son believes he missed all that. He feels guilty that he was privileged, that he didnt suffer.”

“Sure didnt he used to be hunting all the time with his grandfather?”

“Like I said, hes full of shit. His grandfather on his mothers side died before he was born, and my father did trap when he was younger, but for the last twenty years hes had arthritis so bad he can barely go past his back yard. I think he took Jon along once or twice when Jon was too young to hold a gun anyway.”

“Why is you telling me this?” Levi said.

“I guess this is the oldest one in the book, but I think youre a bad influence. Ive hardly ever seen my son drinking, let alone getting as drunk as both of you apparently were last night.”

“Not that Id listen to you in the first place, but if Sinead is my daughter youre going to have a hard time keeping him away from us.”

“They wont last, so that doesnt worry me.”

“Wont last? You couldnt have been around them too much. Theyre in love my son. Madly in love.”

“Nah, Jon wont marry a white girl.”

“Jesus…”

“You dont understand, my friend. Shes a good girl, but he wont marry her. Hes too idealistic for that. Hes going to end up with a native girl.”

“Well by...he already basically asked my permission for him to marry her.”

Bill paused. “When?”

“Last night.”

“Oh,” he said, grinning.

“I dont care if he was drunk. He meant it.”

Bill laughed.

“Youre a real know it all, you know that? Just like your son. Im done talking to you anyway.”

“He should be back by now,” Bill said, staring out the window. He got out of the SUV and walked into the forest. Levi waited for a moment, smouldering, and then followed.

Jon was lying on the ground near a puddle of vomit. He stared up at them, too sick to be embarrassed. “How do people do this?” he mumbled.

“Youll get used to it,” Levi said on purpose, eyeing Bill, who didn't respond.

As confused and angry as Levi was he was secretly touched as he watched Bill help his son off the ground and lead him to the SUV. It was the single hand of Bill's on Jon's back that showed his love for the boy.

The Meeting

Before Levi got a chance to cancel his credit card, “the goddamn hooker” who had urinated on him and stole his wallet, had put five thousand dollars on it. He cursed on her until he ran out of breath and felt he would pass out with anger. When he later called Mastercard the representative on the phone told him he would not have to cover it, which did make him feel better, but it still angered him to know that after everything the prostitute had done, she still wasn't finished with him.

“Why dont you call her?” Jon had said. “Shes probably using your cell phone if theres any minutes on it.”

Levi scoffed, but the more he thought about it the more he realized how bad he wanted back that picture of David. He hoped she had not thrown the wallet away. Perhaps he could simply reason with the girl to leave his wallet somewhere where he could find it. But before he could decide, she called him.

He was sketching out a drawing for his next rocking chair to try to calm himself down when his room phone rang for the second time since he began working in Alberta. Levi picked up and said hello. There was silence on the other end for so long that he almost hung up before a young, female voice spoke.

“Hey man,” the girl said. “Is this Levi Conley?”

“Yeah.”

“Its Johanna.”

“Sorry, I dont…” Then he remembered the name, and recognized the voice. “Why is you calling me?”

“I wanted to talk.”

“I got that credit card cancelled so you wont be spending anymore of me money. How did you get this number anyway?”

“I phoned the front office. Pretty easy actually. And I didnt touch your credit cards.”

“Stop. Listen. Do you still have the wallet?”

“Yes.”

“Good. I wants it. Forget about the credit cards and everything else for now. I wants that wallet back. Thats the main thing. Theres a picture in there that means a lot to me. A little boy. I wants you to leave the wallet somewhere in town where I can find it. The cop station I suppose.”

“Are you crazy? Im not going to no cop station.”

Silence.

“I need a favour,” she said. “I know I did some bad things to you, and Im really really sorry. Im so sorry. I did a lot of bad things. But bad things were done to me too.”

“Bad things happens to everybody.”

“Im having a baby. A boy. His soul has come back to me again. I need your help. I got rid of him the first time. Damian made me do it. Not this time. This time the boy is coming into the world.”

“What do that have to do with me?”

“I kept it secret for as long as I could. Although I still try to hide it from the Johns. And now Damian says Im going to put him in foster care! He went crazy when he found out. He was hard on me. He said I must be the only hooker in the world dumb enough to get knocked up twice. So I need a loan of a thousand dollars. I havent been as busy as I usually am. I mean, I still get some Johns. But Im not bringing in the same money. Im going to give him that money and then leave. Im going back home. I need you to give me a ride. I never should have left Dad alone.”

“As busy as you usually is? You mean theres still fellas that want to...”

“Some. Yeah.”

“And they knows?”