- The Good Life
July 1993
“You think they’re gonna be pissed?”
“Umm, yeah.”
“Fuck, I wish this hadn’t happened.”
“Don’t say fuck.”
“Fuck.”
October 2015
“You shouldn’t be driving when you’re upset.” His mom had told him once, or had it been Angel? It didn’t matter, there were a lot of things he shouldn’t do, or have done. He tried to focus on the road stretched ahead of him, which thankfully was nearly desolate, but it didn’t work. His mind was already in Atlanta, pushing the intercom frantically, just as long as someone, anyone, would answer. He drove as fast as he could, all the while wondering how it could have come this far, without him knowing about it. He felt a headache beginning to take form, but headaches didn’t really mean what they used to nowadays.
July 1993
“God, mom’s gonna kill me!” panicky.
“That bad?” curiously.
“Worse!” upset.
“It might not be that bad,” reassuringly.
“You don’t know my mother!” certainly.
“We could always say it was my fault,” confidently.
“They’d never believe that!” sceptical.
“They would if I told them,” seriously.
October 2015
“Dad? Dad?” he whined softly. He had pretended to walk away, but had secretly stayed behind, a couple of feet behind his father. Undoubtedly, Dad was upset. Damnit.
Brian hadn’t moved, couldn’t be moved. It was like he had turned to stone after the brief conversation with Nick. Baylee felt a wave of hatred coming up. Why’d he have to call, we were having such a nice day! Slowly, gently he reached up to the phone, still in his father’s hand. He took it away with a sluggish motion.
“It’s okay Dad.” Brian just looked at him, expressionless. Baylee held the phone to his ear cautiously.
“Hello?” he began tentatively.
“Baylee, that you again?” he heard Nick reply anxiously.
“The hell did you say to him?” he demanded loudly.
“Is he okay?” Nick ignored his question totally.
“I don’t know,” Baylee answered, suddenly scared.
“Where’s your mom?”
“Still working,” she wouldn’t be home for another twelve hours at least. Baylee knew that, cause she had said so.
“Call her.”
“She won’t be home for twelve more hours, it’s a long drive, she said, she works in LA now, well actually she doesn’t, she just…”
“Bay…”
“got a project there, she promised she’d be home by tomorrow, cause…”
“Bay…”
“she didn’t wanna be away from me and dad such a long time, she’s only been there for two days though, so that’s okay. I didn’t…”
“Baylee!”
“Huh?”
“Call her anyway. Get your dad to sit on the couch okay? I’m on my way.”
July 1993
“So we’re friends now?”
Silence. Deafening. He needed an answer. The younger one seemed to think a few more seconds before answering.
“I’ve always wanted a big brother,” he finally confirmed.
Brian smiled.
October 2015
“You’re coming?” Nick heard the uncertainty in the kids voice.
“Yeah, I’m on my way, I’ll be there in two hours or so.’’ Probably less, given the speed he was currently sporting.
“What do I do?” there was fear now too.
“Just do as I said, kay? And call your mom!”
“Kay.” Pause.
“Nick?”
‘Yeah?’
“Don’t hang up the phone.”
“I won’t.”
July 1993
“What time is it?”
“Almost seven thirty.”
“Oh.”
“Have you slept at all?”
“No.”
“Me neither.”
“Brian?”
“Hmmm,”
“How do we get to Stockholm now?”
Deep sigh.
October 2015
He watched his father cautiously, still standing there, looking as lost as a little puppy. Then he remembered something that had miraculously worked a few times before.
“C’mon dad, I’ll make you some tea.” It worked this time as well and Baylee smiled gratefully.
“Oh no, if I get one more cup of tea from you, I’m gonna throw up,” Dad stated. The child laughed cause it was funny. He’d been bringing his father a cup of Camille tea almost every fifty minutes this past few days. Dad had accepted every drink thankfully, but Baylee knew he’d stopped drinking the stuff after the fifth cup. It didn’t matter though. Baylee loved the smell when he made it, but found the taste disgusting, that’s why he’d given every cup of it to his father.
“Let’s get inside,” Baylee offered and Brian followed him meekly.
“Why aren’t you wearing shoes? You’ll get a cold, Bay.”
“No, I won’t,” Baylee stated and that would have to do.
