Chapter 15- Finish
Oscar couldn’t seemto contain himself.He bounced in the seat as if a family of red ants had crawled up his pants legs and was gnawing away at his bunghole.After two hours, Bad Apple believed a merciful deity had put the child to sleep for at least an hour, but he popped up like a hydrated daisy, flapping his lips.
Finally, he asked, “Oscar, can you share with me why you’re so antsy?”
“Uncle Jay is gonna grill,” he said, smiling.“I bet it is going to be juicy steaks and some sausages that we can have for breakfast in the morning before we head out on our man adventure!”
“Juicy steaks, huh?I mean we grill steaks at home,” Bad Apple said, feeling some sort of way.
“Yeah, but you don’t really know how to grill-grill,” he said.“Plus, I bet the house is gonna smell like whatever sweet treat Aunt Helen is pulling out the oven.I just know her house smells like a warm hug on a cold day.”
“That is mighty descriptive.”
“You know what else, Mr.Milton?”Oscar said, turning in the seat.“The room I’m going to sleep in tonight, Aunt Helen did something special, so I can feel comfy in it.I just know it.She cares like that.I’m excited.How much longer?”
“Not much,” Bad Apple replied.
He too wanted to see the home and also bet it smelled like memories from childhood.Maybe he missed his annoying brothers and meddling sisters, but not enough to be around them on a regular basis.Helen was a different story.There was a connection between them and she trusted him.That lady didn’t trust many people, and if he’d earned a seat in her wagon to spend the night in her home without her man present, gay or not, he was again feeling some kind of way.
Apple hit the turn signal and exited the interstate.The GPS led him down a back road where he saw nothing but trees, then a wrought-iron gate he couldn’t see through.He checked the address again, ready to call Cranberry, but the gates opened.The speedometer read five miles per hour as he rolled through the gates, taking in the outbuildings, the dumpster loaded with old wood and carpet, and Helen’s pickup truck.He didn’t see the Explorer.
Mustang stood on the back deck manning the grill, and Oscar grinned from ear to ear, as he held up his hand for a high five.
“I can smell sausages,” Oscar said., grinning.
Helen pointed to a parking space that Apple pulled into, parked, and cut the engine.An anxious Oscar bound from the car and up the back stairs of the decking, throwing himself at Helen.A lopsided grin was offered to Mustang, then he asked, “Uncle Jay, are there steaks on that grill too?”
“Taking them off now, Oscar,” Mustang replied.“How are you?”
“Pretty excited for the weekend,” he said.“I’ve been reading, practicing using paddles for the canoe, and everything.Mr.Ricky helped me learn to pitch a tent, and Mr.Milton showed me how to start a fire with a flint, I think it’s a flint.So, yeah, ready.”
Mustang looked to Apple as he walked up the steps and only shrugged.Helen was paying close attention to the man as well, who had brought with him two carryon bags.One was the new one she’d ordered and sent to the house for Oscar with a portion of the money he’d given her for such an item.
“Welcome to our home, Apple,” she said softly, opening the door for him to follow her inside.
A bell dinged, and she excused herself to pull a peach cobbler from the oven.The home was filled with the warmth of the scents of cinnamon, nutmeg, and the aroma of warm peaches hidden under flaky pastry dough.His mouth nearly watered as she closed the oven.
Apple noticed the kitchen towels on the door rack of the oven, taking note that they said “Neary.”Oscar for once was quiet as he walked through the house, but Apple was drawn to the photos on the mantle over the fireplace.He moved in closer to look at the images, immediately noticing Cherry.Then the man next to her, next to the photo of Cherry with a child and again the man next to her.
“Wait a minute,” Apple said.“Isn’t that...what is that dude’s name...Slow?Mr.Slow in Kentucky.He’s the closer in Kentucky for the Directions Crew, right?”
Mustang mumbled an answer as he brought inside the steaks on a platter to rest.The more Apple looked at the photos, the more questions he had, especially after he spotted Mark Neary.
“Hey, isn’t that Mark Neary?He’s the Marshall down in Kentucky...you’re with the Neary’s?How do you know those guys?”
“Cherry is married to my brother Michael, who is Mr.Slow,” Mustang said.
“Hold the bleep up!You’re a Neary?”
“Jarius Neary at your service,” Mustang said to his shocked face.
Helen, placing dinner settings on the table, added, “That is nothing.Cherry is my sister.Let me get you settled so you can wash up, and we can eat.”
