Chapter 72
I’m Going to Let You Go
“I need to know, if there was something left in my apartment, am I supposed to turn it in here?
”What was left?”
“Not much really. Nothing anyone would miss. But if the previous people aren’t complaining I really am in need and would love to keep it.”
“I would need to know what it is to make that judgment call.”
I took a deep breath.
I can’t afford much and everything in that closet I need.
“Towels, they look new.”
“Sheets. The same size as my bed.”
“Dishcloths, but they were cut out of an old flannel shirt. But whoever left them really took their time with making them. They can be used for washcloths or dishes.”
“That’s it?” The words were questioning, but the stare was vacant.
“That’s everything.”
“Keep it.”
“Really? What if they want it back? They just moved out.”
“They won’t.”
“How do you know that?”
“I’ll tell them it was thrown out.”
I walked back to my apartment feeling lighter than air.
The phone was ringing.
Key.
Door.
Hurry.
The only one that even has this number is Robert.
“Hi, It’s me.”
“I had something weird happen today and I need your help.”
“Me too and I want to talk first, okay?”
“Mine will take a minute to explain, so you first.”
“I got a car. It’s $224 a month. Thanks for the power of attorney, it helped.”
“I got the electricity on, no deposit.”
“I got car insurance. It’s not going up.”
“I opened a checking account at Wells Fargo.”
“I bought a bed. I’ll get one for Sara next month.”
“I spent all my spare money and forgot sheets and towels, but when I opened the bathroom closet everything I needed was in there! The manager said I can keep it.”
“You were always lucky that way.”
“Oh! And I took night work at Pizza Hut. If you kick in $500 a month, I can make it here.”
“I got a phone call from DoDDS. They want you full time at the Middle School teaching English.”
“I’m not an English teacher.”
“It’s on your certificate. They’ll be calling you anyway. Are you coming back?”
I promised this district I’d be there next week.
I’m setting up my life.
I’m hip-deep into a new start.
My thoughts created a pause.
“Lee Ann?”
“No.”
“I’m not coming back.”
“I didn’t think so. They said they had to hear it from you, so expect a call.”
“Ok. I’m good here. What are you phoning about?”
“I was at the pool with Patrick, and he threw up in the bushes.”
“It was his science teacher’s shoes the last time.”
“Oh, I’m aware I got lucky with the contents!”
“That wasn’t the problem, not really.”
“He came and told me that he got sick in the bushes and his breath smelled like butt.”
“Not vomit?”
“No, butt. I can’t get him to talk with me about it. He says it’s no big deal and nothing I can say is working.”
“That’s Patrick.”
“True. I got him to agree to tell you what happened and that you don’t have to tell me. I told him that if you agreed that it wasn’t a big deal, I’d drop it.”
“I understand, put him on.”
“Let me go get him…”
“Hi mom. Wait, dad’s leaving.”
“Okay, he’s outside.”
“So, tell me what happened at the pool.”
“I was trying an experiment.”
“Scientific?”
“Very!”
“I wanted to prove I could breathe underwater.”
“You don’t have gills.”
“No, but I had been saving up all my intestinal gasses today. And when I got in the water, I let them all go. I was able to inhale a huge air bubble. It worked! But I started gagging! It tasted awful.”
“You didn’t consider your source of oxygen, where your air was coming from?”
“That’s why I don’t want to tell Dad.”
“That makes sense.”
“You’ll tell him to leave me alone about it?”
“Most definitely.”
“You won’t tell him what happened? He said you wouldn’t tell.”
“I won’t tell.”
“Thanks! Because things have been going really well lately. I don’t want to ruin it.”
“That’s great to hear! I like hearing you happy.”
“Yesterday, Dad spent extra time in the house with me.”
“Were you playing games? Mario?”
“No, he was cleaning! He made everything fancy. Like Thanksgiving dinner.”
“Yes! Just like that, but more! He put all kinds of candles out, all over the place.”
“And Tansy Dave came over for dinner.”
I may have missed a sentence or two as I thought:
She’s at the bar with him.
She runs with him and his underwear is suddenly on backwards.
Now dinner.
“He was in such a great mood all day. I just didn’t want to ruin it.”
“I won’t tell him what you told me. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“Go get your dad. I’ll tell him you are okay…”
“Hey, he told you.”
“He sure did. He’s fine.”
“Nothing weird.”
“Not weird for Patrick. Just Lightning Boy being Lightning Boy.”
“I suppose I’ll never know.”
“Oh, it’s not a story I’ll forget. I’ll tell you about it when he’s over 21.”
“I can’t wait.”
“These phone calls get expensive fast.”
“I’m going to let you go.”
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