by M. L. Young
“I put too much batter on and didn’t fry it long enough,” Blake said.
“It was like biting into a fresh raw fish,” Wendy said, her face red.
“That’s so cute,” I said, smiling.
“We’ve got pictures at home, whole albums, and I’ll have to make sure to pull them out,” Wendy said.
“I’d love to see a young Blake running around,” I said, smiling.
“Okay, folks, I’ve got your waters here. You know what you want or do you want some more time?” Harold asked.
“Are we all doing the fish fry?” Wendy asked.
I nodded and Blake did as well before Harold wrote down our order. Earl also ordered a beer, the same as Blake, and Wendy and I both got diet sodas, even though I didn’t drink it all that often.
I watched as servers brought out the fish dinners to other patrons around us. I could feel the saliva wanting to drip out of my mouth, watching as the golden brown coating on the fish still bubbled with little drops of frying oil. It also came with cole slaw, a biscuit, and fries, and boy was it a lot of food for such a low price. The sign out front said it was $7.99 for the entire thing.
A woman brought our drinks by and set them all down. Earl took a big swig of his beer and licked the froth from his upper lip.
“That’s a damn good brew,” he said as he looked at it affectionately.
I could tell Blake wasn’t a huge fan of it, but I suppose his taste buds were a little more refined now in comparison to his father’s. As we sat there taking sips from our drinks without much to say, I could see some of the people in the restaurant looking over at us and smiling. Well, I guess they were looking at Blake and not us, since we likely didn’t matter much to them. It was sort of awkward, but it wasn’t something I hadn’t faced before with him.
“So, you guys are doing all right? You’ve been getting what I send for you?” Blake asked.
“What stuff?” Wendy asked.
“You know, Mom, the help I send. The clothes, food, medicine, things like that,” Blake said.
His father nodded a little, as if saying don’t bother, but his mother looked a little confused and not quite all there. I was a little confused too, but I didn’t say anything to either Blake or his father. Was this the kind of stuff Blake had told me about? Was he ashamed of this for some reason?
“Oh, I forgot to thank you for the packages you sent,” Wendy said out of the blue about five minutes later.
“I’m glad you liked them, Mom. Did they make you happy?” he asked.
“Oh, so much so!” Wendy said, just before a waitress came with our food.
“We have four fish dinners here,” she said, starting to set them down in front of us.
I saw the sizzle of those same grease bubbles on the outside of my filets. The little cup of tartar sauce was beautifully white and a little curl of the sauce on top brought it all together.
I picked up my fork and stuck it in the cole slaw. The somewhat watery sauce dripped from my fork and down over the fish as I brought it to my mouth. I took a bite, tasting the cold, vinegary snap that reminded me of my own home. This was the exact way they made it there. Hell, I might as well be eating there.
“Just like I remember it,” Blake said as he took a bite of the fish covered in tartar sauce.
“Blakey has always loved a lot of tartar on his fish. He won’t eat it any other way!” Wendy said as she cut her fish into smaller pieces.
“Can I get another cold one?” Earl asked before letting out a small burp to the side.
Dinner went off without a hitch, though Wendy didn’t act strangely any more during the meal. I wondered if she’d had a brain fart or if there was something wrong with her that Blake forgot to mention. I knew she wasn’t the best mother in the world, at least according to him, but was this the reason why? I knew I’d have to bring it up to him later tonight, even if it was going to be a little uncomfortable.
A few people came up to the table while we were there and shook Blake’s hand. They were old classmates, neighbors, and just general townspeople who knew and loved Blake and what he’d become. It was weird seeing all these people adore him, but I couldn’t say I blamed them. I adored him a lot more.
The sun had already fallen when we walked out of the restaurant, though I guess it was setting when we were walking in. One horrible thing about the winter months is how early day becomes night. It didn’t seem to matter if you were on the chilly open plains or in the cool San Francisco bay.
Harold thanked us many times for coming in and said he wanted to see us again sometime before we left. Blake agreed, and took a picture with him for his wall of celebrities, which admittedly only had one other person on it, a low-rate country music singer nobody had ever heard of, and we walked back to the SUV.
The seat warmers came on strong as Wendy and I sat in the back seat and I rubbed my hands together. A few snowflakes started falling. Earl said a storm was rolling in and we’d better get home before she hit.
The roads were about as busy as they could get, which admittedly wasn’t all that busy, though Blake navigated them without a hitch and we pulled back into the driveway just as the wind started to pick up and blow the snow around even more.
“How about we get inside and start a fire,” Earl said as he unbuckled his seatbelt.
“Sounds like a good night to me,” Wendy said.
As we got out of the car and walked up to the front door, Wendy picked up a small note from the neighbors saying that they heard Blake was in town and they hoped we’d all stop by sometime before he left. They unlocked the door, we walked in, and Wendy immediately played with the thermostat and turned the temperature up two degrees.
Our shoes, which were a little snowy and wet, sat at the front door as the snow started to slowly melt off them with every passing minute. I was happy to be wearing a sweater, and as we sat down on their big leather couch, Blake pulled down a blanket and put it on top of the two of us. Wendy and Earl both had big recliners, and Earl turned on the news to see that there had been a school shooting in Des Moines earlier today.
“Shame, that is,” he said, grabbing a bowl of pork rinds that were near the table and starting to munch on them.
“Earl Hunter, you just had a big dinner at the diner and now you’re eating more? The doctor said you need to hold off,” Wendy said.
“Eh, screw him. I know what’s good for me,” he said, brushing her off.
“If the doctor says so, you should listen to him,” Blake said.
“I definitely don’t need no sass from you, young man. I’m fine and perfectly healthy and that’s that,” Earl said, his gaze still on the television, though he didn’t miss a beat.
Blake shook his head and held my hand underneath the blankets as Wendy insisted we turn something fun on that we all could enjoy instead of the news. Earl relented, and Wendy turned on some movie channel that was playing a classic that I’d never heard of, and quite frankly, I was glad I hadn’t heard of it before now. Still, Blake and I didn’t say a word and instead we just enjoyed the company.
After watching the movie, which ended around nine, Wendy and Earl said that they were going to get to bed. We said our goodnights, and as they walked away and I knew they weren’t going to be coming back, I knew it was time to ask Blake what went on with his mother earlier.
“So, I have a question for you,” I said as he flipped through the channels.
“What’s up?” he asked.
“What happened at dinner earlier?” I asked.
“What do you mean?” he replied.
“When your mom, you know, forgot,” I said.
“Oh, that,” he said.
I watched the expression on his face as it turned a little sour and I could tell it was something he was uncomfortable with. I didn’t want to push him or anything, but I felt that maybe I should know since I was here with him. He could trust me.
“For the past few years she’s had some problems remembering short-term th
ings. The doctor said it’s likely early dementia, though it isn’t bad now or anything like that. First it just started off forgetting easy things, like grocery lists and basic news and stuff like that. It’s now progressed to where she has a lot of her long-term memory there, but not so much recent things. She’s getting treated for it, and they’re doing anything and everything they can, but yeah, she’s not all there,” he said.
“I’m very sorry to hear that. How are you holding up?” I asked.
“About as well as I can, I guess. I was never super close to my parents, but I still don’t want to see them suffer or go through any diseases or problems. They’re still my parents no matter what, and I’m more than willing to get them the care and medication they need. I just hope that it doesn’t all go away anytime soon. What happens when her long-term memory vanishes? Will there be any shred of her left?” Blake asked.
“That’s a tough question to answer,” I replied.
“Hopefully I’ll get an answer, and hopefully it will be one that I want to hear. I know that while my father loves her and takes care of her the best he can, it would be extremely hard to care for someone who can’t do anything for themselves or remember anything, especially considering he isn’t the most capable or fit man himself. He’s got a whole host of medical problems that could make it near impossible for him to care for himself in ten years, much less his wife,” Blake said.
“I know it’s probably hard not to, but I’d just say to not worry about it so much. It’s out of your hands, and at the end of the day all you can do is give them the treatment they need and hope for the best. Worrying about it and stressing out over it won’t do any good and won’t change the outcome for better or worse,” I said.
“You’re right,” he said, squeezing my hand a little.
“Better?” I asked.
“Yeah. Thank you for being you,” he said, leaning in and giving me a kiss.
We continued to watch a little more TV as I could hear the wind howling outside. I looked out the window and saw snowdrifts forming as their back deck lights shone over the yard and illuminated the crystal-like flakes. They looked beautiful—like diamonds flying around in the night sky as Blake held me close and kept me warm. This trip wasn’t so bad after all.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Blake
I hated running into people I knew from high school more than anything in the world.
High school wasn’t a particularly good time for me, though it wasn’t quite the worst, either. I’d say that I got picked on, most kids did, and now that I had the money and status that I did, it seemed like everyone, including my old bullies, were my very best friends in the world. I didn’t know if they expected money or presents or whatever, but you’d think that we were twins separated at birth.
Today wasn’t any different as we walked through the aisles of the Walmart that was about twenty minutes from my parents’ house. It was the only one in the area and where everyone from an hour around congregated to do their main grocery shopping and just general shopping. My parents were no different, and they dragged us here so that we could get some things and check out the area a bit more. This town had much more to offer, including a small mall and a movie theatre, though they weren’t exactly a huge draw. I guess if you lived around here they were great.
“Blake?” I heard asked from behind me.
I turned around to see Aaron, a guy a year older than me who used to live a couple blocks away. He was a real dick. He used to shove my head out of the bus window and make me flinch so that he got to hit me. That was a big thing when I was in school. People would make you flinch or make some stupid circle symbol with their hand below their waist and if you flinched or looked at the symbol they’d get to hit you in the shoulder. My entire tenth year on this earth involved a black and blue shoulder. I bet he didn’t remember that, though.
“Hello, Aaron,” I said with an almost melancholic and pained tone.
That didn’t seem to get through to him, though, as he shook my hand with a huge shit-eating grin and said hi to my parents, who I knew he must’ve seen every now and again around town.
“How are you, Aaron?” my mother asked.
“Oh I’m good, Mrs. Hunter. I didn’t know Blake was back in town. How long are you here for?” Aaron asked.
“Just a couple more days. Figured I’d come see my parents and spend some time with them before work picks back up,” I said, as I knew to just bullshit myself around people like him.
I definitely wasn’t afraid of him anymore, and he obviously wouldn’t try anything on me these days, but I never forgot the person he was when we were younger. I knew people would try to tell me he was a kid and kids do stupid and crazy things sometimes, but for some reason I just didn’t care about those excuses. He might’ve changed, and maybe he hadn’t bullied or hurt anybody in a very long time, but he did bully and hurt me, and I’d never forget it as long as I lived.
“We’re gonna have to go get a beer or something! I’d love to catch up,” Aaron said.
“That’s a great idea, Aaron,” my mother said, not helping as usual.
“Yeah, I’ll check my schedule and get in touch with you. You still around town?” I asked, both to ask him and to sort of make a dig at him.
“Yup, still around. Took over the towing business dad had. Going well,” he said, as chipper as can be.
“That’s awesome. Glad to hear it,” I said with a fake smile.
Maybe if my parents and Penny hadn’t been around I would’ve blown him off or acted differently, but instead I bit my tongue and kept polite. I didn’t want to cause a scene and I didn’t want to embarrass my parents, who still had to stay in this cesspool of a town and deal with the rumors and drama that would unfold from me being a dick to someone.
“Who is this?” he asked, looking at Penny.
“This is my girlfriend, Penny,” I said.
“I knew little Blake when he was just a small guy. Him and I were something fierce back in those days,” Aaron said, his hands in his pockets.
“It’s nice to meet you. I bet you were,” she said, sensing my discomfort.
“Well, anyway, I better get going. I just stopped to pick up a few things. I mean it about that beer, Blake. I’d love to catch up,” Aaron said.
“I’ll stop on by sometime and let you know,” I said with another fake smile.
“Okay, sounds good! See you guys!” Aaron said, and everyone said bye and I got to turn off my fake happiness.
“About damn time,” my dad said, tossing the toothpick in his mouth around.
“I thought you liked him,” I said.
“Not a chance. That kid’s a dick,” my father said.
“Earl!” my mother exclaimed.
“We were all thinkin’ it, Wendy,” he said before we started moving again.
I loved that my dad didn’t have a filter, though I didn’t always love it growing up. He was a little too honest sometimes, and although it shaped me into the person I was today, I couldn’t help but wonder what I could’ve been molded into had he been more caring and thought about his words before he said them. I couldn’t count the number of times he said something bad and my mother forced him to go apologize to me. There are some things in this world you just shouldn’t say to a kid, and Earl Hunter said them all.
“Are ya’ll getting hungry?” Wendy asked after we checked out and walked to the car.
“Yeah, I could eat,” Penny said.
“That’s a question you don’t have to ask with me,” my father said.
The clouds were dark even though there was no snow falling, and we all got into my SUV and drove down the street to some chain restaurant that was starting to fill up for lunch. The theme was Tex-Mex, and every entrée I saw as we walked to our table was covered in queso or heaps of deep-fried chips and potatoes. It wasn’t my typical kind of place, but then again nothing around here was. None of this was even around when I was a kid, but I guess change is never a bad thing. The
people around here loved it and that was all that mattered.
“Here you are. Your server is Paul and he’ll be with you shortly,” the hostess said with a smile before walking away.
Nobody had seemed to notice me here, which was a sign of good times to come. I wasn’t a celebrity by any stretch of the imagination, but you’d think I was Brad Pitt or George Clooney around here. Hell, I’d probably get more attention than them if they were standing right next to me here.
“What looks good to you?” my mother asked as we looked over our menus.
“How about we get that chip platter for an appetizer?” my father asked.
“Do you guys like that?” my mother asked, looking at us over her menu.
“Yeah, that sounds great. I could go for some chips and salsa,” Penny said.
“Blake?” my mother asked.
“Anything you guys want I’m fine with,” I said.
“Hi guys, my name is Paul and I’ll be your server today. Can I get you a house margarita or an app to start you off?” Paul asked as he set down small napkins for our drinks.
“Hi Paul, I think we’re going to do the chip platter you have here,” Wendy said as she pointed to it on the menu.
“Awesome choice, guys. That’s definitely a fan favorite here. Can I start you off with anything to drink while they’re working on that order?” he asked.
“I’ll have a Coors Light,” my father said.
“Just a diet coke with a lime for me, please,” my mother said.
“I’ll have the same as her,” Penny said with a smile.
“Captain and Coke, please,” I said.
“Great. I’ll get all those in and be back shortly,” Paul said before leaving.
“Captain and Coke, huh? At least you ain’t drinking them girly drinks since moving out west,” my father said.