Loose

by Coo Sweet

  The whole family sat at the kitchen table. Nadine and Halloran on one side, Sage on the other. There were troubled faces all around.

  "What were you thinking, Sage? We talk about responsibility all the time. Consequences--using a damn condom! Where was your head at?" Nadine raged. She cut her eyes at Sage. “Never mind. I didn’t even need to ask that, did I?”

  She pounded the table hard enough to rattle it. Sage gripped the edge like he suddenly needed anchoring. Nadine launched herself up from the table. She went to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of wine. She poured herself some in a tall plastic tumbler. She almost drained it with her first gulp.

  "Son, you have any idea what a mess this is?" Halloran asked.

  "Dad, I didn't plan it. Raven said it was safe. I know I was stupid for listening to her, but I got caught up and..." He dropped his head into his hands.

  Nadine plopped back in her chair. She clutched the tumbler of wine like it was a life preserver.

  "I said that girl was trouble from day one. Didn't I say that?" She pointed her glass at Sage.

  "Don’t worry. We'll get to the bottom of this. Has she had a pregnancy test yet, Sage?” Halloran asked.

  "I don't know. We didn't get that far. I was just trying to concentrate on keeping her off me," Sage said.

  "Hmmp…you obviously didn't concentrate hard enough on keeping her off, did you?" sniffed Nadine.

  Halloran patted his wife’s hand. She snatched it away, not willing to simmer down quite so easily.

  “Look, we could go at this all night, babe. Let's get some sleep, cool off, start fresh in the morning," Halloran suggested.

  Nadine drained the rest of her wine. She pushed away from the table.

  "I had hoped I would never see the day that you came home with this kind of news, Sage. After everything we've done--"

  Nadine couldn’t even coax the rest of the words out. She shook her head, walked to the sink, and spiked the tumbler in it—football style.

  "I'm going to bed," Nadine slurred to no one in particular. She staggered out of the room tipsy from not only the effects of the wine, but her rage, too.

  Sage slumped in his chair, crossed his arms over his chest. Halloran reached over and uncrossed them. He took his son’s hand.

  "She's hurt, son. She's scared. And she's worried. You two are just kids. You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into. What would you do with a baby?"

  Sage dropped his head to his chest. Halloran squeezed his son’s hand.

  “Try not to worry too much. We'll figure this out, okay?” Halloran said.

  Sage shook his head, “I can’t believe this, Dad. What was I thinking? What am I going to--?”

  Halloran clamped a hand on Sage’s shoulder, shook it. He bowed his head close to his son’s.

  "Listen…you're not alone in this. Remember that. Your mom will be fine once she cools down. Don't forget we love you, and we'll support you through all of this," Halloran promised.

  Sage blinked back tears. "Dad, I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you guys like this."

  "I know. Things happen…even when we have the best intentions. Things just happen," said Halloran.

  "I love you, Dad," Sage said, wiping a trail of snot from nose.

  "I...we love you, too, Sage. Now go get some sleep, son."

  Sage got up and trudged out of the room.

  Halloran flicked the lights off. He went back to the table and sat there in the dark. He put his head in his hands. And he wept.

  Over at Raven’s, things were just about to heat up. When Celia pulled into her driveway after a long night working double shifts, she spotted her neighbor, Sister Davis, headed her way.

  Lord, what does this woman want now? ...she thought.

  Most of the time Celia tried to be a good Christian and didn’t like to pass judgment on folks, but Sister Davis could work even Job’s nerves on his best day.

  “Evening, Miss Celia,” said Sister Davis, as she walked up to Celia’s car.

  “Actually it’s morning now, Sister. You okay? What brings you out at this hour?” Celia asked.

  “Well, after what went on with your grandbaby, I couldn’t really sleep. Decided I better keep an eye out for you, so I could fill you in.”

  That tiny nugget of information perked Celia up quicker than ten cups of coffee could have. She squared her shoulders and put on her seriously serious face.

  “What are you talking about? What happened to Raven?”

  “You know I’m not one for getting all up in folks’ business, but when I saw what that boy was doing to her, I felt like I had to do something,” said Sister Davis.

  Celia moved closer to Sister Davis, ready to start snatching words out of the woman’s mouth if she didn’t hurry up and spill the details.

  “What boy, Sister? What did he do to my girl?” Celia huffed.

  Sister Davis’ eyes got big. Danger clicked in her brain as soon as Celia’s tone registered in her ears. The story gushed from her mouth like a waterfall.

  “You know…the boy who’s been coming around here a lot lately. I don’t know his name, but he and Raven got into a big fight in his truck. He was shaking her like she was a dust rag. I called the cops soon as I saw him put his hands on her. Then I came out here and made him--”

  Celia bolted for the house. She’d heard all she needed to from the good sister.

  “I hope you’re not too upset,” called Sister Davis.

  Raven thought she was dreaming when she felt herself being hauled out of bed and propped upright. It dawned on her that she wasn’t when Celia leveled a sharp slap across her face.

  “You’ve been sneaking around behind my back again bringing a boy home? Fighting in the street like a common alley cat! And having the cops show up at my house just like your sorry ass daddy. What’s wrong with you, girl? What the hell were you thinking?”

  Celia bared gritted teeth. Her eyes flashed like dynamite had detonated behind her corneas. She shook Raven so hard it made the girl lose her balance and fall down. Celia went to yank her up, but Raven scuttled away from her.

  “Granny, stop!” Raven commanded. She scrambled to her feet and took a defensive stance with her body squared and her fists clenched. This enraged Celia more--seeing Raven defiant, not repentant like she should have been. Celia roared from deep in her chest and charged at her granddaughter.

  Raven managed to sidestep the maneuver. She backed herself up against a wall. Her chest heaved from the thunderous pounding of her heart. Celia’s momentum caused her to trip and fall awkwardly on her wrist. She grabbed it grimacing at the jolt of pain that shot up her arm, yet somehow she managed to get to her feet and advance toward Raven again.

  “Little girl, you have lost your damned mind,” Celia said, gasping for breath. She took a few more tentative steps forward.

  Raven thrust her hands out, palms up to signal a ceasefire.

  “Please, Granny. We can’t do this. I’m preg--“

  Upon hearing that single syllable, Celia froze in her tracks. The sound of her howls drowned out the apology Raven breathlessly issued. Celia dropped to the floor under the weight of her despair. She wrapped her arms around herself, rocked back and forth.

  “Uh-uh. No. Not again. Not again, Jesus!” Celia roared. “I let you off the hook one time. I can’t do it again.”

  Raven slid to the floor too. She held her grandmother, patting Celia’s back...the strong, rigid back that had carried both of them through so much turmoil over the years. Now that back was bowed, as it rose and fell in rhythm with the sobs emanating from Celia’s mouth.

  “I’m sorry, Granny. I’m so sorry,” Raven whispered into a patch of her grandmother’
s gray hair.

  Chapter 18

  Sage was the first one up the next morning. He fixed coffee for his parents, arranging their favorite mugs next to the pot. Then he poured himself a bowl of cereal, sat down, and started absentmindedly stuffing his mouth.

  After a short while, Nadine shuffled in. She held her head in her hands as if to keep it from snapping off at the neck. When she saw Sage from the corner of her bleary eyes, she gasped, clutching the front of her robe. Sage jumped up.

  "Sorry, Ma. Didn't mean to scare you."

  Nadine exhaled deeply. "It's okay. I was expecting you to still be in bed."

  "Couldn't sleep. Figured there was no use lying there staring at the ceiling," Sage confessed.

  "Hmmp, might be good practice...losing sleep. That's what parents do you know?" Nadine grumbled.

  Sage shrank from the sting of her barb. She noticed. Immediately she turned contrite and dropped her head in shame at the low blow she’d leveled him with.

  "I'm sorry, Sage. That wasn't called for. I know you feel bad. You don't need me to make it worse."

  "No, Ma. I deserve it. We did something really stupid," Sage choked up.

  Nadine rushed over and hugged him.

  "Yes, you did. But what you deserve is love and support. And you've got it. Okay?"

  Sage was on the verge of tears. "Thanks, Ma. That means a lot coming from you."

  Nadine rubbed his back. She padded over to the coffee pot. She smirked at the thoughtful presentation Sage had laid out, then filled her mug and leaned against the counter. She studied her son over the rim of her cup.

  Sage polished off his cereal. He took his bowl to the sink, rinsed it, and put it in the dishwasher. Amused by all the considerate gestures, Nadine chuckled to herself.

  “So, this is what it takes to get you to pamper us a little, huh?"

  Sage, astutely aware she could quickly swing back to the dark side, allowed himself only the teeniest of smiles.

  "What can I say? Guilty as charged," he cracked.

  Nadine took her usual seat at the table. The morning paper rested next to her place mat. She picked it up and pointed it at him.

  "Didn't miss a detail, did you?" Sage smiled again, shrugged. He collected his backpack and keys from the counter.

  “I have homework to finish. Thought I'd hit study hall early.”

  Nadine nodded. "That's fine. Make sure you come straight home after school. And stay away from that girl," she said.

  "I will, Ma. See you this afternoon."

  "Bye, baby."

  Sage cringed a little at the sound of the “b” word. His mother gestured for a hug, but he had already turned his back and was out the door. Nadine shook her head and sighed.

  Sage pulled up to the school parking lot. He juggled a large cup of coffee, and the steering wheel. Peyton lounged in the passenger seat, unbuckled as usual.

  "Since when do you drink coffee?" he asked.

  "Since my parents kept me up half the night screaming at me. I spent the other half counting dots on the ceiling panels because I couldn’t shut my brain off enough to fall asleep. Man, I almost crashed in study hall."

  "They're really on your ass, huh?"

  "Yep, like a bad rash," Sage said.

  "So…you really think it's your baby?" asked Peyton, fixing Sage with a long stare.

  "It’s possible. I mean, we did have sex. And we didn’t use protection. But I keep thinking about the way she was after me all of a sudden. Like the movie. That was her idea, right?"

  "Yeah, she asked Tia to set it up. Said she was feeling you. Wanted to check you out," Peyton said.

  With his attention diverted by the conversation, Sage accidentally jostled the cup of coffee. The lid popped off and the cold liquid splashed onto his jeans. When he dropped the cup, he took his eyes off the road for a split second to tend to the mess.

  At that instant, a little dog ran in front of the truck.

  "Oh, shit!" yelled Sage. He slammed on the brakes and tried to throw an arm out to brace Peyton.

  Peyton gripped the dashboard. He squeezed his eyes shut.

  Sage overcorrected the wheel, swerved onto the sidewalk. He hit a utility pole. Both boys whipped forward. Sage's airbag deployed. Peyton's didn't. He flew into the windshield. The whole chain of events took just seconds to unfold.

  A bunch of students sprinted to the crash site, including Jasmin at the head of the pack. She yanked the driver’s side door open. Neither boy moved. Peyton's head was nestled in the windshield. Tiny cracks in the glass fashioned a crude crown around his battered and bloody face.

  "Call 911!" Jasmin screamed. Somebody whipped out a cell and punched in the numbers.

  Sage lay in a hospital bed. He had a bandage over one eye, and a cast on one arm. Nadine and Halloran perched on the edge of their seats. Ready for action if their boy needed anything.

  Peyton dozed in a bed across from Sage. His entire head was bandaged. Cuts crisscrossed his face. There was a cast on his wrist. His mother, Gail, sat next to him holding his good hand.

  Jasmin stood near the doorway. As pained as she looked, she could have easily been mistaken for a third victim of the accident.

  "You know how lucky you two--" Halloran started to say, but he choked up and couldn't go on. His wife comforted him with a tender squeeze of his hand.

  "How's your head feel, baby?" asked Nadine.

  "Like you finally made good on that threat," said Sage.

  Nadine scowled, clueless to what he meant.

  “What do you--“

  "Heads will roll, Ma?" Sage smirked. Nadine swatted his shoulder. Then she got a little teary-eyed.

  "When the school called, I thought it was some kind of prank. All this in two days. What’s next?" She broke down. Halloran pulled her to him.

  Jasmin took a step forward. She reconsidered. Backed off.

  "Don’t worry, Ma. It's just a bump and a broken arm. It could have been a lot worse. I'm fine. Really."

  Just then, Peyton stirred a little.

  "Yeah. He could have hit the dog," Peyton croaked.

  "Baby!" cried Gail. She kissed Peyton’s hand.

  "Oh my god, you had me so worried. I thought you were--" And she broke down. Peyton tried to soothe her with his good hand.

  "It's okay, Mom. Don’t cry," he said.

  "Um-hmm, I always said that boy's head was hard as a rock," said Halloran. He left Sage’s side, went over and squeezed Peyton’s shoulder.

  "You got that right, Mr. G.," said Peyton, grinning. Sage turned to his friend, smiled at him.

  "Man, you know I hate the sight of blood! Why’d you do that to me? You okay for real?" Sage said.

  Peyton raised his broken wrist.

  "Yeah, I'm cool. And this thing's definitely going to be a magnet for the ladies. I already got my eye on two fine nurses I want to sign it," Peyton said.

  His mom gave him the side eye.

  “Alright, boy. Pump your brakes,” Gail kidded. “Lots more important things you need to be worried about.”

  Peyton probed the bandages on his head.

  "I’m fine, Ma. They checked my head out. It's all good up there," he said.

  "Really? Then maybe somebody should check their equipment," joked Halloran.

  That cracked them all up. Even Jasmin, who looked like she’d been trying to make herself invisible.

  "Hey, Jas," said Sage.

  She moved closer to the group.

  "Hey. Hope you don't mind me being here. Your folks said it was okay."

  "No, I don’t mind. You were at the crash, huh?"

  “
Thank goodness she was,” Nadine beamed at Jasmin.

  Jasmin blushed, nodded her head.

  "I heard you yelling for an ambulance. Thought I was dreaming," Sage said.

  "No dream. That was me," Jasmin said.