by Rob Edwards
“Thank you for asking. I’ll always be anywhere you need me to be.” He leaned in and kissed her.
“Hello, again,” Jack Brody said. Neil looked up and Jack held out his hand. “Jack Brody, we met briefly once before.”
Neil gripped Jack’s hand, and shook it firmly. “Neil Keating, nice to see you…again.”
Jack put his hands in his pockets and sighed. “I wasn’t sure we were going to make it.”
“We?” Judith said.
Jack nodded his head in the direction of the building. “Yeah, Kate wanted to come with me. She’s in her wheelchair, up on the sidewalk.”
“Kate’s here?” Judith asked. “Should I go say hi?”
“That probably wouldn’t be a good idea,” Jack said, shaking his head.
The doors to the building opened and the crowd murmured. All the signs shook wildly. Darlene, megaphone in hand, ran through the crowd whispering, “Stand aside. Make a path for Noah,” She walked all the way through to the building, clearing an aisle so Judith could see the doorway through the parting of the bystanders.
There stood Delton, next to Governor Anderson, who towered above him. Both men smiled and waved to the crowd.
Judith put her hand on her heart, and tried to hold back tears. Seeing Delton now, brought a feeling of joy that was almost overwhelming. All that work and worry, with little to no hope that this day would ever come. Neil reached down and held her hand.
Jack leaned in. “Judith, shouldn’t Noah see this?”
“Yes, thank you.” Judith turned and opened the car door. Noah was in his car seat, calmer now, playing with a rubber band. “Noah, you need to come out here,” She reached in, unbuckled him, and lifted him out of his seat. Noah moaned loudly and squirmed excitedly, clutching at his seat. “Noah, this is important.” She stood Noah on the pavement, and knelt down. He buried his head in her shoulder and moaned. She whispered in his ear. “Noah, Delton is here, and he wants to see you.”
Noah stopped moaning. He pulled back slightly and looked her in the eyes. She smiled at him and nodded. Then she pointed in the direction of Delton.
The place was silent. The wind whispering through the chain link fence was the loudest noise.
Noah reluctantly looked around. He saw the hundreds of people lining the path and buried his head again.
“Noah, Delton is over there, and he wants to see you.”
Noah lifted his head once more. This time he let his gaze travel down the path to the doorway. The change in his expression was distinct, and immediate. The fear in his eyes faded at the moment of recognition, and a sparkle glimmered. The tension in his cheeks and neck softened. Noah stepped away from his mother and took a step toward the door—toward his best friend.
The crowd took one collective breath as Noah passed them by, his awkward steps surely making everyone nervous, for fear he would fall on the hard cement. But Noah didn’t fall. As he drew closer to Delton, each step seemed to come a little faster, and the terror of the crowd around him dissipated, eclipsed by the excitement of seeing his friend once more.
Delton knelt down. Noah completed the last few steps to get to him, held out his fist and yelled, “My man!”
Many in the crowd, chuckled under their breath, others threw their hands over their mouths so as not to startle the boy, and still others, mostly women, wiped tears from their eyes.
Delton smiled, and fist-bumped Noah. Then he stood, took Noah’s hand, and guided him back to the car.
Judith had streams of tears by the time the two made it back. She threw her arms around Delton and hugged him tightly, almost afraid to let go.
“Thank you for all of this,” he said in her ear.
“Delton, this doesn’t even begin to thank you for all you’ve done for Noah,” she said.
They pulled apart, and he smiled at her. “So I understand I have a couple of roommates.”
“You do,” Judith said.
“What about Danna?”
“We’re getting her too. She’ll be living with us soon.”
Delton choked up, and hugged her again.
“I hope you like spaghetti for dinner.”
“I like anything that ain’t prison food.”
Darlene slapped him on the shoulder. “This is my sister’s cooking. Don’t expect it to be better than prison food.”
They chuckled and climbed into the car. Darlene stepped up on the bumper and held up the megaphone one last time. “Okay people, let’s hear it for Delton and Noah!”
The crowd erupted, and waved their signs. Darlene stepped down and tossed the megaphone to the officer she’d gotten it from. Then she hopped in the car and drove off, tin cans rattling on the road behind them.
The following is an excerpt from the article “Special Needs + Special Rehab = Special Circumstances,” written by Dr. Warren Q. Fitzpatrick, of Marmont State College, and published in “American Psychology Magazine,” October 20xx.
This is the part of the article where the researcher discusses the findings based on the data collected. However, in this instance, this article was not written with the findings in mind, but rather a chance to tell our end of things, as it were.
As the world is aware, the project was terminated the day Rick Simpson was killed, which was just two short months ago. We have begun the arduous process of sifting through notes, videos and interviews with the remaining parents, but we are still in discovery mode and not ready to form a hypothesis at the time of this writing.
There is one outcome I can take the liberty to discuss, and I feel that it would be wrong if I did not do so. Though many opinions abound on Delton Hayes, and his culpability in the death of Mr. Simpson, there is an important message that I cannot iterate enough. Noah Higgins spoke, due directly to the intervention of Delton Hayes. That is a fact that is undeniable and irrefutable. Delton remained devoted to Noah throughout the project and spent his own time creating new ways in which to reach the boy.
No matter what people are saying this young man did, or didn’t do, I need to make it clear that I have pages of transcribed notes and hours of recorded sessions to conclude that when given a chance, Delton is as good, or better than anyone out there who feels privileged enough to judge him.
In conclusion, I will state proudly that if all the data were to mysteriously evaporate overnight, Noah Higgins saying loudly, “my man,” is all the proof one needs to declare this project a resounding success.
Thank you for reading!
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And watch for the second installment of the Threads of Life series, I DO OR I DON’T, coming in 2021!
Acknowledgments
This book has been dedicated to three of the greatest encouragers in my life. I don’t think they comprehend how much their words have motivated me over the years. Even though my father is gone from the planet, he instilled in me a belief that the first step in achieving a goal is to simply give it a try.
I still hear you Dad.
A huge thanks go out the editors of this book, Louise Knott-Ahern, and C.D. Dahlquist.
Louise was instrumental with defining crucial elements of the story, and C.D. Dahlquist did another outstanding job with the copy editing work.
Another contributor was Dr. Mary Sharp, M.D. Highly regarded for her work with developmental disabilities, autism in particular, Dr. Sharp made sure I had all the facts straight regarding ASD.
And I would be remiss without mentioning another important contributor, my late father-in-law, Dan Ostrom. A reti
red state trooper, he spent a warm, sunny, summer afternoon and discussed all the legalities of this story with me when it was nothing but a glimmer in the back of my mind.
Thank you to all of the beta-readers who took the time to give their honest feedback. Your input was invaluable.
The cover art benefited from the photography work of Victoria Borodinova, and Spencer Selover. You can find both at pexels.com. The third picture was taken by my wife, Dayna Marie.
Thanks to a great writing community in the mid-Michigan area. I have gained a great deal of advice and support from the Capital City Writers Association, the local NaNoWriMo Chapter, my writing group the Skaaldic Society, and the annual Rally of Writers.
Thanks to Anne Stanton, Doug Weaver, and Heather Shaw at Mission Point Press for their support.
And finally - thanks to you, the reader. I hope you continue to follow the threads of life with me!