by G. P. Ching
* * * * *
With his sixteenth birthday just around the corner, Jacob practiced driving every spare minute. John came along on trips into town, but since the Laudners lived in the country he also practiced alone on the back roads where there wasn’t any traffic. By the time June 9th rolled around, Jacob was sure he was ready.
He arrived ten minutes before The Department of Motor Vehicles opened and shifted restlessly in front of the door until a squirrely looking man with greasy red hair let him in. Since he was first in line, the man sat him down in front of a fat computer terminal. Jacob worked through each question slowly, relieved when he passed with only two incorrect. Then another man with a potbelly and a gray mustache called his name for the driving portion. He tested Jacob in a small hatchback, far more maneuverable than his uncle’s truck. The gray mustache wrinkled with the man’s smile when he told Jacob he’d passed with a perfect score.
“Let’s see it, boy!” John said, pulling the driver’s license from his fingers.
“Finally! You won’t have to drive me around anymore,” he said.
“Well, I didn’t really mind, Jacob, but I can see why you’d be excited to have some freedom. You’ve worked hard these last couple months to pay off your debt and to learn to drive. I’m proud of you, not just for earning this but for adjusting as well as you have.”
Jacob smiled and picked the license from John’s fingers. Of course, he hadn’t really adjusted. He’d just decided to be patient. He planned to go back home to Oahu as soon as Dr. Silva could find his mom. But John didn’t need to know about that until it happened. The sad part was that he actually liked his uncle. Jacob wasn’t sure when exactly it had happened but he’d started to care about him. He would miss John and the closeness that he felt to his dad when he was around.
“So, I don’t think it’s too early for your birthday present, do you?” An ear-to-ear grin lit up John’s pale face.
“You didn’t have to get me anything,” Jacob replied.
“No I didn’t—but I did anyway.”
He followed John out into the parking lot where his uncle stood in front of the big blue truck looking like his head could explode with joy at any moment.
“Happy birthday, Jacob!” he said, slapping Big Blue.
“Thanks,” he replied, wondering what his gift would be.
“This is it,” John said, “I’m giving you Big Blue!”
“No way!”
“Your aunt has been on me for years to get a new truck and now I have an excuse to do it. She’s all yours.”
“John, this is awesome! Thank you, thank you so much.” Jacob was so excited he allowed John to hug him and actually hugged him back a little. He caught the keys that John threw his way and crawled behind the wheel. John climbed in on the passenger’s side.
“Guess what?” John said, as they pulled out and headed for home.
“What?”
“I’ve got something else for you. One more surprise.”
“You’ve got to be kidding. What else could there be?”
“When you first got here, Jacob, I promised you that we would fix up that room for you. I think it’s time.”
Jacob swerved, and John reached over to correct the wheel.
“Easy now, you don’t want to lose that thing on your first day driving. Drop me off at home and then go pick out some paint and things downtown at Johnson’s Hardware. Doug and Judy will charge it to my account. Heck, take your girlfriend with you. I’m sure she’ll be as excited as you are that you’re driving. Anyway, I’ll get started painting tomorrow while you’re working with Abigail. That way it’ll have overnight to air out.”
“John, this is the best. I don’t know what to say. This is more than I ever expected.”
“You’re more than I ever expected. I wish things were different with your ma, but I’m happy we’ve had this chance to get to know each other. That’s the blessing in it.”
Jacob said nothing, but the words were a two-fisted punch to the gut. He didn’t believe in blessings and he wasn’t happy to be in Paris. But he didn’t want to hurt John’s feelings by saying so, because he was happy he’d gotten to know John, too. So he kept his mouth shut and his eyes on the road.