Theresa Grant Word Count: 2,804
4917 Morning glory Court
Rockville, Maryland 20853
Grant_Theresa.msn.com Chapter One
At the age of five, Eddie Greene was forced to leave his family’s home. His mother dropped him off on her parents and left him without a word. Then, suddenly, after his fourteenth birthday, his mother decides that he must come to live with her. Once again, with no explanation, Eddie is forced to leave his home and the only parents whom he has known for ten years.
Eddie awoke when his Grandma called to him from the stairs leading to his bedroom. “Hurry, Eddie. This is the day you get to go on an airplane.”
Eddie didn’t need another reminder that he would be leaving his parents and going to a place that was unfamiliar to him. He dressed quickly and came downstairs to the kitchen.
“Eddie, what’s the matter?” Grandma asked. “What a face!”
“I’m angry is all.”
“Why?”
He tossed his baseball and glove on the dining table, slumped into a chair, stared straight ahead, and answered, “I don’t want to go away this Christmas.”
Grandma put her arms around him and tried to assure him, “It’ll be all right.”
“No, it won’t.” He drummed his heels against the chair’s support, each kick louder than the last.
“Are you trying to kick the legs off of that chair?” Grandma teased. “We’re sending you to your mom.”
“A perfect stranger who hates me,” he said, both hands under his chin and elbows on the table.
“Ruth doesn’t hate you. She sent for you, didn’t she?”
“After ten years? I hear nothing from her. Now, boom, she wants me? Sure. Probably wants a farm hand.”
“She wants a chance to prove her love for you,” Grandma said. “Granddad and I should’ve talked more about your mother and your Father, but we didn’t know what to say.”
“I like living in Baltimore, Maryland, going to the Potomac, sailing and fishing with Granddad.”
Granddad came to the kitchen and took a seat next to Eddie. He kissed his forehead and patted his cheek, then laughed and his dark eyes sparkled.
Eddie could tell by the look on his face that he wanted his coffee, because he wasn’t at his best until he had his breakfast.
“All packed and ready to go?” Granddad asked. “It’s going to be exciting. You riding on a plane for the first time.”
“I could stay home and you can forget about sending me away.”
“This Christmas is going to answer a lot of questions for you,” Granddad said. “This will be a second chance for you and your mom to be together.”
“You’ll be ok. I promise,” Grandma said.
“No, I won’t.” He kicked the chair and jammed his hands in the pockets of his blue jeans. “Waking at five, in the morning, helping with animals and shoveling their poop. That’s not how I want to spend my Christmas.”
“Your mom has farm hands,” Grandma said. “I think she wants her son.”
Eddie snorted and said, “If she wanted me, she wouldn’t have dumped me on you.”
Grandma arose from the table, pulled him from his seat, and tightened her arms around him.
For a moment, Eddie wished he were five years old again, and she would hold him on her lap. Instead, he edged away and flopped back in his chair. “My Christmas is shot.” He shifted in his chair. “I want to go to the ice hockey game with Jack.”
“You can go to ice hockey with your friends next winter. Your Granddad and I believe this visit will be a good experience.” She glanced at him above her eyeglasses. “I bet you don’t weigh more than fifty pounds. The farm will fatten you.”
“I’ll never have food like yours on the farm.”
She laughed and stated, “Eddie, there isn’t anything but food like mine on a farm.”
“But it won’t taste like yours,” he said, and laid his head on the table.
“I grant you, your mom never learned anything with all her hired help,” she said. “But you won’t starve with the cook there.”
This wasn’t going the way that he had expected. How could he change their minds? “My softball team is counting on me. Please, I worked all winter to play this game.”
“I’m sorry, Eddie. They’ll have to do without you this time,” she said.
“Do you and Granddad want to get rid of me, too?”
“Eddie, the sun doesn’t rise and set for us without you,” she said, and stroked his forehead. “Finish eating. I’ll help you pack.”
He leaned into her, hugged her and kissed her hand. I’m going to miss you and Granddad.”
“We’ll miss you, too.” Granddad said and hugged him. “We’ve got to get you to Baltimore Washington National Airport.”
Chapter Two
Eddie boarded the Delta noon flight to Madison, Wisconsin, and stared out of the window at his Grandparents until the plane flew out of sight.
When the plane landed in Wisconsin, Eddie got off, looked around, and stared at a beautiful, tall woman standing next to the passenger’s arriving sign. Soft Caramel curls framed her oval face like a portrait. She wore a black pants suite with a pink flowered blouse.
“Hi, baby.”
Her soft voice reminded him of his Grandma’s. “Do I know you?” He asked gazing at her.
She put her arms around him. “I’m your mom.”
Eddie stiffened and held his arms rigidly at his sides.
She smiled and rubbed his cheek with the back of her hand. “The car is outside. Are you hungry?”
He remembered what his Grandma had said about his Mom never learning to cook and he answered, “No.”
“I have food waiting. Whenever you’re ready, let me know.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
An hour later, his Mom drove through an open black, wrought iron gate with a sign painted in large red letters: Greene Valley Farms. They stopped in the winding drive of a large red brick house with dark gray shutters. A tall white picket fence surrounded the house. There were evergreen trees with Christmas lights near the side of the house, and lighted plastic candy canes lining the walkway.
“Didn’t I see this place on Celebrity House Party?” He teased and shaded his eyes from the bright lights to stare at the luscious green landscape.
“Rolling hills, thick velvety green grass and miles of white board fencing,” she said. “I hope you will like it here.” She laughed, took his hand and helped him from the car. “Come with me.” She led him around the back of the house.
“I’ve never seen a barn painted orange, red, and blue.”
“My favorite colors,” she said. “Makes my days bright.”
Everything looked great, he thought, but he wouldn’t love this farm. He wasn’t going to be stuck here every Christmas, cut off from the real world. These furious thoughts whirled around in his head, and his insides writhed with anger once more as he explored the farm.
“This is the chicken house. You’ll get a chance to see how the eggs are collected, and to see how the milking is done in the barn.”
“Am I expected to do all of that?” He asked. She probably has a smelly old goat that she wanted me to bathe.
“Not unless you want to try something. Hired help does everything.”
Confused, he ran his hand through his curly brown hair. There must be some other reason she has ruined his Christmas. “Why did you send for me?”
“I missed seeing you grow into your teens,” she said, smiled and winked at him.
His Mom’s voice interrupted his thoughts and he realized that they had walked all the way back to the house when he was lost in thought.
As they stepped inside, he slipped off his Air Jordan sneakers, his feet sank into plush carpeting, and he walked around the room, enjoying the softness of the pile against his feet. He went to the first bedroom, at the end of a long hall, and edged to a queen-sized bed, peered out of the two windows, on either side of his room, and saw miles of green carpet-like lawns. “Cool.” He said and peered up at the high domed, white ceiling with stained oak beams. “I like this room.”
“It’s yours.” She smiled and ruffled his hair. “Come to the dining room and help yourself to some food.”
He threw his luggage into the closet and followed her to the dining room.
She pulled a chair from the red cherry-wood dining table, next to her. “Sit here, baby. We got ham, creamed potatoes, green beans and apple pie. Can I get you something to drink? Lemonade, ice tea, or Coke?”
“May I have a coke, please?”
“Course you may,” she said and smiled.
Eddie licked his lips and eyed the food. “Did you cook this food?”
“No. Marie, my cook, made everything. You’ll meet her later.”
Good. He could relax and eat what he wanted. He finished eating and stood up.
She stood and put her arm around his shoulder. “Did you like the food?”
He moved away and answered, “It was ok.”
“I’ve got another surprise for you. Follow me.” She took his hand and led him to a large lake, which was a quarter of a mile from the house. “Momma and Daddy told me how much you love sailing. These two boats are mine.”
The lake shimmered in front of him. His stomach wrenched and he stared wide-eyed at the boats with sails hanging loosely and flapping in the cool breeze.
“This lake runs into Lake Mendota. We can go sailing, when it gets warmer if you’d like,” she said and squeezed him. “You can teach me how to sail.”
He followed her back to the house, and he yawned and stretched. “I’d like to go to bed.”
“Ok, sleepy head. Go ahead.” She kissed his cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow, bright and early.”
He slid into his pajamas and hopped into bed. A few minutes later, he heard footsteps, and he kept his eyelids closed. She sat on the side of his bed, leaned over and kissed him. He lay still. He wasn’t going to say goodnight to her. Then he heard her footsteps leaving his room and he turned on his side and drifted into sleep.
Chapter Three
The next morning, before the sun rose, Eddie got dressed and passed his Mom’s room, on the way to the dining room. He saw her sitting before the mirror, brushing her hair.
“Come. Sit beside me.” She slid near the end of the seat to make room for him.
He entered and stood by the door, watching her reflection, and noticed a wedding portrait of her and a man. “Is he my Dad?”
“Yes. You have his keen nose and his brown eyes.”
He stared at the picture. He had the same high forehead, and the same thick eyebrows. His Dad’s hair was lighter than his. “Did you love my Dad?”
She turned around and gazed at him. “Your father and I had a good marriage.”
“Then, why did he leave?”
“Hoo-ha! A serious question right off the top.” She paused, sucked in a breath, and answered. “He went to war in Iran and he disappeared.”
He thought for a moment, and then asked, “Did my Dad love me?”
“Yes, but, things happen to people and life isn’t always fair.”
He thought for a moment. If she and Dad loved him, why did he get dumped on Grandma and Granddad? She must think that he’s stupid. He gazed at her and said, “I want to know more about me. Why did you send me away?”
Just as she was about to answer his question, the cook called to her. “Come on, Ms. Greene. Breakfast is getting cold.”
“Why did you send me away?” He asked again.
“Not now. I’ll answer your question later. We’d better get to the dining room.”
He grew impatient. “I want to know now.” He stared at her and tightened his lips together.
“Let’s eat first. Come on.”
He followed her and walked swiftly to the dining room.
“Eddie, this is Marie.”
“Hi, sweetheart,” Marie said, and pinched his cheek. “I’ve got hot cakes with blueberries on top, maple syrup and grilled sausages. Take a seat and enjoy your breakfast.”
His Mom pulled a chair from the table and sat next to him. After breakfast, we can go horseback riding.”
Eddie didn’t answer. Then, he demanded, “Tell me, now, about me.”
“Not in front of Marie. I’ll tell you later.”
“You just don’t want to tell me, but I know why,” he yelled and ran from the table.
“Eddie, come back.”
He hurried to the lake, climbed into the larger boat, unwrapped the sails, and released the boat from the dock. The sailboat rocked with the waves. She doesn’t love me. How could she? He wondered as he steered the boat and gazed at the sky.
He had sailed for an hour, when a font of dark clouds chased away the sunlight. Looks like a storm is coming. No matter. This boat can cut through it.
Thunder grumbled and bellowed. Lightening snapped against the sides of the boat. Wind rattled and whipped the sails. He became anxious, and cleared his throat, breaking up lumps that had formed in his throat. “What was he doing?” He asked himself aloud.
Rain began to hammer the deck, and Eddie started to think, maybe he should go back to the farm. Gust of wind swirled around the boat, followed by a burst of thunder. The boat swung violently, as lightening hit the water. Wild-eyed, he searched for something to keep him inside of the boat. He found a rope and tied one end of the rope around his waist and the other to the railing of the boat.
Desperately, Eddie held on to the rope. Wings of water slapped him against his face, as he continued further out to sea. He felt as if he had been tumbling inside of a giant washing machine as he went over raging waves. He shivered at the thought of what might happen if he could not reach the shore on the other side of town.
Terror seized Eddie’s heart and he prayed, “Lord, please let me live. I promise not to go sailing alone again, and to be nice to my Mom, and to do all of my chores, and to not complain about anything ever again.” No, he would not think about dying. Ok, don’t panic. The shore is near. Stay cool.
The storm was behind him. He docked at the south west side of the lake, near the University of Wisconsin, tied the boat to the dock and hurried inside.
People stared at his wet clothing as he hurried inside the building. He saw a person with an I-phone and asked, “May I use your phone to call my Mom?” He dialed his Mom’s number and waited for her to answer.
“Eddie, I’ve been half out of my mind.” Her voice sounded unsteady, as though she had been crying. “Where are you?”
“The University of Wisconsin. I took one of the sail boats and ran into a storm.”
“Wait! I’ll be there in minutes,” she said.
Eddie waited until his Mom came through the door. She trembled and fell to her knees. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine, Mom.”
“O, Lord, I don’t know what I would have done if you had drowned.” She cradled him in her arms. “I love you with all my heart.”
“Then, why did you give me away?”
There was a moment of stunned silence, and a look of fright passed over her face. She stammered, “I ___I’m sorry. After your father went to war, I could not eat, sleep or take care of you.” She tried to stifle the tears that flooded her cheeks. “ I left you with Mom and Dad, and I checked myself into the hospital. I was depressed.” She held him tightly and planted kisses over his face. “I could not take care of myself, much less take care of you.”
“You did take care of me,” he said and kissed her, “You gave me to the greatest parents anyone could ask for.”
“I love you, Eddie.” She drew him closer and hugged him. Then her I phone rang and she answered to hear Marie’s tearful voice.
Mrs. Greene? Mr. Greene has been found. He’s coming home.”
She screamed and fell to her knees. “Thank you God for bringing my man back to me.”
“What’s wrong, Mom?” Eddie said and held on to her.
“Your Dad is coming home. He is not dead.”
He smiled and said, “Let’s go home to meet him, Mom.”
An interesting story. I know it's fiction, but you have taken quite a bit of license while writing it. I'm from Wisconsin. Before Christmas, sailboats have been stowed away for the winter. If they haven't already, all the lakes will be frozen over for ice fishing and ice boating by November.
Green Valley Farms is a very fanciful place right out of a soap opera. While Wisconsin farms may be large and may have farmhands, all of those nasty chores that Eddie seems to abhor are usually also done by the owners. And any farm(s) that would have a cook, would be rare indeed. Finally, you said that the father (with no name?) went to war in Iran? There was no war in Iran although he may have been on a intelligence mission there and detained.
