“The trip went great! It started out bumpy, but everyone worked out their issues, before we even made it, to Kentucky. Uncle Kev blew up, and ended up in a shoving match with AJ and Nick, but then everyone started talking. Everything got worked out and, now, we are all back to normal. By the time that we got to Kentucky, we were all having a great time!” I smiled widely, resting my elbows, on my knees.
“Hey, you forgot about the part, where we stepped in, and told them to stop fighting. If we wouldn’t have done that, they would have kept shoving each other.” Mason turned, to look at me. He had a goofy grin, on his face, as he rested his hands, in his lap.
“Oh right! Yeah! They were just shoving and screaming, but we butted in and told them to act like adults. I guess watching all those therapy type shows, with Morgan, really has paid off. I knew just what to do!” I nodded, with a satisfied grin. Just thinking about the scenario, made me smile, despite the bright sun, that had given me a headache.
“For sure! We really did save the day. After we told them to work it out, they listened to us, for once. Who knew?” Shrugging his shoulders, he looked toward the guys, we were referring to.
“Thank goodness all that drama is over!” I let out a sigh, tilting my head. Repositioning myself, I looked at my little cousin, whose face reflected disappointment.
“Too bad that’s only in our dreams.” His lips formed, into a frown, glancing over at the trio. In reality, we were still sitting on the van floor, our legs hanging out and feet resting on the parking lot’s pavement. Our granola bars were over an hour gone, and the adult’s conflict raged on. The shoving came, and went, but the fighting was ever present.
“Maybe we should say something. We’ll be here until nightfall, if something doesn’t happen…and happen soon. Besides, I’m hungry again, and vending machines won’t take my credit card.” I picked up a little pebble, and threw it, with all my strength. I watched it fly, and miss Kevin’s head, by only an inch. I found myself wishing that it would have made contact…maybe it would have knocked some sense into him. Sure it was a long shot, but it was worth another try.
“What are you doing?!? That’s gonna make it worse!” Mason’s eyes widened, as I picked up another small pebble. Okay, so he was right. Anyone would know that this little pebble wouldn’t do anything, but make him mad. Oh well. I tossed the pebble a few feet away, just as Howie’s voice caught me ear.
“It’s too damn bad that those fools can’t see how they’re affecting the kids.” He let out a sigh, still holding the cell, close, to his ear. “It’s amazing how well these boys turned out, being exposed to all this.”
“Holy…I got an idea!” The little light bulb, in my head, suddenly lit up, with a killer idea. “Hey, Mason…you still got them little candies that you bought the last time we stopped?” I tilted my head, with a wide smirk. I guess my dad’s prankster mind was passed, to me, through genetics, or something, because I could come up with some pretty crazy ideas.
“Yeah. I only ate a few, of them. Why?” Lifting a brow, he turned, grabbing his bag. It only took a moment, for him to pull out the plastic bag, of candy.
“You’re a fucking lousy excuse, for a guardian, and I am sick of your shit!” Kevin roared, his face extremely close, to Nick’s, as I snatched the candy, from Mason. This was getting out, of hand, and I was so sick of hearing it! Who wants to hear non-stop fighting, all the time?
“ME?!? What about you? Huh? You got your kid taken away, because of your crack addiction, DUDE!” Nick wasted no time, fighting back. The two were only inches away, from each other, screaming at the top of their voices. The verbal lashings only got worse, with every passing moment. Shaking my head, I turned back to Mason, still formulating my plan, in my brain.
“Didn’t you have a sandwich baggie, from the snack that you brought?” I was fitting the pieces, of my plan, together, in my head, like a puzzle. This might not be the brightest idea, but I held high hopes that it would work. It’s not like I could make things any worse than they already were.
“Uh huh. Right here.” He nodded, handing me the wadded bag. Flipping it inside out, I shook out the crumbs. “What are you doing, Baylee?”
“Just chill, watch, and hope this works.” I got into the van, and pulled out a book. Sitting in the back, I started crushing the little white candies, into a fine powder. After making sure there were no large pieces left, I slid the powder into the little sandwich bag. Well…here goes nothing. “Stay out of it, Mason, let me handle this.”
“Why? What are you doing?” He slid, out of the van, right after me. Turning, to face him, I met his gaze. There was no need, for him, to risk getting in trouble. I knew that I was facing a serious grounding, if this didn’t work, like I was planning.
“Just…don’t help, okay? Trust me, this is a risky plan and I am liable to get in major trouble, for it. So, stay back and don’t help.” Without another word, I took long strides, toward the three arguing men. I drew in a deep breath, as I approached them. Biting my bottom lip, I tossed the bag on the pavement. “Why don’t you all take a couple hits, and calm, the fuck, down? We’re sick of hearing the shit!”
“What, the hell, is this, Baylee?” AJ snatched the bag, looking at me, with furrowed brows. “And watch your language!”
“Where’d you get that?!?” Nick stepped toward me, concern etched, on his face. So far, they were buying into it, but I knew it wouldn’t last long.
“It’s some new shit. All us kids are doing it, maybe you oughta give it a try.” Pursing my lips, I scrunched my eyebrows. It was taking everything, in me, to hold my ground. My hands were shaking, a little, so I stuffed them in my pockets. Maybe I shouldn’t have done this.
“Where…did…you…get…this?” Kevin’s stern voice was, right, in my face, and I could feel his breath, on my cheek. I knew this was about to get ugly, but was still hoping that the end result would be good.
“You, of all people, should know that you don’t reveal your supplier…to anyone. If you want some more, just ask me and I’ll get it for you.” Taking my hands, out of my pockets, I crossed my arms and shifted all my weight, to one leg. His glare penetrated me, but I clenched my jaw, and didn’t budge.
“Kevin, back off.” Nick stepped up, grabbing my arm, and pulling me aside. I glanced at AJ, who was further examining the substance. It would only be a few moments, before he figured out that it was, just, crushed candy, and my cover would be blown.
“Nick…it’s just candy.” Okay…so it wasn’t even a few moments. Well that sucks! I didn’t even have time, to put my plan into, full, effect! Uncrossing my arms, I stuck my hands, back, into my pockets.
“Candy?” Nick walks over, to AJ, and takes the bag. Taking a taste of the powder, he turns, to look at me. I knew he was expecting an explanation, for this. I just wasn’t sure how I would explain it. Oh yeah, Nick, I was just trying to fake you guys out, so you might understand that Mason and I might become druggies, because you all set those kind, of examples, for us. Mhm. Yeah. That oughta go over real well.
“Care to clue us in, as to what’s going on, Baylee?” AJ tilts his head, waiting for my response. Ok, Baylee, make it good. Here’s my chance to try, getting my point across. I can’t blow this. Be cool.
“It’s simple, really.” I shrugged my shoulders, grabbing the bag, from AJ’s hand. “Don’t you see what you guys are doing? Look around you…this is our family! Yet, you guys are tearing it, to shreds, and setting horrible examples, for us.”
“How dare you, speak to us, like that! We are the adults, here!” Kevin’s voice was harsh, as it interrupted me. I swallowed hard, and knew this was going to be even harder than I, originally, thought. A time machine would be useful, right about, now. Then again, if I had one, I could just go back, in time, to stop this all from starting, in the first place.
“Shut up Kevin! Let him talk!” Nick furrowed his brows, raising a hand, in Kevin’s face. “Go ahead Baylee. Say what you have, to say.”
“Kevin…you’re teaching us that this...” I held the baggie up, and they all looked at it, then back, at me. “…is okay…and that it’s alright for us to be mean, to others, just because they don’t see things our way. My dad read the Bible, to me, faithfully and I remember it saying, ‘Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.’. Can’t you see what you are doing, to Mason?” My nerves were shot, as I just hoped that this would backfire, on me.
“He’s got a point…takes after his dad.” AJ smirked, but it wouldn’t last long, as I turned my attention, to him. I had to be fair. Kevin wasn’t the only one, at fault, here. My voice softened, as I met his gaze.
“AJ…you’re teaching us that it’s fine, to stay bitter and refuse to forgive other people, for their mistakes. ‘Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those, who trespass, against us.’ ‘Forgive one another, even as Christ hath forgiven you.’.” Is it just me, or am I brilliant for letting the Bible do half my work?
“And me?” Nick looked, at me, knowing that he was next, in line. I guess, it was pretty obvious, what I was trying, to do.
“Nick,” I sighed. “You’re showing us that it’s okay to be someone that you’re not, just to please other people. That we can hide our emotions and let people walk, all, over us. I don’t have a Bible verse, for that one.” I offered a half smile, shrugging my shoulders. As I continued, though, my voice cracked and I had to start fighting back tears. “Stop, for a minute, please. Just stop fighting. You guys are hurting us. Whether you mean to, or not, you are. So, please, just…stop arguing, okay…stop pointing fingers and calling names…stop tearing each other down. We need you, to be there for us…all of you…we need our family. Please?”
“He’s right.” Howie’s voice startled me, and I turned to see him, standing behind me. “We should all be ashamed, of ourselves, and the way we’ve been acting. These fights haven’t even gotten us anywhere. Let’s just get, back, on the road, and when we get to the farm…we need to sit and talk, like adults. We owe that, to the boys.”
“Nothing like getting set straight, by a teenager.” AJ smirked, coming over, and giving me a hug. I let out a deep breath. It didn’t look like I was going to get grounded, for the rest of my life, after all.
“We better get us, all, something, to eat, too. Can we all agree, to end the fighting?” Nick let out a deep breath, as all eyes floated from one, to another. Everyone nodded, and slowly headed, back, to the van. I ran my fingers, through my curls, as everyone started to pile, into the van. My plan actually seemed, to have worked…at least, for now.
“Hey, BayBay?” AJ slipped an arm, over my shoulder, as we waited, to load up. “You’re dad would be so proud, of you. You’re a good boy.” Biting my lip, I thought about my dad. Would he really be proud, of me? I sure hoped so.
“You know…” Nick spoke up, as I climbed in. “…I might have to start restricting the amount of time that you spend, with Morgan. She’s rubbing off, on you.” A light chuckle escaped him, as he grinned, at me. I knew that he was referring to how I handled myself, when talking to them. He was right, though. I’ve learned a lot, from my best friend…including how to act, and what to say, when you want to be taken seriously. Next time I talk to her, I’ll have to remember to thank her.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Sorry, it's a short one.
Chapter End Notes:
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