The woman who took me in was Sara. She’s the one who called the police. A kindhearted dear with two kids of her own. She was a janitor at a school for disabled children. Had only a little pay to keep her family afloat.
Yet, even with the problems of her own, she took me in. She didn’t know if anyone would come to take me away and still, she had all the courage and love in the world. The police wanted to call child services. But she wouldn’t have it. Later at a point in my life, I found out about the abuse she had to bear being herself a foster kid.
The next morning of my mom’s death, Uncle jack came. A fat bald guy, with a kind smile.
I was playing in the adjacent room when he came. I was hearing them whisper. In Tents or Caravan, you can never speak and hope nobody is hearing. So I slightly peeked out from the door to see who he was.
A man, in his 30s maybe, wearing a tweed jacket and black jeans. While talking he saw me and smiled. I immediately took him to my mom. The resemblance was uncanny.
He was working in Chicago, as a construction foreman. Heard the news of her sisters death and booked the next flight leaving. He left us for a day or two to find a place. The next time I saw him was at my mom's funeral.
So after a week, he came back. Told us that he has found an apartment. So I can go with him now. But I didn’t want to leave. Sara’s toddler became very fond of me by then and I liked him. So uncle jack made me a deal that he will bring me back every other week.
10 years in the future.
I’ll be 18 next week. I can’t remember the last time when I felt so happy. I have a girlfriend now, Jenny. The smell of her hair is so enchanting. Like lilacs but softer. Her eyes are as blue as the Pacific. All I can think about is going to college now and completing my graduation and make a life with her.
But for an unlucky bastard like me, nothing goes perfectly ever.
I always wake up very early in the morning. Jack usually has an overnight shift. So he comes back around seven. He never got married and took me as his child. Never denied me of anything. So I get up, cook something for Jack and me, and go straight to running. I want to be an athlete, a runner. I am the school champion in the 100-meter dash. The coach said I have a real shot at a scholarship from Lonsdale.
This morning was nothing indifferent. I woke up, prepared something and went to practice. The school is 9 blocks away. For the past couple of years, I’ve never taken the school bus. Only a handful of times when I was a little sick. Usually, I run the whole distance as warm-up training.
Listening to Kodaline and running has something peaceful about it. Calms my mind. But sometimes it reminds of the night of my mum dying. And then I ran faster. Faster than the sadness chasing me. In a futile hope that it will not catch up to me.
Jenny’s house is on the right side of the street. Not far from my house. I always jog slow around hers to see if she woke up. To get a peek of her being messy in the morning. Sometimes I stay and stare at her house for a minute or two. And sometimes if she’s there, she’ll wave at me and sends flying kisses.
This morning, it is quite sunny. The wind is harsher than usual. The winter is still passing keeping the morning slightly chillier. Sending me chills down my spine. Might be a bad omen as the indigenous beliefs. My history teacher believes in such superstitions. He’s a redneck himself.
Suddenly the strings of my thought get ripped.
Who’s that, jumping down from the window of Jenny’s house? Why is he buck naked? That’s Jenny’s window too. My heartbeat misses a couple of times.
That’s Sean Brody, the blackjack. Captain of our football team. Is this who Jenny’s banging and double timing with me?
I feel so betrayed. All of her promises were lies and for who? That douche-bag?
All of my dreams are getting ripped apart.
To be continued...
Cover photo from Pixabay