Front Porch Story
Front porch
For most of my pregnancy Billie was on tour. That sucked for me because when I was pregnant for Joey, Billie was always there for me. This time around I could only turn to Tanya, who was more panicky than comforting, especially when Nate went out of state to compete. Taking care of Joey while pregnant was no walk in the park either. At least Billie was taking a couple of weeks off now. I'm due any day now.
"Joey, put away your toys." I call out after stepping on a building block.
"Awe, okay." He says getting up from the sofa where he was watching TV and starts picking up the multicolored toys. I head into the kitchen to fill up Zero's food dish, where is that damn cat, probably hiding under one of the beds again.
"When's Daddy getting home?" Joey asks after putting away his toys. I look at my watch.
"Should be home any minute now." I say messing up his dark hair. He runs off to look out the window. The washing machine let's out a loud buzz to signal the load is done. As I get to the laundry room I here the front door open and Billie Joe's voice. I open the washing machine door to stop the buzzing when I see a bloody ball of fur inside. I let out a shrilling scream at the mere sight of it. I back away from the washing machine as I hear Billie Joe running to find me.
"Adie! Adie! Are you okay?" I can't even speak, I point at the washer.
We cautiously walk over to the washer. "Holy crap! Is that Zero?" I nod.
"Mommy, why did you scream?" Joey asks from the door way.
"Joey." Billie says crouching down to his level, "Did you put Zero in the washing machine?"
"Yup! He was all dirty so I put him inside to get clean." He says proudly.
"Joey I have to explain something to you, the washing machine is only for clothes, you're not supposed to put living things in it."
"Is Zero okay?" he asks worriedly.
"No sweetie." I say as Billie looks up at me, "Zero died." My heart breaks a little as I see my son cry.
"Well I guess I should take care of Zero." Billie says glancing into the washer again.
"Come on Joey." I say taking his hand, last thing a three year old needs to see is a bloody cat.
Billie walks past us and into the kitchen to get a garbage bag.
"Dad." Joey sniffles, "Are we going to give him feeeeeee-nerrr-alll."
"Umm okay." Billie says nervously. "Do I just throw out the towels that were in the washer?"
"Yeah, it was only two or three to begin with." I say rubbing my forehead. Billie returns from the laundry room moments later with the lumpy garbage bag.
I feel a small tug at my hand as Billie goes over to the neighbor's to borrow a shovel.
"Mommy, is Zero going to heaven?" I squeeze his hand lightly.
"If he was good he will."
"I think he was a good cat." He says nodding, very sure of himself. Billie returns with a shovel and starts digging a hole in one corner of our backyard. I watch as Joey goes around the backyard picking dandelions. Billie finishes digging the hole, makes sure Joey isn't watching then hold the garbage bag upside down to dump the feline corpse. He quickly fills the hole and picks up the garbage bag. Joey runs up to the patch of dirt and places the dandelions on it.
We walk back into the house.
"So besides the past twenty minutes, how have you been?" Billie asks as he throws the bag in the trash and starts washing his hands.
"Umm okay I guess." I say sitting at the kitchen table. "Feet have been swollen but you probably already know that." He walks up to me and kisses me gently on the lips.
"And the baby?"
"Should seek a profession playing soccer." I say laughing. "I think it's a boy."
"Another boy huh?" he says as he glances at Joey who's running around with one of his stuffed animals.
"Joey, put away your toys." I call out after stepping on a building block.
"Awe, okay." He says getting up from the sofa where he was watching TV and starts picking up the multicolored toys. I head into the kitchen to fill up Zero's food dish, where is that damn cat, probably hiding under one of the beds again.
"When's Daddy getting home?" Joey asks after putting away his toys. I look at my watch.
"Should be home any minute now." I say messing up his dark hair. He runs off to look out the window. The washing machine let's out a loud buzz to signal the load is done. As I get to the laundry room I here the front door open and Billie Joe's voice. I open the washing machine door to stop the buzzing when I see a bloody ball of fur inside. I let out a shrilling scream at the mere sight of it. I back away from the washing machine as I hear Billie Joe running to find me.
"Adie! Adie! Are you okay?" I can't even speak, I point at the washer.
We cautiously walk over to the washer. "Holy crap! Is that Zero?" I nod.
"Mommy, why did you scream?" Joey asks from the door way.
"Joey." Billie says crouching down to his level, "Did you put Zero in the washing machine?"
"Yup! He was all dirty so I put him inside to get clean." He says proudly.
"Joey I have to explain something to you, the washing machine is only for clothes, you're not supposed to put living things in it."
"Is Zero okay?" he asks worriedly.
"No sweetie." I say as Billie looks up at me, "Zero died." My heart breaks a little as I see my son cry.
"Well I guess I should take care of Zero." Billie says glancing into the washer again.
"Come on Joey." I say taking his hand, last thing a three year old needs to see is a bloody cat.
Billie walks past us and into the kitchen to get a garbage bag.
"Dad." Joey sniffles, "Are we going to give him feeeeeee-nerrr-alll."
"Umm okay." Billie says nervously. "Do I just throw out the towels that were in the washer?"
"Yeah, it was only two or three to begin with." I say rubbing my forehead. Billie returns from the laundry room moments later with the lumpy garbage bag.
I feel a small tug at my hand as Billie goes over to the neighbor's to borrow a shovel.
"Mommy, is Zero going to heaven?" I squeeze his hand lightly.
"If he was good he will."
"I think he was a good cat." He says nodding, very sure of himself. Billie returns with a shovel and starts digging a hole in one corner of our backyard. I watch as Joey goes around the backyard picking dandelions. Billie finishes digging the hole, makes sure Joey isn't watching then hold the garbage bag upside down to dump the feline corpse. He quickly fills the hole and picks up the garbage bag. Joey runs up to the patch of dirt and places the dandelions on it.
We walk back into the house.
"So besides the past twenty minutes, how have you been?" Billie asks as he throws the bag in the trash and starts washing his hands.
"Umm okay I guess." I say sitting at the kitchen table. "Feet have been swollen but you probably already know that." He walks up to me and kisses me gently on the lips.
"And the baby?"
"Should seek a profession playing soccer." I say laughing. "I think it's a boy."
"Another boy huh?" he says as he glances at Joey who's running around with one of his stuffed animals.