‹ Prequel: Clear Visions 1
Partying and Disaster.
4
In the morning she woke hugging him. He was still asleep breathing quietly to himself. She could hear him muttering things which she couldn’t understand. She knew he was dreaming and still hugged him listening to what he was muttering trying to figure out what he could be dreaming of. The words didn’t make sense and after a while she gave up. She’d ask him when he got up. If she remembered and he remembered his dreams.
She climbed out of bed and went out of the room into her room pulling some clothes out and getting dressed. She crept downstairs so not to wake him up walking on the floorboards. She went down the stairs and picked the mail up off the mat. She walked through the living room and into the kitchen. She put the mail onto the table and flicked the switch on the kettle. Whilst it was heating she looked through the mail. Nothing of interest.
In the news paper she saw Shanes face. She wanted him back. But by now she didn’t know how to get him. She had no clues. Not a lead. There was nothing. All she could do was to go to those school gates after school everyday and hope he came out. She knew that wouldn’t work. It was like her baby boy had vanished. No evidence and no one to blame. The only person she could have accused was in one of her beds right now. It was a dead end and she knew. Her looking for Shane was like walking down a cul-de-sac and hoping to find a road.
She read the columns and ads and didn’t realise Derrick had already come down and was sitting on the sofa waiting for her to open the dorr so he could go to work and then home. She looked up when she heard the door close. She saw him walk over to her. ‘Can I borrow the key? I got work’
She got up and went over to the draw pulling out the spare key to the door and gave it to him. ‘Have a good day and baby, come back after work... Please.’
He nodded and left picking up his jacket and bag. He worked as a producer. He had a recording studio helped to run a record label. He was a busy man at the best of time. His favorate part was that he saw people working in office jobs and sitting behind desks everyday having to wear suits. But he owned this. He could wear what he wanted. He had always promoted himself to wearing whatever he wanted. Had never been a fan of uniform or even formal dress.
He walked up the path into the studio and then to his office waving to Jimmie as he did. Before he got a chance to go into his office Jimmie approached. ‘Sir, you have a guest in there.’
‘Oh yeah? Thought I said I didn’t want visitors the last time I was here.’
‘Indeed you did and I tried to explain that but he just walked in. He was so little. Id didn’t know what to think sit. Didnt know what to do. He was pretty insistant but I wasn’t sure he was old enough to...’
He was broken off there
‘How old did he look Jimmie?’
‘Not old. Not even 18’
Derrick ran to the door and opened it going in and slamming it shut. ‘Shane?!’
The room was silent for a minute. His hope faded and he went around to his desk and sat behind it. He folded his arms and rested them on the table letting his head fall into them. He heard a sudden scrambling from beside the filing draws. He looked round. He saw blue jeans and a small conversed foot. He went over surprised at this and looked.
‘What the...? Shane?’
he heard a coughing then he spoke.
‘daddy help.’
Derrick called Jimmie in who helped him move the cabinet. He looked at Shane who was hugging his leg, then over to Jimmie who was surprised.
‘Why you look so shocked? Wasnt this the kid you let in?’
Jimmie shook his head.
‘Looks like they went then. Jimmie can you leave a minute I need to talk to my son.’
Jimmie nodded and left the room obeying what his boss had just said he closed the door. Derrick pulled Shane of his leg, picked him up and put him onto the table.
‘What the hell?! How did you get there?’
‘I ran daddy, mommy said I couldn’t see you again. She said I couldn’t go to yours anymore. So I came to see you hear. You weren’t here. So I sneaked behind there till you got here.’
Derrick thought.
‘You’ve been here for like... Three days... No one saw you? No one heard?’
‘I didn’t shout dad...’
Derrick shook his head. He didn’t know what to say. Jenny had been so scared of loosing him and he was hear the whole time.
‘Alright Shane... Just.. Don’t do that again. Does anything hurt?’
Shane shook his head. Derrick smiled. He looked at the corner where Shane had been hiding and looked for his school bag. He found it. Pulled out the lunch box and filled it with his own lunch.
‘Ill get something later. For now your going to school. Mom don’t ever have to know you were here. Understood? She’ll tear me to pieces.’
Shane nodded and gave him thumbs up. Derrick picked him up and carried him out of the office.
‘Yo Jimmie! I want you to take charge... Just whilst I take little one here to school.’
Jimmie waved in approval and entered his office. No one could figure out how Shane had got there. But. They didn’t question all that mattered was he was safe.
Derrick entered the school yard and then the school Shane trudged along behind him. They walked over to the reception desk and Derrick explained. They sent a teacher down to collect Shane. Before he left though he grabbed Derricks arm.
‘Daddy, promise you’ll see me. I don’t want mommy to take you away.’
‘I promise’
Shane was taken back into school he waved through the door as he went. Derrick spun on his heels and smiled at the receptionist who smiled back. Thanking her he left the building and headed off back to work dropping into the local grocery store to pick up something that could pass as lunch.
he walked back to his office slowly. When he opened the door Jimmie Jumped up.
‘I’m back and Shanes back. Now Jimmie take a seat. I need to talk to you.’
Jimmie went and sat on the seat opposite to Derrick.
‘Id like to offer you a promotion. I need someone to assist me. Take over when I’m not here. And make sure something like that doesn’t happen again. I trust you Jimmie. So I am offering you the place of Assistant manager.’
Jimmies face lit up.
‘I do accept sir.’
‘Good, you can start work after lunch. I’m here till one. Now. Go get something to eat then meet me back here say, half 12?’
Jimmie jumped up and nodded.
‘Oh and Jimmie.’ He span around to look at him. ‘Stop acting like I’m scary would you, am I that bad as a boss?’ Jimmie shook his head. ‘Good, now go.’
Jimmie left the room leaving Derrick alone to eat his lunch whilst looking at a pile of paper work. He looked at his watch. 12 o clock. So half an hour and Jimmie would be here. He didn’t even know what Jimmie was going to do. He couldn’t do the paper work. Maybe he would set him off on something simple like. Calling all the musicians and get them in. Introduce himself and explain the situation. That wouldn’t be a hard job for him. It would keep him occupied till 5..
Time passed quickly as he thought of the things which he could set Jimmie onto. Jimmie walked into the office whilst Derrick was still discussing with himself what Jimmies first job could be.
‘Uh sorry sir. Didnt knock. Are you ready for me?’
‘Sure Jimmie, take a seat. You can stop calling me sir, you use my name now ok? You know that?’ Jimmie nodded. ‘Derrick, Im sure you’ll find something else to call me soon. But for now. Derrick. Now I figured you could start by calling the people who we work for. Ask them to come in. Explain the situation and introduce yourself.’
‘Yes si... I mean... Derrick.’
Derrick laughed. ‘Your so innocent Jimmie, its funny.’ He pulled out a book from the draw. ‘Now this is the telephone book, Its got all the numbers you need in so.’ He was cut off as the phone rang. ‘Look through this whilst I answer that.’
Picking up the phone he heard Jenny. ‘I just thought where he might be.’
‘Uh hi Jenny, Look. Don’t go looking till I get home. I think we should go try school. Again. Yano together and if he’s not there.. We could talk to the teachers.’
The conversation continued for about 10 minutes and Jimmie was staring at him after finishing looking at the numbers. Derrick hung up after saying he loved her then looked at Jimmie.
‘That the misses?’
‘Well... we don’t, we’re not together anymore Jimmie.’
‘Don’t sound that way, sounds like your very much together’
‘Thank you Jimmie I didn’t ask fro relationship advice.’
Jimmie laughed and nodded.
‘Now you know what your doing? So I’ll leave you to it.’ Derrick got up taking his jacket. ‘Switch chairs for god sakes Jimmie your in charge now. Tell them how it is.’
Derrick walked back to Jenny’s with speed. He wanted to see her. Couldn’t wait. He sped in through the door and hugged her. He looked around. What he didn’t understand was why his stuff was there.
‘My things... There uh... There here.’
‘Your moving back in... Did I forget to tell you?’
‘Only a lot.’
They sat on the sofa and turned on the TV. Watching it. The hours passed like minutes. Jenny looked at the clock. ‘Damn. We need to go t the school’ Derrick looked at his watch for confirmation then got up, picked up the keys and went down to the car. Jenny followed and got into the passenger seat. Derrick drove off towards the school and pulled up outside the gates.
Shane was standing there and Jenny’s face lit up. She looked at Derrick who was smiling. ‘How did you know?’
‘Guess Im...’
Jenny had got out of the car and was hugging Shane on the pavement and she put him into the car. They drove home and Shane was nagging about his day at school. Derrick pulled into the drive and took Shane and Jenny into the house. They had dinner and sat around talking. Shane had a late night and wasn’t in bed till 9pm. But it was Friday. Didn’t matter to them. In fact they would get a lie in the morning.
Derrick took Shane upstairs and tucked him into bed reading him a goodnight story.
He went back down stairs to see Jenny sitting on the sofa looking up at him with a smile on her face and two glasses of wine.
She climbed out of bed and went out of the room into her room pulling some clothes out and getting dressed. She crept downstairs so not to wake him up walking on the floorboards. She went down the stairs and picked the mail up off the mat. She walked through the living room and into the kitchen. She put the mail onto the table and flicked the switch on the kettle. Whilst it was heating she looked through the mail. Nothing of interest.
In the news paper she saw Shanes face. She wanted him back. But by now she didn’t know how to get him. She had no clues. Not a lead. There was nothing. All she could do was to go to those school gates after school everyday and hope he came out. She knew that wouldn’t work. It was like her baby boy had vanished. No evidence and no one to blame. The only person she could have accused was in one of her beds right now. It was a dead end and she knew. Her looking for Shane was like walking down a cul-de-sac and hoping to find a road.
She read the columns and ads and didn’t realise Derrick had already come down and was sitting on the sofa waiting for her to open the dorr so he could go to work and then home. She looked up when she heard the door close. She saw him walk over to her. ‘Can I borrow the key? I got work’
She got up and went over to the draw pulling out the spare key to the door and gave it to him. ‘Have a good day and baby, come back after work... Please.’
He nodded and left picking up his jacket and bag. He worked as a producer. He had a recording studio helped to run a record label. He was a busy man at the best of time. His favorate part was that he saw people working in office jobs and sitting behind desks everyday having to wear suits. But he owned this. He could wear what he wanted. He had always promoted himself to wearing whatever he wanted. Had never been a fan of uniform or even formal dress.
He walked up the path into the studio and then to his office waving to Jimmie as he did. Before he got a chance to go into his office Jimmie approached. ‘Sir, you have a guest in there.’
‘Oh yeah? Thought I said I didn’t want visitors the last time I was here.’
‘Indeed you did and I tried to explain that but he just walked in. He was so little. Id didn’t know what to think sit. Didnt know what to do. He was pretty insistant but I wasn’t sure he was old enough to...’
He was broken off there
‘How old did he look Jimmie?’
‘Not old. Not even 18’
Derrick ran to the door and opened it going in and slamming it shut. ‘Shane?!’
The room was silent for a minute. His hope faded and he went around to his desk and sat behind it. He folded his arms and rested them on the table letting his head fall into them. He heard a sudden scrambling from beside the filing draws. He looked round. He saw blue jeans and a small conversed foot. He went over surprised at this and looked.
‘What the...? Shane?’
he heard a coughing then he spoke.
‘daddy help.’
Derrick called Jimmie in who helped him move the cabinet. He looked at Shane who was hugging his leg, then over to Jimmie who was surprised.
‘Why you look so shocked? Wasnt this the kid you let in?’
Jimmie shook his head.
‘Looks like they went then. Jimmie can you leave a minute I need to talk to my son.’
Jimmie nodded and left the room obeying what his boss had just said he closed the door. Derrick pulled Shane of his leg, picked him up and put him onto the table.
‘What the hell?! How did you get there?’
‘I ran daddy, mommy said I couldn’t see you again. She said I couldn’t go to yours anymore. So I came to see you hear. You weren’t here. So I sneaked behind there till you got here.’
Derrick thought.
‘You’ve been here for like... Three days... No one saw you? No one heard?’
‘I didn’t shout dad...’
Derrick shook his head. He didn’t know what to say. Jenny had been so scared of loosing him and he was hear the whole time.
‘Alright Shane... Just.. Don’t do that again. Does anything hurt?’
Shane shook his head. Derrick smiled. He looked at the corner where Shane had been hiding and looked for his school bag. He found it. Pulled out the lunch box and filled it with his own lunch.
‘Ill get something later. For now your going to school. Mom don’t ever have to know you were here. Understood? She’ll tear me to pieces.’
Shane nodded and gave him thumbs up. Derrick picked him up and carried him out of the office.
‘Yo Jimmie! I want you to take charge... Just whilst I take little one here to school.’
Jimmie waved in approval and entered his office. No one could figure out how Shane had got there. But. They didn’t question all that mattered was he was safe.
Derrick entered the school yard and then the school Shane trudged along behind him. They walked over to the reception desk and Derrick explained. They sent a teacher down to collect Shane. Before he left though he grabbed Derricks arm.
‘Daddy, promise you’ll see me. I don’t want mommy to take you away.’
‘I promise’
Shane was taken back into school he waved through the door as he went. Derrick spun on his heels and smiled at the receptionist who smiled back. Thanking her he left the building and headed off back to work dropping into the local grocery store to pick up something that could pass as lunch.
he walked back to his office slowly. When he opened the door Jimmie Jumped up.
‘I’m back and Shanes back. Now Jimmie take a seat. I need to talk to you.’
Jimmie went and sat on the seat opposite to Derrick.
‘Id like to offer you a promotion. I need someone to assist me. Take over when I’m not here. And make sure something like that doesn’t happen again. I trust you Jimmie. So I am offering you the place of Assistant manager.’
Jimmies face lit up.
‘I do accept sir.’
‘Good, you can start work after lunch. I’m here till one. Now. Go get something to eat then meet me back here say, half 12?’
Jimmie jumped up and nodded.
‘Oh and Jimmie.’ He span around to look at him. ‘Stop acting like I’m scary would you, am I that bad as a boss?’ Jimmie shook his head. ‘Good, now go.’
Jimmie left the room leaving Derrick alone to eat his lunch whilst looking at a pile of paper work. He looked at his watch. 12 o clock. So half an hour and Jimmie would be here. He didn’t even know what Jimmie was going to do. He couldn’t do the paper work. Maybe he would set him off on something simple like. Calling all the musicians and get them in. Introduce himself and explain the situation. That wouldn’t be a hard job for him. It would keep him occupied till 5..
Time passed quickly as he thought of the things which he could set Jimmie onto. Jimmie walked into the office whilst Derrick was still discussing with himself what Jimmies first job could be.
‘Uh sorry sir. Didnt knock. Are you ready for me?’
‘Sure Jimmie, take a seat. You can stop calling me sir, you use my name now ok? You know that?’ Jimmie nodded. ‘Derrick, Im sure you’ll find something else to call me soon. But for now. Derrick. Now I figured you could start by calling the people who we work for. Ask them to come in. Explain the situation and introduce yourself.’
‘Yes si... I mean... Derrick.’
Derrick laughed. ‘Your so innocent Jimmie, its funny.’ He pulled out a book from the draw. ‘Now this is the telephone book, Its got all the numbers you need in so.’ He was cut off as the phone rang. ‘Look through this whilst I answer that.’
Picking up the phone he heard Jenny. ‘I just thought where he might be.’
‘Uh hi Jenny, Look. Don’t go looking till I get home. I think we should go try school. Again. Yano together and if he’s not there.. We could talk to the teachers.’
The conversation continued for about 10 minutes and Jimmie was staring at him after finishing looking at the numbers. Derrick hung up after saying he loved her then looked at Jimmie.
‘That the misses?’
‘Well... we don’t, we’re not together anymore Jimmie.’
‘Don’t sound that way, sounds like your very much together’
‘Thank you Jimmie I didn’t ask fro relationship advice.’
Jimmie laughed and nodded.
‘Now you know what your doing? So I’ll leave you to it.’ Derrick got up taking his jacket. ‘Switch chairs for god sakes Jimmie your in charge now. Tell them how it is.’
Derrick walked back to Jenny’s with speed. He wanted to see her. Couldn’t wait. He sped in through the door and hugged her. He looked around. What he didn’t understand was why his stuff was there.
‘My things... There uh... There here.’
‘Your moving back in... Did I forget to tell you?’
‘Only a lot.’
They sat on the sofa and turned on the TV. Watching it. The hours passed like minutes. Jenny looked at the clock. ‘Damn. We need to go t the school’ Derrick looked at his watch for confirmation then got up, picked up the keys and went down to the car. Jenny followed and got into the passenger seat. Derrick drove off towards the school and pulled up outside the gates.
Shane was standing there and Jenny’s face lit up. She looked at Derrick who was smiling. ‘How did you know?’
‘Guess Im...’
Jenny had got out of the car and was hugging Shane on the pavement and she put him into the car. They drove home and Shane was nagging about his day at school. Derrick pulled into the drive and took Shane and Jenny into the house. They had dinner and sat around talking. Shane had a late night and wasn’t in bed till 9pm. But it was Friday. Didn’t matter to them. In fact they would get a lie in the morning.
Derrick took Shane upstairs and tucked him into bed reading him a goodnight story.
He went back down stairs to see Jenny sitting on the sofa looking up at him with a smile on her face and two glasses of wine.