Taste the Courage
one.
The cool ocean breeze kissed her face one last time. In one hand she held a pair of shoes- in the other, her son's hand. Her eyes held a steady stare out to sea as if she were searching for something. The little boy glanced up at his mother just in time to catch sight of a single salt water tear roll down her cheek. When he spoke, his voice was soft and innocent.
“What's going to happen to Grandpa?”
Emma tore her eyes away from the ocean and shut them tightly, not allowing any more tears to be shed, “He's just... going on vacation for a little while.”
“With Uncle John and Aunt Josie?” He asked curiously.
“Yeah, baby, they all went together. They were bad.”
Abraham's eyes lit up; he was finally piecing it all together, “Is it like detention for big kids?”
The brunette nodded, “It's exactly like detention, sweetheart.”
The boy brushed back a tuft of blonde hair and smirked, “You know, Mikey Lake pushed Cody Miles into a trash can. Apparently he got detention for a week and he isn't allowed to go on the field trip tomorrow.”
“Is that so? I bet Mrs. Lake is pretty upset with Mikey. Is Cody okay?” She continued to listen to her son ramble on and on about what happened between Mikey and Cody that led up to one being pushed into the trash can. By the time they reached Newark Airport, Emma knew of all the crazy shenanigans that went on in Mr. Unger's first grade class.
▲▲▲
Even though she always taught her son never to run from his problems-the jail sentence awarded to her father and siblings was one problem she just couldn't find herself able to stay and face the music for. Flying across the country and starting over seemed to be the only solution. The plane ride to California went without a hitch. It was the part that came after they got off the plane that really worried the single mother.
“You guys are more than welcome to stay as long as you need. You know I love having you guys around. I had my assistant check the oil on the Jeep so you guys don't get stuck waiting for me if you need a ride anywhere.”
Emma shook her head and rolled her eyes, “That won't be necessary but thank you.” She grabbed her duffel and threw it over her shoulder, “Abe and I will probably only be there for a week or so until I get my first paycheck. The gym promised me great pay and benefits. After that I'll probably move more permanently into an apartment or condo.”
Max Harrison snarled, “No child of mine will be living in a dumpy apartment, pay check to pay check. That's unacceptable, I won't allow it.”
“Oh please, Max. You're so full of it. The whole fifteen minutes of fame you got from the Olympics really got to your head. Cut the crap. You lost your right to having any say when you walked out on us. I don't want to be some charity case for you.”
“You know I regret walking out on you guys. My career was going places and I was young and stupid then. If I didn't care about you guys, I would've told you to find your own place. I wouldn't have agreed to letting you guys stay with me until you get your feet on the ground!” He pleaded.
“You make it seem like you're doing me some sort of favor. My mother left me money that I could've used to get a place. It was Abe's idea to stay with you.” She rolled her eyes and reached behind her to grab Abe's hand only to realize that he wasn't there. The color began to quickly drain out of her ace, “Honey, let's go. Where are you?”
When she realized that there was no one behind her and she was only greeted by silence- she began frantically looking around. Max reached forward and grabbed Emma's shoulders, “You stupid idiot! How could you lose him?!” He gave her a violent shake and began whipping his head around.
“MY son wouldn't have let if you didn't start arguing with me.” Emma pulled herself away from Max's grip and began searching in all directions.
It wasn't before long that she saw Abe standing beside a stranger. They were next to McDonald's, tray of food in hand. “Abe, sweetie!” She called out rushing over to her son.
The boy waved animatedly and pointed to a table to sit at. Emma's eyes narrowed in on the man holding her son's hand. With each step, she contemplated the type of approach she should use when greeting the man.
“Who the hell do you think you are, Mister? Kidnapping my child in an airport full of people- what kind of sick joke is this?!”
He held up his hands in defense, “Listen Ma'am, I saw your son trying to order food at Mickey D's and figured I'd help him out. I wasn't trying to kidnap him at all.”
She looked at him skeptically, “Yeah, I'm sure. That's what they all say.”
“I promise you, I meant no harm. I don't have kids, but a friend of mine does and I know just how much his kids mean to him. It was never my intention to scare.” He lowered his hands and took a step closer. The sincerity was dripping off each syllable.
Emma mentally slapped herself, “I'm sorry, I guess I'm sort of on edge- a new place and all... Thank you so much for helping him.” She pulled out her wallet, “How much was his food?”
“Don't even worry about it. My name's Matt by the way.”
“I'm Emma.” She smiled, taking a seat and dropping her duffel on the floor. Reaching into her pocket to call Max, she noticed it was missing, “Shit, can I borrow your phone?”
Abe's eyes nearly popped out of his face, “Mom, that's a bad word!”
Emma took the phone from Matt's monstrous hand and thanked him, “You know what Abie, you're right. Should I go in time-out?”
Matt laughed and popped a few french fries in his mouth. He occupied Abe's attention, distracting him from the fact that his parents were arguing. Emma hung up the phone angrily. She handed it back to Matt and sat beside her son.
“You alright?” He asked.
She nodded and kissed Abe's forehead, “Yeah, thanks for letting me borrow your phone, Matt.” He smiled and nodded in response. Looking up at the clock that hung over the grills, Emma tossed her bag over her shoulder once again, “Well, it was nice meeting you, Matt. Thanks again for the McDonald's.”
Abe stuffed his last chicken nugget into his mouth and flung his arms around Matt, “Thanks a bunch! When will I see you again?”
Matt looked at Emma, “I don't know, bud. You have to ask your mom about that.”
“Write down your number and I'll call you sometime. I think I lost my phone, no point in giving it out now.”
The boy smiled as he watched Matt pull out a marker and begin jotting down a series of numbers. The napkin was neatly folded and handed to Abe, “Don't lose this.” Matt warned with a smile.
Abe nodded and tucked the number away safely in his pocket. They soon parted and made their way back to those who were waiting for them.
“What's going to happen to Grandpa?”
Emma tore her eyes away from the ocean and shut them tightly, not allowing any more tears to be shed, “He's just... going on vacation for a little while.”
“With Uncle John and Aunt Josie?” He asked curiously.
“Yeah, baby, they all went together. They were bad.”
Abraham's eyes lit up; he was finally piecing it all together, “Is it like detention for big kids?”
The brunette nodded, “It's exactly like detention, sweetheart.”
The boy brushed back a tuft of blonde hair and smirked, “You know, Mikey Lake pushed Cody Miles into a trash can. Apparently he got detention for a week and he isn't allowed to go on the field trip tomorrow.”
“Is that so? I bet Mrs. Lake is pretty upset with Mikey. Is Cody okay?” She continued to listen to her son ramble on and on about what happened between Mikey and Cody that led up to one being pushed into the trash can. By the time they reached Newark Airport, Emma knew of all the crazy shenanigans that went on in Mr. Unger's first grade class.
▲▲▲
Even though she always taught her son never to run from his problems-the jail sentence awarded to her father and siblings was one problem she just couldn't find herself able to stay and face the music for. Flying across the country and starting over seemed to be the only solution. The plane ride to California went without a hitch. It was the part that came after they got off the plane that really worried the single mother.
“You guys are more than welcome to stay as long as you need. You know I love having you guys around. I had my assistant check the oil on the Jeep so you guys don't get stuck waiting for me if you need a ride anywhere.”
Emma shook her head and rolled her eyes, “That won't be necessary but thank you.” She grabbed her duffel and threw it over her shoulder, “Abe and I will probably only be there for a week or so until I get my first paycheck. The gym promised me great pay and benefits. After that I'll probably move more permanently into an apartment or condo.”
Max Harrison snarled, “No child of mine will be living in a dumpy apartment, pay check to pay check. That's unacceptable, I won't allow it.”
“Oh please, Max. You're so full of it. The whole fifteen minutes of fame you got from the Olympics really got to your head. Cut the crap. You lost your right to having any say when you walked out on us. I don't want to be some charity case for you.”
“You know I regret walking out on you guys. My career was going places and I was young and stupid then. If I didn't care about you guys, I would've told you to find your own place. I wouldn't have agreed to letting you guys stay with me until you get your feet on the ground!” He pleaded.
“You make it seem like you're doing me some sort of favor. My mother left me money that I could've used to get a place. It was Abe's idea to stay with you.” She rolled her eyes and reached behind her to grab Abe's hand only to realize that he wasn't there. The color began to quickly drain out of her ace, “Honey, let's go. Where are you?”
When she realized that there was no one behind her and she was only greeted by silence- she began frantically looking around. Max reached forward and grabbed Emma's shoulders, “You stupid idiot! How could you lose him?!” He gave her a violent shake and began whipping his head around.
“MY son wouldn't have let if you didn't start arguing with me.” Emma pulled herself away from Max's grip and began searching in all directions.
It wasn't before long that she saw Abe standing beside a stranger. They were next to McDonald's, tray of food in hand. “Abe, sweetie!” She called out rushing over to her son.
The boy waved animatedly and pointed to a table to sit at. Emma's eyes narrowed in on the man holding her son's hand. With each step, she contemplated the type of approach she should use when greeting the man.
“Who the hell do you think you are, Mister? Kidnapping my child in an airport full of people- what kind of sick joke is this?!”
He held up his hands in defense, “Listen Ma'am, I saw your son trying to order food at Mickey D's and figured I'd help him out. I wasn't trying to kidnap him at all.”
She looked at him skeptically, “Yeah, I'm sure. That's what they all say.”
“I promise you, I meant no harm. I don't have kids, but a friend of mine does and I know just how much his kids mean to him. It was never my intention to scare.” He lowered his hands and took a step closer. The sincerity was dripping off each syllable.
Emma mentally slapped herself, “I'm sorry, I guess I'm sort of on edge- a new place and all... Thank you so much for helping him.” She pulled out her wallet, “How much was his food?”
“Don't even worry about it. My name's Matt by the way.”
“I'm Emma.” She smiled, taking a seat and dropping her duffel on the floor. Reaching into her pocket to call Max, she noticed it was missing, “Shit, can I borrow your phone?”
Abe's eyes nearly popped out of his face, “Mom, that's a bad word!”
Emma took the phone from Matt's monstrous hand and thanked him, “You know what Abie, you're right. Should I go in time-out?”
Matt laughed and popped a few french fries in his mouth. He occupied Abe's attention, distracting him from the fact that his parents were arguing. Emma hung up the phone angrily. She handed it back to Matt and sat beside her son.
“You alright?” He asked.
She nodded and kissed Abe's forehead, “Yeah, thanks for letting me borrow your phone, Matt.” He smiled and nodded in response. Looking up at the clock that hung over the grills, Emma tossed her bag over her shoulder once again, “Well, it was nice meeting you, Matt. Thanks again for the McDonald's.”
Abe stuffed his last chicken nugget into his mouth and flung his arms around Matt, “Thanks a bunch! When will I see you again?”
Matt looked at Emma, “I don't know, bud. You have to ask your mom about that.”
“Write down your number and I'll call you sometime. I think I lost my phone, no point in giving it out now.”
The boy smiled as he watched Matt pull out a marker and begin jotting down a series of numbers. The napkin was neatly folded and handed to Abe, “Don't lose this.” Matt warned with a smile.
Abe nodded and tucked the number away safely in his pocket. They soon parted and made their way back to those who were waiting for them.