Going to Pasalacqua

Tour had ended a week ago, we got back Friday, dragging and tired. I'd slept a whole day after returning, and I'd only just woken up, groggy as hell too. We had only been back in town for three days and already the crowds were gathering...

People wanting autographs when they saw you on the street or congratulating them when they saw them at Gilman or even the grocery store. One thing was for sure... The people of Rodeo were Proud... Very proud to have a band, touring and already doing so much with themselves, hell our community was beaming with pride. The night we'd gotten back, Ollie announced we had been invited to a homecoming barbecue. My parents set it up in their record store, we cooked food on a little grill in the alley behind the shop. We invited most of the town and everyone had a great time. —Except us. The ones who had been on tour and were dragging upon retiring home. Falling asleep in our food almost.

I guess one of the things that saddened me when I returned home, was seeing that Embry was gone... His leave was up and he had to go back to his situated base. The party was missing his presence. I'd have to call him or something, then I recalled how difficult it would be to try to get a hold of a phone on a military base.

I scooted up into a sit. Ruffling my tangled hair, the mattress squeaked, and not a moment later my door flew open, Billie bounding inside, jumping on me while shrieking “YOU'RE UP! YAY YAY YAY! GET THE FUCK UP AND GET YOUR ASS OUTSIDE! IVE GOR SOME BADASS CHIT TO SHOW YOU!” he grinned, while I was simply bewildered at his excited behavior. I warily got out of bed and I wad airborne, down the hall and through the kitchen, in the backyard. It was hot and it couldn't be any later than eight. I grumbled while I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and yawned. Opening my eyes to the big empty backyard.

“What am I supposed to be seeing?” I finally asked after a bit.

“This!” he said happily, grabbing me and turning me to face the shadowed corner of the house.

He whistled twice in a high pitched rhythmic tune.

And here it came...

At first I couldn't tell what it was with the light shining in my eyes. Then I could make out the familiar looks. Four legs, black and white fur and the same black muzzle.

My eyes narrowed in disbelief while I scrutinized the dog.

”How?...” I merely whispered.

“He was from the same litter, I've been poking around for the family my brother got Checkers from.” he stated proudly while I was awe stricken.

“What's his name?” I whispered. Loud enough for him to hear.

“Chex.” he said. A mysterious undertone in his voice. I looked up into his unreadable eyes “How is it possible it's that close?... I... I named him, Checkers... Chex is just so... So, close.” I breathed. Looking back down at the dog. It did look unbelievably similar to my lost dog. But there was slight differences. One most prominent, the eyes. One blue and the other hazel. Checker had both hazel eyes.

I hadn't realized it when I slipped away from Billie's arms and sunk silently to my knees. I just watched the dog and it watched me. It reminded me of a similar scene.

I dipped my bare toes into the green grass. I walked slowly toward the dog. It barked at me several times, growled even. But something pulled me toward him. Beckoning to pet him and assure everything was ok. If I couldn't tell him that I'd have to show him. 
I knelt in the grass. It wavered around me. I sat calmly. Watching the hostile dog bark at me repeated times. I heard the screen door creak open: bur I kept my eyes closed and my concentration pure. When I opened them I clicked my tongue at the dog and it stopped barking. It stared at me idly. I bowed my head slightly and the dog laid down in the grass so we were on eye level. I looked into its eyes and patted the grass in front of me lightly. The dog cocked it head and crawled forward to me. It layed down again and looked up at me. I reached over hesitantly and rubbed his head softly. I smiled slightly and rubbed his back and he rolled over. I sighed and scratched his belly. I smiled wider as the dog seemed to bow to my command of softness. I didn't speak to him yet he seemed compelled to listen to me anyways. I rolled out on the grass so we both laid on our bellies.
“My god. That dog never let's anyone pet it.” Billie gasped from the stoop. Ollie looking over his shoulder. I turned and grinned.
I beckoned Billie over with my hand. He got within an hesitant foot away from the dog before it broke out barking again. My brow furrowed and I scratched his head again and he relaxed, turning to look up at me as if waiting for my next command. I smiled up at Billie who slowly dropped to the ground  with his feet crossed. I looked gently at the dog and continued to pet him. Billie reached for him slowly. And he got an growl. He raised an eyebrow and recoiled. I looked at his eyes softly and shook my head. He reached forward and tried again. This time he got to pet the dogs fur. He slowly pet the dog.
“Your not such an bad boy now are you?” he asked looking into the dogs hazel eyes. 

I blinked several times to snap back into reality. The dog had crept closer in the minutes that had passed. I looked back at him.

“Thank you Billie.” I murmured. He should already know there is nothing that can top this gift.

He dropped down beside me into a cross-legged position. He stared up into the cloudless sky thoughtfully. I leaned over and hugged him. Squeezing my eyes shut and wrapping my arms around his torso. I sat like that for a while, petting Chex's fur lightly, while the breeze traced swirl patterns in it. Then the sliding glass door on the porch flew open, Mike and Tré appeared and grinned cheekily.

“Shape up, bitches! We'z going somewhere today.”

Me and Billie shot them the same irritated look. Mike floundered “It's uh... Uh, Ollie's orders... So yeah.” he shrugged awkwardly. Realizing in embarrassment that he had overplayed the invitation, he spun around and headed back inside, meanwhile Tré proceeded to stand on the porch wearing pastel plaid shorts and a white t-shirt. Glaring at the dog as the dog was glaring at him. 

“I don't like you.” he finally hissed warily, stomping off inside.

Me and Billie both laughed at Tré's reaction towards the dog. Stumbled to our feet and made our way inside. It was unusual, Ollie stood by the backdoor with a camera in her hands, Larry stood there as well, his expression was smug so he was in on the 'know'.  I and Billie exchanged a look.

“Chin up, smiles on, it's a beautiful day, we're heading out.” Ollie announced proudly.

Our eyes narrowed. Obviously Mike and Tré had no idea where either...

We got dressed, and walked back to the living room, this time Ollie possessed a set of car keys in her hands, wearing the same smug expression Larry was. It must be something special.

“Tré boy! Hurry it up!” Larry called down the hall, 2.1 seconds later he bounded into the living room and out the front door, everyone shrugged and filed out to the Volkswagen in the front yard. Ollie got in the drivers seat, Larry In passenger and I, Mike, Billie and Tré sitting illegally in the backseat. Like a bunch of giddy kids might I add. 

Ollie put a tape in and I guess I shouldn't have been very surprised that it had a bunch of Disney songs on it. 

“Ahh-aha-ahahaa.” Tré sang the Little Mermaid song. I watched him warily.

Then Ollie and Larry got into some song that was one Snow White and I tuned it out. Turning to Billie since, the second we got in the car, he slipped on his black sunglasses and pretended to be asleep. Either that or he simply wanted to be left alone. 

Billie reached down in the the seat, digging out a deck of cards. He rose his eyebrows and tossed me the deck. 

“Go fish?”

I laughed and nodded, pulling out the cars and taking out both jokers then shuffling them and giving us each ten cards. Billie looked miffed and I rolled my eyes and laughed.

Forty five minutes later... 

“Got any Queens?” I asked, yawning.

Billie shook his head and rearranged his deck. “Any ten's?”

I pulled out two and handed them back to him. 

He groaned and dumped his deck. “This stinks...”

“Aww, don't hate on Go Fish, we've just been playing it for forty five minutes straight.” I said in what I tried to make a soothing voice. He chuckled and rolled his eyes, dumping his deck back into the card sleeve, I did the same and leaned back, how much farther could it be, really?

Wrong. 

Forty five minutes later...

We were all groaning and complaining in the backseat like little kids. With excuses like “I'm hungry.” “Are we there yet?” and “I have to pee...” that one came from Tré.

Ollie laughed and we could see her reflection in the mirror, “Yep, about another ten minutes—”

A chorus of groaning from the backseat.

“Wherever we are going had better make up for all this driving time.”

Mike warned sternly. Lifting his glasses a notch to look back at Ollie in the mirror. She laughed, “It will make up for it, and then some!” she declared, excited.

Ten minutes passed and we looked out the windows, when over the scruffy little refinery mountains, I saw the slender blue and white tower pointing towards the sky with a crimson flag fluttering in the wind above it.

“Look!” I said excitedly, shoving Billie into the door as I leaned over him and I could make out more shapes, towers and gates.

“that's amazing!” I gasped. Awe-stricken.

Then we got closer and I could  see the whole park, then Ollie turned on her blinker and turned left.