New fic 2
Part 2
-The Big Day-
____________
The day came and Benton would be here! Benton was here!
Dad told me to sit down and cut it out. We were eating Breakfast and no one knew when Benton was going to arrive, or they just wouldn’t tell me. I was so excited, I felt like a jitterbug.
I wouldn’t leave the house all day; I was waiting for Benton after Dad had left to get Benton after Breakfast. When it was past lunch and Mom was starting dinner, that’s when I finally heard the car pull in the gravel drive way and I nearly shot out of my skin. By then my mind had danced enough that I was practically shaking on the couch while half watching T.V. I had finished Bonanza and was now watching the Twilight Zone (which wasn’t scary enough that I had to change the channel, this time.)
Mom came into the den with a kitchen towel in her hands. I heard them coming up the walkway and jumped up as they clattered through the front door, the screen door flying open. Dad was hauling in two large suit cases that he discarded by the couch like a pile of bricks, and Benton was here! Standing silently and looking at his suit cases - then looking at me like I was about as scary as Grandma and Grandpa Kowalski.
Mom moved first, “Oh Benton, how are you dear,” Mom hugged Benton petting his hair, and brushing his cheeks, Benton stood still though not returning the embrace. Mom didn’t seem to notice or be worried by is his response, I don’t know if it mattered.
“You look so tired, was the flight okay? Are you hungry?” Mom gushed, and Benton blinked in response, “Let me get you a drink and a snack. Suppers almost done and Grandma McLeod will be here soon. You just rest with Stanley, dear, you must be tired.”
Mom left the room and Dad started towards the hall, walking past the T.V. after grumbling something about lizards, for an unknown reason under his breath. “Stanley make nice, I gotta drain the tank.”
That left me and Benton and my excitement, even if Benton didn’t look excited.
“Hi Benton!” I danced over to him. If there was a time when my feet would be dancing, this was it.
“Hello Stanley.” Benton said as quietly as possible, not making eye contact. I couldn’t stop smiling and grabbed his hand with no regard for his outward demeanor, “Come on Benton! You’re finally here now, that’s so great, Greatness! Come and sit. Tell me about the plane, you got here on a plane, planes are neat I have a model of a plane. Did you eat on the plane?”
Benton followed me as I pulled him to the couch and barreled down on the cushion. He was looking at his suit cases, but fell onto the couch with me when I pulled him, though he didn’t look too happy, almost put out. He sat up straight and put his hands in his lap; I couldn’t believe someone would want to sit like without being forced, but I wanted to know so much and play and dance, and laugh…
Benton looked serious, and little stunned and was a lot quiet as he spoke slowly. “The food was not well, and I had to take three planes-
“Three!” I yelled, and he jumped. “That’s so many. Canada must be sooo, far away!” I swung my arms in the air with my words, and the cushion on the back of the couth flew off and hit Benton in the head rolling away onto the floor. I grabbed it up quick and put it back in place, with a speed and stealth, which a hyperactive 10 year old like ‘me’ should not have attained. I held my finger to my lips, “Sorry, sorry.”
Benton was still quiet and sad in every way, but now there was a smile on his lips. He looked just like I remembered; same height, blue eyes but different in every other way then me: black hair, and white, white skin… and a rounder face. That’s all I could see at the time, I had blonde hair and he had black hair, we weren’t blood and I liked his black hair. It made me wonder if all Canadian had black hair, but then Uncle Bob didn’t have black hair, not completely… it was like Grandma’s grey, but then unlike Grandma it had colour in it as well…
At the sound of familiar music I began to talk again. “Do you like the Twilight Zone? It’s scary but not all the time. I can’t watch it if it’s too scary then I get nightmares. Then I should have known better when I get scared and Dad gets’ mad, but Mom isn’t like Dad, and she always lets me sleep with them.” Benton looked away from me, then at the T.V.
“I’ve never seen it.”
Was all he said, but I knew that I had said something wrong, Benton’s face became tight, and there was a frown between his eyes in a little space that stuck together, wrinkled. It wasn’t until Mom came in moments later that I figured it out, Aunt Caroline… Mom gave Benton a sandwich and I got a box of (Yuk!) raisins, because I already ate.
Benton looked at his sandwich blankly and Mom went to go get him his milk and a napkin. Before Mom came back I leaned over and whispered close to Benton with a smile, “You can sleep with me if you get scared.” Benton looked over and nodded tightly then slowly began to smile, and I just knew then that we were going to be the best of friends. I hoped Benton felt the same way even if he was sad.
Dinner was okay, but dessert was pie, so I could hardly wait. Grandma kept asking Benton questions about living with his Grandparents and it didn’t sound too fun. They lived all over the place, and let people borrow books like a library. Books were terrible, and I felt so bad for Benton…books!
But I wanted to know about Canada. “What’s it like in Canada, Benton?” I asked as politely as I could muster in front of adults and everyone seemed to think that that wasn’t such a bad idea, even Dad, but Benton didn’t say much.
Ducking his head and looking at his plate of potatoes and ham, Benton said evenly, “It’s very cold and snows most of the year. The sun is gone in the winter and in the summer it doesn’t set.” All the adults started to chat about Canada and other places in the world, but I was stuck between either, horror or amazement, or both, probably both.
I nudged Benton as he neatly cut his ham slice. “It’s really like that?”
Benton nodded looking blank, “Mostly.” And I obviously couldn’t help but be enthralled by excitement, and wonder. Canada was another world, like Mars, and Benton was here, and he was from there, that place of wonder and unknown adventure.
“That is so cool!” I hissed quietly, barely containing my excitement. “You have to tell me all about it later, Kay?”
Benton looked surprised and nodded with more enthusiasm then he had shown all night, “Okay Stanley.”
And then we ate pie.
After Dinner it was still so bright and sunny out, and now that Benton was here all I wanted to do was play for hours. I wanted to show him all the places that I loved to explore and around to all the other kids, because now I had someone to play with at home too, just like my friends!
But that wasn’t going to happen, Dad said. Benton was tired and we all had to visit with Grandma McLeod. Grandma hugged Benton and made him sit beside her all night; Benton didn’t look like he wanted to though, and I didn’t want him too either, I wanted him to sit with me.
We all played cards and I lost on every hand. Benton won one and that seemed to cheer him up.
Dad brought Benton’s suitcases up stair when it was time to go to bed and I was even excited about that! We were going to be sharing a room, and it wasn’t until we were standing in our pajamas that Mom told us that we had to share a bed as well, until Dad could bring the spare one from Grandma’s. When Benton didn’t say anything, Mom kneeled on the ground like she would have done with me, when she had something important to say.
Right away my stomach got all tight, but instead she hugged Benton, “Is that okay, Sweetie?” Benton nodded tightly, and hugged Mom back, hard, and it looked like he was hurt, because that was the only time that I hugged Mom like that. When Benton let go Moms face looked happy, but sad like when her and Grandma were laughing about Aunt Carole after the funeral. I knew then looking at Mom’s face that Benton was hurt; his Mom was gone and Benton wouldn’t get to hug his Mom again, but the knowledge didn’t stay long. In that moment though, I had felt so bad instantly that I could have cried for Benton’s pain, but when he said that he “Didn’t mind sleeping with me.” In his soft quiet voice, I got so excited again that my memory danced the sadness away. I was a strange child.
I wished that Benton could dance his sadness away, but I didn’t think anyone’s mind could dance like mine.
Mom kissed us both goodnight, and we laid there with the lamp on. Benton was so quiet and still, but I couldn’t stop shifting, and wasn’t tired. I turned on my side to face Benton. He was lying on his back staring at the ceiling. He didn’t look over and I was looking at him. “Benton, tell me about Canada?” I asked probably in the quietest voice I had used all day.
Benton still didn’t look at me. “I don’t want to” he mumbled. His voice was scratchy, and sounded as hurt as he had looked with Mom.
I got a little angry, and rose onto my elbow, the blanket bunching up at my waist. “Why? You told me you would”
Benton still didn’t move. “I don’t feel like it.” He said flatly.
Benton must be upset I though. I wanted him to be fun. There was something wrong but I didn’t know what to do, Mom was the person who always made me feel better when I was sad. But Benton was a stranger and I didn’t know what to say. Earlier Benton seemed to be feeling better…but I could tell that everything was wrong and he was just pretending, like I woulda done.
I wanted to make Benton feel better, but didn’t know how, I had to try. It felt like the right thing to do.
I had pushed Benton’s shoulder to get his attention, “Tell me Benton, please?”
Benton sighed, finally he looked over with a rustle of his starched pillow. Mom had grabbed a spare one from the closet for him. He looked really annoyed and mad “Why?” he pressed.
I felt excited again, “Because it’s so far away and different, like --China where everyone does things different. When I grow up I wanna be a cowboy and I will ride to Canada, and you can be my Indian sidekick, but I need to know if I need a car instead because my horse might get tired, and I reallyyy- want to know about how you live.” I paused for breath, “Do you trip over your feet if it’s dark all the time? Do you have horse’s there?”
Benton looked over slowly- shocked, but I didn’t know why for some reason. So I kept smiling, I hoped Benton would answer my question. Maybe he would feel better if he told me about Canada I thought, maybe he would cheer up. Then finally he spoke, and I felt a weight lift from the air.
“Canada isn’t like China.” Benton said indignantly and rolled over towards me, resting his head on his hand. “Canada’s better then China and China is in the Eastern hemisphere of the world, we live in the Western Stanley.”
I didn’t know what that meant, but I nodded and said, “Okay”, so Benton would tell me more.
Benton looked at me closely, and said seriously. “Canada is just like America, except colder, but not everywhere. Toronto isn’t as cold as Inuvik because it’s lower in the world, Stanley. I had to stop there to get a new plane here, and it was sunny just like here, it’s only across the lake, Lake… Michigan.” Benton had stopped looking so sad, but my head hurt. Benton was real smart.
When he started to talk again, something happened - and he was even sadder than before.
“That’s where my Dad is right now… but he is too busy to come and see me…”
That made my smile fall off. Oh.. Benton turned on his back and stared at the ceiling again. Uncle Bob was being mean like Mom had said to Dad.
“And I wanna be a tracker..” Benton mumbled sadly. I didn’t really know what a tracker was… all I knew was it had to do with animals I think, but I was pretty sure you could do it on a horse so I was all for tracking, but Benton was so sad I was afraid to talk. I knew what to say though, it came to me and I felt like it was right. I wasn’t as good as Mom at cheering up people but I cared about Benton, I had too. Benton was family, blood or not. I had to try.
I started off unsure.
“Some things in life ar.. are very hard,” I had stumbled over my words trying to remember what Mom had said to me two days earlier… but that was all I could remember. But then Benton was looking at me again, his hair whisping out on the pillow. His eyes looked as deep as swimming pools, or as far as the sky stretched when it’s so hot the clouds go away and hide. “But that’s what we are here for,” I said nodding, feeling proud because my thoughts came out right, “you’re family, and we love you because we have to… and, and want too, blood or not.” I finished with a grin. It wasn’t a lot, but hopefully it was good enough.
Benton kept looking at me, sad and slightly… puzzled, but then slowly his mouth turned up into that small smile. That seemed to be the most he could manage in the smile department.
“Thank you, Stanley…” Benton trailed off, and I felt better. It felt good that I said the right thing, but before I could say anymore Dad’s voice bellowed through the door, followed by a slam on the wood. We both jumped, and gasped.
“Lights out! Go to sleep!”
I turned the light off and Benton rolled over on to his back again his eyes drifting shut.
“Goodnight Stanley,” Benton said sleepily, and I smiled. I felt very warm inside because I made Benton feel good, and that was almost better then pie… almost.
“Goodnight Benton,” I whispered and hugged Benton quickly, before rolling onto my other side, and drifted off into dreamland of Cowboys and Indians fighting together, against the evil Chinese.
((((()))))
Part 3
-The Big Day-
____________
The day came and Benton would be here! Benton was here!
Dad told me to sit down and cut it out. We were eating Breakfast and no one knew when Benton was going to arrive, or they just wouldn’t tell me. I was so excited, I felt like a jitterbug.
I wouldn’t leave the house all day; I was waiting for Benton after Dad had left to get Benton after Breakfast. When it was past lunch and Mom was starting dinner, that’s when I finally heard the car pull in the gravel drive way and I nearly shot out of my skin. By then my mind had danced enough that I was practically shaking on the couch while half watching T.V. I had finished Bonanza and was now watching the Twilight Zone (which wasn’t scary enough that I had to change the channel, this time.)
Mom came into the den with a kitchen towel in her hands. I heard them coming up the walkway and jumped up as they clattered through the front door, the screen door flying open. Dad was hauling in two large suit cases that he discarded by the couch like a pile of bricks, and Benton was here! Standing silently and looking at his suit cases - then looking at me like I was about as scary as Grandma and Grandpa Kowalski.
Mom moved first, “Oh Benton, how are you dear,” Mom hugged Benton petting his hair, and brushing his cheeks, Benton stood still though not returning the embrace. Mom didn’t seem to notice or be worried by is his response, I don’t know if it mattered.
“You look so tired, was the flight okay? Are you hungry?” Mom gushed, and Benton blinked in response, “Let me get you a drink and a snack. Suppers almost done and Grandma McLeod will be here soon. You just rest with Stanley, dear, you must be tired.”
Mom left the room and Dad started towards the hall, walking past the T.V. after grumbling something about lizards, for an unknown reason under his breath. “Stanley make nice, I gotta drain the tank.”
That left me and Benton and my excitement, even if Benton didn’t look excited.
“Hi Benton!” I danced over to him. If there was a time when my feet would be dancing, this was it.
“Hello Stanley.” Benton said as quietly as possible, not making eye contact. I couldn’t stop smiling and grabbed his hand with no regard for his outward demeanor, “Come on Benton! You’re finally here now, that’s so great, Greatness! Come and sit. Tell me about the plane, you got here on a plane, planes are neat I have a model of a plane. Did you eat on the plane?”
Benton followed me as I pulled him to the couch and barreled down on the cushion. He was looking at his suit cases, but fell onto the couch with me when I pulled him, though he didn’t look too happy, almost put out. He sat up straight and put his hands in his lap; I couldn’t believe someone would want to sit like without being forced, but I wanted to know so much and play and dance, and laugh…
Benton looked serious, and little stunned and was a lot quiet as he spoke slowly. “The food was not well, and I had to take three planes-
“Three!” I yelled, and he jumped. “That’s so many. Canada must be sooo, far away!” I swung my arms in the air with my words, and the cushion on the back of the couth flew off and hit Benton in the head rolling away onto the floor. I grabbed it up quick and put it back in place, with a speed and stealth, which a hyperactive 10 year old like ‘me’ should not have attained. I held my finger to my lips, “Sorry, sorry.”
Benton was still quiet and sad in every way, but now there was a smile on his lips. He looked just like I remembered; same height, blue eyes but different in every other way then me: black hair, and white, white skin… and a rounder face. That’s all I could see at the time, I had blonde hair and he had black hair, we weren’t blood and I liked his black hair. It made me wonder if all Canadian had black hair, but then Uncle Bob didn’t have black hair, not completely… it was like Grandma’s grey, but then unlike Grandma it had colour in it as well…
At the sound of familiar music I began to talk again. “Do you like the Twilight Zone? It’s scary but not all the time. I can’t watch it if it’s too scary then I get nightmares. Then I should have known better when I get scared and Dad gets’ mad, but Mom isn’t like Dad, and she always lets me sleep with them.” Benton looked away from me, then at the T.V.
“I’ve never seen it.”
Was all he said, but I knew that I had said something wrong, Benton’s face became tight, and there was a frown between his eyes in a little space that stuck together, wrinkled. It wasn’t until Mom came in moments later that I figured it out, Aunt Caroline… Mom gave Benton a sandwich and I got a box of (Yuk!) raisins, because I already ate.
Benton looked at his sandwich blankly and Mom went to go get him his milk and a napkin. Before Mom came back I leaned over and whispered close to Benton with a smile, “You can sleep with me if you get scared.” Benton looked over and nodded tightly then slowly began to smile, and I just knew then that we were going to be the best of friends. I hoped Benton felt the same way even if he was sad.
Dinner was okay, but dessert was pie, so I could hardly wait. Grandma kept asking Benton questions about living with his Grandparents and it didn’t sound too fun. They lived all over the place, and let people borrow books like a library. Books were terrible, and I felt so bad for Benton…books!
But I wanted to know about Canada. “What’s it like in Canada, Benton?” I asked as politely as I could muster in front of adults and everyone seemed to think that that wasn’t such a bad idea, even Dad, but Benton didn’t say much.
Ducking his head and looking at his plate of potatoes and ham, Benton said evenly, “It’s very cold and snows most of the year. The sun is gone in the winter and in the summer it doesn’t set.” All the adults started to chat about Canada and other places in the world, but I was stuck between either, horror or amazement, or both, probably both.
I nudged Benton as he neatly cut his ham slice. “It’s really like that?”
Benton nodded looking blank, “Mostly.” And I obviously couldn’t help but be enthralled by excitement, and wonder. Canada was another world, like Mars, and Benton was here, and he was from there, that place of wonder and unknown adventure.
“That is so cool!” I hissed quietly, barely containing my excitement. “You have to tell me all about it later, Kay?”
Benton looked surprised and nodded with more enthusiasm then he had shown all night, “Okay Stanley.”
And then we ate pie.
After Dinner it was still so bright and sunny out, and now that Benton was here all I wanted to do was play for hours. I wanted to show him all the places that I loved to explore and around to all the other kids, because now I had someone to play with at home too, just like my friends!
But that wasn’t going to happen, Dad said. Benton was tired and we all had to visit with Grandma McLeod. Grandma hugged Benton and made him sit beside her all night; Benton didn’t look like he wanted to though, and I didn’t want him too either, I wanted him to sit with me.
We all played cards and I lost on every hand. Benton won one and that seemed to cheer him up.
Dad brought Benton’s suitcases up stair when it was time to go to bed and I was even excited about that! We were going to be sharing a room, and it wasn’t until we were standing in our pajamas that Mom told us that we had to share a bed as well, until Dad could bring the spare one from Grandma’s. When Benton didn’t say anything, Mom kneeled on the ground like she would have done with me, when she had something important to say.
Right away my stomach got all tight, but instead she hugged Benton, “Is that okay, Sweetie?” Benton nodded tightly, and hugged Mom back, hard, and it looked like he was hurt, because that was the only time that I hugged Mom like that. When Benton let go Moms face looked happy, but sad like when her and Grandma were laughing about Aunt Carole after the funeral. I knew then looking at Mom’s face that Benton was hurt; his Mom was gone and Benton wouldn’t get to hug his Mom again, but the knowledge didn’t stay long. In that moment though, I had felt so bad instantly that I could have cried for Benton’s pain, but when he said that he “Didn’t mind sleeping with me.” In his soft quiet voice, I got so excited again that my memory danced the sadness away. I was a strange child.
I wished that Benton could dance his sadness away, but I didn’t think anyone’s mind could dance like mine.
Mom kissed us both goodnight, and we laid there with the lamp on. Benton was so quiet and still, but I couldn’t stop shifting, and wasn’t tired. I turned on my side to face Benton. He was lying on his back staring at the ceiling. He didn’t look over and I was looking at him. “Benton, tell me about Canada?” I asked probably in the quietest voice I had used all day.
Benton still didn’t look at me. “I don’t want to” he mumbled. His voice was scratchy, and sounded as hurt as he had looked with Mom.
I got a little angry, and rose onto my elbow, the blanket bunching up at my waist. “Why? You told me you would”
Benton still didn’t move. “I don’t feel like it.” He said flatly.
Benton must be upset I though. I wanted him to be fun. There was something wrong but I didn’t know what to do, Mom was the person who always made me feel better when I was sad. But Benton was a stranger and I didn’t know what to say. Earlier Benton seemed to be feeling better…but I could tell that everything was wrong and he was just pretending, like I woulda done.
I wanted to make Benton feel better, but didn’t know how, I had to try. It felt like the right thing to do.
I had pushed Benton’s shoulder to get his attention, “Tell me Benton, please?”
Benton sighed, finally he looked over with a rustle of his starched pillow. Mom had grabbed a spare one from the closet for him. He looked really annoyed and mad “Why?” he pressed.
I felt excited again, “Because it’s so far away and different, like --China where everyone does things different. When I grow up I wanna be a cowboy and I will ride to Canada, and you can be my Indian sidekick, but I need to know if I need a car instead because my horse might get tired, and I reallyyy- want to know about how you live.” I paused for breath, “Do you trip over your feet if it’s dark all the time? Do you have horse’s there?”
Benton looked over slowly- shocked, but I didn’t know why for some reason. So I kept smiling, I hoped Benton would answer my question. Maybe he would feel better if he told me about Canada I thought, maybe he would cheer up. Then finally he spoke, and I felt a weight lift from the air.
“Canada isn’t like China.” Benton said indignantly and rolled over towards me, resting his head on his hand. “Canada’s better then China and China is in the Eastern hemisphere of the world, we live in the Western Stanley.”
I didn’t know what that meant, but I nodded and said, “Okay”, so Benton would tell me more.
Benton looked at me closely, and said seriously. “Canada is just like America, except colder, but not everywhere. Toronto isn’t as cold as Inuvik because it’s lower in the world, Stanley. I had to stop there to get a new plane here, and it was sunny just like here, it’s only across the lake, Lake… Michigan.” Benton had stopped looking so sad, but my head hurt. Benton was real smart.
When he started to talk again, something happened - and he was even sadder than before.
“That’s where my Dad is right now… but he is too busy to come and see me…”
That made my smile fall off. Oh.. Benton turned on his back and stared at the ceiling again. Uncle Bob was being mean like Mom had said to Dad.
“And I wanna be a tracker..” Benton mumbled sadly. I didn’t really know what a tracker was… all I knew was it had to do with animals I think, but I was pretty sure you could do it on a horse so I was all for tracking, but Benton was so sad I was afraid to talk. I knew what to say though, it came to me and I felt like it was right. I wasn’t as good as Mom at cheering up people but I cared about Benton, I had too. Benton was family, blood or not. I had to try.
I started off unsure.
“Some things in life ar.. are very hard,” I had stumbled over my words trying to remember what Mom had said to me two days earlier… but that was all I could remember. But then Benton was looking at me again, his hair whisping out on the pillow. His eyes looked as deep as swimming pools, or as far as the sky stretched when it’s so hot the clouds go away and hide. “But that’s what we are here for,” I said nodding, feeling proud because my thoughts came out right, “you’re family, and we love you because we have to… and, and want too, blood or not.” I finished with a grin. It wasn’t a lot, but hopefully it was good enough.
Benton kept looking at me, sad and slightly… puzzled, but then slowly his mouth turned up into that small smile. That seemed to be the most he could manage in the smile department.
“Thank you, Stanley…” Benton trailed off, and I felt better. It felt good that I said the right thing, but before I could say anymore Dad’s voice bellowed through the door, followed by a slam on the wood. We both jumped, and gasped.
“Lights out! Go to sleep!”
I turned the light off and Benton rolled over on to his back again his eyes drifting shut.
“Goodnight Stanley,” Benton said sleepily, and I smiled. I felt very warm inside because I made Benton feel good, and that was almost better then pie… almost.
“Goodnight Benton,” I whispered and hugged Benton quickly, before rolling onto my other side, and drifted off into dreamland of Cowboys and Indians fighting together, against the evil Chinese.
((((()))))
Part 3