The Little Life

Days after days, it was always the same for Wyatt. Waking up at 6 o’clock, jumping in the shower, getting dress, eating breakfast, driving 15 minutes to his job at the garage, working there until  six, getting something to eat at any fast-food, going home, watching TV until it was time to go to bed. It wasn’t that he didn’t like his job, because he did, it’s just that he had expected more from his life. He had always imagined himself as a marine or an officer for the army not as one of the local mechanic but not two years in the army and he had gotten hurt and his dream had been ripped away from him. At 24, Wyatt lived a really quiet life in a small quiet city. His three bedrooms, two bathrooms’ house was pay and he wished for more in his life.

She just couldn’t take the crying anymore. It was driving her crazy. If only she hadn’t been stupid and given him up for adoption or had an abortion. No, she had thought that she was strong enough to take care of a baby of her on. She took another zip directly from the Jack Daniel’s bottle and looked at the crying one month old on her couch. She couldn’t live like this anymore, in this crappy 3½ that cost too much for the neighbourhood. She decides that she would take her old life back. Even if she had to get rid of him, she would get her life back. She swears to herself. Her mind was set; she would get her old life back.

Wyatt woke up from the sound of his front door bell. Still half asleep, he looked out the window to see just pitch dark. He turns around and looks at his clock. Two am, who could be at his door at two freaking am. He slowly got out of his bed, put on a t-shirt that have been lying on his floor and made his way to the front door.

“Steven, if it’s you, you better have a good reason because if not I will kick your ass even if you’re my brother!” Wyatt said before opening his door.

“Wyatt…”

He was surprise to say the less. He hasn’t seen her since the last time the hock up almost a year ago.

“Veronica? What are you doing here?”

“Here, this is your son Jeremy” She told him, giving him a laundry basket with a sleeping baby in it.

“What?!”

“Here are his things” She put, at his feet, a garbage bag and turned around to her car.

“Wait! You can’t just come here, tell me I have a son and just leave!”

“Look I don’t care what you do with the kid. He’s yours and I ain’t taking him back.”

With that said she opened her door and went in her car without looking back at Wyatt or their son. Wyatt looked at the car getting away in shock of what just took place. A cry wakes him up. He turns around and looked at the basket at his doorstep. He came closer and looked down at the little life and couldn’t figure out what to do.

“Ok little guy, let’s get inside and call mom.”  He really didn’t want to call his mom for help but he never was good with kids and worse with babies. How would his mom react to the news? Worse, how would his father react?

It was his father that answered the phone call and to say Alan McAlister was mad at his son was putting it lightly. By four am, his mom was in his house looking at her first grandchild in awe. With teary eyes, she looked at her son.

“He looks just like you Wyatt. Look at his nose! I can still remember when you were this small…”

“Ma, I’m not even sure if he’s really my son. I’ve been only with his mother once and for all I know she could have been with others.”

“WYATT CHRISTOPHER MCALISTER! You will not be disrespectful to that woman! I didn’t raise you like that.”

“Sorry Ma, but it is a possibility”

“Yer bum’s oot the windae! Look at him! He’s your son.” It was easy to see Gail McAlister had enough of her son as her Scottish heritage was showing.

“Will you help me with him or not?” He was also getting cranky about the situation that he certainly didn’t ask to be put in.

“I won’t let my grandson starve to death. Show me this bag and see what that woman got you…”  

By the time Wyatt went to work, Gail’s heart full of love for her grandson. The sweet angel was exactly what her son needed. Ever since he returned from the army he hasn’t been the same. No more laughter from her son. Only seriousness and that wasn’t like him. Yes it was exactly what the doctor order she thought looking at the sleeping enfant. Surely he would help bring back her old Wyatt. She had so much to do. Her grandson’s mother didn’t bring nearly enough of anything for him. Gail would happily go buy all the necessary but first she had to call in work.

Wyatt’s mind wasn’t on work and it showed. Already twice that morning had he injured himself on the car he was working on. His left hand was a bloody mess.

“Wyatt, come with me will ya?”

“Yes, sir” He went to his boss’ office and waited for what was coming.

 “Please sit. Ok, so I will go straight to the point. What is wrong with you today?  Son, you’re one of the best out there but today is obviously not your day so tell me.”

“…It’s complicated…”

“Lay it on me, son. I had my share of shit”

Wyatt took a moment to wonder if he should really tell everything to his boss. He was a good man but Wyatt wasn’t the kind to open up. Finally he gave up and told him everything.

“Let me tell you something…”

“Other then I’m in deep shit”

“Yes other than that. I don’t think any of us will ever fully understand women but I know from experience that a mother would tear her heart out before letting something bad happen to her child. What I’m trying to say is in my head if she left you her child it’s because she thought you were better than her to give her son a better future.”

“So you also think he’s my kid?”

“Yes but the best way to know it for sure is with a test”

“Yeah…”

 Why don’t you take the rest of the day off to get to know the kid and to make the arrangements?”

“Thank you sir”

“Anytime kid”

At eleven forty, he arrived home and could hear the baby cry from outside his house. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath before pushing the door open.

“Ma, where are you?”

“Good! Wyatt, come take your son for a moment. We are in the kitchen.”

He found his mother walking from right to left with the baby in her arms. She turned around and handed him his son.

“I will warm him some milk and after that the three of us will have some shopping to do. You took the rest of the day off, right? Good. We have so much to get for the little angel. And we have to find a babysitter ‘cause I can’t miss work again even if it’s for my grandson. My patients need me too. Oh! So much to do!”

 Wyatt looked at the small child in his arms, still felling in an unreal situation. The enfant seemed content to be in his arms: all smile and looking at him with interest. Looking more carefully at him, Wyatt could see himself in him the eyes, the hair and even the nose. This little guy looking back at him could really be his son.