Eliot Strange and the Prince of the Resistance

61) To the Rescue

As we drive back to the park for the rescue of a prince, Steven explains how they got here:

"We don't like being left behind."

"Left behind?"

"They don't think we can fight," explains Cindy. "And we can't. Steven hurt his foot. He has a cast, I am a scaredy cat, and Christopher is a baby. We can't fight said me, but Steven said we can con-tree-bute."

"We got left behind with the invalids and the children. We didn't like it," says Steven.

Cindy Lou nods her head to agree. "We're heroes, but they treat us like babies. Sorry, Christopher."

"So Tommy and Marla and Leia and the rest are gone to fight?" I ask.

"Yes. Just left Adam and Sarah back with the kids. All the kids are back, Elie. All ok. And Mr. Thomas is there too and a few soldiers to protect those left behind. Your dad and the soldiers went to fight. Real soldiers. There are still real soldiers, Eliot. Can you believe it?" asks Steven.

"I know," I say, "I saw them myself the other night, headed your way."

"Still as beautiful as ever, with their uniforms and their pomp and circumstance, well maybe not so much pomp anymore, but still, real soldiers and on our side to boot," says Steven. "Tommy marched right out with them. I didn't want him to go."

"I bet you didn't. So? You and Tommy still good?"

Steven nods and smiles a big grin he can't contain. "I'll have to update you later, when the children aren't around."

Steven makes a turn and though it is not so smooth, he does seem able to brake even with a cast on his foot. "We came to see if we could help in some way. Sarah and Adam found this truck on the road on the way back from their rescue of the kids. We borrowed it. We loaded up with some supplies and headed to the battle. We were going to my house to see what medical supplies we could find there."

"What battle?" I ask.

"In Stuart, last night. The Resistance and your dad and the army headed to Stuart to get the prince back. And your mom. To get her back too."

"I heard it last night. The battle. The prince and me. Loud Explosions."

"Good enough," says Cindy Lou who is holding baby Christopher while he chews on a popsicle stick. "I hope they were blowed up to smithereenies. They are mean people. Bad people. And just so you know, there's no ice cream, we already checked. There's just us."

"Good enough," I say back. 

When we get back to the park, Torin is still right where I left him. I am slightly surprised that he is not gone because, so far in our story, bad luck seems to follow me. It seems like Torin is always gone from me.

"You look like shit," says Cindy Lou to Torin. "Sorry about the cussing kids, but Prince Torin looks like shit."

Steven with his broken foot and Cindy holding a baby help me get Torin up and into the truck.

"I'll be much better," says Torin, "once we get home."

Home. We are going home. And, we have a ride so all is good with the world today.

As we help him get settled next to the freezer where there used to be ice cream, Cindy asks Torin, "Where is that golf cart I let you borrow, Prince Torin?"

"I have no idea," says Torin.

"Well, I don't care if you are a prince or not, you are not driving my ice cream truck cause you are not enough responsible."

Torin smiles at this, "Sorry, Cindy."

"Sorry ain't good enough sometimes mister. Damn, Prince, what was you thinking?"

"Cindy?" says Torin in his best dad voice.

"I know. I know. Watch the language in front of the kids. Sorry Steven, sorry Christopher. Not sorry to you Eliot because you are a worser cusser than me."

"Apology accepted," says Steven as he backs the truck up and heads toward home.

"Good Enough," says Cindy.