Dusk Harbor 1999

Turn This Car Around

Jake gripped the steering wheel of his big silver SUV. His beautiful wife, Catherine, sat in the passenger seat. His eyes flicked to the rearview mirror.

Drake, and Jake's twin daughters Olive and Sarah were in the second row. Drake was on the right side on a grey and green booster seat with no backing to it. He was seven, but he was sort of short, and very skinny. The rule was a kid had to weigh over eighty pounds and be taller than fifty-seven inches. Whichever came last.

Drake was about fifty-three pounds in weight. Jake couldn't remember his exact height, but he certainly wasn't tall enough or heavy enough to get out of using a booster seat. Probably would need it for a long time. Jake had once known a girl who required it till she was thirteen. That would probably be Drake's case.

Olive was in the middle, on a pink booster seat identical to Sarah's. The two of them were average in height and weight for their age. They had their pretty blond hair done in nearly identical princess-style braids.

They were yelling in each other's faces. Then they erupted and Sarah threw something at the ground. A cup of cereal, Jake presumed, by the sound of tiny round things falling to the carpet.

They went slapping at each other. He could hear hands against skin. It was a classic sound. A painful sound. The racket of yelling filled the car and Catherine exhaled angrily. Somehow Houston and Elijah were fast asleep in the third row.

"Kids!" Catherine called out, turning to face them.

Her hands curled around the headrest as she glared at each of them.

They silenced immediately.

"If you don't stop fighting we will turn this car around! And you will not go to the amusement park with aunt Olivia and your uncles!" She exclaimed.

Silence followed. Pure quiet. Except for the panting breath of Sarah who'd gotten the worst of the slapping. It was too quiet, Jake thought. So he switched the radio on. Turned through all the junk stations, went through the good stations, couldn't find anything worth settling on. So he turned it back off.

We're close enough to the carnival now. Doesn't matter. He told himself.

The road went on for another mile. Barely any traffic. Just a few pickup trucks and one big white box truck heading north. Had New Hampshire plates on them. With the old catchphrase 'Live Free or Die' in raised green letters at the bottom. Gee, they're kinda far from home.

After another quarter mile, the big tires on his SUV crunched over bits of stones and gravel as he rolled into the dirt parking lot of the fairground. Pulled up next to Jordan's banged up cornflower blue Subaru Brat. Saw him and Mason waiting inside, making wild hand gestures at each other like they were arguing. Drake tore his seatbelt off like it was on fire, and flung the door wide open. It shook the car a little. He hopped down onto the dirt.

Then the twins helped each other with their restraints and burst out Drake's side. High fived him when they came up beside him.

Jake opened his own door and stepped out. Felt the rough grit beneath his feet. He had thin brown leather shoes. Comfortable. Good for the city, pavement, sidewalks. Not so much for dirt and rocks.

He went to the back door and opened it up. Folded the second row down over itself. Like a big leather taco. He reached into the back and unbuckled Houston, who was still asleep and transported him to a black and bright green twin stroller into which he also placed Elijah. Also still asleep. It was a good stroller. Had lasted through Sarah and Olive. Still a sturdy structure. Never had to replace any parts. A very decent side-by-side stroller. He would have recommended it to anyone. Easy to maneuver, too. Jake knew that maneuverability was crucial to any stroller.

Catherine came over and took control of the stroller, and he followed her over to where the twins and Drake were already climbing all over Jordan, who looked like death.

His eyes were darkened, his hair was a mess, and even though he was laughing and chasing the kids around he seemed different. Kept pausing to catch his breath. 

I hope he's alright.

Sarah slid off of Jordan's back and ran up to Olivia. Tagged her leg and then started running around her in circles. A pattern. A tight circle, a loose circle, another loose circle, then a tight circle, and she repeated this cycle over and over, tagging Olivia's left leg each time she passed.

Then Sarah acted like she was going to break away all together when on the second loose circle Olivia stuck her arm out and stopped her dead in her tracks.

Olivia grabbed Sarah around the waist and held her there, laughing and snarling.

"Gotcha! Nowhere to run!" She exclaimed.

Sarah laughed and used her tiny hands to push against Olivia. Struggled to worm her way out of her grasp.

"I gotta get Uncle Jay!" Sarah chuckled.

Olivia hoisted her up onto her right hip and strung her arms around Sarah's back. Held her there so she could see higher up.

Jordan was ducking down on the other side of the Subaru. With his hands over his head. Hiding from the children.

Sarah spotted him and called out.

"Drake! Behind the car!" She yelled as she pointed.

Drakes mischievous blue eyes brightened as he darted around to the other side of the car and tackled Jordan to the ground. Started punching at his back. Yelled something triumphantly in his ear.

"Do you want to go to the carnival or not?" Mason asked as he held up the tickets.

Drake froze and got up off of Jordan. Went straight up to Mason and nodded with a grin.

Olivia dropped Sarah to the ground and brushed her hands off.

Jake smiled.

"Thanks for doing this guys. Catherine and I have been needing a date night." He said. Jordan got up off the ground and slid across the banged-up hood of the Brat. The hood groaned under his weight, but it was still an effortless move. Great accuracy. Like a reflex. He landed perfectly with his arms over his chest and a confident smirk.