The Summer that Changed Everything

Chapter 20: When the Night has Come

      Chris and I were heading out to Castle Rock, to look for the tree house and camp out like old times. I told my wife that I needed some alone time to sort out stuff with my writing. She was used to this sort of thing, me camping out for a few days by myself. Although this time I told her that I was going with a friend of mine. A pal from way back.

She didn't question who it was, just said good luck and be careful. I parked the station wagon on a rocky path not too far from where the tree house would be and just walked through town.
I went to Quidacioluo's to pick up some food for the trip. The old man still worked there. He was busy counting the cash and I didn't say hi to him. I thought maybe he wouldn't have recognized me. It has been over 10 years since I came in.
He looked up and nodded respectively.
"I read your book." He told me as he pulled it out from under the counter and waved it in front of me. "Your brother would have been proud."
"Thanks." I seemed a bit surprised.
"It's a shame what happened to that Chambers boy. A real shame. He really made something of himself." He said.
"I know." I told him.
He asked me to sign it. I did and said thanks and left the market. It felt sort of different but good to be noticed in this small town other than to be Denny's little brother. And I was happy that he remembered Chris.
Chris and I walked on past the market and then went around the bend. We saw the tree house. We couldn't go in though, because it was old and rusted and hardly standing up. But it was still there.
I took a deep breath remembering so many summers that were perfect and beautiful. They were everything I hoped for and more.
Chris and I put out the tent and began to smoke Winchesters and snack on our food.
"I've had writers block for the longest time until you popped in." I told Chris.
"Well, if it helps any— tell people a story of your life; if you think it's gunna be boring then maybe throw a dragon or something in there or Lardass riding a dragon." Chris said.

"Alright." I smiled and took a puff of my cigarette. For a moment I closed over my eyes and remembered these times when Chris, Lennie, the guys and I would cross over this trestle a few miles past the market and just stared out far out into the horizon. Sometimes we crossed it a night, when the train passed through underneath us and felt the wind pressing up against our faces. I closed my eyes and held tightly to the bar, dreaming that I was floating. This one time when we were standing on the trestle, Lennie made a comment and said that every time she crossed it, the train never came. Teddy looked up and pointed and said,"the train is coming now." We stood there and waited and held hands, and felt the wind as it pressed up against our faces.
- - -
After school once Lennie went to the treehouse to wait up for Vern and I. We were still in class making up a test and Chris was stuck mopping the floor where a kid got sick.
Teddy hung out side smoking a cigarette.
"The guys here yet?" Lennie asked.
"Nope." He finished his cigarette and pops in the air.
"You got an extra cigarette?" She asked.
"No. That was my last one .... But I do have this." Teddy suggested.
"What?" She asked.
Teddy grabbed a bucket that's been under the tree house for a while and tossed what ever was in it towards her.
A slug landed on her shoe. "Jesus!" She screamed and kicked it off.
"Hahahah!" Teddy laughed.
"You creep." Teddy said.
"Stop calling me any of your step mom's pet names." Teddy said.
"Great comeback. I hate my stepmom, you four eyed pile of shit." Lennie said.
"This pile of shit has a thousand eyes." Teddy lit another cigarette and blew the smoke at her face.
"I thought it was your last one." She observed as he took in a big puff and blew the smoke up into the air.
"I guess I lied ...hahah." He said.
She stuck out her tongue at him.
Teddy took another puff of his cigarette and glared at her.
"You stick your tongue out at me again and I'll bite it off." He warned.
She ignored the warning and did it again.
Teddy flung his cigarette and says, "That's it you asked for it."
He lunged towards her and puts his mouth on her tongue, but before they knew it the attack ended up turning into a kiss and Teddy wouldn't let go of her. Lennie pushed back. She wiped her mouth.
"Teddy." She said.
Teddy looked shocked for a moment.
"Lennie ... I'm really sorry. I didn't mean for that ... I was only playing. I don't know what I was thinking. God, Chris is gonna kill me..."
He started to stutter. He turned away and hid behind the treehouse.
Lennie followed him.
"Teddy, are you alright?"
"Chris is gonna kill me. I can't believe I did that. You can't tell him. He's gonna kill me."
"Don't worry. I am not gonna say anything, I promise. Please calm down." Lennie told him.
"You'd never like me. I am a four eyed pile of shit and a pervert." Teddy said.
"Teddy, stop."
He looked the other way. It was a lot for Teddy to open up about liking Lennie just as much as Chris did and surprising too. But Lennie always seemed to know what to say to make situations slightly better or less awkward.
"Listen .... I do like you. I always did. If things didn't happen between Chris and I— I am sure we would..." Lennie explained.
"Would what?" Teddy asked.
"I dunno ... date, maybe." Lennie suggested.
"It's alright. I am happy for you and Chris, really. It's just that I get jealous sometimes, cause I feel like I could never have what the two of you have or meet a nice girl cause I'm such a freak. And what just happened back there probably would be my only kiss."
He wiped his eyes.
Lennie smiled at him and she took off his glasses, wiped a few loose strands of his hair from his eyes and kissed him.
"Do you know how wonderful you are?" She asked.
He shrugged.
"Not really ... but thanks." He said.
He handed her his cigarette and she took a puff of it.
One Friday afternoon Chris and Lennie walked down the hallway together and he mentioned that on spring break he wanted to go put Ray's stone down.
"Yeah that sounds like a good idea." I said.
"I'm in." Teddy said.
We looked at Vern.
He shrugged.
"Sure. If I say no, Chris will just put me in a headlock till I agree to it and I didn't get to eat frigging anything today. Charlie Hogan stole my lunch money."

We all hung out in the treehouse, we went to school, we went fishing, played cards, went to see movies ... Teddy picked on Lennie like he always did, and we ignored it, and Lennie would get even more annoyed and then would end up trying to beat up Teddy, when he wouldn't stop. I don't think anything ever went beyond that ... or at least not anything that Chris was aware of. Things always seemed the same other than Lennie and Chris seeing each other. As far as I know they hid it from everyone pretty well. They didn't want to be too obvious, because if Ace found out or any one of the guys, their world could be turned upside down.

Although sometimes it was weird to catch them kissing or hugging or holding hands, we were pretty used to it.
During Spring Break like Chris said, we went camping again at "The Back Harlow Rd." This time we took a cab, because it would have been too long to walk with Ray's stone. We camped the night there and then the following day walked back and crossed the infamous train dodge bridge except this time we were careful and ran across and Vern didn't not crawl.
Our parents never thought twice about us camping; it was just something we did a lot. Chris and Len would get away with this sort of thing by explaining to their folks that they are just camping out in my back yard, when in actuality they were just camping in Chris's back yard without anyone else.
This sort of thing went on for a while.

Chris put up the tent at 8 at night. Lennie snuck in the back yard with a portable radio they could listen to and an extra pair of clothes. They lay on their backs looking at the sky through the opened tent and sung along to the song Stand by Me by Ben. E King.

"When the night has come
And the land is dark
And the moon is the only light we'll see
No I won't be afraid, no I won't be afraid
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
And darlin', darlin', stand by me, oh now now stand by me
Stand by me, stand by me."
Chris held her in his arms.
"I've never been so happy." He told her.
"Me either." She said.
They gazed into each other's eyes. Chris touched her face, caressing it softly. They kissed.