Why Me?

Chapter 29 He Does Have A Heart

Rick

     After the Christmas from hell, I drove over to a motel located next to Gasbarro’s Barro; that was the bar I met Lisa at. I ended up renting a room and I’ve been sitting in a recliner for about a week and a half. I go over to Gasbarro’s at night, have about five beers and then I spend the day time locked up and having a few more beers. I barely ate, I rarely slept. I haven’t talked to Lisa since that night and I’ve only made a few calls to work.

     I was currently lying on my bed staring blankly at the ceiling. My phone buzzed silently next to me. The phone calls had decreased as the days went on but they hadn’t disappeared completely. When it stopped buzzing I looked over; another call from Lisa. The woman hadn’t stopped. The whole week I had gotten dozens of calls and texts from her and even a couple calls from Cecilia but the call I wanted to hear the most hadn’t come.

     I hadn’t stopped thinking of Beckett. While I sat here the only thought that ran through my mind was, “I beat my son.” I may have been a jerk but I would never lay a hand on him. I don’t know what came over me I just… I was a monster.

     This thought tortured my mind and plagued my dreams, when I did sleep. But not only did I hurt my son physically, I hurt him emotionally. I took away something that meant more to him than anything else; I took away his Evangeline. I’d never seen Beckett love someone as much as he loved that girl; the only woman that meant a little more to him was his mother.

     I sat up in bed and took another swig of my Jack Daniels. It was almost five o’clock; time for happy hour at Gasbarro’s. I always went in at five just in time to here “It’s Five O’clock Somewhere”. I would sit at the bar from five to ten, leaving before Lisa’s shift started. I would drink, talk to a few guys and maybe a girl here and there and then go right back to drinking. But I wasn’t interested in any of those women, in that way. No, I still loved Lisa, a lot, but I was a lonely guy. I would end up sitting there and telling those girls about my problems. Some would leave, calling me a whimp, but most of them stayed and listened. I didn’t show it, but I was grateful. I felt that if I told someone, I’d be step closer to not losing my mind.

     I was just putting on my boots when I heard a knock at my door. I looked up curiously, “Did I call the pizza place?” I slowly got up and staggered over to the rotting wooden door. I opened it expecting to see the pizza delivery guy or the motel manager; maybe someone had complained about one of my drunken fits again. But when I opened the door and saw who was there, I would have rather taken my chances with an angry tenant.

     “Ya gotta be kiddin’ me. I was hopin’ that motel man was wrong about you stayin’ here.” There stood Cecilia and she looked as anger and annoyed as a bull in a rodeo.

     “Oh Cecilia,” I said trying to sober myself up, but with little success. “I wasn’t expecting you or anybody for that matter. Would you like to come in?” I asked politely.

     “If I walk in there I might become an alcoholic. Let’s try this, you can come outside an’ we can get ta talkin’.” She said with what looked like a forced smile. I nodded, a bit embarrassed and we walked outside. The sun stung my eye’s, forcing me to shield them.

     “Y’all right there Dracula?” she asked with a little chuckle. Cecilia was a sweet old woman to most but with me she was sarcastic and seemed to genially dislike me.

     “Yeah it’s just I usually have my sunglasses on when I walk outside.” I responded. There was a pause followed by a long silence between us. Then Cecilia broke it.

     “Evangeline tried to kill herself.” The smirk was gone from her face and she seemed on the verge of tears.

     “Oh Cecilia… I’m… I’m so sorry.” I stuttered not knowing what to say. I liked Evangeline, she was a since kid, but I wasn’t as close to her as Cecilia was.

     “I mean I knew she wasn’t going to be one hundred percent better after the rape but I never thought,” She trailed off, not finishing her sentence. I stood there awkwardly not knowing what to do. Then, without warning, she lunged herself towards me and began to sob. At first I just hovered my hands over her back but then I comforted her. I know how she felt. Believe it or not I was like this when my wife died, but I never showed it.

     “It’s ok Cecilia. She’ll make it through. She has you and most importantly she has Beckett to get her back on her feet.” Suddenly the sobs stopped and Cecilia looked up. The little eye makeup she did have on was smeared down her face. But the way she looked up at me; she knew something that I didn’t.

     “What is it Cecilia?” Silence. “What is it Cecilia?! Please tell me!”

     “Beckett’s missing.”

Author's Note: Ok so this is like a filler chapter because I am currently in the hospital waiting for my dad to get out of surgery. I am a bit of a nervous wreck. So throughout the day I will be working on the other chapters. Anyway back to the book; next stop, Cuba! We'll be making our way over to the island of beauty... and drugs! It's a dangerous journey and I'm not sure if everyone is going to make it out alive. Well enjoy, vote and comment.