Paper Airplanes {Corey Haim}

Twenty Eight~Stutter

December 15th 1997
CJ was a ripe 1 year and 3 months now, peacefully walking. He had grown, grown bigger and taller and more hair. He'd been trying to talk.

I was also once again pregnant. And Corey and I were very excited about another child. We already planned names. I was 5 months along now.

Corey was still working at teaching drama, and I was on leave on my show. But the writer's had formed a storyline so the show could continue and I could be a mom, but return later.

We were in the process of moving. Boxes covered the floor and the house was pretty much empty. We had planned to go see a house when Corey comes home.

CJ wore his red and white stripped shirt and white overalls and matching converses. He was looking cute as ever.

CJ sat eating dry Cheerios from a blue plastic bowl in his chair with the tray in front of him.

I was watching him and writing a paper. Even though I'm 25 now, I attend college, working for my masters degree in acting and writing.

I was wrestling a family, work and school, and it was demanding. But being the Swayze I am, that demanding feeling was satisfying. I love a challenge. All us Swayze people do.

I was writing about the importance of the human imagination.

It made me remember a time when I went to a book store with a father's father in 1982. He told me "my favorite nation is imagination."

Then, Corey walked in, shutting the door behind him. I liked seeing him come home, heavily busy with papers and planning. I liked to watch him work.

"Hi honey.", he said greeting me with a kiss. "Hi", I responded.

He ruffled CJs brown hair, making him giggle, making me smile.

"How was your day, Haimster?", I asked, organizing my papers.

"Ahh, it was nice. How bout my two favorite people?", he asked.

I smiled, "Well. CJ was practicing walking today, it was very cute", I informed him.

He took of his coat and moving some boxes. "Let's go. I wanna see this place.", I said.

Corey nodded and smiled. I grabbed CJ and placed him on my hip. Corey grabbed his keys and we headed off.

The house was pretty, and big. It had a long driveway. And rose bushes outside, giving it life.

A little barn was off to the right, and a big pond just beyond the house a few hundred yards.

I could make out a black royal looking fence in a mangel of trees as we went up the driveway.

A woman in a suit sat on the porch swing, the realter.

Corey and I stepped out of the car, Corey got CJ out and I carried him on my hip again.

We met the woman on the porch. She was very nice. She carried a clipboard against her.

She ushered us inside. It was beautiful.

As soon as you walk in, you're greeted by a grand staircase. To the left is a living room and to the right is a kitchen and dining room. A cellar was connected by the stairs.

Up the stairs, a line of doors was the main attraction. It had 3 bed rooms and 2 baths and a hall closet.

Every bedroom had a window with a seat and beautiful view of the pond.

The whole time we toured the house, the woman, Mrs Foster, told us about it and its history. It was fairy new, only 20 years old. Only 1 family lived there before, they moved away.

"What's that?", I asked pointing out an upstairs window toward the black fence.

"Oh, that! That's part of the property. Its a old church, it's small and a graveyard. Its old as this town. Not many people are buried there.", she answered.

I nodded. It was exciting and creepy, owning a graveyard, I thought.

When we finished we walked to the porch and both myself and Corey fell deeply in love with the house, graveyard and all.

It wasn't highly priced. Most people would say that because of such a price, the house would be a mess. But it was just beautiful.

A little boy, about 5 or 6, quickly  rode his bike, cutting across the driveway.

"Who's that?", I asked.

"He's a Witicker Orphanage kid. His parents gave him up when he was a baby. He doesn't have a home. He's shy, and doesn't trust easy or open up to people easy.", Mrs Foster said.

I felt for him. I was an orphanage kid once, too. It's hard. You don't ever really get over that unwanted feeling.

On the drive home, that little boy remained in my mind. I wanted to help him. Give him a place.

We planned to buy the house, we were excited to move in. We planned to move in rather fast.

We were moving to be closer to our folks. And because our older house wouldn't be enough for our growing family.

...
1 Week Later
I was in CJs room, unpacking his clothes. Corey was working in the cellar.

The doorbell sounded. I placed CJ on my hip and went to the door.

There, in the doorway, was a little boy. The same little boy we say a week earlier, the orphan.

"Hello there. Can I help you?", I asked looking down at him.

The looked like Ponyboy Curtis to me, very cute, styled blonde hair and he had sweet brown eyes. He was about 5 or 6 looking.

"I...j-j-just wa-an-wanted to...meet you.", he said.

He had a stutter.

He pulled a bouquet of wildflowers from behind his back. He offered them to me.

"T....th...these are f- f- f for...you", he said, then flashing a smile.

"Thank you....whats your name sweet pea?", I asked as I adjusted CJ.

"Danny."

I smiled at him and accepted the flowers. "Well, thank you Danny. Wanna come inside?"

He nodded.