A Year Without Snow

-24- •

special chapter 

Sunday, 19th July 1986

The sun was set high in the sky, it was said to be one of the warmest days of the year, I was laying on my porch on my mother's porch's chairs, music was playing from a small radio I had brought from school. Some commercial song was playing, it was usual in almost every station at this time of the day to play this type of awful music. But even if I didn't like this superficial music I couldn't help but appreciate the sound. The radio always caught better signal outside and because of that whatever was the music that was playing was I could hear every note.

I heard footsteps coming up the porch's stairs and felt someone kick my foot, "Watch it, asshole!" I said keeping my eyes closed.

"You listening to fucking George Michael?" He said laughing as he sat down on the chair next to mine.

"There's nothing better playing," I said shortly, I was not in the mood for Jim's shit.

"Well, there's nothing worse either," Jim answered and I heard him reach for the radio making me roll my eyes.

"If you came over to fucking piss me off you better leave man," I said to him finally opening my eyes.

"Calm down, Ryland." He replied calmly while still trying to find a radio station.

The guy had grown a lot in the last year. The last summer I saw him before I had gone to the military school he was nothing more than a skinny child with a bad attitude. Now he was taller and more composed. almost like me, but almost there is.

"Ahh." He exclaimed proudly, "There it is." He raised his hands in the air and looked at me, "See, Ryland all you need is devotion and patience."

I shook my head and made an annoyed expression, before closing my eyes again. The Smith was playing, I liked them, but I was going to admit it to him.

A few minutes passed before we heard my front door opening, and I opened my eyes as I watched my father walk out. He was a tall and strong-looking man with broad shoulders and a stern-looking face. We were very similar, but nothing alike in personality.

"Jim, son, how are you?" He said and walked over to the chairs, the boy stood quickly up in a nervous movement and shook my dad's hand.

"I'm doing good, sir." He replied losing his carefree expression and I once again rolled my eyes.

"Glad to hear." The man said, "I hear you and your parents are coming over to dine with us."

My mouth fell open and I rested my head back on the chair. I came back to this hell of a town yesterday and I would have to endure with the fucking Kannes for one whole evening.

"Sounds like it." The guy replied, before walking towards the stairs, and I gave a silent chuckle, the only thing I could count on my father for was to scare away losers like this kid.

"Strange fellow this one." He commented before going away.

And once again I was left alone, as I enjoyed the rest of the song.

****

"I told you to wear the red tie, Ian." My mother said as I walked down the stairs.

"It's all the same," I replied and she walked over composing the tie and straightening my shirt.

"Oh, honey, you look so handsome." She noted while putting a hand on my face and looking up at me, "And you've grown so much since we last saw you." She added with shining eyes.

"C'mon, mom," I said rolling my eyes. But I couldn't deny that I hadn't missed her too. In fact, she was the only person I really cared about.

"Leave the kid alone, Audrey." My father's voice sounded as he too came down the stairs wearing a suit and tie.

"Oh, alright." She replied, while giving me one last warm smile, and cupping my cheek.

A few minutes later the doorbell sounded and the next thing I know I was greeting the Kannes, shaking hands and giving kisses, walking over to the table, that had all sorts of fancy dishware and silverware, and with a bouquet of flowers in the center. My mother loved to have the house full and always outdid herself when it happened.

We sat down and the women left for the kitchen as Mr. Kanne turned to me.

"So, Ian, how's military school going?" He asked.

"It's going very well, sir," I replied and he nodded approvingly.

"I tried to convince here our, Jimmy, but he wasn't so keen on it." The man replied in a short voice while looking at his son that was sitting beside me.

"It isn't about what they like, it's about what they need." My father replied from the head of the table.

"Well, I couldn't force him to go against his will." Mr. Kanne said.

"And why not? Young men need-"

"Here comes the dinner." My mom said preventing my father from ending his speech which left both me and the guy next to me relieved.

The dinner went on smoothly as my parent and the Kannes made small talk and spoke about the weather and the neighbors until the conversation reached a subject that would fall badly to my side.

"I and Robert were planning on hiring someone to paint it over and clean the space, it's about time." Mrs. Kanne said over a plate the cake that my mother had made.

"Is it in that bad of a state, Diana?" My mother asked.

"Oh, yes, Audrey. I think that attic hasn't seen a person since my in-laws lived there. And God only knows what that woman stored there." She said while shaking her head.

"And you're going to waste money on people who won't do a decent job?" My father asked and shook his head, "Why don't you put the kid to it?" He added and I felt the boy tense beside me, I looked over at him and he had a worried expression.

"Poor kid, he wouldn't be able to do it." Mrs. Kanne replied and looked warmingly at her son.

"Well, here our Ian could help him." My father suggested.

"What?" I looked up quickly, matching Jim's worried expression.

"Oh, what an excellent idea!" My mother exclaimed giving me an encouraging look, as I replied with a warning glare for help.

"You wouldn't mind, Ian?" Mrs. Kanne asked me with a hopeful face.

"No, he wouldn't, Diana." My father answered for me. I wanted to scream out that I didn't care a shit about their attic and that I had no fucking patience to work with the sucker they had for a kid. But of course, I didn't and simply nodded.

I sat silent for the rest of the dinner, sulking before everyone stood up and we walked the other family to the door. Before leaving Mrs. Kanne hugged me goodbye and said in a kind voice.

"You really don't mind helping Jimmy, Ian?" She asked while putting an arm around her son's shoulder.

"Uh, no," I said reticently.

She smiled at me one last time before turning to say goodbye to my mother. I extended my hand at Jim, and he shook it with an uncomfortable expression.

"Sorry for that, man." He whispered to me.

"Forget about it," I assured him and gave him a small nod before they walked out of the door.

"Well, see you tomorrow, Ian." Mrs. Kanne said before my mother closed the door behind them.

I gave a big sigh and shook my head, this was going to be interesting, to say the least.