NO LONGER THERE

STRAND EIGHT

THE INTERVIEW

I had no idea what everything was.

That was just what I planned to say before I pulled into the parking garage. And though my cinematic entrance ended up on the cutting room floor, I knew Clarence. If he thought I knew anything, he would say even more. Clarence didn't say a word.

He sat in his hospital bed in room 302 and stared at me with those gorgeous, almond shaped, brown eyes. I heard monitors beeping, cell phones ringing and a rapid response team  being summoned to the cafeteria. What I didn't hear, was Clarence James Reed say a damn thing.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, Aves."

So he could still talk.

"Why are you so quiet? Did you not understand what I said?"

With a straight face he replied.

"Hershey has a wild imagination. We all know that."

I love Clarence more than I love air. That's clear, right? But I was not about to sit in room hospital 302 and let him jerk my chain.

"Did Mom push you down the stairs."

I didn't ask, I stated, and he didn't respond.

I have to admit. I have never witnessed Lillian so much as raise a fly swatter. She could just glare at the poor thing and terrify it to death. I mean, could you imagine five Lillians's staring at you with those hazel, soul piercing eyes? Flatline.

But I also know my Hershey Kiss. She's a stealthy little thing, appears out of the blue like Casper the friendly ghost and can tell you everything you said or did before you even spotted her spotting you. If she said she saw Mom push Daddy, then she did.

Clarence sat in his hospital bed in room 302 and stared at me with those gorgeous, almond shaped brown eyes, not saying a thing. After a five minute stalemate, I gave up. He was as stubborn as the bull's he rode. And as though I never asked him a damn thing, we began talking about school. He was eager for me to get back to it, and I could not have agreed more. I told him I was getting on the road after lunch. He agreed that was a good idea.

Professor Smith emailed me back. Her connection for the interview she was setting up for me was no longer available. I was officially in a pickle because I only had four days to finish the project.

"I'm sure it will work out, Aves."

"I hope so, Daddy."

He smiled, flashing those pearly whites with a slight gap in the middle. "Show your old man what you got."

By the time we were done, we both needed tissues and there wasn't a Prada box in sight. We settled on that thin hospital grade sandpaper and wiped our faces.

"You've done a great job, Aves."

"Thank you, Daddy. I just hope it's not all for nothing."

Lillian walked in. I thought she would smile since she was in her Dr. Reed mode, the one everyone in that hospital admired. Nope.

"Avery Grace, you look like you just rolled off the back of a turnip truck."

She added insult to injury when she turned up her nose, then kissed me on the cheek. I wiped it off when she turned away. Clarence saw me. He laughed. Thankfully, she only stayed a short while. She was on call and her phone rang. The instant she left, Clarence and I grinned.

Lunch came. Too bad for Clarence. That was the most pitiful tray of pale spaghetti I had ever seen. But like the champ that he his, he ate it, and smiled. My wheels were turning. I closed my laptop and opened my tattered backpack. Clarence watched me.