Promise (19 page)

“So, you're playing the trumpet,” he said as he sat down on the top step opposite Kaden.

“Just starting,” Kaden said. He picked a tall piece of grass growing beside the steps and twirled it between his fingers. All the tension of the night before seemed to have melted in the early morning sun.

“I didn't play in band,” Dad said. “Mom, I mean your grandmother—”

Gram interrupted him. “He calls me Gram,” she said. “And I don't have time to sit around talking. I've got a garden to tend.” Gram got up and walked around to the back of the cabin, leaving Kaden with his father.

“She's always a little gruff in the morning,” Kaden said.

“I know. And in the afternoon, too—unless she's changed,” Dad said, laughing.

“And don't forget the evening,” Kaden added, smiling.

“Anyway,” Dad continued, “your Gram wanted me to be in band, but I didn't want to wear those band uniforms. They looked ridiculous. But I'm glad you've decided to play an instrument.”

Kaden thought about what Luke had said. At least Dad didn't say he was a loser.

“I don't have a uniform yet,” Kaden said. “They're getting new ones soon.”

“So do you play sports?” Dad asked.

“Just in PE,” Kaden said.

“Are you going to try out for a school team?”

“Not this year. You have to be in seventh grade.”

“What grade are you in?”

“Sixth,” Kaden answered. Gram was right. Dad didn't really know anything about him. But he was trying to, and Kaden relaxed a little.

“Oh,” Dad said. “Well, I've been asking all the questions. Do you have any questions about me?”

Kaden had tons of questions. He wanted to know everything but he didn't know where to start. “Not really,” he said, shrugging.

“Well, I didn't play on a school team either,” Dad said. “Mom was upset about that, too, but me and my friends just kind of hung out, you know?”

Kaden didn't say anything. He didn't figure it was really a question. But it sounded like Gram had been a lot different with Dad. She wanted Dad to do a lot of things, like be in band and play sports. But she hardly let Kaden do anything. Dad sat there, waiting for Kaden to say something, but Kaden just stared at the piece of grass he was twirling. Finally, Dad sighed.

“How about playing a little catch?” Dad asked. “Go get that glove and ball. I'm sure you found them on your bed. I can take a shower later.”

Kaden was relieved. Throwing a ball around was better than having to talk. He took his trumpet into his cabin and came out holding the new glove and ball in his right hand. An old mitt was on his left hand.

“Where'd you get that old thing?” Dad said.

“It was Emmett's. He gave it to me for my seventh birthday.” Kaden held the new mitt and ball to his dad.

“Well, take it off and use the one I gave you.”

“No, you can use it. I'll use Emmett's,” Kaden said, still holding the new glove out to his dad.

“Whatever,” Dad said. He roughly grabbed the new glove, put it on, and tossed the ball into it a few times as he walked across the crescent-shaped lawn. Kaden walked to the opposite end.

“Ready?” Dad asked. His voice had lost its friendliness.

“Ready,” Kaden answered.

Dad threw the ball, hard and fast. It landed in Kaden's glove with a loud smack. Kaden's hand stung but he didn't say a word. He tried to throw it back hard but didn't have the force behind it. Dad caught it and threw another fastball. Kaden was good at catch. He and Emmett threw the ball back and forth all the time. Emmett threw some zingers, too, but it wasn't the same and Kaden knew it.

Kaden kept catching whatever was thrown at him. He knew his dad was mad at him for not using the new glove but it wasn't that he didn't want to use it. Kaden just didn't want Dad to use Emmett's. It had been a special present.

That's stupid
, he told himself as he threw the ball back.
Dad's been nice all morning and he did get a new glove for me. He's trying but I'm the one being a jerk
. Kaden caught another ball and called out, “Let me try that glove for a while.”

Dad smiled as they switched gloves. He didn't throw any more zingers but started acting more like the way Emmett acted when they played catch, saying, “Here's a pop fly,” and “Let's practice some grounders.”

When they tired of playing, the two walked back to the porch.

“You're pretty good,” Dad said. “Ever thought of signing up for Little League?”

“Too late now,” Kaden said. “They only play in the summer.”

“Well, you should try out at school when you get to seventh grade,” Dad said, sitting down on the porch steps. “So what do you want to do now?”

“I don't know,” Kaden said. “I have some homework. Gram will ask about it at lunch.”

“Well, then get to it. I'll take a shower and we'll watch a game after lunch.”

“Can't,” Kaden said. “We don't have a TV.”

“Really? I guess I didn't notice,” Dad said.

“If there's anything we really want to watch, we go down to Emmett's,” Kaden explained.

“So how do you know what's going on in the world? Your Gram doesn't even get a newspaper. I found that out yesterday,” Dad said.

“We read the paper at Emmett's, too. Or he brings them up here. Sometimes, it's a few days old but Gram says if there's ever any news that's going to directly affect her life, she's sure someone will drive up here and tell her. Otherwise, hearing what happens can wait a few days,” Kaden said. “Did you have a TV and newspapers when you were a kid?

“Of course,” Dad said.

“Even here, in the summer?”

“The newspaper was delivered here every morning,” Dad said, “but we didn't have TV up here. That was one of the reasons I didn't want to come anymore. I was pretty bored around here.”

“It's not so bad. I do a bunch of stuff with Emmett and I like hanging out at the tower.”

“So what else do you have to go to Emmett for?” Dad said. “Sounds like the old man's gotten in pretty tight around here. But he always was butting into things that weren't his business. I wouldn't trust that old fool too much if I were you.”

“Emmett's always been good to us,” Kaden said defensively, the tension instantly back in play.

“I shouldn't have said that to you,” Dad said. His voice was back to friendly. “I'm sure he's helped out a lot. But I'm here now and can take charge. Go tell Gram we're going into town.”

“Town? Nothing's open on Sunday except Pillie's,” Kaden said, “and I really don't—”

“We're not going to Promise,” Dad interrupted. “We're going to Chapston City.”

Kaden was relieved. He didn't want to show up with Dad at Pillie's.

They were gone the rest of the day. When they pulled back into the circle drive, Gram was inside fixing dinner. Dad backed the truck up to the porch steps and opened the cargo carrier. There were only two things in it. An old sleeping bag and a large box.

Kaden held the screen door open as Dad hauled the box into the living room. Gram stood in the kitchen, her hands on her hips.

“Who said I wanted a TV?” Gram stated, seeing the words printed on the box.

“Nobody. I wanted it,” Dad said.

“And just where do you think you're going to put it?”

“It will hang over there on the wall. When you want to watch it, you can just pull it out in front of the window and push it back when you're done. If we angle it right, we can watch while we eat.”

“We're not watching TV while we eat,” Gram stated.

“We did when I was a kid.”

“Well, we don't anymore.”

“You've certainly changed. What's gotten into you?”

“I'm just not repeating history,” Gram said, but she didn't say the TV had to go.

Dad barely had the TV out of the box before dinner was ready. As they sat down to eat, Gram brought it up again.

“So I take it you've gotten a job during the last two weeks,” she said.

“No, I've been looking,” Dad said. “In Chapston City.”

“Then where'd you get the money?” she asked.

“Where my money comes from is my business,” Dad said. “And I should be able to buy a gift for the family without getting the third degree.”

Gram didn't say any more. After supper, she sat on the porch. Kaden did the dishes and then helped his dad mount the TV to the wall. It took all evening but as soon as they turned it on, Gram came back in the cabin. With Gram in her chair, Dad stretched out on the couch, and Kaden sprawled on the floor, the three watched the ten o'clock news.
Just like a normal family
, Kaden thought.

When the news was over, Gram picked up the remote and turned off the TV.

“I don't think there was anything I heard I really needed to know,” she said, “but I do know it cost you a lot for me to hear it. Now, it's way past bedtime for Kaden and me. Turn off the lights and lock the door behind you.” Gram took the remote back in the bedroom with her.

Saying good night, Dad went to Cabin Five, and locking
Gram's door behind him, Kaden went to his cabin. He closed his wooden door and locked it, too. Climbing into bed, he heard Gram's bedroom door open and footsteps cross the living room.

“Did everything go okay today with your father?” Kaden heard through the intercom. “I was worried about him taking off with you like that.”

“Everything went just fine, Gram. We had a good time.”

“Good. I'll see you in the morning.”

Kaden didn't know why Gram would be worried. He lay in bed until he heard Gram go back in her room. Then he quietly got up, unlocked the door and opened it wide, letting the evening air come through the screen door as it usually did.

Monday, September 12

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

TOWN CRIER

“Whose truck is that and what's it doing in the middle of the driveway?” Doris asked when Kaden stepped onto the bus. “I had to drive on your lawn to get around it.”