Promise (9 page)
Authors: Judy Young
When they reached town, instead of going to the Big Apple, Emmett turned onto the main highway.
“Where are you going?” Kaden asked. “I thought we were going grocery shopping.”
“We'll do that later,” Emmett said. “We need to take a little side trip to Chapston City first.”
“What for?”
“I have to pick up some wood. The school sign was damaged this morning. They asked me if I would make another and we have some other errands to run there, too.”
“What happened to the sign? Did Thredt kids vandalize it?”
“No, it wasn't Thredt this time but I'm not at liberty to say what happened. I'm sworn to secrecy.”
“What else do you have to do in Chapston City?” Kaden asked.
“You'll see,” Emmett said. An hour later, Kaden was walking out of the music store with a trumpet case in his hand.
“Don't tell Gram about it just yet,” Emmett said. “I know I can talk her into it but it will take some time and you can't wait that long. Band will be starting and you need to start with them.”
“How am I going to sneak a trumpet into my cabin?” Kaden asked. “And there's no way I can practice without her hearing me.”
“I'll take it home with me,” Emmett said. “You can pick it up when Doris stops for breakfast.”
“What about in the afternoon?” Kaden asked. “And practicing?”
“I'll tell Gram I need you every day after school for a little while. Doris can let you off at my house. You know how it is.
Gram just needs a little sweet talk. I'm sure she'll sign you up for band in a few weeks. But until then it's just between us, okay?”
“Okay, thanks,” Kaden said.
Sunday morning broke bright and clear. With a cooler, some fishing rods, and a tackle box in the bed of the truck, Emmett and Kaden turned toward town.
“Where are you going?” Kaden asked. “The river's the other way.”
“We're going to get Yo-Yo,” Emmett said. “I called his mom and invited him to come along. I wanted to surprise you.”
Kaden was excited his new friend would be with them but now his plans to talk with Emmett were thwarted. He was with Emmett yesterday afternoon but he never found a way to bring up Dad and the new backpack. When Emmett suggested going fishing, Kaden thought that would be the
perfect time.
“That's okay, isn't it?” Emmett said when Kaden didn't immediately respond.
“It's a super surprise,” Kaden said enthusiastically. “Thanks.” And he really meant it. It would be fun to have Yo-Yo with them.
When Yo-Yo came bounding out of his house with a bright red duffel bag, Kaden learned there was a second part to Emmett's surprise. Yo-Yo would be spending the night at the cabins. Kaden scooted over, letting Yo-Yo in.
“This is so awesome. I've never been fishing before,” Yo-Yo said as they drove out of town. Kaden smiled. He'd never had a kid spend the night.
One of the great things about fishing
, Emmett always said,
is it gives you time to think
. And that's what Kaden did. As he cast his line and reeled it back in, he thought about how he and Emmett always got along. They went places and did things together and Emmett was an ally when trying to convince Gram of letting Kaden do things. It was Emmett who convinced Gram that Kaden could have a bike when he was five, could walk to the fire tower alone when he was eight,
and could have a BB gun when he was nine. Kaden was sure Emmett had a hand in him getting to move to Cabin Two, and just yesterday Emmett set it up so he could be in band.
Kaden cast his line toward a deep pool formed by a fallen tree. The lure went a little too far and landed over a partially submerged tree trunk. He quickly popped it up and back before it could snag, reeled it in, and cast again, this time not quite as hard. The bright yellow rooster tail spinner plopped into the water just this side of the tree trunk. Right where Kaden wanted it. Almost instantly, a fish took the lure. Kaden set the hook and played the fish until he brought it in.
After he put the fish on the stringer, Kaden looked downstream. Emmett had watched him catch it and gave him a thumbs-up but Yo-Yo didn't seem to notice. He was standing near Emmett staring intently at a bobber floating out in front of him, as if he could will a fish to pull it under.
Kaden cast his line again and went back to his thoughts. There was an understanding between Emmett and Gram regarding his father. Kaden could talk to Emmett about anything on his mind. Anything except for the subject of Dad. Other than a few stories about when Dad was a kid, Emmett was silent on the subject. Even when letters came from the prison, Emmett only spoke to Gram about them. Deep down, Kaden knew even if Yo-Yo had not come along
today, Emmett still wouldn't have said a word about his father.
Like always, he would have said, “If you want to know more about your dad, you'll have to ask your grandmother.”
Suddenly Kaden heard Emmett yell, “Set the hook!” He looked downstream just in time to see Yo-Yo flip the fishing rod up so fast and hard, the bobber and hook flew out of the water, sailed backward over Yo-Yo's head, and got caught up in the bushes behind him. Kaden smiled, watching Yo-Yo and Emmett laugh as they untangled the hook from the bush. Kaden cast again, wondering if Yo-Yo would be someone he could talk to.
Would Yo-Yo really understand about my father?
Kaden thought.
Yo-Yo has a whole family, with a mom and a dad, probably two sets of grandparents, and tons of aunts, uncles, and cousins. They live in a regular house. They own televisions, cell phones, and computers. The Strokowskis lead a normal life
.
Kaden heard Emmett and Yo-Yo splashing through the water, walking upstream to find another hole.
It was Yo-Yo who took the first step to be friends
, Kaden thought.
And he never made any mean comments like Luke. I was actually mean to Yo-Yo, but he wasn't mean back. In fact, he acted like the bus incident never even happened
. But Kaden wasn't sure he was ready to talk with Yo-Yo about his father.
Just before suppertime, they pulled into the circle drive. Gram was sitting on the porch shucking corn.
“What's he doing here?” Gram said when they all got out of the truck.
“You've met Yo-Yo. He's Kaden's friend and he's spending the night,” Emmett stated.
“Says who?” Gram stood up and crossed her arms. Emmett took Gram by the elbow and guided her into the house. Kaden turned and rushed into Cabin Two, leaving Yo-Yo standing alone by the truck holding his duffel bag.
“Friends only get boys into trouble,” Kaden heard Gram say over the intercom.
“Kaden's getting older. He needs to be around others his age,” Emmett stated firmly. What Gram said next, Kaden didn't hear. The intercom had gone silent and the red light turned off.
Kaden went back out. Yo-Yo was still standing by the truck. Kaden grabbed the stringers of fish from the cooler.
“Come on,” he said. “We're going in.”
Together they stepped up onto the porch. As they reached Gram's door, Emmett stepped out and pulled the boys aside.
“Don't mess up,” he warned quietly. “And do extra chores. Yo-Yo, you too.”
The boys were on their best behavior all evening. They finished shucking the corn and set the table. As Gram fried the fish the two boys sat nervously on the couch, aware she was watching every move.
“Neither of you boys has done any reading today,” Gram stated.
Yo-Yo was sitting next to the bookcase. He jumped up suddenly as if something had bitten him, grabbed the closest encyclopedia volume, and quickly opened it to a random page.
“Zoysia grass,” he blurted out.
“What?” Gram said.
“Zoysia grass,” Yo-Yo repeated, and read aloud as fast as he could. “ âA thick, tough kind of grass that's used to stop erosion and grows well in all sorts of conditions. It's used on many golf courses and parks because of its resistance to weeds.' ” Yo-Yo looked up. “It tells all about it right here, in volume 18, W-X-Y-Z.” Yo-Yo talked so quickly and nervously, even Gram had to smile. He sounded just like his mom when she tried to get Gram to sign Kaden up for band.
“Quick talkers,” Gram said. “Must be a family trait.”
Yo-Yo stopped talking but kept poring over page after
page of the encyclopedia with Kaden looking over his shoulder until dinner.
After dinner, the two boys worked together at Kaden's desk on the half-finished model airplane. Gram's voice came unexpectedly over the intercom. “Yo-Yo, you're welcome to come here anytime.”
A few minutes later, the first notes of a song started playing through the intercom.
Kaden suspected putting on music was Gram's way of saying she wasn't listening in on them, and Kaden appreciated it. Three slow songs played. Then a lively song started up, first with a string of piano notes and soon joined by the strong beat of a guitar.
Kaden recognized it from the night before. Gram had played the rock-and-roll song over and over, saying it was one of her favorites. The music came through the intercom at full volume and Yo-Yo was dancing around the room, strumming an air guitar. Kaden pretended he was pounding on a keyboard but suddenly stopped. He knew what was coming next. Kaden put his hand up to tell Yo-Yo to stop, too. Yo-Yo looked questioningly at Kaden.