Bennett The Brave

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

After dinner, Neal and I lounged on big cushions in front of the fireplace. No fire crackled there, but the television played a new show called "Emergency!" which we all really liked. Dad read his paper in his recliner while mom worked on a crocheting project. I heard heavy footsteps on the porch, followed by a frantic knock at the front door. Mom put down her crocheting and got up to answer the door. The moment it opened, Brian Coopersmith burst inside.

"Is he here?" he asked breathlessly, "Where is Bennett?

My mother pointed to me on my cushion. Brian's eyes shot wide and his face lit up as he tore into the living room and dive-bombed me, yelling "BENNETT!" Luckily, I had a moment to brace for impact, and held my arms out for him. His little body thudded down on top of me and he wrapped his arms tightly around my abdomen in a ferocious hug. "Oh Bennett!" he exclaimed, his voice muffled by my belly, "I'm so glad you are okay!" Neal and the adults looked on with bemused looks on their faces.

"I'm okay, Coop," I said, returning his embrace, "Good to see you too!"

Brian let me go, only to be completely enraptured by the television moments later. He sat with Neal and me while the adults visited. Brian, ever the fussbudget, alternated from stretching out along my back and watching TV with his chin propped on my shoulder, breathing noisily into my ear, to climbing on top of Neal and making a general pest of himself. Although engaged in the action on the TV, I did overhear mom and dad talking about my week in the hospital. Try as I might, I didn't glean any new information; it seemed like nobody really knew what happened to me. I heard the word "seizure" mentioned, but had no way to put it into any context.

After Emergency! the TV got shut off and we boys retired to my room where we tried to keep little Brian entertained with various board games and things but that did little to hold his attention. On about this fortieth circuit of my room, looking on all the shelves and peering into drawers, he turned and looked at Neal and me with this strange look in his eyes.

"Whassamatter, Coop?" Neal asked him brightly.

"Oh, nuffin," he said sweetly, but we could tell something was on his mind.

"Go ahead, Brian," I said, "what's wrong?"

"It's just..." he started, furrowing his brow, "I'm kinda confused 'bout somefin."

"For Pete's sake Coop," Neal said with mock impatience, "spill it!"

"Do you guys 'member what you said to Eddie?"

Neal and I looked at one another, if he knew what Brian was talking about, he surely gave no indication.

"Not certain what you mean there Bri," I said to him, shrugging. "You mean when Eddie was last here over Christmas?"

"Yeah," he nodded, looking even more like he was working through a math problem or something. "I just wanted to know if it's true, 'cuz if it is..." Brian faltered, unsure of his words, "'Cuz, I, uhm..."

Frankly, I no idea what Brian was on about. Frustrated by his inability to come up with the words he needed, Brian abruptly dropped his pants and stuck his little wiener out at us. I looked over at Neal, he looked nonplussed, and I'm sure his face mirrored my own.

"Whatcha doin' Coop?" Neal was the first to break our little, shocked silence.

"I want my peepee to have a skin like you guys," he blurted out, "but I don't wanna stick it in a girl, 'cuz they're gross. Can I get mine to grow another way?"

To say Neal dissolved into a fit of laughter, would be to traffic in understatement. Neal threw his head back, guffawing and howling. It was contagious, I couldn't help but laugh with him, with poor little bare-assed Brian standing there, looking unsure about whether he should laugh along or cry. Neal finally composed himself and held his arms out to Brian, who broke into a big smile and penguin-walked into Neal's embrace.