Plague

Chapter Fourteen

Hank Talbot sat at the edge of his grandparents' pool. Aggressively, his feet kicked in the cold blue water. Bored, he became frustrated.

Hank understood the lockdown. Most of the time, Moo-ma and Poo-pa kept him inside. During the scorching summer days, they allowed him an hour in the pool in the mornings. He took a quick swim in the evening before his nightly bath. Although it refreshed him, the exercise lacked enjoyment.

At first, Hank relished the lockdown. Poo-pa called it camping inside. Then, the days began to drag. Pool in the morning, a game of checkers in the afternoon, pool again after dinner. Bath and bed rounded out the day.

The Talbots' attempt to keep their only grandchild entertained failed. Hank missed his Army base friends and the companions he had met during previous visits to Naples, Florida. Twin boys Fred and Ted Willis lived across the street. Three doors down, Darla Townsend resided with her grandmother. Marcy and Kingsley Stead lived in the opposite direction. Since he arrived, Hank had not seen them. He longed for their companionship.

Hank thought about stealthily exiting the Talbot home to meet with his friends. However, because of the epidemic, he lost his nerve. Moo-ma and Poo-pa would become very disappointed if he disobeyed them.

Kicking his feet, Hank stirred up the pool water. He pretended a giant maelstrom stirred up the blue liquid for a moment. He dropped his toy sailboat into the midst of the whirlpool and watched it navigate the spiral. Then, the vessel tipped and sank. Too bad.

Rising, Hank strode toward the sliding glass door. Moo-ma would yell at him for dripping on the tiled kitchen floor. However, the child did not care. Getting yelled at would provide a distraction. He entered and opened the freezer. Extracting an orange-flavored popsicle, he returned to the patio.

Poo-pa followed him outside. Retired Gen. I. Jeff Talbot wore blue swim trunks with a white stripe. Overweight, his large gut hung over the waistband. Approaching the pool, he lowered himself into the water. Hank cannonballed, throwing a sheet of water over the older man.

"Hank," Moo-ma called, stepping onto the patio. "Take it easy."

"It's okay," Jeff Talbot hollered back, waving his arm over his head. "Let the boy play."

Chuckling, he sent a spray of water over his grandson's head.

The Talbot grandparents enjoyed Hank's many visits. Although they were disappointed with Liz's attitude toward him, they took advantage of the situation. If they could, they would provide a full-time home for the child. While Oliver completed a mission, his wife played with her girlfriends. They viewed her as irresponsible. Still, they did not wish to interfere in their son's business.

"Whatever you say," Bea responded, grinning to herself. As long as Jeff permitted Hank's rambunctious behavior, she did not mind. "We'll have lunch on the patio. Then, I must make a quick trip to the grocery store."

"Can I go too?" Hank asked, jumping onto the patio. Eagerly, the boy longed to go somewhere, anywhere. Even food shopping sounded like fun.

"You have to wear a mask and social distance," Moo-ma answered, pleased to have company on her errand. "Maybe we'll stop at the park on the way home."

"Yippee!" Hank leaped for joy. Perhaps he would see a few of his friends.

"Social distancing in the park too, young man," his grandmother instructed.

"Yeah, sure."

Hank returned to the pool, doing another cannonball over his grandfather's head. Diving, he retrieved his sunken sailboat. Pretending he sailed to Key West, he bobbed his boat over the water's surface.