N.A.M.I.

Chapter Two

There was a smell of strong coffee mixed with donuts in the air as Stephen walked into the small break room where all the employees have gathered.  This wasn’t the first time they had all convened in the small space; however the look on Stephens face was different than ever before.  Lisa had a sick feeling in her stomach as if something horrible was about to take place.  All she wanted to do was call Bob and make sure everything was OK.  She wondered why she felt that an announcement at work would have anything to do with her husband, but she still had that pit in her stomach.  Stephen started talking and he immediately grabbed her attention.  

 "There is no way to say this that isn't going to be shocking.  There has been a nuclear bomb that has hit Washington DC".  Stephen continued and his story grew dimmer with every word.  She held her breathe as her mind was thinking of every possible ramification that was possible based on these events and none ended with happily ever after.  Her kids would not know a life as she had.  Suddenly she gasps as she realized that she had nearly fainted due to lack of oxygen.  Her outburst had brought every eye upon her.  She scanned the room of blank faces.

 "I'm sorry" she stated as she pushed past her co-workers and headed for the front door.  All of the sudden the thought of clocking out and gathering her things were secondary.  She had to get home.  She knew if Bob had heard about this he would be there waiting for her and somehow he would make this all better.  He always did.  Even through this “transition period”, as they like to refer to it in the Franklin household, she has never lost faith in him or his ability to fix anything.  From a broken down car to a nuclear war Bob would find a fix. 

Bob rounded the corner and the school of his youngest child in view.  He completely disregarded the flashing school zone and accelerated toward the front entrance.  As he got near to the parking lot he knew that the school was well aware of what was happening. The guard hut was empty and the line of traffic was leaking out of both the in and out lanes into the streets.  With little to no thought he went up on the curb across the small grass field and through the playground toward the back door.  The chain from one of the old swings must have caught the passenger’s side mirrors as he heard it tear off the body.  He knew he had to hurry because a panicked group of people are no different then a heard of cows.  Once one strays from the herd many more will soon follow.  He couldn’t afford to get boxed in so he threw the truck out of gear and pull the parking break. 

Not evening bothering to turn off the ignition he darted for the dual glass doors in the rear of the school.  As is normal the doors were locked but for some reason he thought they might magically unlatch if he tugged on them a few more times.  After the third pull he stepped away from the door and used the size 11 key he had at the end of his leg.  There were random children running through the hall and the sound of shattering glass sent them scrambling in all directions.  Bob seemed to be led by GPS as he avoids large groups of children, frantic parents, and more than one police officer.  One grabbed him by his shoulder and sarcastically asked the rhetorical question of “Can I help you?”  Bob’s gaze was answer enough and he quickly released his hold and let him go about his business.   He cut through the teacher’s lounge, into the office, and to the opposing hallway.  The closer he got to the front door the more congestion he encounter. 

Tommy sat quietly in his seat.  Everyone was running around acting in a way that he knew would not fly in the Franklin household.  One of the windows in the room was opened and the wind had caught the curtain just right sucking it outside where it now flapped like one of those yard flags that say Welcome.  Every ornery bone in his body wanted to bolt for the opening, head outside, and run as fast has his small legs could carry him home.  He was currently wearing a well decorated and documented cast on his left arm from his rock climbing adventure on the side of his home.  That was the second time the appeal of reaching the top of the two story house had ended in a plaster wardrobe accessory.   It was less then a week from being removed and the stink and itch had almost grown unbearable.  His mom would dump baby powder in it every morning which would definitely help but after a lunch time recess game of tag, or kickball the sweat would take hold.  Tommy was as skinny as he was wild and it was a mystery to his family where all that energy came from. 

Bob burst into the home room door and his eye went straight to the desk closest to the teacher.  That was the one specially reserved for the most spirited children.  Bob couldn’t help but be proud that in the midst of what was near anarchy Thomas Randall Franklin was sitting in his desk, hands on the table, and his slender legs swinging back and forth.

 “Hey” Bob expressed in and tone and a phrasing that only he could make.  Tommy’s head whipped around and his eyes immediately began to well up.  Like a cartoon acrobat he sprung from his chair spinning around one kid, sliding over a desk, and taking a leap in the air to his father’s arms.  His feet didn’t touch the ground again as Bob immediately back tracked his previous path.  Tommy was silent as he had never seen his father so focused.  When he stepped through the broke glass of the back door there was an immediate sense of panic.  He hadn’t moved fast enough and a small parking lot had begun to form around his truck.  He slung Tommy across the cab to the passenger’s side front seat.  Tommy was only nine so he had never ridden in the front before.  In the midst of whatever it was that was going on he was excited to be a big boy now.

 “Put on your seatbelt and hold on bud.”  Bob knew getting out might require him using the brush guard on the front of his truck for the first time.  He made contact with the first car that was blocking the small opening between the monkey bars and the merry-go-round.  He kept focused on his main route and took the bumps and dings in stride.  He hopped back off the curb onto the street dragging what seemed to be a fiberglass side panel from a Honda Civic.  He had to get to Tabby now.  Her junior high school was about 5 miles away and on a regular day he could make the trip in about fifteen minutes.  This was no regular day and fifteen minutes was looking more like 15 hours.  The once calm roads were now like parking lots as the news of the missiles were no longer just for the people listening to talk radio.  Bob was well aware of his goal and saw each and every person between him and his destinations as an obstacle preventing him from getting to his daughter. 

 “Damn it” Bob barked as he slammed his fist into his steering wheel. 

Tommy almost jumped out of his skin.  He looked to his dad with eyes gaping open and hummed out “Awmmm you said a bad word.”  As soon as the words escaped his lips he immediately regretted scolding his dad as he didn’t appear to be in the mood to be corrected by an nine year old boy.  In an effort to divert his dad’s attention he spat out “Drive through the yards like they do on TV.”

Bob looked at his boy and smiled at his genius.  There was an alleyway about a block over that the city trash trucks drove to make their pick ups.  The condition of the road was piss-poor and he hoped that most people would have forgotten about it all together.  He reached down and hit the on the fly four wheel drive button and cut the wheels hard to the left. 

 “Good idea son.”  Bob pressed on the gas and began to build speed.  The impact of the wooden fence was much more solid then he anticipated and sent splinters of wood in every direction.  The air bag deployed hitting poor Tommy square in the face.  Every instinct in Bob’s body wanted to stop and console his son, but he took the tears as a sign that there was no permanent damage and continued forward.  He swerved across the yard he drew near to the back fence. 

 “No daddy. No!” yelled Tommy thinking there might be another airbag in store for him.  Much to his approval the thud of the impact did not produce another safety device.  Bob grabbed his handkerchief from his back pocket and through it in Tommy’s lap. 

 “Here you go Tommy. I’m so sorry son I know that must have hurt.”  Tommy shook his head in agreement as he held the cloth to his pulsating nose.  Surprisingly it was not bleeding but his eyes were like faucets poor water down his cheeks.  It was partially due to his tears and partially to the fact that he was coated in a white powder from the deployment of the airbag.  Bob reached over and scuffed Tommy’s hair as an effort to let him know it would all be ok.  He had made a sharp right after bursting through the fence and was driving down the utility easement between the rows of houses.  This was as good as the ally and a heck of a lot easier on his poor old truck.  He could see that this ran for at least three more blocks.  At that time he would have to make a choice to head back to the road or do another off road adventure.