Andrew's Tears

Chapter 2

Andrew believed that Dan was completely smitten with his mom. From what Andrew collected from his mom’s body language, she liked Dan a lot! Later Andrew would beg her to talk to Dan. Later, after he begged his mom to talk to him, he would call Dan and beg him to ask his mom out.

Dan was the only kind of man, besides his Uncle Scott, and Grandpa George, that he liked to be around. Most men gave Andrew the creeps. “Just as well should,” his grandpa always said. “Most men are creeps with evil intentions. It’s been that way since Adam and Eve’s children Cain and Abel.” Andrew couldn’t agree more. He only disagreed with the Adam and Eve part, who cared about those two?

Andrew’s grandfather was an extremely wise man who swore that if he ever caught whiff of Thomas he would not rest until he was jailed. Andrew’s grandmother felt the same way. In fact, almost every person in Andrew’s family hated Thomas.

The doctor put Andrew’s finger in a brace. “It is awe striking how much these fingers take; and how much jarring your arms take.”

“I must be an oddity,” Andrew said. He was tired of sitting in the room. He had to wait eleven more minutes before departing from the hospital into the cold Vancouver air.

“Mom,” Andrew said, while walking at a slow shuffle to their car.

“Yeah?” Anne asked.

“You need to talk to Dan.” Anne stopped walking.

“Dear goodness where on earth did that come from?” She laughed nervously.

“Don’t play here mom. I am completely serious. No joking here. I know you like him,” he said, “Or, should I say love him?” Andrew put his hands to his heart and batted his eyelashes playfully. Andrew moved his hands to his mom’s arms. They were extremely cold. He realized how cold the air was and that she was wearing a dress. “Gosh, it’s forty freaking degrees out here. Why in heck are you wearing a dress?”

Anne looked down at her dress and said, “Oh, I just threw this on. I was late for work.”

“Oh, really…” Andrew trailed off. “Interesting.” He winked. “I am thinking of a different story. When you heard that I was at the hospital, you quickly pulled on a dress that flatters you so you could impress Dan.” Andrew’s mom turned bright red. Andrew shook his head, laughing. He walked on.

Andrew reached the suburban his mom had bought a year earlier, and stopped. Anne pressed the unlock button on her keys. The lights lit up. The clanking of the locks made Andrew jump.

“Skittish much?” Andrew laughed sarcastically at his mother. “Jump in,” she said before shutting her door. Andrew wrenched open the passenger side door. He sat in the plushy seat and latched his seat belt. When the car’s engine started and the radio came to life, Andrew immediately changed the station from Christian to country. Andrew detested Christian praise songs. They were only about worshiping some silent god who did nothing for them. All he did was bring grief, pain or suffering.

Andrew began to sing along with This is Country Music by Brad Paisley when his mom turned the radio to complete silence. Andrew knew something was coming. “Why did you turn the music off?” Andrew asked while leaning his forehead on the window.

“We need to talk.” Andrew took a deep breath and pulled his head from the window and studied the oily patch that had been ingrained on the window. He wiped it off with his good arm and then turned to look at his Mom.

“Okay, about what?” Worry etched his voice. He didn’t want his mom to talk about the beatings he took from Christophe.

“It’s about your writing.” Andrew wracked his brain. He hadn’t written about the beatings. Wait, he had, but he had burned most of them by the candle in his room. There were some, though, but he had locked them in a safe under his bed well within the shadows. Had she found the combination on the closet wall? But why would she be looking in there?