Chapter 11

My stomach was making rumbling noises because I’d missed lunch. Jean tried to bring me something, but I waved her off before she was halfway across the yard. At various points of the day, Jean, Mr. C, my mom, and even Lois had looked out at me from the deck.

It was starting to get dark when I turned towards the house to see James Dean walking towards me.

“Hey Paul.”

“Hey James.”

“You want to come back to the house?”

“I don’t.”

“Because?”

“Because when I do it will be the next step in a journey I don’t want to take, but I know I need to.”

“You mean joining the Army?”

“Yes.”

“Well, if you know you have too, then staying out here is a big waste of time. Paul, putting off the inevitable doesn’t change the inevitable. Often times it makes it more difficult to accept.”

“Were you in the military, James?”

“Yes. Army. Special Forces. You probably know them as Green Berets.”

I nodded, acknowledging things that were now obvious in his manner.

“What are they going to make me do?”

“Who? The Army?”

I nodded.

“Listen to a lot of cussing and yelling. Eat a lot of mud and dirt. Tell you that if it moves, you salute it and if it doesn’t, you paint it green. Then they’ll see what you do the best and make you do something else.”

“Fuck!”

James smiled and chuckled.

“Actually, if you show a good aptitude in a field, they are usually pretty good at putting you there. You have a bit of experience with motors. I’d guess that after basic you could test out and work on motors or maybe helicopter engines.”

“How long would I have to be in?”

“The norm nowadays is eight years. Four active and four in reserves.”

“Fuck!”

“Come on, Paul. Everyone is worried, even Lois.”

“How’s Barbara?” I asked trying to change the subject.

“She’s doing very well. Thank you for that, by the way. You saved her life.”

“I guess. It was just the right thing to do.”

“It was and you didn’t hesitate to do what was right and what was needed. So why hesitate now? Come on.”

He put his arm around my shoulder, and we walked back to the house. I paused as I approached the first step from the grass to the deck and then took the first step into the rest of my life.

The dinner was really good, I’m told. I was kind of preoccupied with my own thoughts. I ate everything Lois served me. I think I would have eaten sawdust if she put it on a plate. I just wasn’t paying attention to anyone or anything. I think everyone tried to talk to me, but I’m not sure.

“Paul!”

Jean said it loud enough and with a shove on the shoulder that it got my attention.

“What?” I said with some annoyance, but I don’t know what I was annoyed about.

“We’ve been talking to you all during dinner and you haven’t said a word. Would you please talk to us and tell us what you’re thinking?”

“What I’m thinking?” I answered incredulously. “I don’t know. I guess it depends during which minute you ask me. I’ve got so many things rolling in my head. I’m having trouble settling on one thing to get a handle on it.”

“Son...” Mr. C started. “I’m sorry. I don’t have the right to call you that.”

“No sir, it’s fine. I mean since you and Mom are getting married.”

My mother looked at me and then the others at the table. She then picked up a napkin and dabbed her eyes. Something was going on was the first thing that hit me. Situations inside of conditions inside of stuff.

“Why are you crying Mom?”

She shook her head and looked down at the table.

“Nothing, dear. I just hate to see you so confused and torn. That is not the young man that said good morning to me today. I can’t help but feel that somehow, I’ve let you down. You said that I’ve raised you into the young man your father would want you to be. But if that’s true then you shouldn’t be struggling so much.”

“No, Mom. It’s nothing you have or haven’t done,” I paused for a long time and then continued. “You all want to know what I’m thinking. OK here it is and in no particular order because this is how these thoughts are flying through my head. First, I woke up this morning happy Barbara was safe. I had a great Prom night. I had a great girlfriend. My Mom was happy and in love again. All of a sudden, I feel like I’ve been drafted. I’m in the Army instead of in college with Jean.

“Next, will Jean wait for me, or will she meet someone in college? If I really think that she’d fall for someone else, is she someone I really should love? Should I marry her before I leave? If I do or don’t marry her and I get killed who will take care of her?

“Then, what if I don’t join the military? Will ignoring my father’s and the O’Dell family legacy mean breaking up my family. I know how much family and honor mean to Mr. C. Jean has told me as much. I can’t imagine that he’d want to have his daughter spend time with a dishonorable loser like me. I can’t imagine he’s wanting to have a relationship with the mother of said loser.

“But the bottom line of it all is that I love my dad. Everything he ever did with me and for me was for my benefit. Even the time he broke my nose.”

“He what?” Jean asked.

“He broke my nose! Well, I guess I sort of helped. We got into the car to go somewhere, and I got in the back behind my mom. Dad, like he always did, asked if everyone had their seat belts on and I proudly announced that I was a big boy and didn’t need a seatbelt. Our driveway was slanted towards the street and the car was pointing down. So, Dad let out the clutch and the brake, the car rolled forward and just before it got to the street, Dad slammed on the brakes. We were going maybe 5 miles per hour, and I flew forward and smacked my face on the back of Mom’s passenger seat and broke my nose. Dad said, “Boy that was close. I hope nobody was hurt.” He looked back at me and saw my nose bleeding like crazy. Mom went nuts and grabbed the tissues and pinched my nose. That felt good! Dad drove us to the hospital when Mom mentioned that my nose cracked when she pinched it.

“But I never got into a car without a seatbelt again,” I had to stop speaking there as tears filled my eyes. “I can’t dishonor his dreams of what it meant to be an O’Dell and his wish that I become that sort of man.”

I got up and began to leave the room, but Mr. C stopped me.

“PAUL! Wait.”

Before I knew it, the big man had me in a hug and was patting my back as I cried into his shoulder.

“Paul, I’m going to be proud to call you son, if you’d let me. Your mother and I have had some long talks about this. You’ve come to some very tough and important conclusions. So let me assure you that while you’re away in the Army, I’ll take care of your mother, as my wife, and Jean as yours.”

“Daddy?”

“Oh, hell Jean. We all know that you’ve had sex with Paul at least once and we all know that the two of you love each other and Paul himself wondered if you should marry before he leaves. The answer is yes, you should marry. And yes, you should go to college while he’s away.”

Mr. C released me and with a quick, “Excuse me,” I hit the floor running for the front door. Outside, running towards my Olds caught James’s attention and he came sprinting to me.

“Paul, is everything OK?”

“Everything is great. Come on James,” I shouted as I jumped into the Cutlass and started the motor. “I need a bodyguard.”

James ran around to the passenger side, while I lowered the convertible top, he got in and I floored it. The tires screamed and smoked, and James waved to the guy at the gate to open it. It was just high enough as I blew through it and onto the city street.

“Paul! Take it easy!”

“Oh no, James. No comfortable life for me! I’m on a mission.”

I flew through the late evening traffic and finally pulled up to the closest parking space near the main entrance of the mall. I turned off the engine, got out, and with James close behind me, ran into the mall hoping to get in before closing time.

“Am I too late?”

The lady at the counter looked at me and smiled.

“It’s never too late for jewelry.”

“How about for an engagement ring?”

“Paul?” James asked in surprise.

“Oh! Sorry James, do you want to buy one too?”

James looked at me and the sales lady and shook his head realizing what he had to do.

“Yeah, I think I do.”

“Wonderful!” the lady said. “Come over here and I’ll show you the wedding sets.”

James looked at me like I was nuts.

“Paul! Dare I ask, what the fuck?”

“Sure, you can ask.”

“What are you doing? Really.”

“I’ve decided that I’m going to ask Jean to marry me, and I want to get it all done before I head off to the Army.”

“Everything? The engagement AND the wedding?”

“Yeah. I know she won’t cheat on me if we’re married or not. But if we’re not married some hot shot in college might turn her head. So, I’m locking in my options. I love her. She loves me. She already calls me her husband in private. What about you? When are you gonna pull the trigger?”

“Well, I’ll buy the ring with you today, but I’m gonna wait to make it official until she gets out.”

I looked at the engagement rings that were matched to sets of men’s and women’s wedding rings, going back and forth between several sets until I settled. I finally chose a small set of rings with a nice engagement diamond ring. James was a bit more extravagant than me.

I finally told the saleslady what I wanted, and she actually looked at James and asked if he was buying the rings for his son. That broke me up for the rest of our shopping trip.

“No ma’am,” I said with a chuckle. “I’ll be purchasing my own wedding set and my friend, James here, will be buying his own.

The sales lady was totally embarrassed. She asked to be excused and left the sales counter for a few minutes. When she returned, she had her sales book with her and she recorded the model number of the ring set and then looked at me and asked, “What size is her finger?”

Now there was a question I never anticipated. I looked at her with a blank expression on my face.

“You don’t know, huh?”

“I don’t know. How do I find out without her knowing?”

The lady held out her left hand and took hold of mine.

“Close your eyes and feel the size of our hands. Feel the size on my fingers as they intertwine with yours. Now tell me are my fingers thicker or thinner feeling than hers?”

I felt the lady’s hand and her fingers. I flexed and loosened my grip and felt the difference.

“Your fingers are a bit larger than Jean’s are.”

“OK.” She said and began making notes on her order sheet. “I’m making the sale for a size 7 ring. I’m an 8. It it’s not the right size, come back and we’ll get it sized correctly.”

“Wonderful!” I exclaimed.

She spoke to James and then returned to the back room. When she returned, she had two sales bills written up and ready to go. I handed her my debit card and James used his credit card. Behind us the manager was closing the large glass doors when the saleslady returned with some papers.

“OK, Mr. O’Dell this is a certificate on the quality of the diamond and the statement that we will hold the wedding rings until they can be sized. There is also an agreement that we will size all the rings any time you need it done. Do you want us to size yours now?”

“No thank you. I’ll come back after I give her the engagement ring. Once I put the ring on, I don’t intend to take it off.”

“Aww, that’s sweet. And may I say that it is really rare to have a young man come in and buy a wedding set and pay for it outright. You are obviously doing well. Congratulations.”

“Thank you. James you’re next!”

James stepped up and bought the engagement ring he wanted. It was huge! I was really happy for him. When he’d received his paperwork and receipt we walked out and waved at the mall cop at the entrance. He smiled and laughed.

“We almost came running when the metal detector went off on you a couple of times and the video showed the two of you running for the jewelry store. But the boss remembered you from the last time you two were here. You still carrying?”

“It’s a rule!” James said. “I have to carry my sidearm when I buy engagement rings.”

“Congrats!”

We shook his hand on the way out and we walked out to the Olds more carefree than when we got there.

“You were in a hurry! You left the top down. You gonna drive a little more carefully on the way home? I don’t want to die before I’m engaged.”

“Me neither, James. Me neither.”

I pulled into my parking spot at the house and as I slowed, I hit the button to close the top of the convertible. When the top dropped into place, I closed the locks and secured the top to the frame before looking at James.

“That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

“Paul, how are you able to drive like that and still be alive?”

“Are you referring to the trip to the mall or the trip from?”

“Take your pick, Paul.”

“Wait a minute. I was driving very calmly on the way back.”

“Really?”

“Yes! I was rushing going to the mall so we wouldn’t be late. Coming home I never once got it over seventy.”

“And never once under thirty-five!”

“Right. Did I hit anyone? Did I cause anyone else to dodge or slam on their brakes or have to swerve?”

“No, but...”

“But nothing. At this time of night, the police are in a shift change and the chances of being seen, let alone caught are minimal.”

“You know this for a fact?”

“I do. Sometimes I’m in a hurry to get from point A to point B and these things are good to know.”

“Wow.”

We walked into the house.

“We’re back!” I called out.

And James proudly announced, “And in one piece too!”

“Good! We’re in the breakfast nook,” came the reply from Mr. C.

We walked into the breakfast nook to find the family sitting with an interesting expression on each person’s face. James walked through and out the back door to meet with the other security personnel. I took my usual seat next to Jean and across from Mom and Mr. C.

After several moments of silence, I finally spoke up.

“OK, would anyone like to tell me what’s up? No one is talking and everyone looks like someone farted in church.”

“We’ve been talking while you were gone,” Jean said quietly.

“About?”

“About us.”

“And what about us?”

“I told them that after we made love last night, that I consider myself to be married to you.”