Part 3

ELEVEN

I was having trouble sleeping anyway. Sunday night, knowing that Jenna was going to talk to Tammy the next day, I really had trouble. I knew it was probably futile--but I also knew it was probably my last shot at getting Tammy back.

So, I slept fitfully. When I woke up for the thousandth time, at four-thirty in the morning, I gave up. I got out of bed, made myself a bagel and coffee, and decided to go for a walk.

In downtown Burnham, there was a supermarket. Behind the supermarket was a small bit of woods. If you walked through the woods, it opened up into a field, surrounded by small hills. The biggest hill was on the opposite side of the field--up that hill led to the high school. In fact, the field was owned by the school department, and some of the sports would practice here, especially stuff like lacrosse and soccer that had to share the main fields... It wasn't really a playing field, but you could kick a soccer ball around if the main fields were being used.

At 5 AM, however, nobody was kicking soccer balls around. It was isolated. I drove downtown, started walking, and the field was where I ended up. I sat there for a bit, just thinking.

Unfortunately, I wasn't thinking clearly.

Burnham's mostly a nice place, as I've said--but it wasn't perfect. It has its poor section, like the apartments where Tammy lived. It also wasn't by any means crime-free. Burnham had its share of thugs. Like the Anderson Gang.

That was Jimmy Anderson, a well-known thug a few years older than me, and his little gang of followers. Anderson had been in and out of jail--always for penny-ante stuff, so he wasn't ever in there for too long. But he was a bully and a thug, especially with his buddies around.

I didn't even hear them emerge from the woods behind me. They were right behind me before Anderson said, "Hey, look, it's Moneybags!"

I jumped, startled, then I turned. He had three other guys with him.

"Hi, Jimmy. What's up?"

"That's a good question," he said. He ambled over to me. I could tell he was drunk--at 5 AM. Typical. "What are you doing out here?"

"Couldn't sleep," I admitted.

They were surrounding me now. I figured what they wanted, and I was right. "Well, now, maybe your conscience is bothering you," Anderson sniggered. "That'll keep you up nights. So, to soothe your conscience, maybe you should make a donation to the less fortunate."

"You want my money," I said.

He grabbed me around the arm. "Yep. Hand it over, Moneybags."

What was I going to do? I couldn't take four of them. Besides which, money was the least of my problems. I shrugged and got out my wallet. I gave them what was in there--a twenty.

"Twenty bucks?" one of them said.

"That's all I got," I shrugged.

Before I knew it, two of them had my arms. "Somehow, I doubt that," Anderson said. "Come on, boys, let's persuade Moneybags to show us his hidden stash."

I tried to protest. I really did only have twenty bucks on me. They didn't listen, of course.

And I didn't wear jewelry, either, so I couldn't pacify them with any bling. I tried to tell them this.

I guess they finally figured it out--but, by that point, I was lying on the ground in agony, blood coming out of my mouth. They worked me over good. All they got was that twenty bucks, my watch, and my credit card.

Oh, and my cell phone. So I couldn't even call for help.

I wasn't going to be able to move. They did something to my ribs and I could barely breathe. My head was spinning--they'd gotten me there too. I didn't know what the hell to do. I knew some kids who lived downtown used that field to cut through to get to school--but not at 5:30. School didn't start until seven.

All I could do is wait. And try to keep myself awake--I suspected I had a concussion and I knew I shouldn't wink out. But it really, really hurt to breathe.

I managed to stay awake--my thoughts in turmoil. This was just the icing on the cake, wasn't it? I hurt bad enough inside--now the body hurt, too. I guess it was fitting. Part of me even figured I deserved it.

I don't know how long I waited, but I don't think it was as long as I'd guessed. Someone must be coming to school early. I heard the footsteps emerging from the trees. I thought whoever it was couldn't miss seeing me, but I made sure. With all the strength I could muster in my ravaged lungs, I croaked, "Help!"

I heard the footsteps get closer, then I heard, "Robbie?"

I looked up. I knew the voice, but I looked up anyway. Of all the people to find me. I could only hope she didn't hate me enough to leave me there lying in my own blood. "Hi, Tammy," I said.

"What happened?"

"The Anderson gang."

"Are you hurt?"

"God, yes," I said. "My ribs, my wrist, my head..."

"Where's your cell phone?"

"They took that," I told her.

"OK. I'm going to run and go get help, OK?"

"Thanks. Will you come back?"

"Yes," she said with a little smile. "I'll be right back." She hurried off the way she had come.

Well, at least she didn't leave me for dead. I almost wouldn't have blamed her.

But she said she was coming back. Did she have enough pity on my battered self to hear me out?

She came back pretty quickly, and sat down beside me. "Ambulance is on its way."

"Thanks."

"What the hell were you doing out here this early?"

"Couldn't sleep," I said. "Came here to think." I gasped a little at that.

"Don't talk," she said, "it must hurt a lot."

"Need to talk."

"Save your strength," she said--and rested her hand on mine. "We can talk later."

"You won't let me," I said. "Tammy, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I can't tell you."

She didn't say anything, just stared into space.

I went on. "It started that way. Find a wallflower and get her into bed. I still don't know why I picked you. Something--there was something. But that's how it started.

"I realized I was wrong halfway through our first date. Ten minutes after we got to Joe's, and it all changed. I liked you right away. And I almost couldn't believe it. Every time we went out, it got deeper.

"But I couldn't tell my friends that. Because I'm weak and stupid and I care too much about what people think about me. So I kept going out with you and blowing them off and not saying much and letting them think what they wanted." I coughed miserably. She looked down at me, but before she could tell me to shut up I ignored the cough and went on. "But I didn't tell them to shut up, or that I really liked you. I didn't say much of anything.

"Until I made the mistake of telling them we slept together. God, I wish I could take that back. Because that just egged them on more, and it was none of their business. I only wish I knew a way to tell you how sorry I am. And then, again I didn't defend you, or us. Well, you heard that part.

"I was trying to figure out a way not to have to make a choice. I should have. I should have chosen you, and told them. Corey--my best friend--knows the whole story now, he and his girlfriend Jenna. I should've trusted them with it. And I shouldn't have cared about the rest of them. I fucked up.

"And I'm sorry. I wish I could make it up to you. Because I did fall in love with you, Tammy. I think I'll always love you. And it kills me that you won't believe that now, and it kills me that I did this myself."

She didn't say anything. She still wasn't looking at me, staring out into space.

But her hand was still lightly resting on mine. And at least I got it all out.

After a minute, she said, "The paramedics are here."

"Good," I said. "Tammy? Thanks for staying."

She looked down at me with a hint of a smile. "I couldn't leave."

"When you get to school, can you do me a favor?"

"What?"

"Tell the principal. They'll know how to get in touch with my parents."

"Will do."

"Oh, and Corey. You know who Corey is?" She nodded. "Can you find him and tell him? I don't care about the rest of them but I'd like you to tell Corey."

"OK."

"Thanks."

By then the paramedics were there, hoisting me on a stretcher to carry me back out of the field to the ambulance.

TWELVE

Cracked ribs, partially collapsed lung. Concussion, sprained wrist, sprained knee. That was the verdict. They were going to keep me for a few days, because of the concussion and the lung.

My parents showed up. As did the police. They knew who Jimmy Anderson was, of course. I didn't know the names of most of the rest of his goons, but I'd surely be able to identify them. That asshole made a big mistake. He wasn't going to be let off easy this time--I was a minor, he wasn't, and my father had clout in this town. He didn't throw it around much, and in most instances I wouldn't have wanted him to, not in my behalf. But this time, he could throw it around all he wanted.

Anyhow, after the cops left, I decided to tell my parents the whole story. They knew about Tammy--I'd talked about her--but they never met her and they didn't know the end. So now they knew--including about Tammy finding me. They sympathized, but I think they were also disappointed in how I'd acted. I didn't blame them.

They hung out for most of the day. I had a private room--again, Dad's clout, another instance where I didn't mind it.

Mom and Dad were still there shortly after school got out, which is when Corey and Jenna showed up. Corey, of course, knew my parents, and Jenna had met them a few times as well, so we all sat there chatting.

"I went to see Mr. Myers," Corey told me. He was our principal. "I gave him a list of your teachers--he said he'll see if you need any homework sent to you."

"Good idea," I told him. "They think I'm going to be in here a few days, I don't want to get too far behind."

"So," Corey said. "When Tammy found me, she told me she waited for the ambulance with you. Did you say anything to her?"

"Yeah. I got the whole thing out. In between gasping for breath, but I got it out. She listened. She didn't say anything, but at least she listened."

"That's a start," Jenna said.

"Yep," Corey agreed. "And I can tell you something--she was really worried about you."

After that, the topics turned to other things. After a few minutes, I noticed movement over near the door to the room. I looked up--and there she was, peeking in.

"Hi," I said. Everyone else looked around. "That's Tammy," I told my parents. "Come on in." She stepped in the room a couple steps, looking shy and unsure of herself. "These are my parents. You know Corey, and this is Jenna."

Then Jenna, bless her, got up and wrapped Tammy in a hug! Tammy looked startled but pleased. "Thank you so much for rescuing this big lunkhead," Jenna told her with a grin. "He's a pain in the ass but he's like my brother, so I'm glad he wasn't left out there to freeze to death."

"Oh, I didn't do anything, I was just there," Tammy said.

"It doesn't matter," my Mother said, and then she got up and wrapped Tammy in a hug! "It's nice to finally meet you, I've heard so much about you." That caught Tammy almost as much by surprise as all the hugging! "And you did rescue him."

Tammy just beamed--and blushed. The blush was fighting with the embarrassed little grin for control.

She stood at the end of the bed. "I can't stay long. I have to go to work." I nodded. "I just wanted to see how you were."

"I'll live," I said dramatically, getting a giggle out of everyone including Tammy. "Seriously, everything will heal." I gave her the litany. She winced.

"That's a lot of injuries," she said.

"Yeah, but I'll be fine. They're going to keep me in here a few days, because of the concussion and the lung, but I'll be OK."

"Good. Are you going to be still here tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

"OK. I really do have to go, but I'll come back tomorrow when I don't have to work."

"I'd like that," I told her.

"OK. But now I have to go," she said again, apologetically.

"I know," I told her, smiling. "Go get those big tips. And Tammy? Thanks for coming."

She just smiled as she left the room.

"I told you she was worried about you," Corey said.

"I guess so."

"Where does she work?" Mom asked.

"At the Burnham Diner," I told her.

THIRTEEN

My Mom came in by herself the next morning. Dad had a meeting he couldn't get out of. That was fine, it wasn't like I was dying or anything, I didn't need them here all the time holding my hand.

I was glad to see Mom, though.

Mom asked me how I was feeling, and all that bit. After a couple of minutes, she said, "Your Dad and I decided to go out for dinner last night."

"Well, since you were here until seven, that doesn't surprise me," I laughed. "Where'd you go?"

"We decided to go somewhere we've never been," she said. Then she got a mock-innocent look on her face. "Imagine, all the years we've lived here and we've never been to the Burnham Diner."

"Not what I'd consider your kind of place," I laughed. Then it hit me. "You went to the diner?"

"Yes. And, yes, we went there because of a certain waitress. But the food is actually very good."

"Yes, it is. The breakfast is even better. They make great omelettes. But you went there because of Tammy?"

"Yes. We were spying," Mom laughed. "That girl works very hard at that diner, I'll tell you that."

"I know," I said.

"I get the impression that Tammy doesn't have a particularly easy life."

"No, she doesn't. Her Mom had her when she was seventeen, there's no Dad. They don't have much money. She works to save money for college. Her mom works there as well." I took a breath. "Did you talk to her?"

"Yes," she smiled. "She had a break coming so your father and I asked her to sit with us for a minute. She's lovely, Rob."

"You didn't grill her, did you?"

"No," she laughed. "Your father and I just wanted to get a look at this girl who had our son in such a tither."

"Oy, Mom."

"Don't worry, I didn't say anything to embarrass you. We just asked her about herself. Well, I did say one thing."

"What?" I asked, not sure if I wanted to know.

"Look, your father and I know what you're like," she said with a smile. "I know Dad had a talk with you long ago about being careful and responsible, and I know you are."

"Yes," I agreed.

"So, that's what we were most concerned with. We trust you. But I know there's been a long line of girls in your life--that part didn't come as any surprise to us when you talked with us yesterday. We knew that. But what I told Tammy was that I'd seen plenty of girls come and go in your life--but that she was the first one you ever couldn't let go of."

"You told her that?"

"I thought it might help if she knew that."

"What did she say?"

"Nothing. She just gave me a smile. I'm sorry if I interfered too much."