Chapter 18: Alternate Plans

When he was not looking for a job, Cade spent his free time sorting through the garage and basement. He ruminated about his dead grandfather Walt, and his deceased father Dusty. He couldn't help wondering what his life would have been like if his father had lived, and if he had known his grandfather better.

Callie drove the truck into town frequently to run errands. Cade knew most of her reasons for going to town were excuses designed to get her out of the house, but he figured she deserved a little freedom, as long as she wasn't gone long. Several days after Jessica's birthday party, Callie arrived home from one of her many trips into town in the middle of the morning, and found Cade in the garage studying a book on gardening. "Guess what?" She smiled proudly as she entered the garage.

Cade turned to look at her from where he was sitting at the workbench, "What?"

"Don't be mad," Callie said slowly as she approached him.

Cade knew if she started out with the words "don't be mad," there was reason for concern. She was impulsive, and he never knew what she was going to do next. "Why would I be mad? What did you do?"

She grinned, "I got a job!"

Cade's brow furrowed, "You did what?"

"I got a job as a waitress at Beatrice's Diner." She beamed proudly.

He was surprised that she had gone behind his back and gotten a job. He had specifically told her not to. "I thought we agreed you wouldn't work."

"Well it's only a part-time job," she explained quickly. "And I made sure they'll only give me morning and daytime hours so that I can be home by the time the kids get home."

"Who's going to clean the house and cook meals?" Cade asked.

"It's only a few days a week," She assured him. "I can still do everything I was doing before, I promise," she paused, "I thought you would be happy for me." In truth, she knew he would not be happy, but she couldn't stand sitting around the house all day, worrying about if they were going to lose the farm, and she had seen the help wanted sign and decided to apply for the job.

Cade felt betrayed. "Why would you get a job without telling me?"

"Because I knew you would say 'no'," She said softly, looking down.

He was becoming angrier by the minute. The more he thought about what she had done, the angrier he became. "Don't you think I can support us on my own, is that it?"

"I know you can support us," Callie assured him, "This job is just temporary until you get another job, that's all."

Cade shook his head. "You go out and get job behind my back, so what's going to be next? Are you going to go start fucking other guys behind my back too?" He realized he was being irrational, but he could not seem to stop himself. He was frustrated that he could not find work, and she had managed to get a job impulsively. He stood up to leave and she cowered in fear, afraid he was going to hit her. Instead, he brushed past her and headed toward his car so that he could go for a drive and cool off before he did something he knew he would regret.

Callie watched him leave. "Don't be mad Cade," she called, hoping that he would realize she had only gotten the job as a way to help. She knew better than to try to stop him from leaving, so she helplessly watched him drive away, and wondered what he would do to her when he got back. His response was not exactly what she had hoped for.

Cade drove around in his car for awhile, feeling angry and depressed until he finally stopped at the auto parts store to talk with Roger, but Roger was busy, and after awhile Cade gave up on Roger and decided he should go home and talk to Callie. On the way home, he made a quick decision to stop by Lonnie Jameson's house to see if he could find the right house. When he pulled his car up to Lonnie's house, Lonnie happened to be arriving home from work. Cade watched Lonnie get out of his truck, and he got out of his car. "That's a sweet ride," Lonnie said with admiration as Cade approached. "I'm glad you got it running again."

"Yeah, it was my dad's car," Cade said absently.

"I know that," Lonnie grinned and he gave Cade a slap on the back. "It's good to see you, come on inside and I'll get you a cool one."

"OK," Cade followed Lonnie inside the house and was shocked to discover the food, clothes, and toys scattered everywhere. Lonnie's wife Angie was chasing after the kids and yelling at them. Cade noticed that Lonnie had at least four kids, including Brittany, who had been at Jessie's birthday party. Cade followed Lonnie into the kitchen, watched as Lonnie opened the refrigerator, and took out two beers. Lonnie turned around and handed one of the beers to Cade, and then motioned for Cade to follow him into the living room, where he moved a pile of clothes off the couch, so that Cade could sit down. Lonnie collapsed into a chair opposite Cade. "So, what have you been up to?" Lonnie asked as he took a swig of his beer.

Cade sipped his beer. "Not much, what about you?"

"Same shit different day," Lonnie grinned as he took another swig of beer and paused to savor it.

"So you grew up here?" Cade asked.

"Yeah, I've lived here all my life," Lonnie, mused. "There ain't no way I'll ever leave. I love it here."

Cade nodded. "I assume Pennington wants to buy your land?"

Lonnie's face grew dark for the first time since Cade had met him. "Yeah well I don't like to talk about the Pennington's in my house," Lonnie said.

"Sorry," Cade took another swig of beer. "There are a lot of things I don't understand about this town. I grew up in the city and it's nothing like this place."

Lonnie laughed. "I wouldn't even know how to act in the city." He continued drinking his beer. "You and I need to talk about the Pennington's sometime," Lonnie said as his kids ran around the living room like wild animals. Cade couldn't believe the volume of noise the kids were capable of making. "Y'all better stop that runnin' around," Lonnie yelled at the kids. "I mean it now. Stop it."

It was as if Lonnie hadn't said a word. The kids completely ignored him and kept on running around obnoxiously. "Lon," his wife Angie called from the kitchen, "Did you bring home that milk I asked for?"

Lonnie grimaced, "Oh God I'm sorry baby, I forgot."

"Lonnie, for Christ's sake," She yelled and the two-year-old she was holding began screaming at the top of her lungs. Cade could not hear himself think. "I've got an extra gallon of milk you can borrow," Cade offered as he drank the last of his beer, "I'll go home and get it for you."

"You're a lifesaver," Lonnie said as he juggled his two four-years-old boys on his lap. "These two guys are twins," Lonnie informed him. The two boys were not identical.

"Nice looking boys," Cade winked at them, and they bashfully leaned up against their dad. Cade couldn't help noticing how filthy Lonnie's children were. He thought of how clean his kids were in comparison. Lonnie's kids looked almost as bad as Cade's kids had looked when he first saw them at Annie and Seth's house. Cade suddenly felt very grateful for Callie and realized how orderly she kept the house. Callie had become a very good wife and she had done a lot for him. Lonnie's wife Angie was obviously very overwhelmed with all of the kids and couldn't manage to keep the house clean or the kids under control, and it didn't appear to Cade that Lonnie was much help in that regard. Cade wondered if Lonnie and Angie had bitten off a little more than they could chew.

"It's not always this chaotic around here," Lonnie apologized as he walked Cade out the door.

"It's OK, I understand," Cade said. "I didn't mean to drop by out of the blue like this, I just wanted to say hello and see if I could figure out where you lived."

"Oh no problem," Lonnie assured Cade. "Baby," Lonnie called to his wife, "Cade says we can borrow some milk from him. I'm sorry I forgot to get some. I promise I'll bring some home tomorrow."

Angie made an appearance in the doorway and looked sideways at Lonnie and then smiled at Cade, "Thank you; we really need the milk."

"It's no problem, we have plenty." Cade said and he noticed when he got a good look at Angie that she was slightly overweight and somewhat dowdy looking, but he could tell she had once been attractive. Having so many kids had obviously taken a toll on her and he couldn't help feeling a little sorry for her as he noticed how tired she looked. "I'll run home and get the milk and be right back," Cade said, "Thanks for the beer."

"Thank God you decided to stop by," Angie said with relief as she watched him get in his car, and then she looked at Lonnie with disgust, "Otherwise we wouldn't have any milk."

Lonnie shrugged, "I said I was sorry."

Cade quickly drove home to get the milk. When he walked through the kitchen door, Callie tensed up. She had been cooking dinner and the kids were in the living room doing their homework. The kids were happy to see their dad as usual and they rushed up to greet him the minute he entered. He smiled and hugged each of them in turn and then he looked up at Callie, and he could tell she was nervous because of their discussion that morning. "I stopped at the Jameson's house on the way home, and they need to borrow some milk from us," he said.

"The Jameson's?" Callie asked.

Cade sent the kids back into the living room, "Lonnie Jameson and his wife."

"Oh," Callie said and he could see her hands trembling as she continued cooking.

Cade reached over and put his hand on top of her shaking one. "It's OK Cal, I'm not upset about the job anymore; as long it works out the way you say it will, it will be fine."

Callie breathed a sigh of relief.

Cade took his hand away and opened the refrigerator. He grabbed the extra gallon of milk they had, and headed out the door. "Wait Cade," Callie called, and then she turned toward the kids who were in the living room. "Ash, will you come watch this pot of vegetables on the stove for a few minutes? When it starts to boil, turn it down on low."

Ashley quickly got up and went into the kitchen, "OK."

"I'm going with your dad for a few minutes. We won't be gone long," Callie said.

Ashley nodded. She and Callie were getting along much better than they had in the past.

Callie hurried out to get in the car with Cade, "Don't leave without me"

Cade laughed, "So you just have to come along too," he shook his head.