Chapter 3: But Not This Time!

THE BOX IS AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL, WHEREVER THAT IS

or

If you think you're confused just think how I feel.

Wendy has mesmerized my Dad ... pretty easy to do ... after all, he did marry my mother.

Wendy claims she's sleeping with me tonight ... I have a single bed.

We're riding together in the backseat and it's my father's idea.

'You could hold my hand'

I held her hand. I can hear her in my head.

'Yes, you can.'

Evidently, she hears me in her head.

'Yes, I do.'

I wonder why my life got so interesting?

'You stop watches.'

And there's this box in my book bag.

'I wonder what's in it?'

'Will you quit that!'

'No.'

'Why not?'

'I never had anyone I could hear, who could hear me back.'

'Who can you hear?'

'Everyone.'

'That's got to suck.'

'It used to be confusing ... and loud. I learned.' She smiled at me ... the world blossomed. 'That you hear me is wonderful.'

"You guys are pretty quiet back there," Dad said. He reached up and moved the rearview mirror. "Holding hands, I see."

Wendy said, "I like riding in your Mercury, Mr. Austin. It's smooth. It must be pretty new."

"It's a 1950, I bought it new. I got it loaded." He turned on the radio ... fiddled with the dial ... turned it off. "I had the package; radio, whitewalls, fender skirts, stainless steel trim, fender mirrors, electric wipers and the heater ... oh ... and the big motor... 105 horsepower." Daddy likes to show off.

"My Grandfather has a Bella Figura Type 57 Coupe, it's a pretty nice car, too"

"Bella Figura?" my Dad asked, "What's that?"

"A Bugatti. 1938." Wendy said, "he brought it with him when he left Switzerland just before the War."

At the mention of Bugatti, Daddy nearly left the roadway. "Bugatti?" He choked. "What does your Grandfather do?"

"He fixes watches."

That proved to be too much for Poppa. He pulled over and turned to look at Wendy.

"Does he have a little shop near the State Capital?" he asked.

"Yes." She started doing things with her hands again.

"Hans?" He looked startled, "Hans Gruener?"

"Yes." Her hands and fingers are going crazy.

"My watch is in his shop." He complained, "It keeps stopping and no one in town can fix it. Your Granddad is supposed to be the best there is."

"Yes, he is." She's still doing little things with her hands.

"I wonder if it's fixed? Do you know?" he asked.

"It was ... it's not now."

"It was? It's not now?" Daddy gave her a look ... his captive witness being questioned by the Brilliant Lawyer Look. He wasn't watching her hands, he was watching her eyes.

Uh oh.

"Do you have any idea why? No ... of course you wouldn't ... you're just a child ... now could you know." Question ... answer ... statement, all in one go.

"Oh, but I do know. David did it."

UH OH!

"David did it." Not a question. Daddy heard that a lot.

"He stops watches."

"I know he can't wear one, they don't seem to like him," Daddy was puzzling out loud.