Henry went to the time clock and realized if he had been a minute later, he would have been reamed from the boss. The bowling ally was noisy tonight. Someone was having a birthday and the party was in full swing when he got to work.
It seemed like all the…
Henry went to the time clock and realized if he had been a minute later, he would have been reamed from the boss. The bowling ally was noisy tonight. Someone was having a birthday and the party was in full swing when he got to work.
It seemed like all the guests had started their drinking before they got there. As he was leaving the snack bar with a bottle of coke he heard one of the guys yell his name. He turned around and saw a guy he had gone to school with.
He hadn’t ever cared for Judd. He was a guy who never fit in anywhere. Came from the bad side of town and was always trying to show how tough he was. Rumor was that his parents couldn’t afford to pay for his books or clothes his junior year so he dropped out. A drop-out, a loser.
Henry saw that he was with the party and that he had a bottle of beer in his hand. Same old Judd, obnoxious and loud. Kurt nodded his head and waved in his direction and then went back to work behind the pins.
Jane woke up to loud words. She jumped up off the bed and winced a little at the pain she still had. She ran out to the kitchen but didn’t see Carol anymore. Racing from room to room showed her that no one was in the house.
She went to the backdoor and as she was about to go out she saw him. Kurt, that bastard was back. This time he had run straight into Carol and she was chasing him around the yard threatening to beat the shit out of him with her cast iron skillet. “You son of a bitch. Get out of my yard, stay a way from my house. You are not wanted here, you hear?”
Jane didn’t know whether to go out and try to help or start laughing. To see this little old woman chasing this bully around her yard was a total blast. Carol was doing a good job of chasing him off so she decided to stay behind the door.
Kurt dodged her skillet and made it back to his car. Carol turned to come back in the house and saw Jane standing there. She pushed past Jane saying nothing. She put the skillet back on the stove and made a fresh pot of coffee.
Sitting down at the table she caught her breath. Straightening out her hair the two sat at the table waiting for the coffee. “What happened Carol? How did this happen?”
“Well my friend, it is obvious he came here to talk to you. You are my son’s wife so I will respect you for his sake, but I warned you I didn’t want any trouble here at my house.”
George came walking into the kitchen. He had just gotten off of work. One look at his wife and then glancing at Jane he asked,”What the hell is going on here?”
“Oh one of Jane’s friends decided to pay another visit here, and I was just asking him politely to get the hell off our property.”
“Another visit? He was here before? When, today?”
“Yes today, he was here earlier and this kid named Kurt and Henry got into a fight. Busted a hole right in the bedroom wall. Henry took care of him. He promised me we wouldn’t have anymore trouble, but I guess he didn’t beat it far enough into the kid’s head.”
The coffee was ready and Carol got up and poured a cup of coffee for herself and George. George looked at his wife. He could tell she had done a good job of chasing this guy a way and then looked again at Jane.
“Jane, I know you are new here to our home. I know you love our son, but we just can’t have those kind of problems going on here. Carol says this didn’t just happen once but twice, and in one day. I just can’t let my wife be upset by this type of thing. I am sorry but you are going to have to leave our house. I am sure you can find another place to live.”
“But George, I don’t have anywhere to go. Where will I go? Where will Henry and I go?”
“Oh Jane, Henry will always have a place here. This is his home, but you, you have drug the kind of people we don’t want here. I would appreciate it if you start to make arrangements now.”
Jane just sat there with her mouth dropped. Tears began to fall and she started stuttering,”please, George, I don’t even know this guy. He works down at the gas station. The first time I went in with Henry I had trouble with him. Why, he even followed me to the bathroom.”
“I’m sorry Jane, I just can’t have this here. Please go and pack.”
Chapter 20
Henry raced over and jumped on the bed to the other side. There lay Kurt on top of Jane and he was…
Henry raced over and jumped on the bed to the other side. There lay Kurt on top of Jane and he was smacking her in the face. He had her blouse unbuttoned, and flesh was poking out from her bra.
“You son of a bitch. Get the hell off of her right now.” Henry grabbed a hold of the back of Kurt’s shirt and yanked him as hard as he could. Kurt reached around and swung at Henry missing his jaw.
“This little girl has to be taught a lesson. I don’t approve much of liars, and she is going to learn to never do it again.”
“I said get off of her, right now.” Henry grabbed his shirt again and this time knocked Kurt backwards. He fell off of Jane and ended up smacking his head against the wall. Henry picked him up by his shirt and belt and threw him up against the wall. Kurt’s head slammed into the wall pushing a piece of the wall inwards.
He reached for him again and picked him up and threw him on to the bed. He began to punch him in the gut and hit him in the face. When he ran out of energy he knocked him onto the floor with his feet.
Kurt could barely stand. Henry left him lay there long enough to check on Jane. “Are you alright? Did he hurt you?” He helped straighten out her clothing and gave her assistance to sit on the bed. He checked her out as good as he could. Seeing she was physically stable, he went back to where Kurt lay and helped him up by the seat of his pants.
He shoved him to the front door and then kicked him out. “Don’t you ever step foot on this property again or I will call the cops on you.” Kurt rubbed his jaw and tasting blood turned back around and said,” I ain’t done with her yet. She better watch her back.”
“And I will kill you if I see you around her ever again. Now get the hell out of here before I change my mind and give you another round of my fist.”
Henry watched as the man left in his car and then remembered his Mom. He ran into the kitchen where she was sitting at the table. Smoking a cigarette she asked,” Who in the hell was that? He came in here so fast, he knocked me over because I evidently was in his way. I turned around to tell him to get out, but then down I went. He is lucky he didn’t break any of my bones.” She rubbed her cheek and felt the back of her head, making sure she was alright.
“Mom, I’m sorry you had to be a part of this, but I have taken care of everything.” He walked over and gave his Mom a kiss on the cheek then left to go check on his wife.
She was laying down when he entered the room. He walked over and sat beside her. “Are you sure you are alright? I don’t think he will ever come near you again. I think he learned a valuable lesson when it comes to messing with my woman.”
Jane touched her lip and felt pain but didn’t see any blood. Henry could see one of her eyes beginning to turn dark. He left the room and then came back with a piece of frozen meat. “Here, put this over that eye. You’re going to end up with a shiner if you don’t.”
She laid it over her eye and felt her ribs with her free hand. She winced from pain. “He scared me to death Henry. I thought he was going to kill me. What made him go ape on me like that? Why me?”
Henry looked at her but he didn’t want to tell her how he had thrown the first punch. He said nothing and she asked him again. “Jane, just don’t worry about nothing. It’s all over now. Why don’t you lay here and get some rest. I am going to go check on Mom again.”
Jane rolled over on her side and again winced from pain. Henry covered her up and then left her to rest. He walked back to the kitchen and saw his Mom still sitting there. He then went out the back door and sat on the steps. He lit up a cigarette and sat there inhaling and enjoying each smoke ring he made.
He knew he had lost control. He realized that he had acted before thinking. Jane would be so mad at him if she knew that he had provoked all of this. She could never find out. He finished his smoke and then went in and told his Mom that he was leaving for a while.
He drove around town and then out to the lake. He sat in his car looking at familiar spots he and Jane had been at. He thought about Jane and the new baby coming. He thought about his Mom and then he thought about the hole in the wall. He started the car and headed for the hardware store to get items needed to patch the wall.
Chapter 19
Henry took Jane home and made sure she was resting before he took off again.
“Where are you going…
Henry took Jane home and made sure she was resting before he took off again.
“Where are you going Henry?”
“I got some errands to run Jane. Don’t you worry about nothing. I got it all under control.”
“You aren’t going to go see that Kurt guy are you?”
“Now what makes you think that doll? Like I said, don’t worry.”
He gave her a peck on the forehead and then turned around and went to find his mom.
“Mom will you keep an eye out on Jane? She fell out of one of the swings today. She says she isn’t hurt, but I would feel a lot better if you checked in on her while I was gone.”
Carol asked,”When you coming back? I don’t have time to be babysitting her all day.”
“I won’t be gone that long Mom. Just do it for me because you love me.”
He walked over and gave her a kiss on the cheek and she smiled at him and said,”Alright, but just for a while.”
“Thanks Mom, you’re the best.”
Henry left, he was on a mission. He was going to find out what in the world this guy Kurt was after. He went back to the lake. He glanced around the parking lot but didn’t see the creep’s car. Upon leaving there he went back into town.
Driving past the garage he saw the car. He slammed on his brakes and backed up, and pulled in. He went inside and didn’t see Kurt at first. His buddies waved and motioned him to come to where they were. A few of them were under one car checking out the brakes.
“Where’s Kurt? I don’t see him anywhere?”
Tom pointed towards the bathroom.”He’s been in there about half an hour. Must be really having some issues this morning.” All the guys laughed and asked Henry, “What ya looking for him for? Did he do something again?”
“What you mean again? Has he been in trouble before?”
“Ya a little but nothing ever came from it. Some high school gal called the cops on him. Saying he tried to force himself on her. He denied it, said he didn’t even know her.”
Kurt came walking up and Fred asked, “Did you spray back there? Smells like a skunk died in here.”
“Very funny and ya I sprayed.”
Henry turned and looked Kurt right in the eyes and before Kurt could say a word, Henry punched him right in the face. Kurt’s head took a right turn and he touched his face. When he looked down at his hands he saw blood.
“Hey, what gives? Why in the hell you hitting me? What did I ever do to you?”
“This is a warning Kurt my friend. Stay the hell a way from my wife. She isn’t yours to glare at or talk to. She belongs to me. If I see you around her again, blood isn’t the worst thing you will see. You will see your head twisted around your ass.”
“I never touched her Henry, I swear. What ever she is telling you, she is lying. These guys here can vouch for me. I never touched her.”
“Well, don’t even be looking her way, got it? Just stay a way from her. This is your one and only warning.”
Kurt walked a way with his tail between his legs. He got in his car and sped off.
“What was that all about buddy? Did Kurt do something to your gal too?”
Henry explained, “Jane said that when she was in here last time with me, Kurt made her feel funny. She said he wouldn’t take his eyes off of her.”
“Yeah, I remember that creep following her all the way to the bathroom. Said he didn’t want her to get lost.
Gee, how big is this place anyways?”
Henry and Tom had a good laugh over it but Henry asked Tom, “Can you just keep an eye on that guy? Something about him I just don’t trust.”
“Sure Henry, sure, I got your butt covered.”
Henry continued to watch the guys for a while longer and then he said he was leaving. He went over to the bowling alley to check his schedule. He drove around town for a while just thinking about that guy Kurt. Feeling confident that he had made his point very clear he finally decided to go on home.
Pulling in the drive-way he heard screaming. He ran into the house and found his mom laying on the floor. He raced into his bedroom and there was Kurt, wrestling with Jane.
Chapter 18
Henry and Jane headed to the lake. It was a great fall day with more of the summer temperatures…
Henry and Jane headed to the lake. It was a great fall day with more of the summer temperatures hovering around. There weren’t many there as schools were back in session.
Henry got out and walked around and let Jane out. Hand in hand they walked to the edge of the water. They enjoyed the view of ducks diving in the water for food, birds flying over head and a few couples walking on the beach.
Henry kicked his shoes off and walked in the water. He was ankle-deep and then scooped some water in his hands and threw it at Jane. She hurried and took her shoes off and stepping in used her feet to splash him back.
Soon they were laughing and playing and enjoying themselves so much they didn’t see the person walking up to them. “You two having fun?” Henry and Jane stopped and turned to see no other than Kurt.
Henry got out of the water and went over and gave him a pat on the shoulder and asked, “What you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”
“Nah, I took the day off. Stubbed my toe yesterday and went to the doctor today. Thought I would come down here and see what was happening. That’s when I spotted you two.” Kurt was keeping his eyes on Jane as he talked to Henry.
Henry didn’t notice and Jane got her shoes back on and walked over to the swings. She sat down and making marks in the sand under her feet she swung slowly. Soon Henry and Kurt were on the swings too.
All of them were swinging and were having fun when Kurt got off his swing and got behind Henry and started pushing him. Higher and higher Henry went then Kurt decided to do the same thing to Jane.
Jane cried out, “Don’t, I don’t want to be going any faster.”
“Oh come on. Let loose and have some fun,” he laughed.
“Stop it! I said stop it!”
Henry stopped his swing and got off and said, “She said she doesn’t want to go any higher. Listen up man. Leave her alone.”
“Oh she’s just a big party pooper. She’s no fun.”
Just as he was about to step back and a way from her he suddenly grabbed her chains and pulled her back as far as he could. Before she could get a better grip he let loose and she went flying forward and fell out of the swing down to the ground. She rolled a couple of times.
Henry raced over to her. “Are you alright Jane? Are you hurt? Kurt what in the hell were ya thinking? My God she’s pregnant and you made her fall. I ought to kick your ass.”
“I didn’t mean to push her so hard buddy. I didn’t know I had that much strength behind me. Golly, I am sorry Jane, are you alright?” He leaned in with one hand to help her stand up and Henry twisted around and decked him right in the face.
“Get the hell out of here and don’t be calling me buddy. You hear me? Now get out of my face.”
Henry leaned in and gave Jane a hand to help her stand up. When she stood up she brushed sand out of her mouth and hair. Inspecting her body for broken skin she didn’t find any.
“I’m alright I think. Let’s just get out of here and go home. I don’t like that guy Henry. He stares at me and he followed me all the way to the bathroom at the garage. He didn’t leave. He stood there until I got done and then he led me back to the break area. There is something weird about him. I just don’t like him. Don’t make me have to see him anymore.”
“Gosh Jane, why didn’t you tell me this all before? I would have set him straight that same day. Don’t keep things from me baby. I don’t like it when you are unhappy.”
Jane smiled at her hero and gave him a big kiss and the two walked back to the car. On the drive home she noticed a small light pain in her abdomen. She winced a little and Henry looked at her.
“You alright? Are you hurting? Should I get you to a doctor?”
“No, it is just small. Nothing to worry about. I think I want to just go home and rest. I am tired.”
The rest of the drive home they didn’t talk. Henry was thinking about how he was going to drop his wife off and then go pay a visit to Kurt.
http://dailypost.wordpress.com-DP-Daily Prompt-Daily Post
Write a piece of fiction describing the incident that gave rise to the phrase, “third time’s the charm.”
Right after high school, in fact, the first Saturday after graduation, Sue married her high school sweetheart. She was so in love and it showed in each day of their marriage. But Ron had a hidden secret. A bad temper followed him like the blackest of shadows.
When the two had their first big fight it shocked Sue so much when he slammed her against the living room wall. After thinking about it she just knew that he didn’t mean to do it. Sue knew that he loved her as much as she loved him.
She went to him and apologized for what ever she had done to set him off. He smiled and said, “I’m sorry Baby. I don’t know what got into me. I guess it was just the way it came out of your mouth. It seemed you didn’t understand what I was saying and you were not on my side.”
Sue wiggled closer to him on the couch and gave him her biggest smile thinking to herself, I will always think about the words I use and the tone I carry before I speak. This was all my fault.
After history repeated itself for four more years Sue decided to file for a divorce as she lie in her hospital bed recovering from a broken jaw.
She blamed herself for the divorce and lost all of her self-esteem. She felt she wasn’t good enough for any man so the first time she met Jeff at a local pub, he introduced her to some of his good buddies. They drank and even smoked a little pot. What Sue didn’t realize is that one of these good buddies had slipped a drug into her drink.
She didn’t care what she was doing and with whom she was doing it with. They ended up at one of the friends pads and she was passed among the guys like she was the main appetizer.
A year later as she was walking back and forth trying to calm her baby she finally got baby Jane to sleep. She put her in her crib and went into her own bedroom. Closing the drapes and kneeling beside her bed she prayed.
Dear God, I have made so many mistakes. I have believed what wasn’t true. I have let myself sink down into the gutters. I know I am better than this because you told me so years ago. Please help me Lord. Help me to trust in you and to stand tall once again with my head held high. Help me to take care of my baby God. Open my eyes and let me see only the good around me. God if you can guide me to a decent man I promise that I will look closely instead of making rash decisions. I don’t want to live alone God. I don’t want to raise Jane without a Daddy. Amen
About a year later Sue and Jane were grocery shopping. She was trying to pick out some ripe tomatoes. A gentleman across from her was doing the same thing. He picked up the brightest, reddest tomato and handed it to her. “Is this what you are searching for? he asked, looking straight into her eyes.
Sue blushed and told him yes and took the tomato from him. Without asking the two went through the aisles of the store talking like they had been friends forever. Bob talked to Jane and had her giggling in no time.
When it was time to check out Bob asked her if he could call her later in the week to take her and Jane out for supper. Sue hesitated and looked up toward the ceiling thinking, could this be it? God could he be the one? Please give me a sign if you want me to walk a way from this opportunity.
Sue didn’t get any bad feelings and so she looked back at Bob and answered,”yes, that would be nice. Here is my phone number.”
“Thank-you Sue. I will be calling you probably in a couple of days.”
The three parted and as she was loading her groceries into her car she thought to herself, third times a charm.
The newlyweds went to their favorite diner and ordered. Friends came to their windows to chat. Jane was telling the girls,” We are on our honeymoon. Look at my wedding ring”.
“Married? Wow, you sure kept this a secret”.
“Let me see your ring. What are you two doing out of the bedroom”? a couple of friends asked.
“We got hungry. We have to eat you know. Just because we are married doesn’t mean we don’t eat”. All the girls started giggling.
The food came and the friends left them to eat. Every once in a while Henry would run his fingers up and down Jane’s leg. This sent shivers down her spine and she wished they were back in their motel.
He must have been reading her mind. He finished gulping his shake and started the car. She gave him her empty wrappers smiling at him. The car hop came and took their tray and then they took off for the motel.
Once inside the room his eagerness for dessert over took him. He went to her and stripped off her clothes. Laying her down on the messy bed he breathed in to her ears.” I love feeling your skin next to mine doll”. The rest of the evening was spent in passion and they fell asleep in each others arms.
The next morning they slept in too late. They hurried and got up and showered. Gathering their things together they just beat the clock and made check-out in time. ” Wow that was close Jane. I didn’t have anymore money left to pay for another night”.
“I wish you did Henry. I had such a neat time with you. I never wanted it to stop. Thanks for a great honeymoon. I am starting to get nervous though. I really don’t know your parents and here I go right into their house to live”.
“Oh don’t sweat it doll. They are just like any other parents. Everything will be fine”. He patted her belly as he headed for the house.
The two walked in the front door. Suddenly Jane became quiet and let Henry led her by the hand. She stood waiting for him by the door as he carried their bag in from the car. She followed him to the kitchen. Carol was seated smoking and drinking her coffee. She was still dressed in her robe.
She glanced up at them and said,” Surprised you two are back so soon. Honeymoon over”?
“Mom I only had enough to pay for one night. Check-out was at eleven. We are both starving. We got up late and didn’t have time to eat breakfast”.
“There’s cereal on top of the refrigerator. Oh over there on top of the television is mail for you two”.
“Do you want cereal or I can fix you some eggs Jane”?
“Um, just cereal will do. I don’t want you to have to dirty up the dishes” Jane said.
” Smart girl there you have Henry. She already knows the rules. You dirty, you clean”.
Henry put the filled bowls down and went and got the mail. As they ate Henry opened two wedding cards. Money fell into his lap.”Hey look at this. We got more money. This sure will come in handy”.
Henry started to hand the money to Jane so she could put it in her purse.”Better hang on to that money son. The man handles all the money in a house. The woman does the cooking and cleaning and wiping runny noses”. Henry glanced at his mom and started to open his mouth to respond. Jane gave him a sharp look and then turned to Carol. “You are absolutely right. The man is in charge of paying all the bills”.
” I say it again. You have a smart girl on your hands here. Better take her advice. You will have plenty of bills to pay living here. You have to pay your share for bringing in an extra mouth”
Jane motioned to Henry to put their money in his wallet, and Henry did this without further speaking. The two finished eating in silence. They watched the circles of smoke rise in the air from Carol’s cigarette.
After wards they went to their bedroom and shut the door. ” What’s up with her? I haven’t ever heard her talk like that about money before. But I guess I haven’t ever heard her mention money before. Dad just gives her money and she goes and buys the groceries”.
Jane sat on the bed looking at him. She was thinking, boy this is sure different from my house. Mom handles all the money . I see her give Dad an allowance every Monday.
The two laid back on the bed and watched television. During the time of commercials they kissed and fondled each other. Working themselves into a heat of passion Henry got up and walked to the door and locked it.
They were both naked and he was getting ready to score when a knock came at the door. “I need to talk to you Jane. I need to find out what you don’t like to eat. I need to figure out what we are having for supper. Henry? Do you have any money to help out with the food this week? We have another mouth to feed you know”.
Hearing his mom talk ruined the mood. He climbed off of Jane and covered himself in the blanket. “We will be right out Mom. Just give us a minute”.
Who I am 