"Oak Orchard"

                          11

                      " Empty "

  It had been years since I saw my children. Too many years in fact. After a nasty breakup and divorce I was left with a lonely, broken feeling inside. My wife had succeeded in turning my children against me and although the courts were on my side I decided to not pursue putting her in jail for refusing visitations. A decision I have long regretted.

  Somehow the loss of the fathers' two sons seemed to weigh just as heavy on my heart as did his. There was solace in my nightly walks with my invisible friends. They were more then friends they were family, my family just as the Great Spirit told me. They were now my sons also. In my custody their spirit future was in my care. Over the past several days I worked without thinking. Every once in a while I would shove a hand into my pocket, tumble the two stones and ponder my next move. Thoughts of the work at hand were replaced with the bigger picture swirling around in my head like some dancing bear in a circus. This was one weird ass place for sure. I hadn't heard a peep from Mary nor even thought about her. Neither the money or much else except Oak Orchard.

  'What ever happened to that lucky charm kid?' I thought to myself as I paused at the front second story window; eyes focused on the doorway where he disappeared just a few days before. In an instance my thoughts were now more intent as one of the locals landed upon the rooftop flapped a hello wave and screamed a defining caw.

  I smiled for a brief moment as I knew by now this had to be another sign. After all I hadn't seen much of my aerial friends lately.

  "Damn it! Hitchcock couldn't even think this shit up!" I turned and headed obediently toward the front door determined to find my next mission.

  As I stepped to the driveway the crow had left his post. I scanned the trees and other rooftops but he was gone. A few more steps toward the young boy's house were halted by a familiar sound. I looked back over my right shoulder and sure enough my sentry had changed quarters. At attention upon my roof now he let out one more instruction as his head dipped toward my destination.

  "Be better if you guys could talk." I shot back. The truth is I was glad the damn crows couldn't. Bad enough I heard voices at night with kids dancing around me as I walked in my sleep and all the other nonsense. Personally I think I was taking this all well with what had happened so far. If I haven't lost my mind that is. God, I think way to much you know.

  Our gaze met briefly, then the crow cocked his head to one side as if to say 'well?'  I got the point, took a few more steps closer then looked back and he was gone again.

  "Damn crows!" I turned and he returned to the post upon the kids roof. If this was a game they sure knew how to get under my skin real good. I wasn't sure whether to hate them or love them. The fact was they were a part of this journey I was on. They were the leaders and I a blind follower. Like some bad religion with a cup of cool aid waiting for me at the end. God I hope not.

  What started as a polite knock turned swiftly into and angry pound after several unresponsive minutes had passed. In frustration and annoyance I was about to kick the door in when a gentle voice from behind beckoned.

  "No one is home." Her soft  voice reassured. Just before I threw my fist headlong into the cross buck door panel that I had just spent a good five minutes getting acquainted with, I turned to acknowledge her.

  "What's that?" My gaze now fully upon her.

  Surely with what happened next was what John Penelli would have reminded me of. That is, who I really was, a dog. My eyes caressed every inch of her in those first few seconds. From the salt and pepper shoulder length brown hair to all the way down to her barely exposed ankles and sandals. She wore a frilly white blouse with crimson flowers embroidered and a full length paisley skirt that now silhouetted by the sunlight revealed a glimpse of her inner thighs.

  The sixties were long gone and in her face I determined that she had missed them by a good ten years or more.

  "Hi." I stepped of the stairs with my eyes glued to hers. She somehow drew me into them.

  "Excuse me for staring, I'm Sam." My hand extended to greet her.

  "Joanne, nice to meet you."

  Before I could engage a conversation and stop staring at her she broke in.

  "No one lives there." Her beautiful brown eyes met mine replete with an engaging smile to match.

  "Oh..what do you mean?" Both puzzled by her reply and the sudden magic that now occupied my mind I briefly forgot about the boy.

  "Not in five years," she continued as her voice took on a slightly different tone. Seedy thoughts retired to that bad boy part of the brain where they originated.

  "Are you related?" She queried already knowing the answer.

  Immediately I sensed something, but what? Was it in her eyes or her tone of voice? I carefully replied knowing that the boys presence need not be important at this time or any time in the immediate future. My mind was now quite refocused.

  "No I am working across the street and saw that several of your neighbors are in need of different kinds of repairs." Looking around to draw her attention off guard.

  "Five years you say? What happened?" Her long pause spoke volumes as I sensed right away that her answer was one I was not going to want to hear.

  "There was a tragedy of sorts, five years back. It happened to the people that lived here! Their grandson was murdered!" She paused contemplating my actions then continued.

" He was a good kid. You always saw him around the neighborhood searching for four leaf clovers!" With that she gave off a sad weak smile.

  Meanwhile my heart stopped dead and restarted again at a breakneck speed This could not be happening again to me. Not another dead kid. But it couldn’t be the same kid could it? I had spoken to him and he was as real as could be. He gave me the four leaf clover! I must have the wrong house and had not paid attention to which house he disappeared into, that's it. I desperately tried to appear calm. She was caught up in the tragedy as her mind trailed off to a place that was five years back no doubt.

  "Did they ever catch who did that?"

  "No, it's still a mystery." Her eyes still trailing off to parts unknown, now hiding tears.

  I wanted to excuse myself, start packing the truck and get the hell out of Oak Orchard for good. Just when I felt I could handle things, now this! No, something way worse! A knot formed in my stomach as thoughts raced back and forth at this new revelation. 'It can't be the same kid Sam!' I reassured myself. My hand unconsciously tumbling the two stones in my pocket that represented the two dead, well, not dead, Indian boys. Before I could form an intelligent response a voice called from across the street.

  "Caw, Caw!"

  "Friends of your?" She asked with a sharp smile retuning to her face.

  "No ! The're just... I caught myself from continuing with a curt answer.
  "There just seems to be a lot of crows around these parts."

  "Yeah, it is strange." Her gaze now fixed also to the rooftop sentry.

  "Never were any around here until just recently. You know this is Indian land here where all these houses are on." Her gaze now looking right through me as if she sensed something. She continued.
  "They believe that the crows take the spirits of the dead to their resting place. Both the good and the bad."

  I looked away back toward the roof but my constant follower had left his podium.

  "So I have heard." I slowly turned around to meet her eyes once more.
  "Where do you live Joanne?" Now it was my turn.

  "On the next street over, on Seminole." She glanced over her shoulder as if we both could see the place then back at me.

"You can't miss my house. It's the only one on the block with purple and yellow trim!" Her eyes lit up while I thought she had both picked the colors and applied them.

  "You should stop by sometime." Her smile returned with a shy look in her eyes. She was of course flirting now and revealing her availability.

  "I would like that. May be you could tell me more about this strange place. How long have you lived here?" My racing heart now took on a different beat.

  "Almost twenty years now." Her feet shuffled a bit as to say it was time to go. She was uncomfortable about something. Perhaps it was her unconscious invitation or sudden forwardness. Or the boy.

  "Ok. I better get back to work also. I have a lot to do."  With those words she gladly acknowledged me.

  "Nice to meet you Joanne." I extended a hand.

  "Nice to meet you too Sam." Her soft skin now sent a charge up my arm and to other parts.

  The energy passed back and forth from hand to eyes and smiles. I almost didn't want to let her go now. She was like magic. Like eating pistachios. Once you start you can't stop eating them. I was eating up her attention as well.

  As we parted in different directions my attention and new found desires vanished as quickly as they came. The harsh reality about the boy was starting to look more and more like the truth to me. All I could think of was, ' holy shit Sam, this is getting ugly now!'

  The crow dropped down out of no where and landed a few yards ahead; squawked once and sauntered toward the house in a some what follow the leader game. Thoughts of leaving this place vanished with every step I took toward my nest. I wanted answers but not these. What is the old saying? Be careful what you wish for?

  "Empty for five fricking years!" I mumbled. With those words the crow glanced back and flew off. I was back where I belonged.

  I must have sat on the musty smelling couch for what seemed like hours while trapped in one thought or another. I finally pulled myself free from the trance. "Freud would have a field day with this one." I shouted as my hand still fumbled in my pocket.

  Across the room was the one familiar item attached to the wall of this place that was for some reason left behind. It was my first focus of attention when this all started. The dream catcher. I knew what they meant and what it was supposed to do. Protect the young from evil spirits while they slept. Why now it was my center of attention I had no idea.
"Guess they don't always work, huh? Hell not even the four leaf clovers!" I thought out loud as a noise in the back yard distracted me once more. After sitting for two hours thinking about about my my meeting with joanne and her revelation, I paused and wondered if I should investigate the noise or let it go.

  "Let it go Sam." The tiny voice of reason spoke. Another glance at the dream catcher then the back door to what awaited me gave the right answer. Inadvertently tumbling the stones, I knew what to do.

  "Let me go visit Joanne!" I smiled that seedy smile that John portrayed me as; opened my suitcase and with clothes in hand headed for the shower.

  I bounced out of the shower, bad boy brain and all and stared into the mirror. It seems that all guys think they look great beer gut and all. While on the other hand a woman will find every flaw and defect when they see themselves in the mirror. Why I don't know.

  I dressed and headed for the truck with thoughts that some kind of fancy wine would be a nice gesture. Chateau Monet La Femme? I chuckled as I knew I was a shot and beer kind of guy. Hell, more like Boones Farm or even a bottle of Jack Daniels would work. The seedy dog brain was in full gear.

  I headed up the road like a kid going to a candy store and the wine was secondary to my real thoughts about Joanne. Both honorable and otherwise. A shit eating grin covered my face as John Penelli's words echoed again in my head. Bad boy Sam.

  It had been a good eight months since I broke up with the psycho young girl I had been dating. Not to mention, got laid. But Joanne was my style, my kind of woman. I kept telling myself that. Her bohemian appearance was right out of the Bad Boy play book. My kind of girl. Her brown eyes no makeup and her hair had all the earmarks of a natural beauty. She had me from the door.

  "Hell Sam don't screw this one up again!" I spoke out loud as I shot out of the grog shop parking lot and headed back. Another ten minutes and I was creeping down Seminole looking for purple and yellow trim. Problem was it was night and no one told me that Oak Orchard absorbs all colors at night. The Oak trees seemed to swallow up everything like some Black Forest out of a Robin Hood scene.

  A stupid looking pig holding a round flower pot in its mouth drew my attention as purple and yellow trim came into focus. This must be it! I carefully parked to not draw attention and swaggered to the front door with my bottle of Matuse in hand.

  "Hello Sam. Nice to see you again." The door swung open faster then her first flirtatious voice. The doorway light revealed a pair of legs attached to Daisy Duke cutoffs, a halter top filled with perky B cups and legs up to her lunch pail.

  'God Sam! You are a damn dog.' I grinned from ear to ear with those thoughts as the little brain in my pants took command. I was again stumped for words as I traversed the doorway.

  "Hope you like this?" I shoved the bottle in her direction for approval and a readjustment in my pants as she turned for the kitchen. You know there are women and then there are women! When someone stuns you there are no words enough to say at that given moment. So I stared as she waltzed across the room, eyes drawn to her lower section. If I had been some Romeo, I could have found those words but as it were I just had a dumb sense of humor batting for me.

  "You look nice Joanne." God I wish I could have taken that back. The truth is I wanted to tell her how great she looked in those tight pair of jeans. After all the paisley dress said enough to me at first. But her appearance now had my little brain in overdrive. 'Slow down Sam!' Is all I thought.

  The living room was small but decorated well for my taste. A combination of antique furniture and retro 60's decorum. In one corner sat a wood burning fireplace with glass front doors for the occasional ambience, placed on a marble slab. The walls sported anything from black and white stills of old farmhouses, barns and Cilvil War encampments, to a poster of Woodstock. A place that she of course had never attended. The lights gave off a soft orange, yellow glow that had tranquility written somewhere on the bulbs. In the opposite corner of the room was a Victorian couch with covers on each arm and a blanket for those cold winter nights on it's spine.

  Upon returning from the kitchen with two wine glasses, Joanne set them upon a mahogany coffee table and stationed herself strategically on the couch and patted the other cushion with a smile my way and spoke.
  "Here, have a seat, Sam."

  Trying not to trip over both my own feet and my next words proved to be a challenge. I gladly positioned myself beside her. I had been wrong about the couch. That became clear to me as my leg brushed hers. As I sat  her womanly scent filled my nostrils with the close proximity.

  She lifted my glass and next offered a toast. "Heres to new aquaintances!"

  The bells in my ears rang out, round one and in my corner my trainer voiced hope, eagerness, anticipation and want. She smiled a with a mouthful of wine and her beautiful brown eyes peaked over the rim of the glass. I was completely dumbfounded and quite sure my expression revealed that to her.

  "Do you like the wine?" I ventured.
  "Yes, it is my favorite!" Her eyes still fixed upon me as if I were Swengali.

  I believe I could have bought a bottle of Ripple and she would have been estatic. Loneliness can be a real bitch sometimes and when two lonely people get together the sparks can fly. The next twenty minutes or so of small talk and two more glasses of wine were all I needed for my next move. However before I could she jumped up from the couch with new life.

  "I'll be right back. Are you hungry?" If she only knew my hunger for her. She could have led me around on a dog lash at this point for all I cared. I was totally struck by her natural beauty not to mention her essence and appearance. Within minutes she returned with a tray of small crackers, cut up pepperoni and cheese. Along with some sort of dip in the center.

  "Dig in!" She announced as she turned away to a nearby table. Before I could gather up some samples and dip she turned back toward me to reveal that same melting smile back dropped by a soft lit candle. She was setting the stage for round two.

WC 3145