Throwing Stones

Chapter 7






“Gus, will you play with me?”

“I’m working, short stuff.”

“But, I want to play.” Bree stood in the doorway of Gus’ room, scuffing the toe of her pink vans on the carpet.

“I’m downloading what I filmed today. I need to get this done,” Gus said firmly.

“But…”

“I’m sorry, Bree. Can’t you play with Ashley?”

“Her mom just picked her up.”

Gus heaved a sigh. He always hated disappointing his sister, but he really needed to finish what he was doing. The students would only be at the building site for one more day. After tomorrow, and the filming of the students’ final impressions of the building project, Gus had to go through all the hours he had taped and decide how to make it into a documentary.

“This will take me about another hour,” Gus said. “Maybe after that…”

“It’ll be dinner time by then,” Bree said with a pout.

“Sorry, but I really can’t stop.”

“’Kay,” Bree said sadly and ran down the hall.

Gus felt badly, but he did have work he had to get done. He continued what he was doing and quickly forgot about his sister.



*****



Bree sat on a cushion on the floor in the Wendy house. Her hand rested on Beau’s head.

“Nobody will play with me, Beau,” she complained.

Beau gave a little woof of sympathy.

“Dada’s on the phone with his work, and Daddy’s painting, and Gus is busy. Patrick’s gone to his friend’s for the day. I wish you could have tea with me.”

“Woof,” Beau volunteered.

Bree stroked the soft fur. “You can’t hold a tea cup,” Bree stated. “You have no pinkie to hold up and you can’t do a good English accent.

“Woof,” Beau replied.

“See, that’s not a English accent.”

“Bree, is that you?” a voice asked from outside the Wendy house.

“Yes.”

“Are you okay?”

“No.”

“Can I come in?”

“Yes.”

Ben stuck his head through the doorway of the Wendy house. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I wanted to make chocklit chip cookies for you and Unca Mikey, and Daddy said maybe tomorrow, and then he went to paint, and Dada is on the phone and Gus is busy and Patrick went to his friend’s house and Beau can’t drink tea with me. Nobody will do nuffin!”

“I see,” Ben said kneeling down beside Bree, and trying not to smile at her predicament. “I was just on my way to the stream. Would you like to come with me?”

Bree’s face lit up. “Oh yes, Unca Ben.”

“Then let’s go,” Ben said happy to leave the cramped quarters of the Wendy house.

Beau trailed along with them as they headed down the path.

“Where’s Unca Mikey?” Bree asked.

“He’s sleeping.”

“Sleeping? But it’s not dark.”

Ben chuckled. “Uncle Michael is not feeling well these days, and he needs lots of sleep to get better.”

“Oh.”

“Are you going swimming in the stream?” Bree asked as they came to the clearing.

“No, I was just going to sit on the big rock, and enjoy the quiet.”

“Then you don’t want me around,” Bree pouted.

“Yes I do, or I wouldn’t have asked you to come with me.”

Bree smiled at the big, muscular man before they climbed up onto the rock. Beau lay down in the shade nearby. They watched the water rolling by in the stream. Both were silent for a few minutes, lost in their own thoughts.

“’Member when you went with me to get the Christmas tree?” Bree asked all of a sudden.

Ben groaned inwardly. That had not been one of his finer moments. “I remember. What made you think of that?”

“I don’t know,” Bree said. “I was thinking it was hot today and I wished it was cooler or that I could go swimming, and that made me think of winter and Christmas and getting the tree, cause you’re here with me now.”

Ben chuckled. “You should be an analyst when you grow up. That’s a perfect explanation of how you arrived at the Christmas tree.”

“What’s a analyst?”

“Somebody who studies data and draws conclusions.”

“I don’t understand nuffin’ you tell me,” Bree said.

Ben laughed out loud. “I forget that you’re only seven.”

“Eight, Unca Ben.”

“Oh, pardon me.”

“That’s okay, but I am older than you think,” Bree told him sagely.

“You’ve always been older than your years.”

“What do you mean?” Bree asked with a frown.

Ben sighed. He had forgotten how hard it was to talk to a youngster now that Hunter and JR were both pretty well grown up. “Some children are very naïve and … young. You’ve always had a … certain wisdom about you. I think it comes from your fathers and from being around adults all your life.”

“Yeah, adults,” Bree responded. “I asked my daddies for a baby sister but I never got one.”

Ben chuckled. “What did they say about that?”

“They said they didn’t think that would happen. I got Taylor instead.”

Ben shook his head. Children had a way of seeing things that was so refreshing. “You like Taylor, don’t you?”

“I love Taylor, but he should have been a girl.”

“There’s nothing you can do about that now,” Ben informed her.

“That’s what my daddies keep telling me. But Taylor’s okay, I guess. He does what I tell him and he listens to everything I say.”

“You like that Taylor listens to you?”

“Oh yes, Unca Ben, nobody else does.”

“I’m listening to you.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t happen very often.”

Ben shook his head and watched the stream for a while. Bree certainly was a perceptive little girl.



*****



“Dinner’s ready, Gus,” Brian said at the door to Gus’ bedroom.

“But … Ray isn’t back. Is Bobby?”

“They’re just coming up the lane.”

“Oh, okay. I finally got everything downloaded.”

“Big job?”

“Yeah. I have one more day of filming and then I have to start editing,” Gus said with a sigh.

“You don’t like the editing?”

“It’s okay. I like the end product,” Gus said as he shut down his computer. “But it’s a lonely job. I’ll be stuck in here all day. I like talking to people and being outside.”

“Maybe you could edit in the backyard.”

Gus shook his head. “Bree would be after me to play with her every ten seconds.”

“She’s going to camp with Ashley next week.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that.”

“It’s just day camp, but she’ll be gone during the day.”

“That will help. I could set up under the big tree in the backyard.”

“That you could,” Brian agreed. “And I promise not to ask you to come and play.”

“Oh, Pop!” Gus reacted with a laugh.

Brian smirked then his face turned serious. “Have you seen Bree? She’s not in her bedroom.”

“She came in here after Ashley went home and asked if I could play with her. I told her maybe later.”

“I haven’t seen her for a while,” Brian said. “She must be in the Wendy house.”

“I’ll go check,” Gus volunteered.

“Thanks,” Brian said not relishing hobbling around in his cast. He had a doctor’s appointment soon and he was hoping he’d get the all clear on his ankle. It would be about time. His whole summer had revolved around the fucking cast.

Gus walked out to the Wendy house only to find it empty. He then went to the greenhouse wondering if Bree had gone in there amongst the tropical flowers. He knew how much his sister loved flowers. She was not there either.

When he stepped out of the Wendy house, he called, “Bree!” There was no response.

“She isn’t in there?” Brian asked as he came out of the sun porch.

Gus shook his head. “She didn’t answer when I called either.”

“I wonder if she went down to Emmett’s,” Brian speculated. “She knows she’s supposed to tell me when she leaves our yard.”

“Let’s call and see.”

“Gus,” Ray said coming outside from the house. “What’s going on?”

“We can’t find Bree?”

“She has to be around here somewhere,” Ray said confidently. “We didn’t see her as we came up the lane.”

“I’m calling Emmett, Rachel and Ben,” Brian said heading inside.



*****



“Is Unca Mikey really sick?” Bree asked after they had studied the stream for some time.

“Yeah.”

“What’s wrong with him? He’s real skinny.”

“He has what’s called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.”

“Is that why he’s tired all the time?”

Ben nodded. “It makes him feel weak and tired and grumpy.”

“Oh? He’ll get better, right?’

“He will, but it will take a long time.”

“That’s no good.”

“No it isn’t,” Ben agreed. “But only time, diet and exercise will help – mostly time.”

“Is Mr. Gerry going to help with the exercises?” Bree asked.

“I think that might be arranged. I’ve been talking to a naturopath and we have some remedies we’re going to try too.”

“You should try everything. I want Unca Mikey to get better quick.”

“That makes two of us.”

“Woof,” Beau said.

Ben and Bree turned towards the path as most of the family rushed into the clearing.

“Fuck, Bree, we were so worried,” Brian yelled as he brought up the rear of the group. His boot slowed him down.

“I’m fine, Dada,” Bree said. “What’s going on?”

“You know you’re not allowed at the stream without permission,” Justin said firmly as he hugged his “missing” daughter.

“I was with Unca Ben,” Bree said in all innocence.

“It’s my fault,” Ben said quickly. “I should have told you that I was taking Bree to the stream.”

“That’s right, you should have,” Brian snapped, his worry over Bree’s whereabouts making his temper short.

“Dada, don’t be mad at Unca Ben. I should have told you where we were going.”

“Yes, you should,” Brian stated clearly.

“Sowwy, Dada,” Bree replied in her little girl voice. She was beginning to realize that she was in big trouble.

“That baby voice won’t help,” Justin said sternly. “We were so worried.”

“Sowwy,” Bree repeated.

“Don’t blame Bree,” Ben jumped in. “I heard her talking to Beau in the Wendy house and asked her if she wanted to come to the stream with me. I should have told you guys.”

“It’s over now and everybody’s fine,” John said sensibly. “Let’s go have dinner.”

“Yeah, dinner,” Brian groused. He had certainly lost his appetite. “You better go talk to your husband, professor. I woke him up when I called to see if Bree was with you at the new cottage.”

“I wouldn’t go there, Dada,” Bree said. “Unca Mikey needs his rest.”

“Yes, he does,” Ben said. “I better get back and make sure he’s okay. Thanks for our talk, Bree.” Ben hurried away.

“Bring Michael for dinner if he feels up to it,” Bobby called after him.

“We should go back home,” Justin said with a sigh of relief. “Don’t ever scare us like that again, Bree.” He firmly took his daughter’s hand and the group of men who had been looking for Bree all started down the path to Edna’s Treasures.

“I didn’t mean to scare you, Daddy,” Bree said contritely. “Beau wouldn’t let me go to the stream by myself.”

“Woof,” Beau interjected. He knew he had done nothing wrong.

“I know Beau looks after you,” Justin agreed. “But we need to know where you are when we can’t see you. You have to tell us if you go off with somebody.”

“Even Gus?”

“Yes, even Gus.”

“Remember that, short stuff,” Gus cautioned. “I don’t want to get into trouble like Ben.”

“I will,” Bree said solemnly. “Dada, don’t be mad at Unca Ben. He was trying to make me feel better.”

“Why did you need to feel better?” Brian asked.

“Because nobody would play with me,” Bree stated. “I was all by myself. Everybody was busy.”

“Even when everyone is busy,” Brian began, “you need to tell us where you’re going.”

“I know, Dada.”

“What’s for dinner?” Ray asked hoping to lighten the mood. He immediately regretted those words as Brian glared at him.

“We need to let Rachel and Emmett know that we found our prodigal daughter,” Brian stated.

“What’s prodigal, Dada?”

“Someone who doesn’t tell their parents where they are going.”

“Oh, I didn’t know there was a word for that.”

Everyone coughed or snorted as they tried to stifle laughs.

“Maybe we should turn this into a barbecue. I think I have a couple of boxes of burgers in the freezer,” John said. “We can add to the salads.”

“Yeah, hamburgers,” Bree crowed enthusiastically.

“Don’t get your hopes up,” Brian said. He wasn’t ready to forgive his daughter for scaring the life out of him.

They emerged from the path into the backyard of Edna’s Treasures.

“I’ll call Emmett and Rachel,” Justin volunteered.

“I’ll get the hamburgers out of the freezer,” John said. He and Bobby went into the house with Justin.

“I think I saw buns in our freezer,” Gus said. When his father’s eyebrow raised, he added sheepishly, “I was looking for ice cream. Come on, Ray.” The two young men hurriedly ran into the house, glad to be away from that Kinney eyebrow.

That left Bree and her father alone. Brian merely stood in one spot and looked off at the sun lowering in the sky. Bree stared at the lawn beneath her feet. She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t like it when her Dada was mad at her.

“Sowwy, Dada,” she said when she couldn’t stand the silence any longer.

“Sorry won’t help if you’re lying dead in the stream,” Brian snapped back.

“But…”

“There is no but, Briana. This is a very serious manner. Something terrible could have happened at the stream, and we would have had no idea where you were.”

“But…”

“I don’t want to hear it. I know you were with Uncle Ben, but we didn’t know that. Do you have any idea of all the horrible things we were imagining might have happened to you?” Bree looked up at her father and shook her head. Her gaze went immediately back to the grass where she scuffed the toe of her van against the green strands. “Are you really sorry?” Brian asked. Bree nodded and looked up at him once again. “Is this ever going to happen again?” She shook her head. “I think you need to say it out loud.”

Bree stared into her father’s eyes. “I won’t go away from the house without telling you where I’m going, Dada. I promise.” She made an X across her heart with her hand.

“Okay,” Brian replied. He stared off at the sun on the horizon once again.

“Are you okay, Dada?” Bree asked. She wasn’t sure what to do. She wanted things to be right with her father. She didn’t like it at all when he was unhappy with her. She tried to think of what she could do to make it better.

Finally her father answered her. “I’m all right. Are you?”

“Not unless you still love me,” Bree said a tear trickling down her cheek.

“I’ll always love you, Squirt,” Brian said scooping her into his arms and hugging her till she could hardly breathe.

“I love you too, Dada.” Bree knew things were better. Her Dada had called her Squirt.

As the family sat eating hamburgers and salad a little while later, Bree looked at her father. He gave her that crooked smile he had and she felt a little better. Her hamburger didn’t taste quite as good as she thought it would though. Then it dawned on her that maybe it hadn’t been made with the usual amount of love that her Dada put into his barbecuing. She hoped he would get that back before they had hamburgers again. She sighed and munched contritely on her burger. Things would be better tomorrow, she told herself.