State of Grace: The Sequel
Chapter 4
The next day found Teddy pacing his bedroom room early in the
morning. His dad didn’t need him until about nine out in the
fields. Teddy was in a dilemma. Who to invite to this bonfire? It
was a small town and Teddy had a handful of good friends. Except,
they were outsiders like him. His best friend, Hank, lived in the
rich section of town and couldn’t drive a tractor if he
tried. His other best friend, Jonah, was one of eight and had no
desire to live on a farm anymore. Teddy hung out with some of the
farm kids near him; he could fit in if he tried. He understood
everything they discussed; he just didn’t enjoy it. He
dreamed of wearing a suit to work, taking the subway everywhere,
and living in an apartment. He could work in an office, even a
cubicle…. he didn’t care. He needed to be free of the
open fields and wide, blue sky.
He had texted Jonah and Hank yesterday and gave him the
Taylor’s address. Wow, he thought, two whole friends. A knock
on his door interrupted his thoughts. Teddy’s mom
entered the room.
Annie Parker was gorgeous. She was a petite dark haired beauty who
could do work boots or high heels, a ratty old t-shirt or a
designer gown.
“Aunt Grace called me this morning,” she said softly,
sitting on his neatly made bed. “She wanted me to let you
know that word got out about the bonfire and the whole town is
coming, or so it seems.”
“The whole town?” asked Teddy, his palms sweating.
“Essentially. She said you don’t have to come but
she’d really like it if you did. It’s the first of the
season and you know how fun they can be.”
“I guess I’ll go…are you and Dad
coming?”
“We were planning on it but if you don’t want us to
come, we won’t,” said his mom.
“No! Of course you guys can go, I was just wondering,”
he said quickly.
“Good,” and she kissed him on the cheek, “Now,
about your birthday.”
Teddy would be turning 15 in November, two months away, but his
mother was an early planner. Last year, he got his first gun. It
was useful when the kids at school invited him to go to the range
but he couldn’t stomach the thought of hunting. His dad,
uncle, and grandpa went all the time and they stopped asking him
after his second trip, and his third time throwing up.
“Mom, I don’t want a party I’m going to be
15,” he sighed.
“I wasn’t offering you a party! I wanted to know if you
wanted to go somewhere special with us and maybe a friend or two?
How about the city? Or a different state?” she asked. She
seemed nervous.
“You mean like a road trip?”
“Well, your Dad said that’s a lame term but I think
it’s a perfect way to describe it.”
“Hey, what does Dad know about cool anyway?” Teddy
smiled as his mom laughed. Maybe his family wasn’t so bad. He
grabbed his boots and headed outside to join his dad in the yard.
Yeah, he thought, it wasn’t so bad.