Winter Season

All your fault!

Once at the ER, Oscar told them everything that Chet told him to say and little else. As he was being examined, Esther busied herself writing her statement. It had been a long time since she had written one of them. But like they say; it was like riding a bicycle, once you learn you never forget. It all came back with amazing speed. As Oscar was coming back to the waiting room, she was e-mailing her report to Chet.

“What did they say?” He sat down beside her.

“Pretty much you are right. I have a laceration on the inside of my left nasal cavity. They gave me a script for an antibiotic and as it were, sent me home.”

She put her hand on his thigh rubbing it softly. “This is snowballing.”

“Sweetheart, this is just insurance; incase he tries to claim that either of us pushed him down the steps or that you attacked him. If he is able to get the upper hand, think about what that could do to your teaching career.”

Oscar shuttered. “Until today, I would have told you that it was nothing to worry about, that Oat was just a blow hard nothing more. Now I don’t know.”

“You told me that you didn’t know him. Perhaps this is really who he is?”

Oscar looked shocked at the very suggestion. But then he remembered all the times that Oat had stopped by his house smellin’ of beer.

“Let’s go get your script filled.”

He softly shook his head and she pretty much guided him out the door. He felt drunk. As if he was living in a nightmare.

They sat in the parking lot of the drug store waiting on the pharmacy. “Do you want to go get something to eat?” Esther almost whispered.

“No.” Oscar took a deep breath and leaned his head back against the seat. “What in God’s name did she tell him?”

“From the sounds of it, she is tryin’ to pit the two of you against each other. And it worked. To what end, I don’t know.”

“How could you tell I was getting upset?”

She looked confused, “what?”

“At the house when I was getting mad at Oat and you told me not to get mad; how could you tell?”

“Oh,” she smiled, “your face was becoming flushed and your nostrils were flaring.”

“Why didn’t you want me to sit down?”

“That would have given him the advantage. He would have attacked you sooner.”

Oscar put his hands over his face and let out a long slow sigh, “I can’t believe this.” He jumped as his cellphone rang. It was his mother. He put the call on speaker so Esther could bear witness to this conversation.

“Hi,” was all he said.

“So you had Oat arrested?” She scolded.

“No, I had nothing to do with it.”

“You don’t sound surprised that he was arrested.”

“It was bound to happen someday.”

“You son of a bitch, don’t you care for your brother?” Esther’s eyes got as big as quarters. “That sheriff is supposed to be your friend. Call him and get your brother out of this.”

“No.”

She went on a cussin’ fit that would make a sailor blush and called Oscar everything but a man. “You want him to spend the night in jail like a common criminal?”

“If he deserves it, yes.”

Another cussin’ spree ensued. “He has babies at home to take care of!” She shouted.

“His getting arrested was a direct result of his actions.”

“I always knew you were callous but I had no idea you were so mean. Doesn’t it matter to you that your brother has a criminal record now!?”

“Again, a direct result of his actions.”

Esther was proud of Oscar. He wasn’t losing his temper and he wasn’t sliding into a panic attack.

“Why hasn’t that son of a bitch set bail? I will go get him.”

“I have no idea.”

She went on yet another cussin’ spree.

“May I ask you something?” Oscar questioned.

“What?” She growled.

“What did you tell Oat that had him so mad at me?” There was silence. Oscar looked over at Esther. “He kept going on about me taking everything dad had and leaving y’all with nothing. Where would he get an idea like that? You know as well as I do that when dad died he didn’t have anything.”

Silence. Oscar scoffed, “she hung up.” He showed the phone to Esther. And indeed, she had ended the call.

Esther never said a word. She figured that if he wanted to talk he would. It was obvious that his heart was breaking. He had tried to have a relationship with his family but they were so jealous of him they couldn’t stand it.

Oscar finally spoke, “what do you think she told him?”

“From the conversation with you, I think she told him that you took everything your dad had. He seems to think that your dad bought you the house you live in, paid for your education, bought your SUV, and that you took all of his money to do it with leaving him nothing.”

“Dad didn’t have anything.”

“I understand that. But I doubt that a drunkard did.”

They picked up Oscar’s medicine and left.

Once they had arrived back home, he took her by the hand. “I want to show you something.” He led her to the den and sat down in front of a computer monitor. He then guided her to his lap. “Please don’t be put out with me. I gave myself a Christmas present.” He wiggled the mouse and the monitor came to life. It was a security system. “Camera one is of my front door. Camera two is of my back door. Camera three is on the light pole in front of your house pointed at my house. Camera four is on that same pole pointed at your house.”

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“I wanted to make sure all of the bugs were worked out of the system before I did.” He rewound the data from today that was saved and they watched as Oat flipped them off, turned, and then fell down the steps. A copy of all the days feed was burnt to a c.d. for Chet.

“I think it’s sweet that you want to protect me.” She finally decided to take his gesture as an act of kindness and not an act of creepiness.

“I was afraid you would think I was being a peeping Tom.”

She stroked his hair. “Thank you.” The c.d. ejected and he put it in a sleeve writing Chet on the cover. “Do you need me to leave?”

“No, that’s the last thing I want.”

Later that night, Chet stopped by. “Just checking on you.”

“Thanks my friend, I’m okay.”

He handed Chet the c.d., “this might be useful.”

“Your mother is livid. She’s mad that the judge hasn’t set bail so she can get her baby out of jail. He’s going to stay there the night.”

Oscar pretty much fell on the couch, “this day has been one massive nightmare.”

Esther handed them both a cup of coffee. “Thanks,” Chet took a deep breath of the steam rolling off the cup. “Your report was amazin’. You have written a good many of them in your life time and it shows.”

“Thanks,” she sat down beside Oscar.

Chet finally sat down as well, “is there anything I can do? Do you need anything?”

“A family that doesn’t suck would be nice.”

Chet and Esther just looked at each other with sympathetic glances.

“What’s next?” Oscar let out a long sigh.

“That’s up to your brother. We’ve covered all your bases. Now it’s time for him to make the next move.” Chet finished his coffee and bid his friends good night.

Winter Season