Read Online End of the Road (Ghost Stories Trilogy #1) by E. J. Fechenda - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: E. J. Fechenda
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turbulence. I put an effort into trying to be more involved. It
hasn’t been easy, but I haven’t come home to any more burnt sandwiches. Feeling
our baby kick for the first time caused my admiration for Faye to grow tenfold.
She isn’t letting herself go; she actually has a person growing inside of her.
The doorbell rings and
Faye gets up to let Dan and Carol in. Carol is Faye’s friend from high school.
She is the only other from their group of friends who moved from Tucson to
Phoenix. I actually met Faye at Dan and Carol’s wedding. I was finishing up
classes at ASU and working for a catering company on the weekends to help pay
the bills. Faye was in the bridal party and I couldn’t take my eyes off of her.
Before the end of the night, and after refilling her champagne glass more than
a few times, we had a date.
Faye and I haven’t seen
Dan and Carol since Richie’s christening and I almost don’t recognize them when
Faye leads them into the kitchen. Carol is dressed nice and her hair is styled,
but the dark bags under her eyes dominate her face. Dan’s black hair has begun
to gray at the temples and he appears to be just as exhausted as is wife.
I recover from my shock
enough to ask Dan if he wants a drink, which he readily accepts. Carol sets
Richie down and the moment his butt hits the high chair seat he starts wailing.
“Oh no, Richie, not
again!” Carol cries. She lifts him out of the chair and walks away into the
living room. I notice Faye massage her belly as if soothing Junior.
Dan watches his wife in
silence and chugs his whiskey. “Can I have some more?” he asks. Faye takes his
glass and refills it.
Carol returns with Richie
in her arms and he is kicking and screaming. He has a fistful of her blonde
hair and she winces with every yank. “Sorry, he didn’t nap this afternoon. We
hardly go out anymore. Little Richie can be such a handful.” As if to emphasize
this statement, Richie lands a solid kick into his mother’s abdomen.
“See what you have to
look forward to?” Dan adds and hands me his empty glass for yet another refill.
“Let me show you the
nursery,” Faye suggests and steers Carol clear of the china cabinet, which is
dangerously close to Richie’s flailing limbs.
Dan follows me out to the
patio, grabbing the bottle of Jim Beam on his way while I grab the platter of
steaks.
The meat hisses when it
makes contact with the grill and I’m silent as I stare into the flames. This
certainly isn’t turning out to be the relaxing evening I imagined it to be.
“So, any advice for a
soon-to-be-dad?” I ask Dan.
“Run,” he says with a
lopsided grin. “I love Richie, don’t get me wrong, but I had no idea how much
work being a parent is. I thought with Carol being home that at the end of the
day, I’d return from the office, kiss Richie on the cheek and off to bed he’d
go. We’re lucky if he sleeps longer than 3 hours.”
“Really?”
Dan nods and takes
another gulp. “Another thing,” he points at me, swaying a bit on his feet. “I
wouldn’t wish colic upon my worst enemy.”
“What’s that?”
“Gas or something, but
the doctor can’t do anything for it. Richie has screamed pretty much his entire
first four months.”
“My God.” Now it’s my
turn to drink.
“Your life’s going to
change in a big way. Good luck, my friend.” Dan taps his glass to my beer.
“I’ve been thinking about
getting away before Junior arrives. You know Sam, down at the dealership?” Dan
nods. “Well, he offered me use of his cabin up by Flagstaff. I’m thinking next
month, when Faye’s mother arrives, is a good time to go. Are you interested?”
“Can I move there
permanently?” he asks and laughs. “Yes, count me in.”
We’re interrupted when
Faye and Carol walk out. Richie is relatively calmer and he regards me with big
blue eyes. I smile at him and his face scrunches up before he buries it into
Carol’s neck.
“Oh, now he’s shy!” Carol
laughs. She
hasn’t been easy, but I haven’t come home to any more burnt sandwiches. Feeling
our baby kick for the first time caused my admiration for Faye to grow tenfold.
She isn’t letting herself go; she actually has a person growing inside of her.
The doorbell rings and
Faye gets up to let Dan and Carol in. Carol is Faye’s friend from high school.
She is the only other from their group of friends who moved from Tucson to
Phoenix. I actually met Faye at Dan and Carol’s wedding. I was finishing up
classes at ASU and working for a catering company on the weekends to help pay
the bills. Faye was in the bridal party and I couldn’t take my eyes off of her.
Before the end of the night, and after refilling her champagne glass more than
a few times, we had a date.
Faye and I haven’t seen
Dan and Carol since Richie’s christening and I almost don’t recognize them when
Faye leads them into the kitchen. Carol is dressed nice and her hair is styled,
but the dark bags under her eyes dominate her face. Dan’s black hair has begun
to gray at the temples and he appears to be just as exhausted as is wife.
I recover from my shock
enough to ask Dan if he wants a drink, which he readily accepts. Carol sets
Richie down and the moment his butt hits the high chair seat he starts wailing.
“Oh no, Richie, not
again!” Carol cries. She lifts him out of the chair and walks away into the
living room. I notice Faye massage her belly as if soothing Junior.
Dan watches his wife in
silence and chugs his whiskey. “Can I have some more?” he asks. Faye takes his
glass and refills it.
Carol returns with Richie
in her arms and he is kicking and screaming. He has a fistful of her blonde
hair and she winces with every yank. “Sorry, he didn’t nap this afternoon. We
hardly go out anymore. Little Richie can be such a handful.” As if to emphasize
this statement, Richie lands a solid kick into his mother’s abdomen.
“See what you have to
look forward to?” Dan adds and hands me his empty glass for yet another refill.
“Let me show you the
nursery,” Faye suggests and steers Carol clear of the china cabinet, which is
dangerously close to Richie’s flailing limbs.
Dan follows me out to the
patio, grabbing the bottle of Jim Beam on his way while I grab the platter of
steaks.
The meat hisses when it
makes contact with the grill and I’m silent as I stare into the flames. This
certainly isn’t turning out to be the relaxing evening I imagined it to be.
“So, any advice for a
soon-to-be-dad?” I ask Dan.
“Run,” he says with a
lopsided grin. “I love Richie, don’t get me wrong, but I had no idea how much
work being a parent is. I thought with Carol being home that at the end of the
day, I’d return from the office, kiss Richie on the cheek and off to bed he’d
go. We’re lucky if he sleeps longer than 3 hours.”
“Really?”
Dan nods and takes
another gulp. “Another thing,” he points at me, swaying a bit on his feet. “I
wouldn’t wish colic upon my worst enemy.”
“What’s that?”
“Gas or something, but
the doctor can’t do anything for it. Richie has screamed pretty much his entire
first four months.”
“My God.” Now it’s my
turn to drink.
“Your life’s going to
change in a big way. Good luck, my friend.” Dan taps his glass to my beer.
“I’ve been thinking about
getting away before Junior arrives. You know Sam, down at the dealership?” Dan
nods. “Well, he offered me use of his cabin up by Flagstaff. I’m thinking next
month, when Faye’s mother arrives, is a good time to go. Are you interested?”
“Can I move there
permanently?” he asks and laughs. “Yes, count me in.”
We’re interrupted when
Faye and Carol walk out. Richie is relatively calmer and he regards me with big
blue eyes. I smile at him and his face scrunches up before he buries it into
Carol’s neck.
“Oh, now he’s shy!” Carol
laughs. She
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