Book Five - Part Nine - Raging Evil: Chapter Three
Wednesday – August 27th
111 Homestead Lane – 6:45 p.m.
“Stevie, you had a concussion from playing baseball. The doctor said that in sports, concussions can happen often and sometimes you won’t even know it; a simple accidental head bump. An elbow to the side of the head. I don’t want to see you injured or impaired the rest of your life.”
“I know, mom. But I promise that won’t happen. I’ll be really careful. Besides, remember last season? I was never touched at all. I’ll be careful, honest I will. I just want to help the guys fulfill a promise we made for Jimmy. We dedicated our season to him.”
“Tell you what, Bub. We’ll go first appointment I can make to see the specialist. Let him run a few tests. If he determines you can’t play due to potential risks, you don’t play. If he clears you; done deal.”
As it stood, it was a done deal.
All during that time, the Twenty-Second was just not watching over Montie, they were collecting donations by check and cash at the Montie Arena. The T-shirts Stevie supplied were selling faster than expected. And, come that weekend, Stevie, Ellie, and all of his teammates, and Ellie’s parents, were knocking on as many doors as they could. The citizens of Montie gave and gave freely. Many gave as much as three or four times until the drive was over. When the final tally was made: $206,516.73 went to Jerry’s Kids.
Even so, there was both a happy and sad moment for Stevie. He, along with Ron, Dale, Carl Jr., DeWayne, and of course, Ellie, were all gathered at The Pit-Stop to have a last night with together with their friend, Jimmy Kerrigan.
One of the many team photographers from last year was taken from the school’s showcase and all the guys signed it and gave it to Jimmy.
Stevie looked directly into Jimmy’s eyes.
“This year, we all agreed to dedicate this season to the best basketball player Montie ever had. When we have our first game next Friday night, we’re going to retire your number, and just like the NBA, we’ll hang it in the gym where everyone can see it.”
It was both a good and bad time that night. The bad part was saying goodbye to a friend. That was the last night of the campaign for Jerry’s Kids.
Blinking her eyes and finishing her coffee, Baker glanced at the clock on the wall.
“Oh, hell! I promised Ed, I’d meet him at,”
Her cell rang.
“Baker.”
“You alright, Jan? I’ve been at Lucy’s twenty minutes and,”
“Say no more. I’ll be there in two minutes.”
Rastabella’s – 12:45 p.m.
“Lunch was delicious, John. Thank you.”
“Glad you enjoyed. I don’t come here very often, but when I do, I’ve never been disappointed.”
“What are your plans this week?”
“I have to attend a three-day seminar in Rochester from Wednesday to Friday. Tomorrow, I’ll catch up on as much paperwork as I can, but I’ll be free for the weekend.”
Samantha smiled.
“Free enough to spend the weekend at my house?”
“That sounded more like a statement of fact than a question.”
“Then, let’s call it a fact.”
“You talked me into it, Sam.”
Lucy’s Restaurant – 1:20 p.m.
Ed slipped an envelope across the table to Baker.
Looking inside, she saw one-hundred tickets to this weekend’s game.
“They are for any of the guys at the Station who want to see the game. All center-court seats, halfway up the bleacher stands, with a great view.”
“Ed, you didn’t have to do this.”
“I know, but I’m still a part of them when they walk in and out of that building every day. Besides, when the Pythoners win this weekend, and Stanhouse loses to Palymera, they’ll witness Montie clinching a Divisional Championship two years in a row. They are on the fringe of doing something no other school in the state has done: two back-to-back undefeated seasons!”
“Okay, okay, slow down, Mr. Excitement.” Baker smiled. “You are just a special kind of guy, you know that?”
“Of course, I do. You tell me that every day.”
“Brat.”
Baker poured coffee into her cup from the carafe and asked, “How are the studies going?”
“Online, okay. When I’m on campus in Brighton, the real-time classes are hard. Professor Simms is saying I’m making progress, but there are times when I feel as if things are slipping away from me.”
“Listen to Simms and not your head. If he says you’re doing good, believe it. I know it’s challenging work of a different order, but in four months it’ll be over with.”
“Then comes the bar exam the first Monday in January. That’s what scares me the most.”
“No reason to be scared, Ed. It’s paper with words on it. It isn’t going to reach out and do anything to you. You’ll be fine.”
“I know that, but if I do fail, I have to wait sixty days to take it over.”
“Stop worrying, Ed. You’ll ace it the first time out. You’re a smart man. I have all the confidence in the world you’ll pass.”
As they finished their lunch, Ed said, “Jan, I have to get back to the house. I have an online class at 2:45.”
“And I need to get back to my office. I have a few loose ends to wrap up before tomorrow.”
“Not to worry, I’ll be with you. I’m sure you’ll be given approval to adopt Leon.”
“God, I hope so.”
Baker’s Office – 2:53 p.m.
Baker had to get her monthly reports in order, then put them all on a disk. In doing so, she took a few minutes to get back to another solemn moment for the city, as well as fireworks to signify the end of summer.
It was the Friday before Labor day when she had been granted permission to take Leon with her, along with Stevie and Ed to the city park, where the largest ever display of colors would be seen.
For Leon, this was a special moment. Most firework displays in the past he could only see from a window. This would be his first time this close to all the explosions hurtling to the night sky.
Three hours long and it ended with the lighting of three specialty made displays. The first was the Statue of Liberty, who, when lit up was all in neon-blue and twenty feet tall. Then came the American Bald Eagle which drew many cheers and whistles, and finally, the American Flag. And what happened at that moment could have been written into a movie script.
There were nearly 10,000 people in and around the park and not a single person was sitting. Everyone was standing. Baker heard some people start singing the Star-Spangled Banner while others recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Make no mistake; Montie is a proud city.
But that wasn’t the only special day.
September 11thsaw the Montie Area packed to the rafters. Just as with last year, five families were recognized along with their loved ones who had died, were memorialized.
The Montie Hugh School Band would play Stars and Stripes, America the Beautiful, and of course, the Star-Spangled Banner.
Mayor Marsh, Captain Page, Governor Hawley, all gave rousing speeches. One person from each of the families spoke. When you heard their words, you would be hard-pressed to find a dry eye.
Then, something unexpected happened.
A man stood up from the audience, walked across the floor to the podium and as he did, he was slowly being recognized by each person he passed. When he finally made his way to the podium, he looked at Mayor Marsh, his hand extended for the microphone and said, “May I.” She stood back, as surprised as those who saw him, handed him the microphone, and walked over to her husband, clasping his arm, and smiled.
Looking out at the crowd he said, “I came here today because of your community, your willingness to help a neighbor or a stranger without being asked. I came here to witness your support, your love, and your continual courage to support those who have fallen; of those who have unknowingly gave their lives that we can have our right to freedom.
“I am here to say thank you, and God bless each and every one of you.”
Then, he walked around the podium, and he started singing. He sang from Minnesota to L.A.; words at that moment made everyone in the Arena, Proud to be an American.
Surprisingly, almost everyone in the Arena sang right along with Lee Greenwood.
Leon tugged at Baker’s arm. He didn’t know who he was until Baker explained it to him.
“But can he rap?”
Baker snapped out of her daydreaming again and saw it was nearly 4:30.
Another quiet day. Just the way she liked it.
6637 Dusty Lane – 5:45 p.m.
If you were to look inside the garage, you would see a compact car and a Chevy half-ton truck parked side by side.
If you were to look in the kitchen, you would see two men enjoying dinner together.
Patrick and J.W. had taken that leap of faith and vowed to be there for each other. It was on this night; they gave each other a special gift.
Patrick gave J.W. a necklace shaped into a crescent moon that held ten diamond chips. When J.W. gave his gift, he felt a little embarrassed, but when Patrick opened it, he saw it was the same exact thing he had given J.W.
“You got this from A Touch of Grace before they left, didn’t you?”
“Yes. I asked if she could make me something special for someone I cared for.”
“How oddly interesting is that. I pretty much said the same thing to her. It’s almost as if she knew about us.”
“Maybe she did. After all, it did seem her touch affected many of us while she was here.”
“I love you, Patrick.”
“And I love you, James.”
Johnson County Airport – 6:23 p.m.
Lee Austin returned after an exhaustive, and almost successful trip. The next time he went after Freddy, he would have a better plan and one that would work. He wasn’t about to let Freddy get away from him.