Raisin' Marty (A Novella) Part Two by Brett Matthew West Artwork by VMarguarite at FanArtReview.com |
(From Raisin' Marty (A Novella) Part One):
Unfazed, Marty turned to leave his mother's bedroom. As he walked out the door in a huff he demanded, "Why can't you and Dad get your act together? That's what needs to happen." "I know you need, want, and most importantly, deserve the love of a father, but...," Virginia's chastisement began as Marty disappeared out of sight. She let him go and hoped some day soon he would see the situation, and Tyler McDowell, in a different light. The same radiance she saw him in. Nothing would make her prouder where the green grass grew. ********************************************************************************************* ********************************************************************************************* Heavy tromping shook the house. "What, are you a pachyderm?" Marty's mother called behind him. "No," he responded. "Then, don't walk like one," she scolded him, "and, be sure you take a bath tonight. And, while you're at it, shampoo your hair." "Yes, ma'am," Marty replied. The carpeting on the stairs tickled the bottom of his bare feet. Dirty feet that kicked a soccer ball around the backyard all afternoon but despised the confinement of wearing shoes. "Ding dong! Ding dong!" The chime was as loud as a grandfather clock striking the hour. Marty didn't look down. He knew who the intruder was. Competition for his mother's affections. Someone who needed to be run off to preserve his family. Marty did not enjoy the way he felt like a fifth wheel, or an outsider looking in. "You look ravishing tonight," Marty heard Tyler McDowell compliment his mother. He stood a towering six axe handles tall and was lankier than his Dad. Still, Marty wasn't impressed. "Thank you. I feel like a queen tonight," Virginia replied. Marty did not understand the mushy way grown-ups talked. For her, an evening on the town was just the remedy the doctor ordered to relieve the daily grind of being a single mother. Marty heard the front door close as the couple headed for the blue Charger parked in the driveway. A comfortable breeze blew. Like gentlemen should, Tyler McDowell held the passenger door open and Virginia seated herself inside the vehicle. He walked around the front of the car, fob in hand, and climbed behind the wheel. There, he started the ignition and backed out onto Murphy Drive. Soft mood music by Andy Williams emitted from the radio. Conversation centered around the notorious Belleview Five case that held the tiny town of Lady Lake in intense throes. Many residents struggled with the heinous act. They anguished and agonized over how violent the human nature could be. The noon news on Channel 2 KTVN broke the report earlier that day. The police arrested five twenty-somethings in the case. They were charged with the savage slaughter of a psychically-challenged homeless man. Their confessions collaborated the group shot the hapless victim multiple times, broke both of his legs with a wooden baseball bat, secured him in a sleeping bag with duct tape, and tossed him in a burn pit. Not contented with their vile deeds, the killers shoveled ashes out of the pit, placed them in empty paint cans, and buried them throughout the county. The lead investigator assigned to the case? Lieutenant Tyler McDowell. He turned right onto Highway 27. It would be a short twelve minute drive to the theatre in Leesburg. After his mother left the house, Marty turned the television on in the den. He plopped down in her comfortable swivel recliner, which he knew he wasn't allowed to sit in. A bowl of hot, buttered, popcorn in hand. Game of Thrones aired. He liked the fantasy drama and watched each weekly episode. When the program finished, Marty returned upstairs. He tossed a few items into his backpack and grabbed a leftover newspaper from his morning delivery route. With a pair of scissors in hand, he cut a fragment from a page and carried the item downstairs. He placed it on the kitchen table and exited the residence through the front door. Upon arriving home later that night, his mother found the item Marty left her. She picked the present up and perused it. The clipping from the Village Sun newspaper read, "I am a forty-four-year-old woman. I met this incredible man online. He said his wife of fifteen years left him and he was sad about the break-up." Virginia pulled a chair out and sat down at the dining room table. She continued to read the snippet, "We exchanged correspondence for two weeks and dated. He took me to a movie and Olive Garden, an upscale Italian restaurant. All the while, he was a charming gentleman." A fleeting thought arose in Virginia's mind, 'This sounds familiar'. The extract went on to say, "Although I lived halfway across the state, I decided to move in with him on a trial basis. The things people do for love. Upon my arrival here I found he remains very much in contact with his wife. Because she pays most of the bills, she has unrestricted access to the house." Virginia thought about her new beau Tyler McDowell. She treasured his companionship, his etiquette, and his manner for fine attire. In her mind, there could be no doubt what she'd gotten into with him. Being half past midnight, she yawned heavy-eyed, stretched, and continued reading. The next part of the offcut was, "He's told me they would not be going through with the divorce and have scheduled counseling instead. Because I moved so far, he told me I'm welcome to stay in a guest room. There are no guarantees and his wife is not moving back in, for now. Do I stay or do I go? He's a wonderful man, well respected in the community, and delightful company." The clipping was signed, "Cake And Eat It Too". At the bottom of the article, Marty included a handwritten message that stated, "Maybe you want to live this way. I don't! I've decided to run away. Don't worry about me. You have your new "Mr. Right" now. I'll be okay. - Marty." (To Be Continued)
|
| ©
Copyright 2024.
Brett Matthew West
All rights reserved. Brett Matthew West has granted FanStory.com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work. |