Balancer's Soul (21 page)

Out of the blue Jenny asked “Connor, what is
going on?”

“What do you mean?” he leaned up against the
kitchen counter.

“You look a little…different. Like a heavy
weight has been lifted off of your shoulders.” She stepped closer
and gave him a once over. “Also you look like you have something
that you want to ask.”

“Like any good mom, you can see right through
your children.” He shook his head slowly to calm himself.
“Something has come up that I would like to do. I’ll need to take
time off of school and I need to ask Granddaddy if he will allow me
to work with him for awhile.”

Crossing her arms around her chest, she asked
“How much time off, exactly?”

Looking at her in the eye he said “About a
month or so.”

She nodded while still looking at him with a
businesslike expression. “What do I say to the school to explain
such an extended period of absence?”

“The school doesn’t care for or about me in
the least, but if they do happen to ask, tell them I’m out of town
looking at different colleges.” He had to make sure everyone stuck
to the same story.

A moment of silence ended as she said
“OK.”

Slack jawed, Connor asked “Ok? Really? Why?
What trickery is this?” Jenny would never consent to something like
this without a legitimate reason or hidden agenda. It’s not in a
mother’s nature to do something like this.

“Because Connor, you have never once asked
for anything for yourself. Ever since Sarah’s came into your life,
I’ve noticed a tremendous change in you. For the better I might
add.” She tilted her head quizzically. “Are you doing this for
her?”

Unashamed and smiling, he corrected her
question. “For us.”

“Well ok then, do what you have to do. Just
be safe with whatever you’re planning.” Jenny stepped closer and
gave him a proud hug.

After Connor called his grandfather to come
and pick him up, to which he replied “I’ll be there in thirty
minutes.” he walked into the living room and stood in front of Kara
to say “I’m leaving for a little while. Look after Mom while I’m
away.” She said “No problem, Brother. Come back soon.”

Connor looked meaningfully at Mark on the
sofa and tilted his head for him to follow. He took the hint.

Upon entering his room, and after Mark
stepped inside, Connor shut the door. He asked “What do you need,
Buddy?”

Looking into his silver eyes Connor asked
“Mark, you’re my only friend and the only person I trust. Can I ask
you for two things?”

He blinked once and the said “Name them.”

“At school, can you keep one eye on Kara and
the other on Sarah?”

“Done… And your other request?”

“Keep Mathew away from my fiancé.” he said
bluntly.

“Your fiancé?” He almost yelled. Connor
crossed a finger over his own lips for him to tone his voice down.
He complied by smiling and whispering “Are you and Ms. Sarah
engaged now?”

“Yes, and that is the reason why I’m leaving
for a little while.” Mark sat down almost in shock, but also a
little happy for his friend.

“Ok done. Just what are you up to?”

“I will tell you, but no one else can know
about this until I get back. This is a very big secret.” Telling
Mark his plans made his smile become wider and alter into a grin.
Changing the subject on him and catching him off guard Connor said
“Go Ahead.”

“Huh?” His silver eyes turned confused.

“You once told me that you were fine with
Sarah and me. Now I am telling you that I am ok with you and my
little sister.”

He spoke softly. “Thanks, but I don’t
know. She is so…
young
.” When
Connor looked into Mark’s silvery eyes just then he thought he saw
his pupils literally flicker with a faint white light. It must have
been his imagination.

Moments later Connor heard his grandfather
pulling into the driveway and he honked the truck’s horn twice. He
grabbed Mark’s shoulder in appreciation saying “Later, Bud.”
Walking to his closet Connor grabbed his duffle bag and filled it
with clothes. He ran into the open garage and grabbed Tool. He then
had another idea that would work in his favor. Connor walked over
to Kara’s wagon, untied the rope from the wagon and threw the chest
strap and rope over his shoulder.

Eventually Connor walked towards the idling
red pickup truck and opened up the passenger door. David sat
patiently, waiting in the purring vehicle that wanted to get a move
on. He sat his bag and chest strap in the bed of the truck and slid
Tool into the belt loop on his right hip. Connor stepped up and sat
down in the seat. “Ready, Son?” David asked casually.

“You bet. I have a lot to take care of.” And
David put the truck in reverse and effortlessly pulled out of the
driveway. As they were leaving down the street Connor saw Sarah on
her front porch waving goodbye, and he blew her a kiss without
alerting his grandfather to the deed. She blushed brightly in the
distance as he lost sight of her as a wall off trees flew by.

Connor loved making her go red in
embarrassment, but only when they were alone. He wasn’t sadistic
enough to intentionally do it in front of others.

After departing from his house and Sarah,
David and Connor were driving down the road to his grandparent’s
house in the old red pick-up. David wore his usual attire of a
plaid shirt and blue jeans with his worn out work boots that were
still dependable after years of hard work. His clean and slicked
back gray hair told Connor that he didn’t work in his forge today.
David started up a conversation, once things were settled in and
they were clearly away from prying eyes and ears. “Well my boy,
this is a different change of pace. I want to surprise your
grandma, so I didn’t tell her where I was going.” He had a playful
smile written on his face as he drove with little care. “How long
are you planning on staying with us? You were quite vague on the
phone.”

“Hopefully you can put up with me for about a
month.”

“Really? We get to spend time together for a
full month? It has been well over a year since you’ve stayed nearly
that long with us.” His eyes were twinkling with glee as did his
voice. His grandparents loved spending time with him.

“Yes a
full
month. There is something special I would
like to do during this time. It will cost a little bit, but I will
find a way to work it all off for you.” Connor stared straight
ahead while speaking. He then rolled down the window and rested his
right arm on the windowsill, letting the whipping motion of the
wind caress his face as the truck went down the road. Connor has
always loved the rapid breeze that comes from an open window, it
feels almost like one is flying.

“We can discuss the finances later, Son. Your
grandma is making dinner as we speak, so we can sort matters out
then. What I really want to know is what started all of this? What
has gotten you into this particular situation that is making you do
this?” He still continued smiling playfully.

“No use trying to deceive
this old man.”
Connor stated “Sarah did.”

“Oh really?” His smile turned into a grin
“What did your little girlfriend do exactly?”

Unable to hold it in any longer from him
Connor said “I showed her my chest!” He now looked at his
grandfather meaningfully.

David’s smile instantly evaporated and
replaced itself with a mask of anguish. The truck started
decelerating as he pulled to a stop on the shoulder of the dirt
road. No one, besides them, occupied the desolate road surrounded
by the forest as he steeled himself for what he needed to get off
his chest. David turned in his seat to look at his grandson. Connor
too turned in his seat too return the look with a calm and content
expression.

“Connor, I hate to ask, but how did she
handle your mark? And what was her reaction?” David sincerely
wanted to know.

Smiling softly at him Connor admitted
“I will not give you all the juicy details, but she handled
it
very
well.”

“Really?” He raised a questioning eyebrow
while still looking pained.

“Granddaddy, Sarah is the woman I have always
been searching for and she has also been searching for me as well.”
Connor smiled in reassurance.

Breaking into one of his deep belly laughs
David said “I’m so very happy for you, my boy. I couldn’t be more
grateful to that little lady now.” His body relaxed and his pale
blue eyes were saying that he meant every word.

“I would have thought you’d say something
like ‘Connor, don’t you think you’re moving a little too fast in
this relationship?’ or ‘How do you know she’s really the one for
you?’ … Granddaddy, how did you know when you were ready?” Connor
leaned his shoulder in the comfortable seat.

“You’re old enough now that you don’t
need me to lecture you in romance and dating. Plus it is weird
talking about it in the first place. And Connor you just know when
you find the right one. Age and status doesn’t matter when you find
the one you’re destined for. It’s like close up lightning. It
blinds and deafens you, only it never goes away. Apparently
you
do
know that your
girlfriend Sarah is the right one for you. I can see it in the way
you two looked at each other with those big puppy dog eyes. I’ve
met her just the once, but you two have a connection, that much was
clear to me. But instead of being close, you were hit head on by
that bolt.”

David then turned back in his seat and pulled
the truck back onto the road. The two of them sat in silence as
they traveled to the next fateful destination.

Twenty minutes later and still in
mid-afternoon they pulled into his grandparent’s dirt driveway.

Connor’s grandparent’s property is situated
on a sixty acre, family owned farm. There are two barns on the
property. One is two stories tall and is strictly used for the
cattle and is painted a typical barn red. They own fifty head of
cattle that they either sell at the market or used for personal
sustenance. The other barn is a smaller, single story structure and
is mostly covered in black soot, especially around the mouth and
chimneys. It’s where David utilizes his personal forge.

Their house itself is two stories and the
outside walls are painted a dull yellow. They have an old rusty
mailbox out on the main street, that has the word May written on it
in a faded white paint. In the main two story house, the upstairs
holds three bedrooms and one bathroom. Downstairs is a big family
kitchen, that is off limits when his grandmother is busy, an
entertainment room, a study and finally a dining room.

Getting out of the truck and grabbing his bag
and chest strap out of the bed of the truck, Connor caught up to
his grandfather at the front door. Connor looked up at the eve of
the door and written on it:

Welcome to May’s

Ranch farm and Black
Smith

That sign gave Connor a funny idea.

Opening the front door David called into the
house. “Hey Honey, guess who’s going to be staying with us for
awhile?”

From the kitchen Connor heard her voice “What
have you gotten us into now, David?”

“Hi Grandma, how are you doing today?” Rhoda
entered the room at the sound of his voice, wearing faded pink
shorts with a purple and white polka-a-dot t-shirt. She has a few
wrinkles like any respectable grandmother, but don’t let her looks
fool you. She knows where to hit any man where it counts, right in
the stomach, with no food. She retired not too long ago from being
a chef at a local five star restaurant. That being said, she is a
terrific cook. Her hair is mostly grey with natural blonde
camouflage peppered in and it is kept in a neat perm. She is as
tall as his mother, but is about a head taller than Kara.

“Connor! Welcome home.” She then looked to
his right and held a deadly accurate wooden spoon in her right
hand. Rhoda walked up to David and ruthlessly cracked him hard over
his head with it and the impact alone was hard enough that Connor
heard even his own skull rattle. “Why didn’t you tell me that
Connor was staying over?!”

“Rhoda, I wanted to give you a good
surprise.” David sat down on the arm of the sofa and rubbed his
head where she probably fractured the skull. After so many decades
he should be used to it by now.

“Your surprises are the worst… usually.”
Chastising him has always been Rhoda’s favorite game, seconded only
by hitting his head, one that she’s a master of. Many spoons lay
massacred over the long years.

“Play nice, Honey.” He smiled weakly.

“Oh, I will play
Nice
later.” She said menacingly and then spoke
playfully to say “We both know how much our grandson needs to eat,
to keep up his strength.” She turned to Connor and smiled warmly.
“Welcome home.”

Knowing his grandma was just teasing, in her
way, Connor said “Sorry to cause so much trouble.” he smiled to her
and leaned on the door frame. He sat his duffle bag of clothes
inside and slid Tool out of his belt loop and rested it on top of
the bag because his grandma will not allow him to carry it on his
person, inside the house. The only weapons are at her disposal.

“Oh no worries. I love cooking, you know
that, and you only eat so much because you burn off your energy
just as quick. Also I was looking for an excuse to clock your
grandfather over the head.” She pointed to her husband, turned and
started walking towards the kitchen with a pleased grin. “Supper
will have to be pushed back till seven.”

Before his grandmother left the room his
grandfather blurted “Rhoda, do you remember me telling you about
Connor’s girlfriend, Sarah?” She stopped in her tracks, but didn’t
turn around as she asked “Yes, why?” He said seriously to her back
“He showed Sarah the X on his chest.”