Pop: Chapter 5b

     "Wait, what?!" Sam sputters out.  "What do you mean by 'sell the house'?  How can you sell our home?"

    "Sam,"  Dad begins, "that place hasn't been my home for years, if ever truly.  For goodness sakes, I almost had to take a piss in the laundry sink because I didn't think I could make it all the way to the hall bathroom and back without the wheelchair at your own graduation party.  That is no way for a grown man to live."

    "Dad, language."

    "For goodness sakes, Chris.  Sam's old enough to hear it.  He's probably said worse in front of his friends for a while now." Dads, but he has a point.

    "What about the memories? What about me? Where will I stay when I transfer to your school next year?" Sam starts to insist.

    Here it comes.

    "Memories!  You have no idea about how I feel.  You don't need an old, stuffy house for memories.  And you aren't ever going to that school either."  Dad looks like would say something else, but he turns to look at me first. He stares for a second, before turning back to Sam.  I get the hint and stay out of the conversation for now.

    "As to where you'll be staying, freshmen have to stay in the dorms, don't they?  For weekends and holidays, you can stay with me or with Chris and Addie at their place, although I think they deserve some privacy the first few weeks after the wedding."

    "Wait a minute."  Sam turns back to face me.  "You and Addie.  Last Christmas, you mentioned that you were going to remodel the upstairs after deciding to stop taking in renters.  You knew.  All the way back then that Dad was going to sell the house.  Didn't you?"

    "No, I didn't." I take a breathe before continuing.  "Last December, I was planning to remodel the upstairs before selling the place.  But this February, Dad informed me that he wanted to get a job elsewhere and move.  He was hoping for Kentucky, based on his history there from when he met my mother.  The project hadn't started yet, so I had the time to consult with Addie and we decided that Lexington would be the best place to stay.  She started looking at job offers while I contacted the contractors.  We were able to make enough adjustments so that upstairs would be done by June, and other changes could be started and done by fall, for the most part.  Honestly, I wanted to tell you, but Dad wanted to keep everything hushed until he got the confirmation."

    "No.  It was Addie wasn't it?  She's the one who put you up to this, this disaster.  She just wants me out of the way.  Forcing me and Dad out of the picture so she has you all to herself.  She hates us and will do anything to get us out of the way, even if it means losing everything."  Sam is raising his voice, all but screaming now.

    "SAM!  Don't put the blame on your brother and Addie.  This is all my idea, as I said."  Dad takes a stern approach.  Not sure if that will help. "It will take weeks, if not months to go through everything for the move.  I haven't even looked for a house down there yet.  And even after the move, it could take months, years even, before we sell the house.  Stuff will be here at least until the end of the year.  After we get back from Lexington, we'll start going through the personal things and the artwork.  They are the most important.  By the time Chris gets back from his honeymoon, we'll be able to start going through the furniture and stuff.  Some we'll take, some stays here for the realtors to deal with, the rest will be sold off.  It's not he end of the world, Sam.  This, this is for the best."

    How Dad manages to keep some much to himself is amazing.  I try to give him a look and nod to encourage him to tell Sam the rest, but. he deliberately tries not to make eye contact.  Meanwhile, Sam has somehow managed to keep on eating, almost cleaning his plate.  I've barely gotten halfway through my portion.  On some level, I'm kind of glad I haven't found a way to finish.

    We are all quiet for a few minutes, as Sam and Dad finish their meal.  I take a few more nibbles before leaving much of mine untouched.

    "I think it's time we leave, Dad.  We will all need the time to get ready for our trips tomorrow."

    "I think you're right, Chris.  You two best be off.  Call me later tonight," he pointedly looks at Sam,"both of you.  If either of you need to talk, or if the Lexington plans have changed.  You don't have to clear the table.  I think I can manage that on my own."

    Both Sam and I take our plates over to the sink, after I scrape mine back onto the serving tray.  Dad will either toss it or freeze it.

    "See you soon, Dad.  Call you tonight."  Sam just grumbles and nods Dad's way as we walk back to the door and into the Beretta.

    The silence builds as I drive us down the street.  I have to say something, without breaking Dad's trust.

    "You know, there might be something good that comes out of this.  If you just . . ."  A small pop interrupts me.  The stink hits me a second or two later.

    "Sam, did you just" I pause as Sam lifts up his left leg and lets out another one.  Longer, louder, and much smellier.

    I quickly start cranking the window down.  How drivers lived without power windows is beyond me. I all but stick my head out so I can breathe.

    "You know, you're just punishing yourself.  Remember, the passenger's window has been sticking lately.  You won't be able to get it down."

    Sam blindly stares at me for another second before he tries to grab the window handle to roll it down, to no avail.  He just glare at me back.  Just another one of the traits of the typical Burton male:  brown hair, hazel eyes, and emotional bouts of intense flatulence.  

    I grab my protein bar at the next stop sign and take a few bites to help get the stink out of my mouth. Besides, I'm still hungry. I'm glad I ate so little of the lasagna.  There's no way I could handle a trip with the threat of so much methane.  I just hope it's out of our systems before tomorrow.