Chapter One
Dribbling a basketball as he turns the corner on his way home from the park he hears a commotion then he sees her fall to the ground. Three kids, all boys running and laughing as she hits the ground. "Are you ok?" He asks kneeling down beside her. She tries to sit up and nods her head trying very hard to be brave. She shuns away from him as he reaches out to help her. However, when she looks up, the brown eyes staring at her are different, warm and caring. Placing the basketball under his right arm, he helps her to her feet with his left. "You have a cut on your arm; you better go home and tell your Mom." She tries in vain to look at the bruise but it is not in her eye's view. "Where do you live?"
"There," she points forward.
"Yeah, me too," he flashes a quick smile, "On the third floor, what about you?"
"On the one floor," she says proudly as she takes a step forward.
The one floor, he frowns slightly then shrugs it off. He releases his hold of her arm but she immediately tries to get him to hold her again, he does. Gradually they climb the stairs. "Which number?"
"Six, number six."
She reaches for the doorknob and attempts to turns it, it is locked. He knocks on the door. Moments later a short stature woman opens the door. "Carrie," she says surprisingly, "Why are you knock…." She notices her daughters' disheveled condition and the young boy next to her.
"Some kid knocked her down."
"He helped me Mama."
"Yes Carrie I can see that." She opens the door wider, Carrie steps forward while the young boy stands still.
"Come on in and have some cookies, me and Mama baked them."
He steps back, "No, no it's ok, I mean no thanks I have to go."
"Oh please, please, ah…." Carrie frowns, "What's your name? Mine is Carrie McDaniel."
"Bobby and I have…."
Carrie interjects, "Oh please Bobby, you have to try one. They're real good." As she speaks he can hear the manner of her speech, she is mentally disabled. He smirks, as he looks down the hall toward the front door, finally aware of why the others kids were picking on her, jerks.
"If it's alright," he faces forward. "With your Mom."
Theresa McDaniel's smile is a mile wide, "Yes Bobby its fine, please come on in."
He enters the apartment and places the ball next to the door, propping it up against the wall. He follows Carrie and her mother into the kitchen. For a moment, while Mrs. McDaniel is cleaning up her daughter Bobby is alone in the kitchen sitting at the table, with a glass of milk and four large chocolate chip cookies in front of him. Theresa returns alone, "Do they do that a lot to her, Mrs. McDaniel."
Theresa pours milk into a second glass and sets it across from him, "Yes they do, and she just tries to make friends with them but…." She reaches into a cookie jar and places two cookies on a plate. "Thank you Bobby."
"I didn't do anything, it was all over before I got there, she was on the ground." He takes a bite of the soft cookie, nodding his head in enjoyment.
"You like them Bobby?" Carrie asks as she enters the room.
"Yes I do, they're very good, Carrie."
"After cookies would you play a game with me?"
"Carrie," Theresa calls to her daughter as she replaces the milk carton in the refrigerator," Bobby may have other things to do."
Nodding his head, the longer he can stay out of his apartment the better. "Sure what game?"
Carrie immediately leaves the table; Theresa and Bobby frown at one another. "Bobby you don't have to."
"No Mrs. McDaniel it's alright, really."
Carrie returns with a checkerboard. For the next hour Bobby and Carrie play first Checkers, then Trouble and Parcheesi, each of them winning.
From the family room Bobby can hear the clock chime five times, "I have to go home now Carrie."
"Tomorrow, can you come over tomorrow?"
"Carrie…." Theresa says solemnly knowing full well that Bobby must have many others friends to spend the day with then Carrie, and it was most likely not on list of things to do.
"Can you go to the park?" He asks the question to Carrie but looks toward Theresa.
Carrie nods as Theresa answers, "Yes."
"Good," he stands, "I'll teach you how to play basketball."
Theresa follows him through the family room toward the door, "Carrie say goodbye to Bobby and get yourself ready, Daddy and Julia should be home soon from the dentist then we are going to Grandma's for dinner."
"K," she says then takes a step toward him, "Bye Bobby see you tomorrow."
"Bye, Carrie."
"Thank you Bobby, I ah," she pauses trying to find the right words.
"Mrs. McDaniel, I don't know anybody in this building or this neighborhood and I could if I wanted to make up plenty of excuses myself to get out of it."
"How old are you?"
"Ten, why?"
She shakes her head in surprise, "You speak and act much older than your years."
Bobby reaches for the doorknob, turning it slowly, "So I've been told," he whispers. "Bye Mrs. McDaniel and thanks for the cookies."
"Bye Bobby." She closes the door behind him, "What a sweet boy."
More to come
Later
The Mominator
