Chapter Ten: More Truths
Hey, I'm back. So here the longest chapter I ever wrote so far. Reviews are appreciated.
Part One: Drunken Confession
It was a silent day; the sun was out, but no one in the streets. Only the sound of the breeze could be heard. Everyone was inside, sitting around. Simon looked out the window and down the street.
Like Simon, everyone else who enlisted got a surprise visit from the army. It was truly a day for deep thoughts. Brothers went off to fight, along with dads, uncles, sons, nephews, and in-laws. The countdown began for those who signed up. Surprisingly, not all did. There were those who chose to stay, and others who went into hiding from the draft. Times really did go back. But what everyone couldn't guess was why.
Why?
Why did the states decide to leave? Why did so many men volunteer? Why did they?
Simon was one of those in question.
As Alvin looked over his taller, younger brother, he noticed the thing around his neck. Not one person knew what it was. Maybe it was nothing. But whatever it was, it had a deep impact on Simon. He would stare off into space and hold it in his hand, thinking.
Lilly went over to where her dad was standing. "Um…dad? What're you looking at?" she looked out the window too.
"Nothing, just wondering." He said not taking his eyes off whatever he was focused on.
"Oh." She said and went back into the kitchen where all the kids were.
"Simon, you can't keep pushing her away." Alvin said.
"I'm not." He said turning his focus on Alvin; "I just don't…" he stopped.
"Don't what?" Alvin asked.
"No, I might regret it." Simon slumped.
"What? What is so bad that you could regret it?" Alvin pressured.
Now Brittany, Jeanette and Theodore came in.
"Oh great." Simon huffed.
"What?" Brittany said in a tone.
"Well, Simon was ready to tell why he keeps pushing Lilly away." Alvin crossed his arms.
"I'm not pushing her away." Simon defended.
"Well, you might as will. She goes over to you and tries to start a conversation, and all you do is nothing." Alvin spat.
"I answered her, right?"
"That's not enough." Theodore joined in.
"Simon, she's your daughter, and you're treating her like a complete stranger. What happened to the Simon that cried over meeting her?" Brittany asked.
"Its just…"
"What, you regret knowing her now?" Alvin got mad.
"No. Its just…" Simon tried to defend himself.
"What then?"
"What if I don't come back!" he shouted. Everyone kept their gaze on him. "So what, we become the perfect father and daughter, best of friends, and for what, I just realized I might not come home!" he kept shouting, "And on top of that…" he stopped. "Never mind." He calmly said.
He went into the other room. He paced around for a while. Then he grabbed a book and hurled across to the opposite wall. He was so tensed up that he didn't realize he almost hit Lilly standing there.
"You hate me that much?" she asked with tears in her eyes.
"What…? No. Lilly. Please. Its not you…" he tried.
"What's going on in…?" Brittany saw the book on the floor, Lilly crying, and Simon standing opposite from Lilly. "You, don't move. You low lying bastard!" She ran over and grabbed Lilly. "ALVIN!"
He burst through the doors. "What's going on?" He saw Brittany holding Lilly, the book, and Simon. "What the hell! You can't tell us so you take it out on her?" he shouted.
"NO! I didn't mean to throw it at her. I didn't even see her there."
"Bullshit!" Brittany yelled.
"I'm serious."
Then everyone came in.
"Lilly!" Jeanette ran over to her daughter. She looked at Simon, "You…you jerk."
"I didn't do anything to her." He said.
"That's it." Robby went up to him and punched him right in the face.
"Robby!"
Simon stumbled back and looked up to no one restraining Robby.
"So, guess this is it." He wiped his mouth.
"Guess so." Robby answered back.
"I'm not talking to you." He stood back up. "I'm was talking about Alvin and Theodore, I guess this is it. Goodbye, so long."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Alvin asked.
"I don't show my face for twelve years and I'm treated like the stranger. You didn't even bother holding him back."
"You deserved it." Brittany said.
"No one was talking to you!" he point out, "Now I thought I'd come home for at least a week, and spend what time I had with you guys, but now, I just wanna get out of here." He headed for the door.
"Just where do you think you're going young man?" Miss Miller came in.
Simon sighed and continued to walk to the door.
"Simon?" Dave called this time.
Simon stopped dead in his tracks.
"What?" he said not turning around.
"Don't answer us in that tone mister." Miss Miller warned.
Simon just rolled his eyes.
"Simon, this isn't like you." Dave went on.
"Really? Then what am I like?"
"Not this." Jeanette answered.
"What do you know? Everything changed after you left."
"Hey… I told you…" Robby was pissed.
"What? What are you going to do? Hit me? Kill me?" he began shouting. "You'd be doing all of us a favor."
"Simon!" Dave said.
"What the hell's gotten into you? We were happy, and then…" Alvin started.
"Then you started accusing me of pushing me daughter away!"
"It seemed like it." Theodore helped Alvin.
"But I wasn't! The thing I wanted most in this world was a family! One big happy family. But that's not going to happen." He sat down.
"Why not, Lilly's here, and Jeanette still single." Brittany pointed out.
"She brought her boyfriend." He said hanging his head.
"I'm her best friend. I helped her when you couldn't."
"And that's my fault?"
Everyone looked around.
"Look, he didn't hit me." Lilly finally said. "I heard shouting so I hid in here to listen. Then he came in, walked around and just threw the book. He didn't even notice me."
"So if you didn't hit her, why throw it?" Eleanor asked.
"I didn't know what to do. I needed to blow some steam off." Simon said.
"But what got you really mad?" Dave asked.
"I need some air." He got up and walked out.
Later that night, Alvin and Theodore were still waiting up for Simon to come home. Alvin walked back and forth, Theodore just sat in a chair, trying to stay awake.
"Where could he be?" Alvin looked out the window. "I can't believe I actually said all that to him."
"Alvin, calm down, we were all rattled up from hearing that he enlisted." Theo said.
"You might have been a little, but I was full out pissed. And I lost it." He finally took a seat. "What if he doesn't come back?"
"Don't think like that. He probably just found a way to blow off his steam."
Then Alvin's phone rang. "Hello?...Yes…Yes….Ah…I see…Ok…we're on our way." He hung up. "C'mon." Alvin said picking up his keys.
"Where are we going?"
"To get Simon."
A fifteen-minute drive later…
Theodore noticed they were pulling up to a bar. He quickly got disgusted. "Simon's in there?" he asked.
Alvin nodded and went in. His little brother followed closely. They entered and saw only one figure at the bar, a certain chipmunk in his uniform.
"Its about time." The bartender said walking up to them, "He only had three drinks and he lost it. It was a good think this place wasn't packed."
Alvin and Theodore walked to Simon, knowingly he was a lightweight.
"Hey, Simon." Alvin said sternly.
"Oh, hey, what are you doing here?" the soldier hiccupped, "I thought you hated my guts."
"That was you." Alvin and Theodore held up their brother.
"That explains why I'm dressed like…this." He hiccupped again. "So, how was the prom?"
Alvin and Theodore couldn't help but chuckle at this. Never before had they seen Simon this drunk. Yeah, he had drank at their weddings, but not three full glasses.
"Okay Simon, in you go." Theodore said guiding him to the backseat of the car.
"That's…what…she said." He laughed.
"Yeah, I'm sure she did." Alvin started the car.
Then the two boys heard Simon crying.
"Don't go. I can't lose you. This cant be happening again! " he cried, "I love you!"
Alvin and Theodore just looked at one another.
"I'm not going anywhere!" Simon sobbed, "I don't want to lose you too. Angela! Angela! Please. Don't leave! Don't go…" he trailed off in his sobs.
"Simon? Who are you talking to?" Theodore asked, but noticed he fell asleep. "Alvin…" he turned to the driver, "What just happened?"
Back at home.
"Ok, lay him gently…gently…"
THUD!
"I said gently."
The two laid Simon on the couch after picking him up.
"Sorry, he slipped."
Then the Chipettes came in.
"Ellie, what are you doing here?" Theodore asked.
"I should ask you the same." She hissed.
"We were waiting up for Simon." Alvin explained. "Turns out, he was at a bar. Dumbass, got wasted on three drinks." Alvin smiled.
"Figures, only someone like him drinks their pain away." Brittany said.
"What do you mean like him?"
"He obviously has no reason to be mad. Even if he did, he wouldn't take it out on us." She got angry.
"Yeah, but Brit, I think there's more to it than that." Alvin said feeling Simon head.
"Why on earth would you say that."
"You guys know an Angela?" he asked.
"No." Brit said turning to her sisters, but they shook their heads.
"Because on our way home, he went into a fit." Alvin started.
"It was scary, I never seen Simon cry like that." Theodore said.
"Wait a minute, cry?" Eleanor couldn't believe it.
"Yes, cry, like flat out seriously cry." Alvin pushed the thought. "He said, he loved her, he didn't want to lose her, and he couldn't believe it happened again. You guys don't know anything about that?"
The girls thought back to the night Jeanette tried to tell Simon he was a dad, but he was asleep on the back porch.
"Well, when he was sleeping on the porch, he mumbled 'Love you, again, and lose you'." Jeanette said.
"I thought all that was for Jean." Brittany confessed.
"Well, its not. Who ever this Angela is, she had a big effect on him." Alvin said. "We're not going to get much out of him now, he's out cold. Maybe we can try tomorrow." He got up and headed upstairs.
"Come on Ellie." Theodore led his wife out.
"Don't worry Jean, he still loves you, remember that." Brit gave her a hug and a reassuring smile. She gave a weak smile back, and went home.
Part Two: Who is Angela?
The next morning, Simon slowly got up holding his throbbing head.
"Ah…Damn, what happened last night?" he wobbled and went to the kitchen. There he saw his brothers and the Chipettes. "Hey, how'd I end up here?"
"You got wasted last night, genius." Alvin criticized.
"On three shots." Brittany laughed.
"Oh." Simon said slowly making his way to the table. "Three drinks you said?" he said holding his head.
Brittany just smiled and nodded.
"Um, Simon, who's Angela?" Jeanette asked.
Simon went quiet. He turned pale, looked down, and his hands begun to shake.
"Simon?" Theodore put his hands on his shoulder. But Simon jumped back, knocking over his chair. He was breathing hard.
"Who is she?" Alvin pressured.
"I don't know what you're talking about." He turned to leave but was pulled back by his brothers.
"Aw no. You're not walking out on us this time." Alvin said.
"Let go of me Alvin." Simon struggled.
"Not until you tell us who Angela is."
Simon wrestled with them but their combined strength overwhelmed his. He finally calmed down.
"Simon, who is she?" Brittany asked this time.
He just glared at one spot, not moving, not speaking.
"Simon!"
"We got all day." Alvin smirked.
So for the next hour, they tied Simon down, waiting for him to talk.
"This is useless. We all know how stubborn he is."
Then Lilly came in. She noticed her dad all tied up and the adults surrounding him.
"Uh…I'm gonna go out on a limb and ask what is this?" she said.
"Just a little interrogation." Alvin said.
"Oh, well, mom? Can I go to the store with the others?" she asked.
"Sure, just be careful."
"Right…this coming from the one who tied up my dad." She was ready to leave until Carol came in.
"Jean, have you seen my…oh my goodness. What's all this?" she asked.
"Havent you heard of knocking?" Alvin glared.
"They're interrogating my dad." Lilly explained.
"What for?"
"We are trying to find out who Angela is." Theodore cheerfully said.
"Angela?" Lilly and Carol exclaimed.
"Great, why don't you tell everyone." Simon hissed.
"What do you know, he does talk."
"Who is Angela?" Alvin asked again.
"I don't know how you found out, but apparently you only know her name." Simon spat.
"You told us. Last night. When you were in your drunken fit." Alvin told him.
Simon's face fell. "What?"
"You were crying. Telling her not to go."
"Probably chased her away like he did with Jean." Carol said.
"Hey shut up! You don't know her or me. You loudmouthed Reb." Simon cried from his seat.
"All right mister, one, I'm not a loudmouth, two, I wouldn't dare be caught as a traitor."
"ALL RIGHT! Calm down." Eleanor shouted, "At least we know she exists now."
They all turned to Simon.
"Dad, who is she?" Lilly asked softly.
Simon lips quivered. He looked into his daughter's eyes, and saw worry in them.
"Lilly, please. Just leave it be." He begged.
"Dad, I may be young…" she held up his face, "but I know its not good to hold in things like this."
Simon sighed. For once, he actually seemed relaxed. "For twelve years, I didn't know you, and the last thing I want to do is lie to you." He looked down. "There's a lot everyone doesn't know about me. One of them is I went to your mother's graduation from Harvard."
"WHAT?" everyone shouted.
"You…you went?" Jeanette asked.
"I got an invite from Theodore and Alvin, but I said I was busy. But they soon figured I was lying. So, with that said, I wanted to surprise everyone. That's where it all started…"
Back at Jeanette 's graduation…
Simon stood in the crowd, holding a rose, looking around. He knew his brothers and their wives were going to be there, so all he had to look for was a red cap and a large group of chipmunks. But in this crowd, it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. He turned and twisted his way through until he saw them. There she was, Jeanette, as beautiful as can be. He took a step forward until a little girl came running up to her. Simon's breath caught. Then another chipmunk came into the picture. He was about the same age as Jeanette, and wore a graduation gown. He stood next to her and the little girl. Then Simon realized, they were a family. He dropped the rose he had and turned in the other direction. He took one last glance back and left without ever making an appearance.
Back in the present…
"I thought she moved on." Simon whispered still looking at the floor.
"Why didn't you just say hi?" Eleanor asked.
"I wanted to, but you all looked happy. And I didn't want to spoil that."
Everyone traded worried faces.
"After that, I didn't know what to do. So I just decided to drive back to Phoenix. I needed to clear my head, so I took the scenic route through the South. There were nice homes, tall buildings, and plain out fresh air, just what I needed. I drove and drove and drove, until my car broke down in Georgia. It was a cloudy day…
Back eight years, Simon was at a repair shop waiting for his car to be fixed. He looked up and saw clouds gathering. He could smell the moist air mixed with sweet grass. He closed his eyes and took it all in, then he felt a raindrop hit his nose. Within minutes it began pouring. He just stood out there, letting the cool water soak him.
Then he heard a voice. "Hey."
He turned to see a chipette with long brown hair and a thin curvy figure. She was wearing a light blue skinny tee with short cuts.
"You're gonna drown out there!" she called out.
Simon looked down and noticed he was soaked to the bone. She waved him over to where she was standing, which was under a porch. He walked over and when he stepped out of the rain, he felt the breeze pass him and sent shivers down his back.
"You know, doing that will get you sick pretty fast." She said looking him over.
"I know. Just wanted to do that. Don't get to appreciate the rain from where I come from." He said.
"Oh, and where would that be?" she asked.
"Arizona. Well, I'm originally from California, but now I live in Arizona."
"Really, I'm heading back that way soon. I moved out there to go to school, but my folks had to see me and wanted me to come back, so…that's why I'm here." The chipette said.
"Yeah, I had a graduation to go to. It was nice. Up in Massachusetts." Simon said looking at the attractive chipette.
"Are you kidding? You drove all the way from up north?" she asked.
The two just sat and watched the rainfall. Simon noticed she was looking at the mechanic in the garage.
"So, your boyfriend?" he asked.
"What?"
"You know, the mechanic." He gestured.
She couldn't help but chuckle.
"What?" Simon got offended.
"You Californians, he's my brother. I'm supposed to be helping him, but cars aren't my passion." She said.
"Oh…" Simon blushed. "Sorry."
"Don't worry. For awhile, I thought you were gay." She said blowing a stray hair out of her face.
"Excuse me?"
"Well, you did travel alone." She started. "I thought, a good looking guy like you, all alone, he had to be gay." She walked to the other side of the porch.
"And what persuaded you to change your mind?" Simon asked arms crossed and his eyes following her.
"You just checked me out." She said with a smirk.
Simon got even redder. "Well, I…um…that…" he stuttered.
She chuckled, "Don't worry, its ok." She stood next to him, like right next to him.
She turned to him, only inches away from each other.
"I'm Angela." She said gently.
"Simon."
They got caught in each other's stares. Simon shook his head.
"Uh…ahem…" he cleared his throat, "so, what do you do out here?" he asked.
Angela just smiled and looked up the road. "Well, that way is Atlanta. Whenever I get the chance, I head that way. Just to hang out."
"That's cool. What do you in Atlanta?"
"Whatever. Go to the mall, cafes, libraries, and anything to pass the time." She leaned on the rail.
Simon soon felt the bad side of standing out in the pouring rain. He was so cold he began sneezing.
"Told ya." She rubbed it in his face.
"So, you actually thought I was good looking?" he asked wiping his nose.
She rolled her eyes and blushed.
Then the mechanic came over.
"Hey Angie, you think you can run into town for me? I need some things."
"Sure, Ray. How long is his car going to take?" she asked. Simon just shrugged.
"Its all finished." He handed Simon the keys. "That'll do you." He said with a smile.
"Thanks. Well, I should get going…" Simon started walking toward his car.
"Hold on there, beach boy. I asked if your car was ready so you can take me." She placed a hand on her hip. "So are you?"
Simon and Ray just looked at each other.
"So did you give her a ride?" AJ asked.
Now all the kids were surrounding their tied up uncle, listening to his stories.
"Of course he didn't. He wouldn't just give a total stranger a ride would you?" Brittany shot a glare to Simon.
Simon looked more scared than ever.
"You didn't…" Eleanor hissed.
Simon just gave a weak smile.
On the highway, Simon was thinking about Jeanette. How she had a kid with another guy. He started wondering if she left him for that guy she was with. He was so into his thoughts that he didn't hear Angela talking to him.
"HEY!" she tapped his arm.
"Huh?" he snapped out of his trance.
"I asked what do you do in Phoenix?" she said a bit mad.
"Oh, I'm a student teacher at a high school." He told her without taking his eyes off the road.
"Really? That's awesome. I always wanted to teach." She said.
"Why don't you?"
"I don't have the time. My brothers keep doing something that brings me back here and I sort of don't have the money to go back to school."
"Oh, well, what do you do?" Simon asked.
"I'm learning to be a doctor." She looked out the passenger window.
"Well, that's not bad."
"I know, but I still wanna teach." She looked at him. "I'm more of a scholar."
Simon raised his eyebrow, "You like to learn?"
"What's that supposed to mean." She crossed her arms.
"Well, a beautiful girl like you…" He blushed. She just looked at him. "I mean…you don't look like the learning type…" he got redder. She crossed her arms again. "I didn't mean it that way…I just…you…" he shut up and went back to the road.
She laughed. "I know. My mom says that too. There's more to me than my looks you know."
"I know. Who am I to judge. I don't judge people. I guess I'm still in shock that you actually wanted to ride with me. In the same car." He blushed again.
"Well, we should do this more often." She smiled.
The ride was quite comfortable the rest of the way. When they got there, Angela took Simon to the mall, a café, and her favorite library. He was stunned to know a beautiful girl was in to what he was in to, beside Jeanette. He frowned every time he thought of Jean. But was cheered back up whenever he talked to Angela. When they got done, Simon dropped off Angela back at the garage.
"So, you heading back to Phoenix?" Angela asked standing in front of him.
"Yeah. My days-off are almost up."
"Well…can I see your phone?" she asked. He gladly gave it to her. "this is my number." She saved it on his phone. "Don't hesitate to call."
"Don't worry, I wont." He said. She gave him a hug. But as they were letting go, she leaned up and gave him a kiss.
"See ya in Phoenix." She said before turning to her house.
Simon stood there dumbfounded, with a huge grin on his face. "Looking forward to it." He said to himself.
Everyone was in awe. Simon found himself smiling.
"She kissed you?" Alvin asked.
"Yeah. I didn't believe it at first too."
"So what, you met a girl, that doesn't count for getting mad at all of us." Jeanette said with jealousy.
"I know it doesn't justify my actions, but there's a reason for the way I've been acting moody." He said looking at Alvin and Brittany. "So, Brit, since my hands are tied. Can you reach for this thing around my neck?" Everyone just looked at her.
"Uh…sure." She got up and took the chain off Simon's neck. "This? This is what got you all worked up?" she asked. "It's just a ring."
"I thought you were an expert on jewelry. Take a closer look." Simon said his voice cracking.
Brittany did so. She looked at it very hard for a while. Then her eyes went wide.
"Brit? What is it?" they all asked.
She looked at Simon. "Simon…? This…this is…this is a…" she could barely get it out.
"Brittany, what is it?" Alvin asked annoyed.
"This is a wedding ring."
Hey everyone. I know I haven't updated in a long time. So I hope this makes up for some of the wait. This is one of many more long chapters. If this is too much tell me. Review please.