Showdown

Part 37

Monday morning, Jing-Mei hurried Rusty through his morning routine which seemed to take forever today.

Jing-Mei: Come on Rusty, let's get a move on it. You're appointment is in an hour.

Rusty: Can't figure what to wear.

Jing-Mei: What was wrong with what I put out for you?

Rusty: Don't like the clothes.

Jing-Mei: You liked them before. You're just stalling now. It's not going to work. Remember, the trip. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can pack for Florida. So, hurry up.

Rusty(to Rascal) How does this look?

Rascal started to whine.

Rusty: You're right, too babyish. Let's see.

Rusty starts searching his drawers and closets for a shirt.

Jing-Mei: Mrs. Peterson, are you taking Antonio to the park again?

Mrs. Peterson: I'm planning on it. Salvatore's family is going back to Italy tonight, so this will be the last time Antonio will be able to play with his grandchildren. Is that okay?

Jing-Mei: That's fine. Dave, Melanie will be here soon to work with you. I'll be right home as soon as we're done.

Dave: Iii wwant pplay in par...park.

Jing-Mei: Maybe another day.

Jing-Mei heads into her eldest son's room.

Jing-Mei: Rusty, are we ready....what in the world?

Inside Rusty's room, every piece of clothing he owns is thrown out on the floor. From under the mounds of clothes, crawls Antonio and two dogs and in the middle stands a guilty faced eight year old. Mrs. Peterson comes running in.

Mrs. Peterson: What's going...oh, my.

Jing-Mei: I hope you have an explanation for this, young man?

Rusty: I was deciding what to wear and the dogs were helping me, then 'Tonio decided to lend a hand and well...

Jing-Mei's face turns beat red and she wants so bad to yell at Rusty, but she remembers what they told her at her parenting class. So instead, she takes a deep breath and counts to ten. Rusty, seeing the frustration on her face, bends down and grabs a tee-shirt off the floor, without even looking.

Rusty: Found one, Mama Jing.

Jing-Mei runs her hand down her face.

Jing-Mei: Was that so hard that you needed to cause this mess?

Rusty: I love you, Mama Jing.

Antonio: L..ove mama.

Jing-Mei looks at her "innocent" little boys and can't help but hug them. Mrs. Peterson picks Antonio up in her arms.

Rusty: You not mad at us anymore.

Jing-Mei: No, how could I be. But, it's not getting you out of this appointment so start picking up these clothes. We're going to be late.

Mrs. Peterson: You two go ahead, I'll clean up here.

Jing-Mei: Thanks, but it's a lot for one person to do. We'll help.

Mrs. Peterson: Nonsense, I'll be fine. Besides, who said I'm doing it myself.

Turning her head towards the dining room.

Jing-Mei: Good idea. Now, Rusty find a pair of pants to wear and some socks...

Rusty: Got some on, and my pants are over there. Mama Jing, why I have to get braces?

Jing-Mei: To keep your teeth straight, healthy and looking good. If we don't take care of it now, it'll only be worse later on.

Rusty and Jing-Mei leave and Mrs. Peterson goes to work on his room.

Mrs. Peterson: Dave! Front and Center.

Dave limps in and starts to stare at the disaster in his sons' room.

Dave: What happen...hurrcane?

Mrs. Peterson: Yeah, a hurricane named Rusty. How do you feel about learning how to fold clothes today?

Dave settles down and they start sorting the clothes into different piles. Antonio, Rascal and Lucky would pick up the clothes and bring them to either Dave or Mrs. Peterson.

Mrs. Peterson: Alright, now that we got all the same type of clothes in piles, I'll show you how to fold them. The dress shirts and pants we'll leave go for now. I have to iron them, but I think we can get by with just folding the tee shirts and jeans. If it looks dirty, throw it into a separate pile and I'll wash it later. Now, first place the shirt, face down on the floor and straighten out all the wrinkles, then take one side and fold it back half way, like this.

Dave does as Mrs. Peterson shows him. Of course, hers are more straight then his but it's close enough.

Mrs. Peterson: Very good. Now, do the same with the other side. Then fold the bottom up to meet the top and flip it over. You should have a nice square and perfectly folded shirt.

Dave: Tthat ggood?

Mrs. Peterson: Yes. You sure you haven't done this before?

Dave shrugs.

Mrs. Peterson: Do you think you could do the rest of the tee shirts like that and then I'll show you how to fold the pants. I'll do the socks.

Dave nods and starts working on his next shirt. He watches how easily Mrs. Peterson folds Rusty's socks.

Dave: Ii ddo tthat.

Mrs. Peterson: Oh sweetheart, I think you're more suited for folding the shirts and pants. You really need to use both hands to fold socks.

Dave's eyes drop and Mrs. Peterson realizes that she unintentionally hurt his feelings. She goes over and hugs him.

Mrs. Peterson: I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. If you want to learn to fold socks, I'll teach you.

Dave: Iii nnever lleft hhand uuse. Iit always be ccrippled.

Mrs. Peterson: We don't know that for sure and even if it is, you do just fine with one hand. Hell, you do more with your one good hand then most people do with two good hands and you're twice as cute then most people.

Dave blushes.

Dave: I llove yyou, mommy.

Mrs. Peterson: I love you too, but Jing-Mei will have both our heads if this place is a mess when she comes home with Rusty.

Dave: Where tthey go?

Mrs. Peterson: To the orthodontist.

Dave: Oorto...donth...oor...huh, what?

Mrs. Peterson: O...rth..o..don..tist. A dentist specialist. He's going to see if Rusty needs braces.

Dave: Like mmy bbraces...or brace, now.

Mrs. Peterson: Same idea, but not exactly. These braces go on his teeth to keep them straight while they grow. It's a common adolescent situation that your son will have to learn to live with. It's all part of growing up.

Dave: Like folding lllaudry, right.

Mrs. Peterson: Absolutely.

Antonio: Ppotty, gganma.

Mrs. Peterson picks Antonio up and takes him to his small potty in the boy's bathroom.

Mrs. Peterson: Looks like both your sons are growing up, here.

Dave: I ggood ddaddy.

Mrs. Peterson: The best but no more stalling, back to your housework.

Dave(smiling)Yyeah, mommy.

Dave reaches for another shirt and then stumbles a bit to the floor as he grabs his chest. Mrs. Peterson hears a small bang.

Mrs. Peterson: Everything alright in there?

Dave recovers his bearings and through his clenched teeth replies.

Dave: Davey ookay. Mmommy wworry nnot.

He convinces her but not himself as he continues to fold his son's laundry.

With the laundry folded and put away, Mrs. Peterson bathes and dresses Antonio when there's a knock at the door. She wraps the baby in her arms and heads for the living room to see Dave entering followed by Melanie.

Mrs. Peterson: Hello Melanie, we'll be out of your way soon.

Melanie: No rush. Hello there, precious.

She tweeks Antonio's cheek and he lets out a small giggle. The two quickly get their things together and leave for Mr. Santini's apartment. Melanie, who is extremely impressed by Dave's physical improvement, helps him into the dining room and begins their lessons.

Two hours later, Jing-Mei arrives home and quietly tiptoes into the house, being careful not to disturb the two at work.

Melanie: Let's try the last page of this chapter and then I think we can call it a day.

Dave stumbles across the page but manages to finally reach the ending. Melanie shuts the book and runs her hand through his short hair.

Melanie: I can see your not only improving physically but academically too. Pretty soon you'll be able to read me back this entire book. But for now, you're really doing great and I can count you as one of my success cases.

Jing-Mei: I'm pretty proud of him too.

Dave: Davey's smart.

Melanie: We always told you that you were. I have to go but I'll be back for one more session before you go on vacation and I want you to recite me the chapter that we just went over, so practice, practice, practice. Bye now.

Jing-Mei: Bye.

Melanie leaves and Jing-Mei joins her husband at the dining room table.

Dave: Where's Rrruzzy?

Jing-Mei: I dropped him off at school. No reason he should miss anymore school than he's already...(Rascal and Lucky start sniffing around at her feet) going to miss next week. (pause) What's your problem, you two?

The dogs look up at her and start licking their chops.

Jing-Mei: Dave, did you feed the dogs today after I left?

Dave: No mmore ddoggie ffood.

Jing-Mei: It's under the sink where it always is.

Dave: Ggone.

Jing-Mei: That's ridiculous. I just bought some.

Jing-Mei and Dave head for the kitchen and look underneath the sink. The space is empty.

Dave: Ttold you.

Jing-Mei: I don't get it. I know I just bought a bag of dog food when I went shopping the other day...

Dave(twiddling his thumbs) Guess they bbeen eeating bbetween mmeals.

Jing-Mei looks at Dave, knowing he is hiding something from her.

Jing-Mei: Dave, where's the dog food at?

Dave shrugs and starts scanning the room with his eyes, being careful not to make eye contact with his distraught wife.

Jing-Mei: Dave, answer me...you're doing it again, aren't you?

Dave(rolling his eyes at her)Ddon't know what mmean you?

Jing-Mei: I think you do. You're feeding strays again.

Dave: Just the llittle ddoggies. Tthey hhungry.

Jing-Mei: I know they are and I feel sorry for them, but you have to understand that they are not our responsibility. We have two dogs here that are and they need to eat too.

Dave: Tthey ddidn't mmind ssharing wwith friends, huh guys.

Jing-Mei: I guess not since you were supplementing their diet with our table scraps. You know, I thought the yard has been looking pretty messy lately and I knew that Rascal and Lucky couldn't have done that much damage.

Dave: Ruzzy and Ttony cclean up.

Jing-Mei: I might have known they were in on this conspiracy too. That's it, it ends today. We are no longer a free cafe for four legged creatures.

Dave: Wwhy can't I ffeed them?

Jing-Mei: We have been over that already. Because once you feed them, they keep hanging around. We are not running a dog shelter here. Now, I'll be right back. I have to run down the corner for more dog food.

Jing-Mei leaves Dave with his furry friends. They come over and put their heads down on his lap, each with their head on one of his knees. Dave starts to pat them.

Dave: Don't worry ppals, wwe ffind another way.

Later, Jing-Mei is helping Dave wrap the dummy arm in bandages when Mrs. Peterson comes home with a hyper Antonio. She lets go of his hand and he heads over to play with the dogs.

Jing-Mei: He looks like he had fun.

Mrs. Peterson: Oh, he did. He loves that park and he was having such a good time with Salvatore's grandchildren. It's going to be hard for him now that they are going back to Italy.

Jing-Mei: Maybe, I should consider enrolling him in a playgroup so he can be with other kids his own age.

Mrs. Peterson: You don't think he's too young.

Jing-Mei: No, he's going to be two soon and it's time he started to mingle with other children. I think he's ready.

Mrs. Peterson: Something to think about. So, how did everything go at the dentist today?

Jing-Mei: The orthodontist took measurements and made a mold of Rusty's mouth. We have to go back on Friday for the actual placement of the braces.

Mrs. Peterson: I'm sure Rusty can hardly wait for that.

Jing-Mei: Well, he won't be waiting at the door that morning to go, but it may not be so bad. He's getting clear braces so that no one outside the family has to know. The orthodontist says that his teeth and gums are strong, he just has a small overbite and will probably only have to wear them for about a year.

Dave: Mmommy, llook wwhat I did.

Dave raises the bandaged arm up to show her.

Mrs. Peterson: Very nice Dave. You're already if anyone breaks their arm.

Dave: I get to move on nnow. Ii ggonna ggive nneedles.

Mrs. Peterson: Really, that's fast.

Jing-Mei: He was so good with the little girl at the hospital, that I told you about, that I want to get him more comfortable with needles and syringes so he can perfect that gentle touch of his.

The threesome are interrupted from below.

Antonio: Dad..dy....bring you present.

Jing-Mei: Here comes one of your accomplices, now. What does my little guy got there?

Antonio: Found...park. Here, dad..dy.

Dave: What you hhave mme for?

Jing-Mei looks at Mrs. Peterson confused and she shrugs back, just as confused. She lifts Antonio up on Dave's lap and he opens his hands that he has clenched together tightly. Their tongues drop out from their opened mouths.

Antonio: See da...ddy, I ggot yyou...Worms.

Dave: Nice ones, too.

Jing-Mei(shocked)Antonio, what in the world. Take those disgusting things out of here.

Mrs. Peterson: I am so sorry. I had no idea he was playing with worms in the park, let alone that he brought them home. He must of had them in his pocket.

She takes him off Dave's lap and sends him into the backyard to discard his "little friends". As he heads for the back yard, Rusty comes storming in the front door.

Jing-Mei: And here's your other accomplice. Rusty, how did you get home from school?

Rusty: We had early day off and they were going to call but Felipe's father said he take me home and here I am.

Jing-Mei: Next time you make sure they call. I won't make a big deal of this today because you're safe, but you know better than to ride with someone without my okay.

Rusty: I know. Don't talk to strangers, blah..blah..blah. That's why we have a password, but Felipe's father no stranger.

Jing-Mei: Even still...look, take your brother outside and help him get rid of those things.

Rusty: What you got, Tonio?

Antonio opens his hands and shows a delighted Rusty his worms.

Rusty: Awsome. They be great when we go fishing.

Jing-Mei: When you go where?

Rusty: Fishing. Papa say he take me and 'Tonio fishing, camping and hiking some day.

Jing-Mei looks back over at Dave who's still playing with one of the worms that Antonio left behind. She stares at Dave with a firm face and he signals to Rusty to come take his worm away.

Jing-Mei: He did, did he? What the hell goes on in this house when I'm at work? Feeding strays, planning trips and god knows what else that I haven't found out about yet.

Mrs. Peterson: It's just guy stuff. I think it's cute.

Dave: We go then.

Jing-Mei: We'll see when we get back from Florida. Maybe, we'll go camping.

Dave: NNO. DDADDYS AND LLITTLE BBOYS OONLY!!

Jing-Mei: Excuse me.

Mrs. Peterson: I told you---guy stuff.

Jing-Mei: We'll see and let's leave it at that for now. You two, go get those things out of here.

Rusty and Antonio head for the backyard. Rusty whispers to his little brother.

Rusty: Mama Jing knows about the puppies.

That night, Jing-Mei was awaken from her sleep by a tossing and turning Dave. She shook him to wake him up but he was so deeply asleep that it didn't work. As she touched him, she felt his skin covered in sweat. She turned on a light and looked at her husband. He had a terrified look on his face and she shook him harder to wake him up before he hurt himself. Finally after three minutes, Dave woke up. He shot up like a dart and sat in the bed, desperately trying to catch his breath.

Jing-Mei: Dave, are you...

Dave: Ddon't touch me...please pa..pa don't ttouch hhim.

Jing-Mei: Relax Dave, it's me Jing-Mei---your wife.

Once Dave calmed down, he looked over and saw his wife staring back at him. His breathing went back to normal.

Dave: Sorry Cchin. Bbbad ddream.

Jing-Mei: I see that. What was it about?

Dave: Papa wwouldn't llet mme ffeed mmy ddoggies too.

Without saying another word, Dave laid back down in bed and went back to sleep leaving Jing-Mei wondering.

The next morning, Jing-Mei is late getting up for breakfast. The boys are already at the table when she enters the kitchen.

Mrs. Peterson: Good morning Jing-Mei. Coffee's ready and eggs will be soon.

Jing-Mei: Fine, uh where's Dave. He didn't sleep too well last night so I thought he'd still be asleep when I got up but he wasn't.

Mrs. Peterson: He's been up for hours practicing his doctor stuff. He's already had breakfast---a bowl of Cap'n Crunch. I think he's in the back yard now.

Jing-Mei gets up from her seat and goes out to the yard. Outside, she sees Dave holding a small puppy in his hands, with other dogs sitting by his feet. She stands back and watches.

Dave: Ii ccan't ggo oon ffeeding yyou anymore. Bbut, Ii wwon't let you go hungry. Ii ppromise Lluciano, I never do that. Hhe ssaved mme ffrom papa and I ttold him Iii care ttake friends fforever. Ssomehow, I gget you ssome ffood. Wwe hhave sso mmuch to give, Ii ddon't kknow why Chin won't let me share. Razzal and Lucky are okay with. Bbut ddon't wworry, llittle friends. Yyou have Ruzzy and Ttony ttake ccare yyou, aafter I ddie.

The puppy starts to whine.

Dave: Ddon't ccry, llittle one. Ii bbe wwith Lluciano and tell him all 'bout you, guys.

Dave pulls the puppy in his arms, tight but not tight enough to hurt him.

Dave: Ddavey loves you, ffriends.

Jing-Mei walks over to her husband and Dave scrambles to hide his furry friend.

Jing-Mei: Dave...

Dave: I was just ttelling them can't hhang 'round anymore hhere. Ggo oon gget out here.

Jing-Mei: Dave, I heard what you said.

Dave(embarrassed)Oh. Well, I had ssay ggoodbye to them.

Jing-Mei: It's okay, Dave. I've been thinking. I was wrong. I shouldn't have ordered you to stop something that you enjoy doing.

Dave(smiles back at her)I ccan ffeed tthen. Bbut yyou say...

Jing-Mei: Hey, I admit it. I'm a soft touch too. As long as you and the boys clean up for them, you can. I'll buy one extra bag of dog food when I go shopping for you to feed them. Just promise me you won't branch out into feeding cats, too.

Dave(shaking his head) No, doggies wwon't llet tthem aanywhere near here. Ttthey ccan take themselves care anyway. Thanks Chin.

Jing-Mei: You can give them one bowl of Rascal and Lucky's food and I'll get them their food later on. Hurry up and come in, it's cold.

Dave: I will. Wwait here, guys.

Jing-Mei helps Dave stand and gets him his walker. He limps into the house beside her, coughing the whole way.

Jing-Mei: See, you're already catching cold.

Dave: Yeah, rright...a cold.

Both of them knew it wasn't a cold Dave was catching that was causing him to cough.

Friday came and Jing-Mei had another fight with Rusty about going to the orthodontist. She finally got a hold of him and took him crying and screaming into the car.

Rusty(crying) Ii don't want get braces.

Jing-Mei: We've been over this before. Now, you show Antonio what a big guy you are and stop that crying.

They drive off with Rusty still crying. Later when they come home, Rusty runs straight into his room and slams the door.

Mrs. Peterson: I take it he got them, Jing-Mei.

Jing-Mei: I guess so. He hasn't opened his mouth since he came out of the doctor's office.

Mrs. Peterson: That had to be very difficult for him.

Dave, who overheard the ladies' conversation, limps towards Rusty's door and knocks.

Rusty: GO AWAY!!

Dave continued to knock.

Dave: It's ddaddy...open door...NOW!

Within seconds Rusty opened the door and let his father in. Dave sat down on his bed and signaled for Rusty to get on his lap.

Rusty: I get spanking now.

Dave: Nno, nno, never hhurt. Tthat's wwrong. Jjust ttalk.

Rusty sits on his father's knee and both stare at each other uncomfortably, not knowing what to say.

Dave: Wwhat you mad at?

Rusty(through closed lips and clenched teeth) Nothing.

Dave: Can't understand. Open mouth.

After some probing from Dave, Rusty finally caves in.

Rusty: See, papa. I ugly.

Dave: You not. Yyou my kkid, rright. Ii nnot ugly, am I.

Rusty shakes his head no.

Rusty: Papa good looking, Rusty ugly, now.

Dave: Wwhy yyou tthink yyou ugly, cause you not.

Rusty: Cause of these.

Rusty grins at Dave and points to his teeth. Dave squints to see what he's talking about.

Dave: Ddon't ssee anything.

Rusty: Mmy bbraces. They clear so you can't see them.

Dave: Wwhat problem then, ddon't uunderstand.

Rusty: I know they there and people stare.

Dave: Oonly in you head. Yyou ddon't think 'bout them, no one else will too.

Aat lleast, yyou can hide yyour bbraces, Ii can't hhide mmine and what 'bout this hole in my throat. Wwe nnot perfect, so what. Nno one is. This is how god mmade us and we hhave to think hhe did it for reason. Hhe tthought we were big eenough to handle it. Yyou tthink I llike tthe way I am, I don't. Tthere's nnothing we can do but be strong and show ppeople nothing us ggets down. Wwhen yyou think about iit, yyou really llucky llittle bboy. Ii ggive anything be llittle bboy with cclear braces oon mmy tteeth that wwas healthy and ccan wwalk and rrun.

Dave points towards his walker and Rusty drops his head down in shame, embarrassed about how he acted.

Rusty: Sorry papa. You right, I guess.

Dave: Of course I am. You think Mickey Mouse is ggonna care aabout ssomething hhe ccan't ssee. Yyou sstill going to Disney World, right.

Rusty: Right, papa.

Rusty smiles at Dave and gives him a high five.

Rusty: We gonna Disneyworld.

Jing-Mei and Mrs. Peterson smiled from the doorway at the sight, both secretly hoping that Dave would be around long enough for them to go on their camping trip at a later date.

To be continued. Please read and review.