Showdown

Part 52

Jing-Mei ran her hand down the side of her head then bent down to eye level with Larry.

Jing-Mei: You do know what Dave meant by that, don't you?

Larry: I'm not sure. Sounds familiar, but I can't think right now. My head is spinning.

Jing-Mei: Try to. This is very important. It could be the reason why Dave shutdown on us.

More flashes pass through Larry's head.

Larry: I'm sorry. I see glimpses but then they go away. I can't figure them out.

Jing-Mei thinks for a moment.

Jing-Mei: The day you came over the house, you weren't feeling well. A cold you said you were coming down with. Could that have anything to do with a handkerchief?

Larry: I guess. Maybe. I just don't know.

Marty: How can you not know. Either it does or it doesn't.

Larry: I can't explain it. I just got this feeling. It's like a chill ran down my back when you said that word. A chill I didn't like.

Dr. Vazquez: Alright, that's enough for now. Larry, you need your rest so everyone is going to have to go.

Jing-Mei: Okay, but try to think about it. I hope you're feeling better and I'll see you later.

Larry's visitors left and he went back to sleep, concentrating on trying to make sense out of all the visions he was getting.

The next day, Jing-Mei got an idea. She asked Dr. Legaspi to come with her to visit Larry. She agreed and met her up in Larry's room. Larry, was starting to get more of his strength back but was still in great pain with his head injury. The painkillers they had him on caused excessive drowsiness so they weren't sure just how much they were going to get out of him.

Dr. Legaspi: Larry, I need for you to close your eyes and try to drift back there to that day. Just start saying anything that comes to mind.

As Larry concentrated, his brothers came into the room and stood in the background and watched.

Larry: I dropped off the tape at the post office, before I went to Dave's.

Jing-Mei: I remember you telling me that.

Dr. Legaspi: Very good. Go on.

Larry: Jing-Mei was right. I was sick. I'm not sure what that has to do with the accident.

Jing-Mei glanced up and saw Capt. Amos outside Larry's room. She excused herself and went out to speak with him.

Jing-Mei: What brings you by here?

Capt. Amos: I just got back from New York from some police convention and found out about the accident. When I heard Dave was involved, I insisted taking over and getting their statements. We have Dave's but not his friend's. That's why I'm here.

Jing-Mei: Larry's had a rough time. He has a head injury and we are just trying to help him remember what happened. Dave won't talk to us about it. Come on in.

Capt. Amos and Jing-Mei entered Larry's room and she introduced him around. He stood back and quietly listened as Larry continued.

Larry: Dave got bored with his therapy and wanted to go out driving. You said it was alright, Jing-Mei. I would never have allowed it if you were against the idea.

Jing-Mei: You're right. But, I was under the impression that you had alot of space out there to drive.

Larry: And I do...

Jing-Mei: Then how did Dave manage to hit a tree.

Larry: The only trees on my property are the ones near the road, unless you count the one next to the entry way going to my house.

Alan: That would be the one, little brother. I was out there and saw the accident site. There's nothing left except some burnt grass and the remains of that tree.

Jing-Mei: The cops said that Dave was speeding. How is that possible if Dave never took his foot off the brake.

Larry looked down to his fidgeting hands and fingers and then back up again to his visitors.

Dr. Legaspi: Larry?

Larry: Dave wanted to go out on the road to drive. I told him I didn't think he was ready. I don't remember much after that part except I guess I allowed him to coast up and down the pathway and possibly gave him permission to accelerate...just a bit though. Dave wouldn't out and defy me and floor it. He just wouldn't do that.

Dr. Legaspi: I assume he must have lost control of the car.

Larry: And I don't know why. He was doing really well, for a beginner.

Then Larry started to zone out again. The others stared.

Larry: He screamed.

Alan: I would too if I was doing 50 mph into a tree.

Larry: No, he screamed before we sped up.

Dr. Legaspi: What made Dave scream?

Jing-Mei: Maybe he was having another one of his migraines?

Larry: I don't think so. It was more of a scared scream and not a "I'm in pain" scream. He didn't grab at his head or anything. In fact, he started swinging at me. I think I spooked him.

Capt. Amos: Now, we're getting somewhere. Tell us exactly how you were positioned and what was going on.

Dr. Legaspi: Wait, Larry. Do you want to go on? You're still not as strong as you should be.

Larry: I think so. If I don't say what I have to now. I never will.

Capt. Amos: So, where were you when the crash happened? In the passenger's seat?

Larry: No, Dave's portable vent was up there, so I had to sit in the backseat. It was for the best anyway. With my cold, I didn't want to get too close to Dave and give it to him.

Jing-Mei: There we go with the cold again. That's got to have something to do with a handkerchief.

Larry: I took one out of my back pocket, to blow my nose, while I was in the car.

Marty: Maybe Dave saw it in the rearview mirror and it freaked him out.

Jing-Mei: But why would it?

Dr. Legaspi: Alright, Larry, what is the last thing you can remember before the crash.

Larry concentrates as more flashes go through his head.

Larry: The stick shift.

Alan: What about it?

Larry: Dave was asking me about it. What is it? What it does? When does he use it? That kind of stuff.

Dr. Legaspi: What did you tell him?

Larry: The basics. That I don't have an automatic and it's what I use to shift gears and that he didn't need to worry about it for now.

Capt. Amos: Then what happened?

Larry: We continued to drive up and down the path, til Dave screamed.

Jing-Mei: Just like that. Dave started screaming out of no where.

Larry: Yeah. One minute we were driving, the next he kept screaming and...swinging.

Dr. Legaspi: Swinging? I don't get it. Do you mean swaying back and forth on the path?

Larry: No, I mean swinging...like his arms...at me.

Jing-Mei: Why would Dave want to harm you? You're his best friend. It doesn't make any sense.

Capt. Amos: Larry, you said you spooked Dave? How?

Larry: Let me think.

Larry starts running the images from that day and right before the accident, the picture in his head slows down and he takes it frame by frame.

Larry: That's right. I was mistaken. Dave didn't just scream all of the sudden. I skipped the part with the seat.

Alan: The seat...of the car?

Larry: Dave was having the time of his life, driving and keeping himself occupied while I, on the other hand, was in the back seat having a sneezing fit. I realized when I stopped sneezing that maybe Dave was ready to at least learn about the other controls so I leaned over the front seat and pointed at the stick shift and that was when Dave started screaming. But why?

Jing-Mei: But why would Dave scream? He knew you were in the back seat of the car. It wasn't like you came out of nowhere.

As the group tries to figure out exactly what happened that day, two orderlies come in to take Larry down for some tests. He says goodbye to his visitors and sends them on their way.

Jing-Mei heads home and enters the house to see Antonio sleeping on the couch and Tei playing ball with Lucky. Rascal is relaxing on the floor nearby, sort of keeping guard over the kids.

Tei: Mommy!

Jing-Mei shushes him.

Jing-Mei: Shhhh! You'll wake your brother up. Where's your Grandma Peterson at?

Tei points to the back room as Lucky jumps up trying to get the ball from his hand. Jing-Mei goes into her bedroom and sees Mrs. Peterson reading to Dave. She stands in the background, trying not to disturb the two. But when Dave's attention is drawn to her, Mrs. Peterson turns to see Jing-Mei leaning in the doorway.

Mrs. Peterson: Excuse me, Dave. You look exhausted, Jing-Mei.

Jing-Mei: Just from the heat outside. It must be almost 100 degrees out there and carrying around this extra weight doesn't help.

Mrs. Peterson: Well, it will be worth it. In a little over a week, we will have a brand new life here with us. How did things go at the hospital?

Jing-Mei: Not bad. Larry told me a little about how the accident happened but now I have to find out why it happened. How's he doing?

Mrs. Peterson: Still hasn't said anything, but at least he's not pushing us away anymore.

Jing-Mei: Let me have a talk with him.

Mrs. Peterson: I'll start dinner. Rusty is out riding his bike and should be home soon.

Mrs. Peterson leaves and Jing-Mei moves over to the bed. Dave pushes the book at her.

Jing-Mei: You want me to read to you?

Dave nods.

Jing-Mei: You're a big boy. You can read it yourself, if you put your mind to it. I'll help you, though.

Dave starts to open the book when Jing-Mei's hand comes down and stops him.

Jing-Mei: But first, we have to talk. I went to see Larry today.

Dave's eyes popped at the sound of Larry's name. He wanted so much to ask how his friend was doing, but he stopped before he got one word out.

Jing-Mei: He's getting better. He wants to see you. He keeps asking about you. Why don't you come up and visit him with me tomorrow?

Dave shook his head.

Jing-Mei: You know, Larry told me a little about the accident...what he could remember, anyway. But there are some details he just couldn't fill in for me. He has no clue why you acted the way you did. You know, don't you?

Dave nods and then stares down at his lap.

Jing-Mei: I know something scared you and that's alright. You can tell me what it was and I'll make sure nothing will hurt you.

Jing-Mei waits for a response and gets nothing from her silent husband.

Jing-Mei: Alright, well when you're ready to talk, I'll be here to listen to you, okay.

Dave nods and then opens up the book to where Mrs. Peterson left off. He holds the book up and Jing-Mei reads along with him until they are called for dinner.

The next day, Jing-Mei was back at the hospital trying to get in to visit Larry. The nurse had just told her that Larry went down for some tests. She sat in the waiting area until she was able to get into see him. She was into reading her baby name book that she didn't notice she was no longer alone in the area.

Capt. Amos: Interesting reading?

Jing-Mei jumped a bit startled by the voice from behind her.

Jing-Mei: Capt. Amos, I didn't see you. I'm just trying to find a suitable name for this kid. What brings you here to the hospital?

Capt. Amos: I've been doing alot of thinking about what you said about Dave's car accident. I can't shake this feeling, so I came back to speak with Larry before they started to run the tests on him.

Jing-Mei: Did Larry tell you more about what happened?

Capt. Amos: He tried to. It's still difficult for him to remember most of the details, but he did add one fact that may prove to be important.

Jing-Mei: What was it?

Capt. Amos: He said that he remembered Dave yelling for Larry to get off him. Larry says he wasn't touching him.

Jing-Mei: Larry said he tried to grab the wheel and Dave wouldn't let him. Dave was probably exerting his independence and wanted to try to control the car himself.

Capt. Amos: Could be. Only one problem with that theory is that Dave was screaming those words before Larry reached for the wheel.

Jing-Mei: What do you think it means?

Capt. Amos: As I said, I've been doing alot of thinking the last 24 hours and I have my own theory about what might have happened.

Jing-Mei: I am so desperate to know what happened that I'll listen to any theory---right or wrong.

Capt. Amos: Let's take a walk.

Jing-Mei: Where are we going?

Capt. Amos: To see that shrink.

Jing-Mei: Dr. Legaspi? What for?

Capt. Amos: To fill her in on my idea and she what she thinks.

The two head down to Dr. Legaspi's office and as they stand at her reception area, the psychiatrist comes out of her office.

Dr. Legaspi: Hello Jing-Mei, Captain.

Capt. Amos: Do you have a moment, doctor?

Dr. Legaspi: For you anytime. Come on in.

The captain and Jing-Mei follow her into her office. They all take seats.

Dr. Legaspi: What can I do for you?

Jing-Mei: The captain thinks he knows why Dave crashed the car. He wanted you to hear his presumption.

Dr. Legaspi: Please captain, do tell.

Capt. Amos: Alright, from what I understand about the accident is that Dave, as we know, was behind the wheel and Larry was in the back seat. Larry, who wasn't feeling well at the time...

Jing-Mei: He just had a cold, is all.

Capt. Amos: Right. He had a handkerchief in hand when he leaned over the front seat and pointed to the stick shift.

Dr. Legaspi: So, what does it mean?

Capt. Amos: Let me demonstrate.

Capt. Amos arranges two chairs in the psychiatrist's office to represent the seats in the car.

Capt. Amos: Now, watch this. Jing-Mei, sit in that chair and you be Dave. I'll stay in this chair and be Larry.

Jing-Mei does as he asks and while she gets comfortable, he takes out his own handkerchief from his pocket.

Capt. Amos: Larry said that Dave was alright until he leaned over the front seat, that's when Dave freaked. He said that he grazed Dave's neck and Dave turned his head slightly to the right, looking at Larry stretching over the seat.

Jing-Mei: We already know all that.

Capt. Amos: Yeah, but something just got me to thinking. Dave has a problem putting things into perspective, doesn't he?

Jing-Mei: Well, he has dyslexia and he tends to see some things backwards and out of order, but I don't know if that's his dyslexia or part of his brain damage.

Capt. Amos: Now, remember we are thinking like Dave. We are getting inside his head and seeing the world through his eyes.

Dr. Legaspi: Got it.

Capt. Amos: What if instead of seeing Larry's hand with the handkerchief on the right side of his head, he in fact saw it on his left side.

Jing-Mei: What difference would that make?

Capt. Amos: A big one and probably the thing that spooked Dave.

Capt. Amos showed the lady doctors exactly what he was talking about. He put his hand, with the handkerchief in it on the right side of Jing-Mei the way that Larry did to Dave in the car.

Capt. Amos: That's what really happened. But in Dave's distorted mind what if he saw this.

Capt. Amos then moved the same hand, with the handkerchief onto Jing-Mei's left side wrapping his arm around her neck which would place the handkerchief up near her mouth.

Capt. Amos: Now, what does that remind you of?

The ladies think for a moment when Jing-Mei's jaw drops.

Jing-Mei: Oh god, Dave was remembering the day he was kidnapped by those bastards, wasn't he?

Capt. Amos: Exactly. At least that's what I think happened. What do you think, Dr. Legaspi?

Dr. Legaspi: It's interesting for sure. We won't know for sure if that's what happened until Dave opens up about it.

Jing-Mei: How can I get that to happen? He won't talk to anyone, except that one word and he's afraid to come back here for another session with you. I can't even get him to visit with his friend.

Capt. Amos: I have an idea that may help Dave open up about what happened the day of the accident, cause he does know. Also, it may help him remember his kidnapping, but I'll need both of your help.

Capt. Amos explains what he has in mind for Dave before he and Jing-Mei leave Dr. Legaspi's office and go up to see Larry.

Back home, Dave has finally come out of his room and is searching through the cabinets in the kitchen when he sees a box that catches his eye. He grabs it and takes it into the living room, where Mrs. Peterson is reading to Tei and Antonio.

Mrs. Peterson: Well, boys, look who decided to come out and get some air.

Antonio: Da...ddy.

Antonio stretches out his arms to Dave and Dave picks his son up. Tei waves at his new father.

Tei: Hi, daddy.

Mrs. Peterson: What's that you have in your hand, Dave?

Dave: Tttony.

Mrs. Peterson: The other hand.

Dave shows his family what he found in the kitchen cabinet.

Dave: Mmake ssome, mmommy.

Mrs. Peterson gets up from her seat and looks at the what Dave his holding up.

Mrs. Peterson: You want to make some cookies?

All three boys nod and start licking their lips.

Mrs. Peterson: Well, sure, why not. I guess it's the least I could do since you reentered the speaking world again.

Dave carried Antonio and Mrs. Peterson held Tei's hand as the four went into the kitchen and started to make their cookies.

Mrs. Peterson preheated the oven and got all the equipment out. She put the ingredients that she needed on the table.

Mrs. Peterson: Now, while I wash off the cookie sheets, I want you boys to start to crack a couple of those eggs in a bowl. We have enough mix here to make a couple of different kinds of cookies. Let's see, we have chocolate chips and then we can make a dozen roll cookies. I think I saw some cookie cutters in the kitchen drawer here. So, I guess we need about four eggs cracked. Two in that bowl and two in this one. You take care of that while I get the cookie sheets and cutters.

Tei and Antonio started to break the eggs in the bowls just as Mrs. Peterson asked. Dave wanted to take it a step forward. He glanced at the back of the box and read the next set of instructions, but with his lack of reading skills made it difficult for him to follow them right.

Dave: Oil, 1-2 cups of oil.

The boys continued to work until they were distracted by two snooping noses coming up from the floor.

Tei: Look Antonio, Rascal an' Lucky want to help.

By the time Mrs. Peterson came back into the dining room where the boys were working, she saw a site that at first upset her but then she couldn't resist laughing. Eggs were everywhere. Some in the bowl, some on the floor and Lucky on the table licking one of the bowls.

Mrs. Peterson: What has been going on in here? Lucky, off that table...now.

Dave: Ddoggies help ssons wwith eeggs.

Mrs. Peterson: I see that. Boys, the dogs aren't able to help make cookies.

Tei: Why not, Grandma Peterson?

Mrs. Peterson: Because they have no hands and...never mind. That's okay, we'll start over. I'll get rid of this and clean out the bowls and we'll try again.

Dave: Mine okay, mmommy. Ddoggies get ddidn't to this.

Mrs. Peterson looks into the bowl that Dave has and sees what resembles soup.

Mrs. Peterson: What is that, Dave?

Dave: Ccookies.

Mrs. Peterson: All I said was to crack eggs. That doesn't look like cracked eggs.

Dave reached for the cookie mix box and pointed to the next set of instructions.

Dave: Ii quick. II tthis do. Ssee, ssays oone tto ttwo cups oil.

Mrs. Peterson slaps her hand into her forehead.

Mrs. Peterson: No, sweetheart. That says 1/2 cup of oil.

Dave: Sscrewed up 'gain.

Mrs. Peterson: That's alright. Cooking takes some practice. You'll get the hang of it. If you'd like, I can teach you how. But you have to follow my instructions completely. Don't jump ahead of me, okay.

Dave: Llike tthat, mmommy.

Mrs. Peterson put the dogs into the backyard and then started cleaning up the mess. Once everything was cleaned, they started again. This time, Mrs. Peterson sat with the boys and explained step-by-step on how to make cookies.

After the batter was made, and the mixture was put on the cookie sheets, she let all three boys lick the spoons and bowls. She placed the first tray into the oven and started to make the next set. She showed them how to knead the dough and then roll it out with rolling pin. Tei and Antonio were uninterested. They were busy throwing leftover batter at each other. Mrs. Peterson ignored their actions and explained to Dave, who was very interested. She showed him just how to get the dough the right depth so it wasn't too thin or too thick.

She gave him the rolling pin and let him roll out some.

Dave: How's that, mommy?

Mrs. Peterson: Very good. Now we take the cookie cutters and start to press them into the dough, hard enough that they cut through the dough. Try to...

As Mrs. Peterson instructed Dave on cutting cookies, some batter flew past her and hit Dave in the face. Dave laughed at his playful sons and picked some up and threw it.

Tei: FOOD FIGHT!

Mrs. Peterson: Oh, no. I've lost total control over them.

Then Dave sent some batter over her way catching her in her hair.

Mrs. Peterson: You want to play that way.

As the Malucci food fight hit it's peek, Jing-Mei walked in and instantly was hit with batter thrown by Antonio.

Antonio: Mom..mommy.

Jing-Mei: What in the world is going on here?

Dave: Mmake ccookies ffor Rruzzy.

Jing-Mei: Where is Rusty?

Mrs. Peterson: He's over his friend Casey's house swimming.

Jing-Mei: Well, I certainly can't blame this on him.

Mrs. Peterson: Sorry, we were just having a little fun.

Jing-Mei: That's alright. Mrs. Peterson, will you take the boys into the bathroom and clean them up and I'll work on the bigger guy here?

Mrs. Peterson: Certainly, children come with me.

Mrs. Peterson takes Tei and Antonio into the bathroom while Jing-Mei starts to wipe her face and then Dave's.

Dave: Mmake ccookies with us.

Jing-Mei: Sure, but I need to talk to you while we do.

Dave continues to cut the cookies as Jing-Mei talks with him.

Jing-Mei: I've been by to see Larry today. He really wants you to come and see him.

Dave: Nno. Hhurt Llarry oonce. I hhurt Llarry 'gain.

Jing-Mei: Is that why you won't go see your friend in the hospital? Larry doesn't blame you for the accident. He really misses you.

Dave: Mmiss hhim too.

Jing-Mei: Then you'll come to see him with me tomorrow.

Dave shrugs and continues cutting cookies.

Jing-Mei: You think about it, but not too long. Larry's getting better and he's going to his brother, Alan's, house once he's discharged from the hospital. This way his brother can take care of him during his physical therapy. They live in Springfield.

Dave: Llarry lleave mme.

Jing-Mei: Just until he gets well and then he'll be back. Besides, you are getting so much better, look you don't even need to use a walker anymore, just a leg brace. Who knows, when Larry comes home you may not even need that. He'll be back. He wouldn't leave you forever. He's your best friend, right.

Jing-Mei hesitates for a moment and then a spark enters her eye.

Jing-Mei: In fact, you are doing so well that I'm going to speak with Dr. Romano and the hospital board about you coming back and working part time.

Dave: I bbe ddoctor.

Jing-Mei: Well, not exactly. You'll mostly be helping out but you can learn as you go. What do you think about that?

Dave: Ccookies ddone.

Dave gets up and carries the cookie sheet to the oven. He places them inside the oven and grabs a mitt and pulls the other cookies out. He places them on the countertop.

Jing-Mei: There is one other thing I need to talk to you about. I think I know what scared you when you had you're accident.

Dave (tensed up) Ddon't know talk about.

Jing-Mei: I think you do. You remembered the day that you were kidnapped.

Dave: Sso wwhat I did?

Dave starts lifting the hot cookies onto a plate.

Jing-Mei: If you did then, Capt. Amos and Dr. Legaspi think that the best thing to do to help you would be if we took you back to where you were being held while you were kidnapped. They want to take you to Hangar #7.

On that note, Dave dropped the empty cookie sheet.

Dave: NNNOOOO!

To be continued. Please read and review.