Chapter 29: The growing pains of Baxter Stockman
"You will feel the wrath of...aahh" a young Baxter's threat was cut short by a scream as he was suddenly encompassed by a purple fluffy towel as the seven year old was dried off by his concerned and not in the least intimidated mother.
"Oh Baxter you're covered in grape juice" the young mother frowned as she knelt down to dry off her juice covered child, careful not to get any sticky liquid on her floral dress.
"Grape juice is the best," Baxter smiled as his head reammerged from the towel.
"I agree Grape Juice is delicious. What I don't understand is why it's covering you and half of our driveway? We're going to have ants."
"It's Billy from down the street" Baxter crossed his arms in front of his chest in a pout. "That big bully pushed me down and broke my glasses" tears started to well up in brown eyes. "So I vowed that he would feel the wrath of my juicy-inator, of doom!" Baxter fist pumped the sky.
His Mom let out a sigh. How her son had learned such complicated words such as 'vowed' and 'wrath' was beyond her. She couldn't deny her pride in her son's injunity and inventions; though she couldn't have him using his inventions to hurt others, even if that bully Billy definitely deserved it. ERRR she needed to talk to that boy's mother!
"Hunny, sweetheart" she knelt down to uncover her son's head from the now soaked towel and look into those deep dark brown eyes. "Darling you have such a magnificent brain" she cupped his cheek fondly. "You're so smart, sweetheart, and I know you're going to do something wonderful oneday." Her son beeminign in pride she patted his cheek fondly before letting her eyes trek over the disaster that was her front yard. "But" she let out a sigh. "That day is not today. Look at the mess you have made Baxter."
Dejected, the young boy hung his head as he looked around and saw what a mess he had made.
He turned his head around to look at his mother as she stood up and dusted off her skirt, her face set in determination.
"Now. What do we do when we make a mess?" she asked, arms folded in front of her, her foot tapping the ground rhythmically.
"Clean it up?" Baxter asked, fidgeting with his hands, eyes darting up to his mother questionly.
"Exactly" she smiled, bending down to face her son. She let her eyes drift around the yard once again "it really is a mess isn't it?"
Baxter nodded.
"Now, should we have created a machine that could create such a mess just to vindictively get back at a few bullies?"
"No" Bax let out a sigh.
"What does vindictiiiivonally mean?" he asked.
Blowing a strand of curls out of her face she had to ponder for a second.
"It means that when someone hurts you, you hurt them back instead of finding another way to solve the problem." Crouching down once more she asked. "How else could you have solved this problem?"
"umm..I could have gone to you?"
"Exactly" she booped his nose. "Now, let's make a deal, we'll clean this mess up together before your father gets home. Then I'll run down and have a chat with Billy's mother this afternoon. Okay"
"Okay" Baxter smiled.
"Okay so I need to connect the wires here, and loosen a few bolts there and.." Baxter sat back and smiled at his creation.
No more would he have to manually mow the yard, for now on he would mow no more! The grass had not won today. Today the whole neighborhood would see the genius of Baxter Stock..
"Hey look" a snicker came from behind him. "Look, Nerdo Baxter Stinkman has created a new toy."
"Oh it's much more than a toy" the teen answered, not turning around. He knew he should listen to his mother's advice and just ignore his old childhood bullies, but he couldn't pass up the chance to brag about his new invention. He had created a masterpiece! Something that would make life easier.
"This my small minded companions is the next step in yard tools. This can do more than mow the yard, it can trim the busses, pick up obstacles around the yard, and even.."
" esshh I get it, you fixed the mower. Man you're such a nerd!" Billy snickered
" Bet your dad wishes he had a son who played sports instead of with toys" another voice answered.
Closing his eyes the thirteen year-old listened as the bullies left. Although he tried to hide it the words stung. His mother may love his inventions, but his father has never understood them..or him.
While his mother asks questions, marvels at his creations and prompts him to push forward, his father doesn't even give his creations a second glance. Worse, he acts as though he's embarrassed, while his mother tries to turn every mistake into a 'learning experience' and always makes him clean up his mess if things go ary. His father doesn't even listen to his explanation! The first to make apologies when Bax gets in trouble, but he never even listens to Baxter's reasoning let alone believe him.
He does try.
He tried out for a few sports teams, but all those who dare oppose and pick on him seem to conjugate in such circles so it's not as though he wants to join. Despite that he pushes forward and tries to prevail. But sports are just so archaic. Bax lets out a sigh. No, it's more like he has no talent or physical ability for sports. Though he did try he never made any teams.
He didn't know how else to relate to his dad.
Sure he had his mom, but..sometimes he wished he was closer to his dad, or even had a friend.
He tightened his grip on his wrench. It was so hard making friends. Most of the kids misunderstood and judged him like everyone else. At best he was tolerated or ignored, at worst..he was flat out bullied.
Maybe if he had a sibling like a brother or sister they would understand him.
"Camile have you seen my tie?" His father's voice echoed from the bedroom.
"Yes dear, I laid it out on the bed" Baxter smiled as he watched his Mom shake her head from where she stood by the stove. "I swear he'd lose his head if it wasn't screwed on tight"
Baxter let out a snicker. His father had been flustered for weeks, they all were. Despite how smooth things had been going, they were all worried. Geratric, that's what they called it. A geratric pregnancy, he didn't need to be a genius to know that there was a significant amount of risk involved. He'd done some research on his own at the library, and although he mainly kept his worries to himself, he couldn't help his own unease rising the closer his mother got to the due date. His father was even worse than him, the usually quiet and controlled man was close to wits end with fret.
None of them were expecting this pregnancy. He didn't know all the details, but Baxter had known growing up that he was kind of like a miracle, defying the odds. It's why he didn't have any siblings, and thought he never would. Now later in years..it was more of a risk than ever.
Letting his eyes drift back down to his breakfast he couldn't help but hope.
He hadn't really shown it much but he was really excited about being an older brother. At first he hadn't known how to feel about it. What should he care, he had more important things on his mind than babies. He was fifteen for goodness sakes he didn't have time to play Nanny not with college just a few short years away, possibly less with his brains. He let out a sigh. But as time went on he grew more and more excited. He didn't have many people who were close to him or even understood him. But this would be different, this would be his family. He'd be there from day one and his sibling would get to know him. The real him. Not the nerd. Not the misunderstood loner. But him, Baxter Stockman. He'd protect this kid from the pain of the world, shield them from evil and judgement. Show them the beauty this world could hold. He...would be a big brother.
He even got to play a part in picking out a name.
His dad was sure it was going to be a girl. They had created a whole list of girl names, a list that included the names of both of their mothers. But neither of them really liked the names they had come up with for the Boy list.
Then he asked to add a name to the list.
Peter. It was the first time he showed how truly excited he was about their growing family. Both his parents liked the name, and since it was the only name the two of them agreed on thus far they promised that if it was a boy they would name him Peter. Baxter just knew that the baby was going to be a boy.
His mother used to say that rain was the earth's way of crying.
Rain was necessary to growing, just as crying is to healing. The rain makes way for new things, just as tears prepare the heart to push forward. He never understood his Mother's odd metaphors. He didn't understand when he was ten and had come home with a black eye and he didn't know when he felt like life had given him the biggest blow he'd ever been dealt.
Clenching his fists tight he fought back tears as he stood in the rain before the two graves.
The funeral procession was long gone, but he just couldn't seem to move. He couldn't leave his mother here he couldn't.
Tears stung at the back of his eyes as a sob of pere anguish tore from his chest.
It all happened so fast.
His mother went into labor. They all went to the hospital. Everything seemed fine. Then suddenly they were rushing her into an emergency surgery because the baby was breech.
Complications they said.
Such as a complex word. That is both so straightforward and yet ambiguous.
Complication, such a cold and detached word from the reality of it.
The reality is that both his Mother and Brother are dead.
The reality of it is that his Dad and him are alone.
The reality of it is that he lost the only person on this earth who understood him.
The reality of it is that it hurts.
It hurts so much!
Falling to his knees Baxter wrapped his arms around himself as he gave into the overwhelming grief.
He hated it.
He hated death.
It didn't seem fair.
Nothing had ever hurt this much before. Nothing!
"Come on Son" a grounding weight on his shoulder pulled him back into the reality of the moment. Back to the rain. "It's time to go home" his father was not a big or strong man but his voice had always held a calm authority. Never before had his father's voice sounded, so tired so quiet, so utterly broken.
"3.14159265359"
"I asked if you liked pie not to recite pi" the girl rolled her eyes as she stalked away, her high heels clicking against the sidewalk.
Baxter let out a breath, being social was such a challenge. Sure college wasn't nearly as soul crushing as high school but it was still hard. Though granted skipping ahead a few grades didn't help things for him socially back then.
As a child prodigy he had always been misunderstood, skipping several grades as his teachers struggled to keep up with his intellect. He'd been offered a scholarship to MIT years prior but at the time hadn't been ready to leave home. After his mother..passed away, he stayed at home and finished up high school that year graduating at the age of 15. He stayed at home with this father that year. The longest year of his life.
It was hard.
Emotions were not exactly his strong suit, and he'd never been close to his father. But the two Stockmen men where all the other had left.
Baxter let out a sigh, he still kept in touch with his father, though their relationship was...estranged.
Now near his twenties he'd grow a lot, no longer the scared boy broken by the loss of his mother. He was now a successful and upcoming scientist. He had many career prospects. After enrolling at MIT at 16 he was going to graduate in record time, excelling at anything he put his hand to.
He'd recently received word from home, his father would be attending his graduation this upcoming weekend. He hadn't been home since he left, home wasn't home anymore without his Mom anyways.
He hoped his father was proud. He wanted his father to be proud. Not many had achieved what he had at his age after all.
Opportunities were open to him now.
Now, the world would see what Baxter Stockman could do.
He had to pull his glasses off his face as tears clouded his eyes.
It wasn't supposed to hurt like this. He hadn't thought it would hurt.
But he was wrong.
Sure he hadn't been close to his dad, but losing him still hurt all the same.
After losing Mom they had formed a bit of a bond, they were all the other had after all.
After he left for college that following year, they still kept in touch.
A prodigy, graduating at 15 and attending one of America's top schools at a young age and excelling, he actually made his father proud. But with the sting of his Mother's loss still so recent it hadn't tasted as sweet as he'd always imagined.
He'd thrown himself into his studies, excelling at anything he put his hands to.
He graduated with honors.
Had many career opportunities open to him and even achieved many remarkable things.
But no matter how far he went, no matter how much achieved, he couldn't seem to escape the dark cloud that followed him. The dark cloud of bitter resentment, anger and loss like rumbling thunder and the hurtful words and attitudes of those around him like bolts of lightning. He couldn't forget or forgive those who had hurt and belittled him in the past, nor forget the pain of his loss, nor remove the anger, resentment and vengeance that clung to him as the wrongs against him added up.
Now, his father too was gone. Died at an early age from a heart attack. He too never got over their loss.
He'd always felt alone in this world, now he truly was. He had no friends and now no family.
But he didn't need that. He was Baxter Stockman, he'd make his own way.
He had graduated high school at 15. Attend MIT, excelled in their programs and graduated early with honors. No. The world was his for the taking.
He had a new job opportunity starting this coming Monday at TCRI.
Soon he would achieve greatness like his mother always said and everyone would know the name of Baxter Stockman.
Wow this was a hard chapter to write.
I loved writing Baxter's mother. I hope I did these characters justice.
This was meant to be introspective but I fear I didn't go as deep as I needed to go.
Please review. I'd love to hear your thoughts, comments, questions and or critiques.
God Bless
-windofmysoul
