CHAPTER THREE
After Wendy and her grandmother explained things to each other, her grandma looked at her funnily.
"What's wrong grandma?"
"Oh, nothing. I'm just remembering an old friend of mine. You whole experience reminds me of how I was treated when I was a young girl of your age."
"Really grandma? Your father was like mine?"
"Yah. Not as bad, but I felt probably just as horrible. Except, it didn't feel as bad when I was in love."
"I know how that feels."
"You're in love?"
"Yah. Well, I don't know whether to say I am or I was."
"What do you mean?"
"Me and this guy were going out for quite a while. On our one-year anniversary he disappeared, without a word. He hasn't been seen for a year and a day now."
"Really? What was his name?"
"Jake."
A smile appeared on the old lady's face, "He was nice?"
"The nicest guy I've ever met."
"Well, I think that's just a mystery you have to experience for yourself."
"Grandma, what are you talking about?"
"Oh, you'll find out some day, no worries."
"Now I'm curious."
"I suspected so. Well, before I get too carried away, I want you to meet somebody, but he won't be here until tonight, and even though your parents are horrible, you should go see them and tell them you need time to just clear things out. You can gather up some clothes and stuff and come back here. I talked to Lisa's mom, very nice lady. She said you could stay here as long as you want."
Wendy nodded. After they had finished talking, Wendy went with her grandma into the kitchen where Lisa, Ash, Mr. and Mrs. Patoka were sitting around the table. Since Wendy still couldn't walk, her grandmother helped her into the kitchen.
Ash looked up. He looked relieved that Wendy was doing okay. She sat down with everyone and they ate a pretty decent breakfast: Bacon, eggs, and toast. After Wendy was full of Mrs. Patoka's cooking, she decided it was time to go home to have a talk with her parents.
Ash decided to come with her, in case anything funny happened. He pushed her in a wheelchair Mrs. Patoka kept in the storage room. Lisa's dad had had a broken leg a few years earlier.
"Are you nervous?" Ash asked the very silent young girl.
"A little, but I have an idea what I am going to say. Thank you for coming along."
"My pleasure."
When they were at the end of the driveway, Ash stopped, "It's not too late to turn back if you want to."
"No, I have to talk to them, come on, let's go."
Ash wheeled her up to the big house and took her out of the chair. Together, they walked up the cement stairs into the house, where her parents were sitting in the living room. They turned when they saw Wendy.
"Where have you been, Wendy? Me and your father have been worried si- What happened to you?"
"If you don't mind, I am going to get some stuff, I am staying at Lisa's for a while until I get things sorted out."
"What so you mean?" both her parents said.
"Ash, can you go wait outside? I have the railing of the stairs, I will be fine."
"OK, are you sure?"
"Positive, I need to do this alone."
He nodded and walked out the door. Wendy turned to her parents, "You should know what I mean, I know you have been lying to me for quite some time."
"You found out about your little boyfriend then?" Wendy's mother sighed.
"Excuse me? What are you talking about? I was talking about grandma. She came by to see me today."
"Oops."
"But as long as we're on the topic, what about my boyfriend. I have guessed by now that it's Jake you're talking about?"
"We sent him away, just like your grandma," her father sneered.
"John, don't. Wendy doesn't need to know the truth."
"Yes, I think I have a right to know, don't you."
"Fine, you want to know the truth. Your father and I sent him away just like your grandma. Both of them were giving you wrong ideas that would lead you nowhere, so we got rid of them."
Wendy, holding onto the railing of the bottom of the stairs, found it hard to hold on. Jake was alive?
"Wrong ideas about what? And where is he?"
"Ideas that you could do anything that you wanted and that there is hope for you to get married and have a good life. Tell me what happened to you, I told you something you wanted to know."
"Why don't you ask my dear father, and I believe I asked where Jake is."
"What is she talking about John?"
When her father stayed quiet, Wendy spoke up, "He thought I should shut my big trap, so to teach me a lesson he decided to send me on a little trip down the stairs."
Wendy's mother looked at her husband, "John is this true?"
"No, she just has a wild imagination."
"Wendy, why would you lie about something like that?"
"Yah, just take his side like always, now, I am going to go get my stuff and when I come down, I want some answers."
It took Wendy longer to get up the stairs. Partly because of her injuries, partly because she was in shock that Jake was alive, and that her parents lied to her.
When she finished gathering up enough clothes for a week and some other stuff, she went back down to see her parents arguing.
"Now, are you willing to tell me where Jake is, or do I have to find out for myself?"
"He's in New York."
Wendy shook her head in disbelief.
"Don't shake your head at me, I am your mother. I only did what was best for you. Yet, all I have gotten during these years is attitude."
"No mother, I think you have it wrong. You guys never loved me. You did what was best for you. And how is taking away the only people who loved me, doing what's best for me? Don't even talk right now. I am way too disgusted to even think of you as my parents. And for your information, Dad did push me down the stairs, just like he hit me, and don't think of sending anyone for me, I will just run away again."
Wendy held onto things all the way to the door and opened it. She felt her dad's hands push her out, but Ash caught her. It didn't hurt, but she began to cry. Ash sat her down on the step.
"What happened?"
"Can I have some time alone? I will meet you at the house, okay? I just need time alone to clear my head. It's just been much too eventful these past two days."
"Sure."
Wendy wheeled herself along in the ravine. She thought of everything she had found out today and everything she feared was a lie, all a lie.
There was a rustle in the bushes and looked over, "Who's there?"
Wendy wiped her tears as a boy stepped out of the trees, "Hello."
Wendy looked the boy up and down. He was dressed in leaves and vines, and looked like he hadn't had a bath in quite a while, "Why are you dressed so funny?"
"Why are you dressed so funny?"
Wendy looked down. She was still in the jean skirt and pink t-shirt and sweater.
"Why are you crying strange girl?"
"I don't even know you, how can I trust you?"
"But you do know me. It's me Wendy, Peter."
"I'm sorry, have we met?"
"Yes, a long time ago, forty-six years I believe."
Wendy laughed, "I'm sorry, you must mean some other Wendy, I am only fourteen."
"So am I, silly. How are you only fourteen, only I stay the same age."
"Umm, what are you talking about?"
"Wendy, do you know what a kiss is?"
"Yes, of course I do."
"I would like to give you one."
Peter pulled out a small shiny object in his pocket and handed it to Wendy. She opened her hand. It was a thimble.
"Peter this isn't a –"
"Shh," Peter out his finger over Wendy's lips, "I know who you are. You're Wendy's granddaughter, aren't you?"
Wendy thought for a moment, Wendy was also her grandma's name, "Yes, I am."
"Wow, I feel like a fool. I knew your grandma."
"How did you know her?"
"When she was your age. I taught her how to fly you know."
"Fly?"
"Yes, would you like to learn how?"
Wendy smiled, this boy was very handsome, but confusing. He seemed like he was ancient sometimes, but also like he was young and immature. She was very confused about what he was saying, but she was curious, so she agreed.
"Peter, I would love to learn how to fly."
After Wendy and her grandmother explained things to each other, her grandma looked at her funnily.
"What's wrong grandma?"
"Oh, nothing. I'm just remembering an old friend of mine. You whole experience reminds me of how I was treated when I was a young girl of your age."
"Really grandma? Your father was like mine?"
"Yah. Not as bad, but I felt probably just as horrible. Except, it didn't feel as bad when I was in love."
"I know how that feels."
"You're in love?"
"Yah. Well, I don't know whether to say I am or I was."
"What do you mean?"
"Me and this guy were going out for quite a while. On our one-year anniversary he disappeared, without a word. He hasn't been seen for a year and a day now."
"Really? What was his name?"
"Jake."
A smile appeared on the old lady's face, "He was nice?"
"The nicest guy I've ever met."
"Well, I think that's just a mystery you have to experience for yourself."
"Grandma, what are you talking about?"
"Oh, you'll find out some day, no worries."
"Now I'm curious."
"I suspected so. Well, before I get too carried away, I want you to meet somebody, but he won't be here until tonight, and even though your parents are horrible, you should go see them and tell them you need time to just clear things out. You can gather up some clothes and stuff and come back here. I talked to Lisa's mom, very nice lady. She said you could stay here as long as you want."
Wendy nodded. After they had finished talking, Wendy went with her grandma into the kitchen where Lisa, Ash, Mr. and Mrs. Patoka were sitting around the table. Since Wendy still couldn't walk, her grandmother helped her into the kitchen.
Ash looked up. He looked relieved that Wendy was doing okay. She sat down with everyone and they ate a pretty decent breakfast: Bacon, eggs, and toast. After Wendy was full of Mrs. Patoka's cooking, she decided it was time to go home to have a talk with her parents.
Ash decided to come with her, in case anything funny happened. He pushed her in a wheelchair Mrs. Patoka kept in the storage room. Lisa's dad had had a broken leg a few years earlier.
"Are you nervous?" Ash asked the very silent young girl.
"A little, but I have an idea what I am going to say. Thank you for coming along."
"My pleasure."
When they were at the end of the driveway, Ash stopped, "It's not too late to turn back if you want to."
"No, I have to talk to them, come on, let's go."
Ash wheeled her up to the big house and took her out of the chair. Together, they walked up the cement stairs into the house, where her parents were sitting in the living room. They turned when they saw Wendy.
"Where have you been, Wendy? Me and your father have been worried si- What happened to you?"
"If you don't mind, I am going to get some stuff, I am staying at Lisa's for a while until I get things sorted out."
"What so you mean?" both her parents said.
"Ash, can you go wait outside? I have the railing of the stairs, I will be fine."
"OK, are you sure?"
"Positive, I need to do this alone."
He nodded and walked out the door. Wendy turned to her parents, "You should know what I mean, I know you have been lying to me for quite some time."
"You found out about your little boyfriend then?" Wendy's mother sighed.
"Excuse me? What are you talking about? I was talking about grandma. She came by to see me today."
"Oops."
"But as long as we're on the topic, what about my boyfriend. I have guessed by now that it's Jake you're talking about?"
"We sent him away, just like your grandma," her father sneered.
"John, don't. Wendy doesn't need to know the truth."
"Yes, I think I have a right to know, don't you."
"Fine, you want to know the truth. Your father and I sent him away just like your grandma. Both of them were giving you wrong ideas that would lead you nowhere, so we got rid of them."
Wendy, holding onto the railing of the bottom of the stairs, found it hard to hold on. Jake was alive?
"Wrong ideas about what? And where is he?"
"Ideas that you could do anything that you wanted and that there is hope for you to get married and have a good life. Tell me what happened to you, I told you something you wanted to know."
"Why don't you ask my dear father, and I believe I asked where Jake is."
"What is she talking about John?"
When her father stayed quiet, Wendy spoke up, "He thought I should shut my big trap, so to teach me a lesson he decided to send me on a little trip down the stairs."
Wendy's mother looked at her husband, "John is this true?"
"No, she just has a wild imagination."
"Wendy, why would you lie about something like that?"
"Yah, just take his side like always, now, I am going to go get my stuff and when I come down, I want some answers."
It took Wendy longer to get up the stairs. Partly because of her injuries, partly because she was in shock that Jake was alive, and that her parents lied to her.
When she finished gathering up enough clothes for a week and some other stuff, she went back down to see her parents arguing.
"Now, are you willing to tell me where Jake is, or do I have to find out for myself?"
"He's in New York."
Wendy shook her head in disbelief.
"Don't shake your head at me, I am your mother. I only did what was best for you. Yet, all I have gotten during these years is attitude."
"No mother, I think you have it wrong. You guys never loved me. You did what was best for you. And how is taking away the only people who loved me, doing what's best for me? Don't even talk right now. I am way too disgusted to even think of you as my parents. And for your information, Dad did push me down the stairs, just like he hit me, and don't think of sending anyone for me, I will just run away again."
Wendy held onto things all the way to the door and opened it. She felt her dad's hands push her out, but Ash caught her. It didn't hurt, but she began to cry. Ash sat her down on the step.
"What happened?"
"Can I have some time alone? I will meet you at the house, okay? I just need time alone to clear my head. It's just been much too eventful these past two days."
"Sure."
Wendy wheeled herself along in the ravine. She thought of everything she had found out today and everything she feared was a lie, all a lie.
There was a rustle in the bushes and looked over, "Who's there?"
Wendy wiped her tears as a boy stepped out of the trees, "Hello."
Wendy looked the boy up and down. He was dressed in leaves and vines, and looked like he hadn't had a bath in quite a while, "Why are you dressed so funny?"
"Why are you dressed so funny?"
Wendy looked down. She was still in the jean skirt and pink t-shirt and sweater.
"Why are you crying strange girl?"
"I don't even know you, how can I trust you?"
"But you do know me. It's me Wendy, Peter."
"I'm sorry, have we met?"
"Yes, a long time ago, forty-six years I believe."
Wendy laughed, "I'm sorry, you must mean some other Wendy, I am only fourteen."
"So am I, silly. How are you only fourteen, only I stay the same age."
"Umm, what are you talking about?"
"Wendy, do you know what a kiss is?"
"Yes, of course I do."
"I would like to give you one."
Peter pulled out a small shiny object in his pocket and handed it to Wendy. She opened her hand. It was a thimble.
"Peter this isn't a –"
"Shh," Peter out his finger over Wendy's lips, "I know who you are. You're Wendy's granddaughter, aren't you?"
Wendy thought for a moment, Wendy was also her grandma's name, "Yes, I am."
"Wow, I feel like a fool. I knew your grandma."
"How did you know her?"
"When she was your age. I taught her how to fly you know."
"Fly?"
"Yes, would you like to learn how?"
Wendy smiled, this boy was very handsome, but confusing. He seemed like he was ancient sometimes, but also like he was young and immature. She was very confused about what he was saying, but she was curious, so she agreed.
"Peter, I would love to learn how to fly."
