Chapter Two: Moving Out and Into Your Life: Part 2

Edgar Munsen sat at the bar at the local dive, The Fish Tank, a beer in front of him. He was more excited about this upcoming summer than he had been for one in his short eighteen years of life. Zoe had inspired him to go back to school, he had signed up for the summer school program and was going to take night classes to get his GED.

"It's never too late for a fresh start," she had said. Edgar hadn't seen her like this in a while; She was one of his favorite drinking buddies, mostly because she wasn't addicted to meth and she only broke into his house when her water got shut off to shower, unlike most of the other inhabitants of Industrial Skies Park in Bullworth Town. He knew she was better than what she had turned into, and he guessed Jimmy helped her see that. He didn't like the kid at first, just thought he was some snot-nosed trust fund brat, but the kid had vision, and guts. He admired that.

He ran a hand through his short clipped brown hair just as a middle-aged but attractive woman sat down next to him, motioning for the bartender. The bartender in question rolled his eyes and went back to wiping down the bar.

"I don't get it," she started and it took Edgar a moment to realize she was speaking to him, "I come in here every week and it takes this guy a goddamn hour to get me a drink."

"I'll show you a trick," Edgar said, smirking, "Hey Boris, you've got a paying customer here. You don't get many of those, how about some service?"

Boris grumbled and asked the woman what she wanted, she smiled and orderedf.

"Long Island Iced Tea, please," She replied.

Boris went to make her drink and Edgar decided to introduce himself, extending his hand, "Where are my manners, I'm Edgar Munsen."

"Deidre Phillips-Galloway, aka forever in your gratitude. I can't drink at home so this is kind of my sanctuary," Deidre replied.

"And you haven't even started drinking yet, you must really got troubles. You wanna talk about it? I'm told I'm a good listener," Edgar smiled warmly at the woman currently fidgeting with her wedding ring. Boris set her drink down in front of her. She took a long gulp, shuddering at the burn in her throat.

"Alright but, we might be here all day," Deidre warned. Edgar nodded for her to continue.

"My husband is a recovering alcoholic, a month sober. I knew about his problem before we became a couple. We work together, both teachers at Bullworth Academy, I helped him hide his problem when it got so bad he was almost fired. We got married when he went into AA, I knew it was a rash decision but when you get to my age you just don't want to wait anymore. He's been good, but I get this feeling he resents me. He's distant, the only honeymoon period was when he was drinking. Ever since the wedding, everything's changed," Deidre looked down, "I don't think we're going to make it."

"Do you think you're an enabler?" Edgar asked. Deidre pulled a tissue out of her purse and wiped her tearing eyes.

"I was. For so long I covered his classes, brought him aspirin, paid for his liquor when he was in debt, I felt needed and I guess I liked it, that's kinda screwed up isn't it?" Deidre smiled sadly.

"No more screwed up than anyone else in this town," Edgar said, "But it's not like that anymore, is it?"

"He's still really dependent on me. He has a sponsor but I'm still the one he wakes up at three in the morning when he's locked himself in the bathroom with a bottle of mouthwash. I think he resents that. He wanted an equal partner and he wanted to stand on his own two feet, but I'm still taking care of him."

Edgar took the distraught woman's hand, "You're doing the best you can. Don't beat yourself up too much,"

Deidre smiled and dabbed her eyes again, "You're right. And things aren't always so bad, there's a lot of good too."

Edgar's cell phone vibrated and he answered it quickly, shooting out a quick conversation and hanging up.

"Sorry, that's my boss, I gotta head to work. You gonna be okay here?"

"Yes, yes I think I'll be just fine. Thank you for listening," Deidre said, holding his gaze for an uncomfortable moment.

"Yeah...good. I'm just gonna..." Edgar took out his wallet and slammed some bills on the bar, but Deidre handed them back to him.

"Lemme get that. It was cheaper than marriage counseling."

Edgar smiled gratefully, nodding in approval and as a gesture of thanks, then headed out of the dive bar. Deidre downed her drink and motioned for another.


Meanwhile, Jimmy and Zoe sat on a bench in front of the bus station while Beatrice and Pete went to find a vending machine, an excuse to give the couple some privacy. Currently locked in a passionate embrace, Zoe's hand slipped to Jimmy's zipper. Jimmy pulled away.

"Um," Jimmy started breathlessly, "If you do that, I'll miss my bus, and be arrested for indecent exposure."

Zoe grinned seductively, "Come on Jim, live dangerously. I'm not going to see you for another three months."

Jimmy was just about to give in when Beatrice and Pete returned, bouncing towards the couple excitedly.

"You're probably going to miss dinner on that bus so I got you a sandwich, too," Pete said, handing Jimmy a soda and a simple turkey sandwich.

"Thanks mom," Zoe chuckled jokingly and Jimmy shot her a look.

"My mom would never do that for me," Jimmy said quietly. The teens sat still for a moment, uncomfortable. Just before Zoe was going to break the tension with another (hopefully less inappropriate) joke, a car pulled up in front of the station and honked. Zoe yelled for it to move along, as there was no parking in front of the station. The owner of the car then turned it off and opened the door.

"Oh shit," Beatrice exclaimed, reaching for the whistle around her neck. Pete looked at her.

"Seriously? You took that thing back from Mandy?"

"Why do you think she was looking for me earlier?"

A car door slamming ended that conversation and the four looked up to see who the mystery driver was.

"You should learn to watch your tongue in front of your elders missy, it could get you in a lot of trouble," the driver said. She was in a rather ill-fitting tight dress with makeup caked on haphazardly, giving her an almost Baby-Jane-trying-to-be-sexy visage.

"...Mom?" Jimmy asked, confused. Zoe stared in annoyance while Pete and Beatrice looked away, wanting to be anywhere but where they were at the present moment in time in time.

"No, I'm the Wicked Witch of the West," Mrs. Hopkins spat.

"We've heard," Zoe snarked before she could stop herself, Jimmy shooting her a nasty look.

"And just who the hell are you? Obviously you're one of the bad influences on my boy I keep getting calls from the school about. And you," Mrs. Hopkins turned from the couple on the bench to Beatrice and Pete who looked like deer trapped in headlights.

"You two must be Peter and Zoe, I've heard so much about you, keeping my son out of trouble," the smile plastered on Mrs. Hopkins face would have probably made Algernon pee his pants, Pete thought.

"No, mom. Well, yes, that is Pete, but this," he put his arm around the girl next to him, "Is Zoe. And I can assure you she is a very good influence. That's Beatrice, Pete's girlfriend."

Pete squawked in protest for a millisecond but when Mrs. Hopkins' attention turned back to him he put his arm around Beatrice, smiling. When her attention shifted back to her son, his arm quickly dropped and Beatrice's face fell in disappointment.

"Oh, well, I guess when you press on coal enough it turns into a diamond. Tell me, how much has my son been pressing on you, young lady?"

Zoe would have risen out of her seat if Jimmy hadn't put his arm out to stop her.

"Mom, that's enough. What the hell are you doing here? Where's Scrooge?" Jimmy asked, holding back a fuming Zoe.

"James, don't talk to me that way. But if you must now, he took off with a cabana girl during the honeymoon, I've spent the past few months in a legal battle for his fortune. Family is important to me and I want to make sure mine are provided for, you see. And since you seem to be doing so well here, I've decided I would move closer to my son while he finishes school."

"How much closer?" Jimmy inquired.

"We've moved into a lovely neighborhood called Bullworth Vale. The house is just gorgeous and our neighbors are the sweetest family with a boy your age. Maybe you know them, the Taylors?" Mrs. Hopkins asked.

Zoe shivered and Jimmy decided he would ask about that interesting reaction later.

"Oh that's just swell. That's actually Z-," Zoe inconspicuously elbowed Jimmy in the ribs to stop him from finishing that sentence. At that moment Jimmy decided it wise to not mention them being Zoe's estranged family. He continued,

'Yeah, I know them. Bif and I had a few run-ins at Bullworth. He's...interesting," Jimmy said.

"Yes, well anyway, we must be off. The movers arrive in," Mrs. Hopkins checked her watch, "Twenty minutes. Grab your bags and put them in the back, be careful not to smash my hatbox, it's from Dieder Sachs," Mrs. Hopkins turned to the rest of Jimmy's friends.

"Peter, Beatrice, it was lovely meeting you and I hope to see you around this summer if you're locals. You'll keep my James out of trouble," She then turned towards Zoe, "And Zoe, I do hope you learn to think before you speak to your elders. It is very nasty habit you have, and I don't want my son exposed to that kind of behavior."

Zoe glared daggers into the woman while Jimmy picked up his bags, and wanting to throw Zoe a bone and piss his mom off while he did it, he gave Zoe a long, lingering kiss goodbye. Zoe pulled away and stared into his eyes while Mrs. Hopkins tapped her foot impatiently.

"I love you," Jimmy whispered, and with that he stalked off towards the car with his overbearing mother.

"Fucking unbelievable," Zoe grumbled while Pete and Beatrice looked on, sympathetic.


Gary Smith sat in the room he was assigned to at Happy Volts Asylum. His side ached and the bandage itched from the nasty gash he received from falling through Dr. Crabblesnitch's skylight with Jimmy, who was miraculously unharmed. His parents were on the other side of the room from him, his mother sitting in a chair and his father standing.

"Gary, we just want to know, why did you do all of this?" Patricia asked.

"..."

"Gary, answer your mother," His father instructed. Gary continued to stare at the wall behind them, not speaking a word.

"Damn it Gary, answer me!" His mother arose from her seat and stalked across to the bed he was sitting on, she grabbed his face and stared into his eyes.

"Where are you? Are you even in there? Where is my son? Where is the boy that I carried for nine months? That I nursed through chicken pox and the flu and every other damn ailment he ever had? Where is the boy I taught to play the piano and how to fix the E key when it stuck? I don't even know you anymore!" Patricia was crying, and Charles pulled her away.

"I hope you're happy, son. Because that wall is all you're going to be seeing for a while," Charles said, feeling a pang in his heart for saying something so cruel to his only child. Gary's face was completely blank, he seemed almost catatonic.

BUZZ! The door to the room automatically opened and an orderly stepped in with a friendly looking African-American nurse.

"Mr. and Mrs. Smith, we're ready to begin the evaluation. If you would please," the nurse motioned towards the door and Patricia and Charles nodded, walking out the door to.

"Gary, I'm Nurse Amy Barkley, it's nice to meet you," The nurse stuck her hand out but Gary just looked at her.

"Don't bother with that one," The orderly said, "He hasn't made a peep in hours."

Nurse Amy smiled, "I'm sure we'll be great friends."

Gary looked back at the wall, continuing his silence. Nurse Amy shook her head.

"The doctor will be in shortly. Maeve, could you give us a second?" Nurse Amy looked at her companion.

"I'm not really supposed to-" Maeve began.

"I'm sure I will be fine."

"Fine, press the panic buzzer if you need me." And with that, Maeve the orderly walked out of the room.

"Gary, I know whatever it is you're dealing with is rough, but we really do want to help. When you're ready to talk, there'll be someone ready to listen."

Gary, unsurprisingly, just continued to stare at the wall. Nurse Amy sighed and left the room, pressing the button to close the door automatically.

Gary sat there for a long time, memorizing every crack and peel on the wall, and after a while, he smirked.