Walking on the Tracks Chapter 8
"He ranked my old man" Teddy's sobs were full of pain and anger as he wept on Chris's shoulder. I was taken back by his loyalty to his dad even though the guy melted his fucking ear off. "Really Teddy man forget what that old crock of shit thinks" I told him as his wiped his runny nose looking down. "My old man..." he muttered choking on his tears. "What do you care what that fat pile of shit says about your dad?" Chris said stopping.
"He still stormed the beach of Normandy right?" Gordie asked firmly. "Just forget it..." Teddy mumbled and carried on walking and we followed. "You think that pile of shit was at Normandy?" Vern piped up "he knows nothing of your old man he's just dog shit". "Forget it alright?" Teddy repeated a little louder. "What ever is between you and your old man he can't change that!" Chris said causing Teddy to angrily yell "forget it alright JUST FORGET IT!".
We all turned silent and carried on walking. The mood became intense so Vern tried to lighten it by starting the old Paladin song but we all just gave him a cold firm look instead so he shut up. Teddy suddenly stopped walking and sighed deeply. "I'm sorry if I'm spoiling everyone's good time" he said slowly looking around at us. "It's okay man" Chris whispered softly, "yeah don't worry bout it" I added smiling gently. "I'm not sure it should be a good time" said Gordie wisely. "You saying you wanna go back?" Chris asked him in response.
"No" Gordie replied steadily "we're going to see a dead kid...maybe it shouldn't be a party". We all came to realise that he was right and nodded in agreement. "Yeah...like if he's all cut up and torn and shit with blood all over him I might have nightmares!" Vern said turning white. "Come on Vern" Chris shook his head and carried on walking. "You know all guts and eyeballs and shit like that..." Vern tried to carry on but we stopped him yelling "SHUT UP VERN GODDAMN IT!".
He stopped and we continued to make our way to the Royal River.
A few minutes later, I noticed that Gordie looked kinda down so I went up to him. "Hey man you okay?" I asked him. "I was just thinking..." Gordie replied looking to the side at all the tall trees. "What about?" I said looking at him. "About how much Teddy cares so much about his dad even after what he did to him...whereas my dad has never done anything like that to me but I don't care about him" Gordie explained.
"Well,you and your dad haven't really had the best relationship lately..." I replied "and...neither have me and my old man...". "Is it because of what happened to Denny and Jane?" Gordie asked the question even though he knew the answer. I nodded with my lips firmly pressed together. "I know it sounds crazy but I've always thought that my parents liked Jane more than me..." I admitted something that had bugged me for most of my childhood. "It is crazy" Gordie said "I mean of course your parents don't". He was trying to sound sincere but there was something false in what he was saying, almost as if he was trying to hide his feelings.
"You mean you never felt like that with Denny?" I quizzed him.
"Maybe...sometimes I mean he was the eldest and the football star but he made me feel loved" Gordie told me smiling painfully at the memories of his late brother "and Jane made you feel that way too right?". I racked my brain to see his he was right.
Jane was never egotistic or spoiled. She did make me feel loved. She was so full of life and light. Everyone loved her. Especially me.
"Yeah I guess..." I mumbled in response.
"Hey! LaChance! Taylor! Hurry up!" Chris yelled back at us smiling. We both gave him a look then ran up to him. I still was thinking about what Gordie said.