Chapter 57
Saturday, July 25, 1987- Afternoon
Ross' phone call delayed Julie's departure from home. He informed her that he'd authorized usage of the experimental vaccine on the Seattle patients, and would send Steve to supervise. Livid, Julie expressed her concern that the trial was too soon. Ross then informed her she was welcome to accompany Steve to Seattle Monday, if she felt it was necessary. Julie told Ross she'd give him her decision later on in the day.
At twenty past noon, Julie parked her car in front of Maggie's house. No sooner did Julie exit her car than Kyle Bates pulled up behind her in his pickup truck. Unlike the last time Julie saw him, he'd shaved his beard off and trimmed his hair.
"Kyle! What are you doing here? Did Maggie invite you for lunch?"
"I need to borrow a tool from Chris," he said.
"Do you have an hour?"
"Maybe." Kyle trailed after her to the porch.
I wonder if he's resentful about going to jail. She rung the doorbell, finding it odd Kyle hadn't inquired about her health. Maggie opened the door, with CJ on her hip.
Julie noticed the living rooms darkness.
"Is there a problem with the electric?" she asked, stepping inside.
"Surprise!" a chorus of voices shouted at her as the lights came on.
Julie glanced around the room recognizing the familiar faces of friends recently seen and some she hadn't seen in years.
"You look good, Julie." Caleb Taylor stepped forward from the bunch and kissed her on the cheek.
When Caleb moved away, Miranda pinned a corsage on Julie's shoulder. The ribbon on it read "Boss Lady." Julie smiled.
Taking the pie from Julie and giving it to Adile, Donovan said, "I hope you brought enough for all of us."
"Mike," Maggie chided.
Offering his arm to Julie, Donovan led her through the kitchen. She wondered if he'd left Sean home. Her question was answered when they walked into the backyard and "For She's a Jolly Good Fellow" began to squeal from an electric guitar. The crowd of people who'd come to honor Julie sang along with Sean's tune.
"Like the music?" Donovan asked. "I taught him myself."
Sure you did.She liked the feel of Donovan's arm linked with hers and wondered if he'd decided to reconcile.
Disengaging himself he spoke loudly. "May I present to you our former leader, Julie?"
Applauses and whistles rippled through the crowd as Sean played his own rendition of Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven."
Chris shoved a cold, bottled drink into Julie's hand. "Especially for you."
Donovan yanked the bottle away and read the label. "Lynchburg Lemonade." He chuckled. "I'd better hide."
"Why?" Chris asked.
Snatching the drink back Julie muttered, "Don't mind him, he's being silly."
"Have a couple more and we'll see," Donovan teased.
"Mike!" She gave him a dirty look.
He chuckled.
"I missed something," Chris said, looking at Donovan. "Ham and I need your help. It seems we don't have enough chairs for everybody, so we're going to grab about two dozen more and a few tables from the rental place down the street."
"Yeah?" Donovan said.
"You're coming with us," Chris answered.
Julie watched Donovan's eyes dart to Sean and then back to Chris.
"I can't leave him unsupervised," he said.
"I'll watch him," Julie volunteered.
"Hell, no."
"Well that doesn't make me feel good." She frowned, twisting the cap off her drink. "It's nice to know you don't trust me."
"It's not you I don't trust," he said in a low voice. "Can we bring him with?" he asked Chris.
"Leave him here. He'll be fine," Julie interjected before Chris had the chance to reply. Again, she wondered if Sean had acted out these past couple weeks.
Chris pointed to the label on Julie's corsage and nodded at Donovan. "It says that for a reason. You'd best mind her."
"Wonder what she'll do to me if I don't," Donovan said. "Hell… all right."
Julie watched Donovan saunter over to Sean. The teen continued to strum on his guitar through what Julie guessed to be a lecture from his father. Julie thought it ironic, the posters in Sean's bedroom spoke of a teen into today's heavy metal music, but here he was playing songs from her own youth.
#
Donovan followed Ham and Chris down the front porch steps. He knew he'd gone too far in reminding Sean of consequences for violent behavior. He didn't relish the thought of leaving the teen in the presence of so many people who could easily provoke him.
As Donovan, Chris and Ham waited to cross Pacific Avenue. A Pontiac Sunbird slowly approached.
Donovan locked eyes with its driver… Maitland.
He thought Maitland would stop and park, but he kept going.
"What the hell'd he want?" he asked. "Did you invite him, Chris?"
"No. I didn't think he knew about the party."
"He does now."
"If he comes back, we'll make him feel welcome," Ham threatened.
"Sounds like a plan to me," Donovan agreed.
#
While listening to Sean's music, Julie downed one bottle of Lynchburg Lemonade, and mingled. After playing a few songs, Sean placed his guitar back in its case then picked through the cooler.
Noticing he seemed disenchanted with the offerings, Julie approached him.
"Did you find what you were looking for, Honey?"
"I'd like what you had."
She giggled. "Seriously, what kind of soda do you like?"
"Mountain Dew."
Julie glanced through the various sodas and didn't see any Mountain Dew. "I'll tell you what, we'll go to the store and buy you some."
His eyes widened in horror. "My dad would kill you."
"Sean." She grinned. "I think I'm one of the last people on earth your father would kill. Do you want to put your guitar in Maggie's bedroom? We won't be gone for too long, and you get to ride in my car again."
"I love your car."
"Well then, what are we waiting for?"
After giving Maggie an explanation and apology for her and Sean's sudden departure, Julie left with the teen.