Chapter 59

Monday, July 27, 1987 - Noon

Monday morning, Julie packed her suitcase for a Seattle bound flight, scheduled to leave at 3:55 P.M. She thought Donovan should've called to make amends for yesterday's quarrel by now. She accepted that their brief friendship, and whatever else they'd shared was over.

He'll probably go back to being a recluse… He'll probably go back to that stupid bar, tell stories to that waitress… About what could've been between us… Jerk!

After postponing her bi-weekly appointment with Dr. Graham, Julie loaded Ross' car with two suitcases then he drove her to the airport.

#

Donovan's weekend with Sean was anything but peaceful. By noon Monday, Sean had found another opportunity to quarrel. When Donovan ordered Sean to wash his own laundry, Sean said he'd do it later. Donovan didn't believe him.

Losing his cool, Donovan gathered a week's worth of dirty clothes from Sean's bedroom floor then shoved it into a laundry basket.

Sean followed him through the kitchen. "Do you think they'll let me move out when I'm eighteen?"

With Sean's next birthday less than five months away, Donovan hadn't considered the possibility he might leave home.

"Move out? With what money?"

"I'll get a place with Tommy."

"What about bills?"

"I'll get a job."

Donovan slammed the laundry basket onto the dryer. "You think you guys will earn enough to support yourselves?"

"Tommy said he found a duplex for four hundred a month. Utilities included."

"Where, in the ghetto?"

"Why are you trying to stop me from moving out?"

"Because I care about you. Do you have any idea what it costs to be self-sufficient? Come with me."

Sean followed him to the dining room table where Donovan kept his brief case. Donovan pulled out a stack of bills. Selecting the electric statement, he opened the envelope. With a total of $429.03 printed in red ink, this was a disconnect notice.

"This is what happens when you can't pay your damned bills. They disconnect you!"

Sean gaped at him. "Are they going to disconnect us?"

Ignoring the question, Donovan went onto the water invoice. "See that? A hundred and twenty-seven bucks and fifty-two cents for three months." He picked up the gas statement. Fortunately this was much less than the electric, and only a month past due. "A hundred and ninety-seven."

He eyed the envelope from O'Brien Center, determined to give Sean a reality check. He pulled out the statement. "Three thousand, five hundred dollars plus four hundred in late penalties. All for you, my son."

Sean's eyes clouded over. "You had to pay for me to stay there?"

Donovan nodded quickly. "Which is why all these are screwed up." He thrust the other bills aside then chose the statement from First Source Mortgage. Like the electric, he was also three months behind with his house payment. Flashing the $10,535.00 figure at Sean, he said. "Here's the kicker…" He pulled bank statements from the portfolio then pointed to the figure of $1000.00 on five of them. "About six payments left to make to Melissa on the count of your wise-ass decision, and we just might make it. But you'll be gone by then."

Sean looked confused. "Why did you have to pay her?"

"Lost wages, medical bills… pain and suffering."

Sean paused, looking as though he were processing the information.

"I'm sorry, Dad."

Donovan swallowed feeling remorseful he'd exposed his financial burdens to Sean. He's just a kid…

"I'll stay and get a job… help pay it back. I swear," Sean continued.

"I don't want you to pay it back, Sean. I want you to cooperate, and get your G.E.D. like we discussed, then you can think about building skills so you can move out when the time is right. You won't make it otherwise."

"Yeah, well, Julie said she was willing to help, but you didn't ask her."

Donovan wondered how much Sean had confided in her, and why.

"She needs her space, Sean. She's been through a lot."

"That's bull. You just don't want me around her."

"It's not just… because of you." Donovan tucked the bills back in the briefcase pocket then closed it. "She and I aren't getting along."

"That's not what she said. You still like her, don't you?"

Knowing that Sean's word for love was like, Donovan didn't share. "It's better if you don't meet with her."

"Dad, I'm not going to hurt her like Melissa. I promise. You should tell Julie how you feel. You don't have to be alone because of me."

How ironic, he's lecturing me on love when he's never had a girlfriend.

"I'll think about it. Promise me you're not planning on leaving, Sean. Give yourself a chance to succeed."

"I'll try."