With a Little Help From My Friends

" What would you do if I sang out of tune, would you stand up and walk out on me? Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song and I'll try not to sing out of key. Oh I get by with a little help from my friends."- The Beatles

I have a favorite bench here.

It sits below the branches of a large oak tree that provides the perfect amount of shade from the sun. This is the perfect spot for "thought gathering" as Carly calls it. That's what I am doing right now, at least that what I am trying to do.

It has been two months since my accident and this is the first time out on my own. To be honest, I have been scared to drive, scared of the pain, and scared to leave the house or Carly and Millicent's side. I admit today's outing has taken every ounce of resolve I have had, but Carly was insistent that I get out of the house and get some fresh air.

Alone.

I take out my copy of Oliver Twist (not that I haven't read it about twenty times, still love it) and start to settle in for a bit.

"Oi Jenny you get back here!"

I follow the sounds of a thick British accent as one very rambunctious five year old girl goes streaking past me on a tear for the brightly colored playground to my left. Her mothers voice raises another octave and I duck out of habit or fear I don't recall which.

"Oi you! I said stop."

The tiny redhead giggles and squeals as she darts in and out between the swings and monkey bars, before climbing to the top of the slide and sticking her tongue out at her mother.

The larger red head goes flying past me in hot pursuit of her miniature," Oh, when I get my hands on you little lady. " she bellows an empty threat that only succeeds to make the girl laugh even more. She tosses her jacket intending for it land on the bench beside me, but instead it slides off the bench to the ground below. I pick it up brushing my the sand from it with my fingers.

"Just what do you think you are doin' there?" She stands in her left hand on her hip, her right pointing her finger at me. A deep set scowl on her lips.

"What?" I say realizing I am still molesting her coat. I blush and give it to her.

She snatches it from my hand, before taking a seat on the opposite end of the bench opening her phone and typing furiously.

"Give up so soon?" I say nodding in the direction of the little one, who at the present time was dumping a handful of sand on the head of a little brown haired boy.

"What's it to you stick boy?" she says letting out a long breath before yelling again," Jenny you put that down right now!" Jenny lifts another pile of sand before flashing her mother a knowing smile and dumping it down the poor boys shirt." I mean it Jenny!" The redhead raises her hands in defeat and sighs.

"She's quite the little handful there isn't she" I smile one of my disarming smiles at her and she huffs.

"Thank you captain obvious" she crosses her leg over the other turning her back to me slightly.

"She your only child?"

"You with the census?" She says quickly turning to face me. I find it somewhat soothing that she kind of has a lip on her. She reminds me a little bit of Sam in that aspect. I really miss having a Sam in my life. Carly has Harper, I know I have Spencer but sometimes you need someone who is willing to just call you out on your shit from time to time.

I extend my hand to her, " I'm Freddie."

"I'm married." she says glaring at my outstretched hand, before turning up her nose.

I laugh which only makes her face redden more. I withdrawal my outstretched hand and rest it on the back of the park bench.

"You don't look like a Mary to me." I give her a shrug and watch the kids play again.

"I dint say my name was Mary, Dumbo. I said I was MARRIED. You know as in I have a husband, so whatever fancying me you are entertaining there mister is not going farther than the mace I have in my pocket!" She pushes her hand into the front of the jacket in her lap. There isn't mace there, Lord knows its not even needed, I imagine armies would crumble and run under the weight of one of her fierce glares.

I raise my hands in mock surrender. She watches me for a few moments before speaking again, this time a little softer than the first. " My name is Donna." She says reaching out her hand. I shake it eagerly.

"Very nice to meet you Donna."

"So Freddie," She says draping her coat over the back of the bench, " If that's your real name. You some kind of creeper, or do you have one of yer own out there?" she replies gesturing to the playground.

"I'm not a creeper, I used to take my daughter Millicent to play here years ago before she became too cool to push on the swings anymore." I say I get a little lost in the memory of pushing her on the swings; her little squeals and giggles filling the warm park air. I shake my head slightly as Donna regards me with a intrigued expression. " Sometimes I like to come here to read. There's nothing like books with actual paper pages." I wave my battered copy of Oliver Twist at her.

She nods.

Donna watches as her daughter Jenny changes victims torturing another innocent boy with the leftover shed skin from a Locust. Jenny laughs loud and clear as the boy runs shrieking away into the arms of his father. She is quite the handful indeed. Donna gives they boys father an embarrassed wave and then starts rubbing her temples.

Am I really prepared for this? I rub my temple too.

She lets out a long sigh, "How many kids you have?"

"Well, one right now just Millicent." I give her a slight chuckle, and a lopsided grin." My Carly is pregnant. So I guess technically one and ¾." I say proudly.

"Oh yea? How far gone is she?" Donna asks resting her head on her hand.

"Eight months."

She smiles warmly, " She must be miserable."

Carly hasn't complained, even when she spent the first three months counting the tiles on our bathroom floor. Is there something else I should know? I make a mental note to ask her when I get home if there is anything more I should be doing for her. I am still not used to the customs in regards to tending to your pregnant whatever we are. Then again we haven't exactly had a traditional relationship so to speak anyhow. Every book I have read is different.

I furrow my brow confused. " Whatever do you mean by that?"

"I mean I hope the kid has her head, " She says pointing to my face, "because I imagine the thought of trying to push that massive cranium out something the size of a lemon must be scaring the living daylights outta her."

I cringe at the mental picture, " Whats wrong with my head?" I say reaching up to smooth out my hair.

She laughs.

I look down at my watch and sigh. " Well, Donna. I must be going.", I stand and take her hand giving it a tight squeeze before releasing it back to her," I have to get home to Carly. Its my night to cook. I am glad I got to meet you." I say honestly as it was truly great just being in her presence. Its like having a Sam in your life, and to be honest even though she spent a majority of our childhood torturing me, I really miss having her give me the honest truth, as brutal as it may be. She was instrumental in getting me through my first divorce. " Don't be too hard on Jenny, she reminds me a bit of you."

Donna blushes, " You really think so?"

I start to walk away when I hear her call out to me. " Hey Dumbo."

"Yeah?" I say turning to face her.

"You know if you aren't busy say Tuesday around 3:00, I may just be around here somewhere." She says fiddling with the sleeve of her jacket, " You know if you just maybe want a mate. I hate the other mum's at this park. They all have their head so far up their arse they could probably taste what they had for breakfast."

Oh she's such a Sam. " Want ….to…..mate?".

" A MATE," she says a little louder her face turning as red as her hair. "A mate, as in friend. "

" I ain't mating with you Sunshine," I say as my smile grows so wide I feel the ache starting in my jaw, I put my Fedora on my head and give it a tip, shifting my weight to my cane I have had to use since they removed my cast. I have 8 more weeks of physical therapy three times a week. It hurts like hell but I am determined to walk better before the mini gets here. "I personally prefer brunettes."

She smiles, "Tuesday?"

"Yeah. Tuesday." I say giving her a wave.

"Oi Freddie...Leave the Fedora at home."

I pull out my phone:

F: Hey Sam. I found your replacement.

S: Eat it. Fredwierd. Still haven't forgiven you for knocking up my BFF.

F: Miss you too.

S: Miss you back. Give Carl's hugs for me. If you can still reach your stubby arms around her that is.

F: I'll leave that part out.

S: Good. She scares me. But if you tell her that I'll make earrings out of your balls.