Tomahawk'd Part 12

Jackson looked up into her aunt's eyes and told her the whole sordid story about Molly. She didn't gloss over anything, just so Jackie would understand the full impact that all had had on her.

"So, you went to Paldeer to get your friend to forgive you?"

"Well, when you say it like that, it certainly doesn't sound as desperate as it felt. Jackie, I was dying inside!" she cried, tears starting to form.

"Shh, okay, okay, don't cry. Because nothing happened to you or to Erin, I'm not going to chop your head off. Just realize that it wasn't a very smart thing to do, especially at that hour. Had you told me all of that, I would've let you go during the day. Of course, I would've made you stop and call me every hour, but I would've let you go." She started to rub Jackson's back. "Don't ever do anything like that again."

"I won't, I promise. I just couldn't lose her, Jackie. She means too much to me."

"I know, honey, I know." After a few moments, she asked, "Does she know how you feel about her?"

Jackson shook her head. "No, she doesn't, but that's okay. She doesn't need to know. She's not gay, so it isn't important. What is important is that she knows I am and she still wants to be around me and be my best friend."

Smiling at her niece, she said, "You know, Jack, sometimes you are wise beyond your years. I think it's great that Erin knows about you and still loves you for who you are. Do me a favor? Next time just pick up the d.a.m.n phone and call her!"

Chuckling softly, Jackson replied, "I will, but I was so afraid her mom would answer and not let me talk to her."

"Mmm, true. She's a pip, that one. I really hope the discussion we had today doesn't affect Erin visiting."

Jackson frowned. "c.r.a.p, I didn't think about that."

"I'll go find Joe later on and tell him the situation. He could probably use the information to gear up for the call I'm sure he's going to get from her."

"Uggh, why does he stay with that woman?"

Laughing, Jackie said, "You know...it wasn't too long ago that Sandra and I were saying the same thing about Molly."

"Ha, ha, very funny." They b.u.mped shoulders and leaned their heads together. "So, am I grounded?" Jackson asked, not really wanting to hear the answer.

"Yes, until Christmas."

Jackson whipped around to face Jackie. "What?"

"You can't possibly think you'd get off the hook by just forking over your keys, did you?"

"No, but Jackie...Christmas?"

"You'll have a nice New Year's resolution, now won't you?" Jackson let out a sigh. "But you aren't grounded until Erin goes home."

Her face lit up immediately and she hugged her aunt. "Thank you, Jackie. Christmas is just fine."

Erin walked down to cabin six, hauling her suitcase and backpack. Pulling open the screen door, she pushed the big door open and walked inside. "Dad?"

Erin walked into her bedroom and put her stuff down, then went into her parents' room but found it empty. Hmm...he must be out fis.h.i.+ng. She turned around...and ran smack dab into her father.

"Daddy!" she screamed. She threw her arms around him.

"Hey, Peanut. What are you doing here? When you called me yesterday I thought you were home." They separated and looked at each other with smiles.

"I was, Daddy, but Jack came and got me."

Joe's eyes widened at the revelation. "Jack went down to Paldeer?"

"Yep."

"And what did your mother say about all of this?" he asked, knowing full well she had come without her mother's blessing.

Erin blushed a deep red. "Um...I kind of didn't ask her."

"Uh-huh. So what did you do?"

"I, ah...wrote her a note and then we left while she was out grocery shopping."

Joe shook his head, not looking forward to the next phone call he would be receiving from his wife. "You do realize your mother is going to have a cow."

Erin nodded. "I kinda thought the same thing. But Daddy, she was leaving without me anyway! Why is it a big deal?"

"Peanut, it's a big deal because you left without asking her and you left with Jack. You know how she feels about her." Erin started to pace. "Honey, whether or not you realize it, you put yourself in danger."

She turned to regard him with a shocked expression. "Daddy, not you too! Jack is not trying to hurt me!"

"No, no, I didn't mean it like that. Come here and sit down." They walked over and sat on the couch. "What I meant was, were you prepared to handle an emergency situation on the road?" When Erin's face blanked, he continued. "What would've happened if you got a flat, or the car broke down in the middle of nowhere? There are so many patches of dead highway on the way up here. Anyone could've found you and Jack stranded and I don't want to think about what would've happened if the wrong person had found you."

Understanding what her dad was explaining finally hit home. Erin's head hung a little. "I didn't think about that part. I just wanted to come back here." She paused and decided to tell her dad some of the truth. "Jack and I had a fight the night before I left. I didn't want to face her the next day and when I saw that Mom was leaving, I decided to take the easy way out."

"I see." Joe nodded. "You do realize that there are consequences for things like this, don't you?"

Erin's eyes welled. "Don't take me back home, Daddy, please."

"Oh, I'm gonna take you back home, all right," Erin's eyes widened, "but not for another three weeks." He shook his head. "Your mother is going to be furious and I think I'd rather keep four hundred miles between us for a while, thank you very much." He coughed and laughed.

Erin regarded him seriously. "Are you guys okay, Daddy?"

Joe hugged his daughter. "Don't you worry about us, Peanut. Your mom and I are just having a disagreement about something. We'll get past it. We love each other very much."

"Hmm...she said the same thing." She pulled back from the hug. "I guess that means to mind my own beeswax then?"

Joe laughed at his little girl. "Something like that." He ruffled her hair. "Let's see if Jack wants to go to Bosaki's with us for dinner."

"Oh, um...I don't know about that. I think she's in trouble with Jackie." He gave her a look that said, See, this wasn't such a great idea for either of you. "But I'll go and ask."

The phone rang. Joe looked at it and back to Erin. "Three guesses who that is and the first two don't count."

"I'm sorry, Daddy."

"It's okay, Peanut. We'll get through this." He patted her knee and got up to answer the phone on the fourth ring.

"h.e.l.lo?"

"h.e.l.lo, Joe."

"Katie, we were just talking about you."

"So, I guess that Erin has arrived. Let me speak to her."

"Katie, if you're not going to be calm about this, I'm not putting her on the phone. I had a long talk with her about the dangerous trip she took and she understands that it was wrong."

Katie snarled. "Oh, well, doesn't that make you Father of the Year. She left without even asking permission!"

"Is that what you're so upset about, or is it who she left with?" Joe rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. Erin sat very still on the couch, watching him.

"Joe, she could've been killed!" Katie snapped, "Jackson is only sixteen. There could've been an accident."

Joe tried to placate his wife. "Yes, but there wasn't. Erin is fine, Jackson is fine."

"I don't give a d.a.m.n about Jackson. She could've hurt Erin."

"All right, that's what I'm talking about. You need to calm down. Nothing happened. If you keep obsessing about things that might happen, you're going to go insane and drive all of us there with you!"

"Joseph, I am not obsessing."

"Yes, you are, Katherine. You've got to stop this before it tears this family apart. You were already out the door before Erin even asked to go with you, so what has you so angry about her being here with me? Am I going to harm our daughter now?" Joe turned the conversation around.

Katie was completely fl.u.s.tered. "What? Now you're just talking crazy."

"Then I guess I'm starting to talk like you." Joe scrunched up his face, knowing that wasn't the smartest thing to have said.

"I think you've said quite enough." Katie put her foot down. "Tell Erin she's grounded until I say differently. I will not back down from that."

"I think a grounding is very fair for this escapade. I think she's quite aware that she will be punished when we return home."

"She'd better, because she is not getting off scot free this time."

"I'll let her know."

"You do that." Katie hung up the phone loudly in Joe's ear.

He hung up the receiver and exhaled deeply. "That went well."

Erin got up and went to her father. "Daddy, I'm really sorry about this. I'll call Mom later and take the heat. I deserve it."

Not wanting to comment to his daughter about what he thought about her mother's reasoning, Joe just took her in his arms. "It'll be okay. I think after she's had some time to calm down, she'd appreciate that call."

"I'll call her after dinner."

Joe pulled back from the hug. "Go see if Jack can come with us and I'll grab a shower and a shave."

"I wasn't gonna say anything, but you stink like fish."

"See what happens when I'm left on my own for a day?"

Erin laughed. "Well, I'm here now, so you'd better wash up."

"Go on, I'll meet you back here."

"'Kay" Erin dashed out the door in search of Jackson, feeling lighter than she had in days. The summer was going to end much better than it had started and for that, she was very grateful.

Chapter Eight.

1990 Paldeer, IL - Letter to Erin from Jackson September 12, 1990 Dear Hawk, See, I told you I'd write. It just takes me a little longer than you. How's the grounding going? I'm sure Jackie's been a lot easier on me than your mom has been on you. I'm just glad she didn't come up and get you. That would've been a really awful scene. Your dad is a really cool guy. I'm so glad I got to spend some time with him. It was really cool to go fis.h.i.+ng with someone who actually knew what he was doing! J I'm sorry again about that bluegill smacking you in the face. I really tried to get the net down.

How is high school? Are you totally freaking out? You know you can call me anytime if you need to talk. I know how scary it was for me to be a freshman in a new school. Just remember to breathe! I don't want to hear about you pa.s.sing out in the halls! J School is chugging along for me. I'm taking some pretty cool cla.s.ses this semester. My music teacher hooked me up with a fantastic instructor. She is really making me work. I've gotten really good with my flute and piccolo in just a couple of weeks with her. I can't wait to see how I sound at the end of the year!

Hawk, I was asked to the Homecoming Dance! It's not until October! Can you believe it? This poor guy just doesn't get it. Oh well, I told him if he wanted to go as friends, I'd go with him, but not to expect any fireworks from me. I think Jerry is going to think about it before he commits! HA, HA.

I hope things with your mom are going okay. I really hate the way she treats you sometimes, Hawk. I don't mean any disrespect against your mother, but d.a.m.n she can be mean! *insert hug here*

Jackie and Sandra have been at each other's throats lately. I have no idea what's going on, but I don't think it's good. I'll let you know more, I know you liked Sandra. Well, except when she accidentally knocked you off the dock and into the water. That really was a mistake, Hawk. She didn't mean it.

Anyway, I have a huge test in biology and I have to study. I hate this cla.s.s the most out of all of them so I really have to dig in.

Let me know if there are any jerks I gotta drive down to defend your honor from. I know how to get there now, so tell them to watch out! J Friends 4 Ever.

Love, Jack 1990 IslandCity Letter to Jackson from Erin October 14, 1990 Dear Jack, I am so sorry I haven't written all month. I don't think I could have any more homework. High school is going okay so far, but man, it's been a lot of work. My art cla.s.ses, as I'm sure you can guess, are my favorite cla.s.ses. I have two really fantastic teachers and they seem really available to us. My friend Tom and I spend a lot of extra time in the art room after school. He's really talented, Jack, you'd like him. He can draw the most incredible cartoons! He made this one about dead people that your sick sense of humor would appreciate. It was like all the dead people had their own community and would initiate the "new" people. It's so d.a.m.n funny. I'll see if he'll give me a copy of one so I can send it to you.

Uggh, don't get me started about my mom. She has been a bear to be around. I know she means well and just wants what's best for me, but sometimes she wants too much. I tried to tell her I don't want to be a cheerleader, but she made me feel bad so I'm going to tryouts. I guess a couple girls left the squad, and they need to fill the spots, so I'm gonna try out tomorrow afternoon. My dad said not to worry about it and if I didn't make it, I could just tell her that I tried. Sometimes I think she wants me to do all the things she never did.

I'm really excited to hear about your new flute instructor. Is she cute? Ha, ha, I'm kidding. I'm glad she's working your b.u.t.t off. You have so much talent, you better not waste it or I'll come up to the Northwoods and kick your b.u.t.t myself!

I'm sorry to hear about Jackie and Sandra. I hope they stay together, Jack. I can tell how much Jackie loves her. Give her a hug for me. Your aunt is the best and I'm so glad she's the one who raised you. She done good with you. J My birthday was cool. Thanks so much for calling me, it was a HUGE surprise! It was better than any card, so don't feel badly about not sending one. I preferred to hear you sing me the happy birthday song to any Hallmark version. You're the best.

Okay, that's all the time I can spare. I have so much homework tonight I'm going to drown in textbooks! AHHH!

I miss you, Jack. Take care of yourself.

Friends 4 Ever.

Hawk 1991 Paldeer, IL Letter from Jackson to Erin March 23, 1991 Dear Hawk, How's it going? Things are getting crazy with spring break coming soon. I have one major test before we are let out. Yep, you guessed it, biology, so wish me luck. I'm at least keeping a B-minus average, so Jackie isn't riding me too hard.

I have some news that is really great, but it makes me really sad to tell you. My flute instructor told me about a great music camp in Michigan. It's a really hard-core music camp, not like the kind when we were kids. The camp provides you with some of the best teachers from across the country to help you with your craft. Everything about it is great, except for when it is. It meets for the entire summer, Hawk, which would mean we wouldn't see each other this year. I can feel your disappointment from here, believe me, I feel it too. But you've always told me to keep going with my music and Jackie said I could go, so I'm gonna do it.

Please tell me what's going on in your head. I know you, Hawk, you're a thinker (but not a stinker) J Seriously, it was a really hard decision for me to make, but I guess I do have to start thinking about my future sometime.