Bad Decision Ch. 04

Chapter Four: Open Minds

"What the hell?" I said as my phone chirped. As I was sitting at my desk at work.

It was a notification from my alarm app someone was at my house. I looked at the camera view and saw a black man walking up to my front door. I hadn't ordered anything,

"Can I help you?" I asked through the talk button of the app as he got closer to the door.

"Jesse sent me to do your deck," the man said. "Name's Andrew."

Jesse never gave me a name. He just said someone would be coming around. "Hold on," I said.

"Be right here," Andrew replied.

I sent a text to Jacob to ask Jesse about the guy at my door, I didn't have Jesse's number, and I didn't want it.

'All good, Jesse said he's the person,' Jacob texted me back quickly.

He must have been near Jesse, or Jesse was at their house.

"Fine," I said.

"Okay, I will get started," Andrew said.

I turned the view to the back camera and saw Andrew with his tools starting to tear down the deck.

"What's going on?" Charles asked as he looked at my phone.

"The guy is taking down the deck," I said.

"Ah, Andrew!" Charles said.

"You know him?" I asked.

"Yeah, he did some great work in our backyard, gave us a barbecue pit and a stone fire stove, it was great work," Charles said. "Took him a while, but it was well worth it."

I nodded and set my phone on the desk. So, that I could see what he was doing.

"You've got that look," Charles said as he stared down at me.

"What look?" I asked.

"You know very well what look, what's on your mind," Charles said as he sat down.

"It's nothing, just thinking about my parents," I said.

Charles knew my parents very well. He had gone to school with them, he was practically my godfather, so I confided in him a lot.

"Ah," Charles said. "They would have a fit," he smiled.

To say my parents were racist was like saying water was wet. I heard more names for other ethnic groups come out of their mouths than I heard my name.

"Glad you're not like that," Charles said.

I was for a long time. I always made racial jokes or snide comments. That was until Darold was born. All of that changed the moment I held that baby in my arms. His tiny hand gripped my finger, and everything I thought vanished at that moment.

Sure, I slipped now and then, but I was a changed person for the most part.

"No, the fuck you're not!" Katie said as she laughed at me.

"I am!" I said as we talked on the phone at my lunch break.

"Excuse me," Katie said. "How about the time the guy cut you off when we went to the restaurant, two weeks ago?"

"I didn't mean it," I said, shaking my head. I had called him the N-word, but I was angry, and he had cut me off.

"The Chinese guy at the restaurant?" Katie asked.

"It's only polite to talk in English, when someone asks you a question," I shrugged.

"We were in a Chinese restaurant!" Katie said. "And he was talking to one of the other staff members."

"In America!" I replied. "And I was the one that asked the question!"

Katie went on to say a few more times that I had gone off the rails as she would say.

"I just have different views, they aren't that bad," I said.

"You have an opinion," Katie corrected me. "Anyone you don't know completely is bad and will stay on your alert list until they prove otherwise," Katie nodded.

"Doesn't everyone do that?" I asked.

"Yes, and no," Katie said. "Most of us do it for everyone, you do it with mostly ethnic groups," Katie sighed.

"I do not," I said.

"Who is Clayton interested in, right now?" Katie asked.

"Easy the blonde girl in his school with the curly hair," I nodded.

"Wrong," Katie said. "Try again."

"No," I said as I remembered he pointed her out a few times. "She's the short girl with the curly blonde hair, she wears a lot of yellow."

"Nope," Katie said.

I got angry and video called her. She answered, and I saw that she was in her office at the residential home.

"What are you talking about?" I asked. "He pointed to her, and said she was cute," I said.

"Yes, that's Shelly, Nick and Danelle's girl, but no he isn't interested in her, he told me he pointed her out to you because you asked why he was smiling all the time," Katie said.

"Okay, so who is it?" I asked.

"Hispanic girl, named Helena," Katie said.

"What?" I asked. "Who the fuck is Helena?"

"See," Katie said.

"No, nothing to do with her being Hispanic or whatever, I don't know who she is," I said.

"Long black hair, wears jeans and always near your son," Katie said.

"Doesn't ring a bell," I said. "Wait," I said as I remembered a girl at the water park. "Her hair is really dark black, like oily black. Taller than Clayton?"

"That's her," Katie nodded.

"Why didn't he tell me?" I asked.

"Alyssa was the one that told me, then he told me afterwards," Katie said.

"Alyssa knows?" I shouted.

"You should be asking Clayton, why he is scared to tell you," Katie said.

I felt a pit in my stomach for the rest of the day. My son was scared to tell me something. That didn't sit right with me at all.

'Can I pick up Clayton from school?' I texted Jacob.

'Have to ask Alyssa, she is taking him to football practice,' Jacob replied.

'Fuck me,' I thought as I scrolled to Alyssa's name.

'Can I pick up Clayton, I need to talk to him, I can bring him to the field,' I sent.

'Sure, I will pick up his gear and meet you there,' Alyssa replied.

No doubt Jacob had talked to her first, or she would have said something else.

I got out of work early and waited in the long line of cars to pick up the kids. I saw Clayton and Darold. Sure enough, there she was, a tall Hispanic girl with them. She was there with a black girl. All four of them were talking and smiling.

When I pulled up, the two girls looked like they had seen a ghost and took off.

"Where's Alyssa?" Clayton said as he climbed into the back seat. Darold waved as I knew Katie's mother was picking him up as usual.

"I needed to talk to you," I said as I watched him buckle his seat belt.

"Okay," Clayton nodded.

"So, who's the two girls?" I asked.

"Just some friends," Clayton said.

"Clayton," I said in my stern voice. "Who are the two girls?"

"You're just going to get mad," Clayton replied.

"I will get even more mad if you don't tell me," I said, looking back at him.

"Jessica and Helena," Clayton sighed.

"Friends?" I asked.

"Yes," Clayton said with a smile.

I smiled back at him. "See not mad," I said. "Which one do you like?" I asked.

"Helena," Clayton said with an even bigger smile.

I knew it was the usual innocent girl/boy crushes at this stage. She probably did something he liked, or they both enjoyed each other's company.

"The dark haired one?" I asked.

"Yes," Clayton nodded. "Darold likes Jessica," he said.

I nodded. "See, not that hard," I shrugged.

"Didn't know how you would take it," Clayton said.

I pulled the car over and looked back at him. "There is nothing you can say that will make me mad at you, do you understand?"

Clayton nodded.

"Nothing, as long as it's the truth, I will stand right beside you," I told him.

"It's just that I know how grandpa and grandma were, and I thought you would be the same," Clayton admitted.

"Well, they are both dead and buried," I said as I pulled the car back onto the road. "And I am nothing like them."

I dropped Clayton off at the field and waved at Alyssa as I pulled away.

"It's understandable," Katie said as I went to her house.

Darold was outside playing with their dog while we talked on the deck.

"How so?" I asked.

"You were like them for a while," Katie said.

"I was not, as bad as them," I shook my head.

"You have said some pretty bad things about many people of color," Katie said. "And don't forget how you reacted when I told you that Darold's father was a black guy."

"I didn't react that badly," I said.

"You said it was typical, and that they are all like that," Katie said.

"Well, I wasn't wrong," I replied.

"Oh really?" Katie said. "How many kids does Hank have and take care of?"

"Hank is Hank," I shrugged. "Any woman that...."

I stopped as she looked at me. "Got me there," I nodded.

Hank had at least four kids that I knew of, and as I knew he liked to go anywhere and everywhere on his bike, I was sure there were many more out there. He hated using protection, and he never pulled out.

"Okay, I was about to say it's okay for him to do it, but no one else," Katie said. "What about Jeff?"

"You made your point," I said, shaking my head.

Jeff was the owner of the bar. He had cheated on Alice, his now ex-wife. Jeff bounced when the mistress announced she was pregnant, leaving them both high and dry. He ran things through his brother Trevor.

"Okay, because I can say at least four more names, if you want me to?" Katie said.

"No, it's okay," I nodded my defeat.

"It's a lot of men and women of all ethnicity and backgrounds, that leave their kids. If they all stayed and be actual parents there would be a lot less kids in foster care," Katie said.

"But doesn't it make you mad?" I asked. "It's his kid?"

"Why should he have stayed?" Katie asked. "We weren't dating, we weren't serious, it was a second date that went too far. We had a lot to drink, and things got carried away, we used protection and it happened, end of story."

I looked at her. She said it so simply.

"What?" Katie asked.

"Nothing," I shook my head.

"Why did I date a black guy?" Katie asked. "You've had that look on your face, every time we talk about it."

"None of my business," I shook my head.

"He had a super big black cock, it was fourteen inches long, and as thick as a baseball bat," Katie said as she looked at me.

"Stop it," I said.

"No, that's what you want to hear or think, right?" Katie said. "When he took his big black cock out of his pants, I couldn't help myself. I had to drop to my lily-white knees and suck it dry."

"Now, you're just being stupid," I said, shaking my head.

"The sex was awesome he went all night, never stopping, and when he came, it was so much it could fill three large buckets," Katie laughed.

"Now you sound like some of those porn stories," I laughed with her.

"Hey, that's what they believe, and make comments on, right?" Katie shrugged.

"Then they are stupid and should be taken out back and put down like that dog," I said, shaking my head. "They are just made-up stories, if they want to believe that it's all true, then I am going to my house and getting my lightsaber and using the force to get Jacob back."

Katie spat out her sweet tea as she looked at me.

"I am serious, I am going to hop in my starship, go to warp speed, use the force, and get Jacob back from that evil witch of the west," I smiled.

We both laughed at it all.

"Why did you?" I asked.

"He was a nice guy," Katie shrugged. "Plain and simple, he treated me nice, and we talked for a long time before going on our first date, the sex was just that sex, just like any other male out there. no different, good or bad, and if I had to do it all again, I would."

I looked down at the result, a young boy playing tug of war with his dog.

"I wouldn't and don't blame you," I said, looking at my friend. "You know that right?"

Katie nodded.

While driving home, I thought about the things we had talked about, things I thought I had put out of my head.

I used to be one of those that said things like what was happening to Darold never happened, and it was fake news and fake media. And that people were blowing things out of proportion.

That was until I held that little baby in my arms, and he looked up at me with those dark brown eyes and held my finger. That's when the what-ifs came into my head. No one thinks of those things until they are put into that situation.

The first time I saw an elderly lady grab her purse as if her life depended on it, when we were in McDonald's because Darold stood close to her to order his food, it made me so mad I wanted to punch her in her AARP face, but then it dawned on me, how many times had I done that, how many times inadvertently had I done something like that, she didn't know Darold was the sweetest kid in the world.

After that day, things changed. I started to see reactions everywhere. Darold, like Clayton, loved wearing hoodies. Whether it was hot as hell outside or cold as the tundra, they both wore hoodies.

'Where are you?' Jacob texted me as I pulled into the driveway.

'Home,' I replied.

'Need to talk to you, heading over,' he said.

Andrew came from behind the house as I pulled in. He walked toward me.

I saw him for the first time. He was a tall man, easily taller than my five-nine frame. He towered over me, which didn't happen often.

"I took down the deck, and put some wood up to bar the door, so it won't open," Andrew said as he met me.

"Thanks," I said, staring up at him.

I wasn't used to staring up at most men; usually, I stood close to their height. Jacob was five-eleven, Hank was shorter than me at five-eight, so this was new territory, the tallest man I knew was Tanner at the bowling alley, and he was six-three. Andrew stood taller than him.

He wasn't just tall. He was broad, with bulging muscles, and when he smiled, it almost looked out of place for such a huge man.

We walked around the back, and my deck was gone. There was no sign of it.

"Where's all the pieces or the wood?" I asked.

"I took some of it to the dump, as well as gave some of it away," Andrew said. "People like to use the wood for their pits."

I nodded.

"Jesse ordered everything so as soon as it shows up, I will be back to put it back together again," Andrew said.

"Good," I nodded.

"If there is anything else," Andrew said as he gave me a card. "Just call me."

"Actually," I said. "I don't know if you can do it, but the fan in my bedroom hasn't worked in months."

"Ceiling?" Andrew asked.

"Yeah," I nodded as we walked back to the front.

Jacob had just pulled up as we started walking inside.

"Hey Andrew," Jacob said as he walked inside with us.

"Jacob," Andrew nodded.

"Having him look at the ceiling fan?" Jacob asked.

"Yeah, since no one else will look at it," I said.

"People have been busy," Jacob replied.

"No such thing," Andrew retaliated.

I smiled. "I like you," I laughed as I looked at Andrew.

"Too many people are using that bullshit excuse," Andrew said. "There are twenty-four hours in a day, if you sleep eight of those hours it still leaves sixteen, if you work a full twelve-hour shift, still leaves four, how the hell are you that busy? Even with kids and activities, it takes less than a minute to text or call someone, to tell them hi, or what's going on, that's stopping you from doing anything."

"Not many people work a full twelve-hour shift without breaks, or lunches," I said as I led him into the bedroom.

"Or sleep for eight hours straight," Andrew said. "Like I said, complete bullshit."

"I will wait out here," Jacob said, shaking his head as he stood in the living room.

I flicked the switch and pulled on the chains, and nothing happened.

Andrew looked at it and nodded. "Let me get my tools, and I will take a look at it."

I went back out to Jacob and sat down.

"Clayton told me you guys talked," Jacob said.

"Yeah, we did," I nodded.

"Surprised," Jacob said.

"Why is everyone surprised?" I shook my head. "A person can change."

"I know, but you were always so," Jacob stopped as he thought about it.

"Don't say it," I shook my head.

I hated the word racist. It wasn't racism, more like prejudice, I had views and thoughts, and now I realized some were far-fetched and borderline wrong in some cases.

"Okay, I won't," Jacob nodded.

Jacob was what some of my old friends would call far left. I had been right-minded, not far right, just on the right side of the middle. Now I was squarely in the middle, just like Katie.

"Just to let you know," Jacob said. "I wanted to tell you, but Clayton made me promise not to," he said.

"It's alright," I nodded. "We talked, he thought I would be like my parents, and I am not."

During our marriage, we promised each other not to bring up our political or religious views. When voting came about, we voted separately, and we both weren't big television watchers, so the news or media never came up.

We raised Clayton to make up his own mind, never telling him how he should think or what he should feel. We decided to let him form his own opinions of the world around him.

I was glad to see that he was becoming more like me than his father.

We heard Andrew working in my bedroom, and while Jacob turned to look at the hallways, I snuck a look at his crotch.

I thought how I missed that huge white cock as I looked away as he turned back to me.

"So, everything is good?" Jacob asked as he stared at his phone.

No doubt the bitch was texting him and asking where he was. She was like that, always wondering where he was, who he was with, and when he would be home.

He didn't have to worry about her. The bitch ran a predictable schedule. She worked down at the physical therapy clinic, packed a lunch, so she didn't have to leave work, picked Clayton up from school, went running for ten miles at four in the afternoon, came home, made dinner, watched reality television, then went to bed, rinse and repeat.

She even had an app that calculated the carbs and calories everyone ate in a day. I told her to turn that shit off while I had Clayton. I wasn't going to follow no app's advice on feeding my son. If he wanted the whole menu from Taco Bell, he wasn't getting the entire fucking menu.

"You better go, before she has a conniption," I said with a smile.

"Yeah," Jacob said as he stood up.

I smiled as he stood up. He had a chubby. No doubt he had been staring at my cleavage. He did love my big boobs. How he went from someone with extremely large breasts to a flat-chested bitch was something that boggled my mind.

"Hope she takes care of that," I smiled as he walked towards the door.

"She does," Jacob said. "And I don't have to worry about her sucking another guys cock," he said as he looked back at me as he held the door open. "Any other smart comments?"

"Nope," I said as he had won the argument.

"Good," Jacob said as he went out the door.

"Fucking stupid bitch," I cursed myself for saying that to him.

"It's working," Andrew said, startling me as I had completely forgotten he was here.

"Great," I said as I stood up and followed him into the bedroom.

The ceiling fan was spinning, and the light was on. I smiled and looked up at him. "How much do I owe you?" I asked.

"Nothing," Andrew smiled. "It was an easy fix."

I had to smile back at him. I knew from his height; that he was getting a good view of my cleavage.

"Just let me know if there is anything else," Andrew said as I walked him out.

"Make sure to lock up," Andrew said as he walked toward his truck.

"Definitely," I nodded as I stood at my doorstep.

I watched as his truck pulled out of the driveway, and he honked the horn as he left. I smiled and waved at him.

Then my face dropped as I saw Hank a few houses down. He was on his bike and staring directly at me. I shook my head and then closed the door.

I made sure everything was locked and then armed the alarm. I peeked out of my bedroom window, and he was still there.

'Hank is outside my house, a few doors down,' I texted Charles.

'I will handle it,' Charles responded.

Charles was the closest to me. I knew if I told Jacob, he would call the police, which would anger Hank more than needed.

I looked again and saw Charles's truck next to Hank's bike. They seemed to be talking for a while, then Hank took off like a bat from hell.