The Greatest of These is Love Pt. 07

Then the memory of having to tell his mother and father that he wouldn't be home for Thanksgiving along with the disappointment he heard from everyone when he called on Thanksgiving Day. He couldn't do that to them again.

"You know that I'd love to, Dawn, but I can't do that to my family for two holiday breaks in a row. Not yet."

"I know, John. I know. Just like I can't be away from my family either. Let's just stick with our plans. It's only for a month."

"Only for a month, she says."

"Yes, only for a month. And we'll talk almost every day, I promise. You'll see. 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder', right?" She pulled his head down to her lips and she nibbled and whispered in his ear, "Just think of the fun we will have catching up when we're finally together again."

A soft 'ahem' caused them to break apart. Owen was leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed and a huge grin on his face.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt," Owen mock apologized.

"No, it's alright, Owen," Dawn assured him. "I need to get on my way home. I do have one stop to make to pick up some Christmas gifts for the guys."

She strode over to Owen and pulled him into a long, affectionate hug. "We'll find a girl for you, once you get to State. I promise. Just have some faith and keep on keepin' on." She kissed his cheek and Owen blushed slightly. He really liked Dawn.

"Come on, John. Get your coat on. You need to make sure I'm properly buckled in," she laughingly instructed.

After getting her duffel and cosmetics bags placed in the back seat, they stood there with her door open as they hugged and kissed for several minutes. Reluctantly, Dawn got into the driver's seat and John made sure her seatbelt was properly buckled and fitted over her shoulder and between her breasts, which were accentuated by Dawn puffing her chest out.

"I left you a little something in your room, lover. Don't use them up too quickly," she advised. "I'll call you a couple of times during my drive. I love you so much that it hurts. But what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. We'll be stronger for having a little time apart. I love you, John Wilson."

Determined to get the last word in, John replied, "And I love you even more." He shut her door and tapped on the roof. Dawn started the car and pulled away from the Wilsons' house. She could see in her rearview mirror the tears streaming down John's face. She had to be strong for both of them.

= [] = [] =

A short while later, after driving in circles around the Arrowhead and Royals Stadium complex a couple of times, Dawn pulled into a parking space in front of the Chiefs Pro Shop. Exhaling mightily, she hung her head in temporary fatigue. This wasn't going to be an inexpensive shopping event, but if not for John's family living nearby, when would she ever be near here and able to buy these sorts of gifts? She snorted to herself. One more good thing about John being in her life. She fully expected their relationship to go the distance, and she could be visiting this side of the state again in the future. She thought it was a good idea to get these genuine Chiefs jerseys as Christmas gifts for her father and brothers, as well as a replacement one for her boyfriend.

She walked into the store and there were already several customers shopping. She had some idea of what she wanted, but fortunately, a salesperson quickly came up with an offer to help. With the other girl's help, Dawn quickly decided on a '#1 Dad' for Josh. Because Junior played both defensive lineman and occasionally linebacker, she chose a '#58 Derrick Thomas' for him. And a '#15 Patrick Mahomes' for Danny, who was the starting quarterback for the freshman squad. She needed no help at all in deciding on a '#87 Travis Kelce' for John to replace the '#88 Tony Gonzalez' jersey he had given her.

All told it took almost an hour to get the four jerseys and pay for them. A gust of breath escaped her pursed lips at the total cost. She would have to forewarn her mother before the bill arrived in the mail. It was then that she realized she didn't have a gift for her mother! She knew that Emily didn't care a whole lot about football, but she was a lifelong baseball fan. Dawn gave a wicked little smile as she placed the bags in her trunk. She then walked resolutely across the parking lot to the Royals Pro Shop. It didn't take her long at all to decide on a '#5 George Brett' jersey for her mother. After all, 'Morganna, the Kissing Bandit' had chosen him, twice; why not her mother?

Before starting her car, Dawn consulted the maps application on her phone. She was a little surprised that the recommended route took her south to Springfield, then east on US 60. Well, she had driven those roads on their way from Springfield, and was very familiar with the route from school back home. Going with the recommendation was a no‑brainer although there were a couple of cell phone dead zones between school and home.

She didn't want to give away the fact that she was still nearby, so Dawn plugged her phone in to charge and set off on the suggested route. It was only when she was nearing Springfield that she realized that a) she was hungry and a bit late for lunch, and b) she had not called John. She quickly pulled into a parking lot and called him.

"Oh, John, I'm so sorry!" she began

"Are you okay? Are you hurt? Where are you?" all came out of his mouth, nearly stumbling over each other.

"No, no, I'm fine. I'm in Springfield. Maps said it was shorter to come back through town. I'm a little later than I expected because I had to stop and buy some Christmas gifts before I left the KC area."

"Phew," John exclaimed. "Okay, so as I recall, there are some places between there and your home where cell service is spotty. Please call me when you get home, even before you get out of your car."

"I will, John. Are you better now?"

"Not really, no. I'm never better when I'm not with you. I love you, Dawn. You carry my heart with you, wherever you are, whatever you do. Please be kind with it."

"I promise I will call you as soon as I get home and before I leave the car," she averred. "We'll need to set up a schedule to talk with each other as well." A sneaky grin crossed her face. "Did you find the 'gift' I left in your room for you?"

"No, not yet. I just finished folding my cleaned clothes and put them away. Where did you leave the 'gift'?"

"Eh, you'll find it, eventually. Maybe I'll tell you tonight. I wouldn't want you to worry too much," she audibly smirked.

"Fine! Be that way!" he huffed. "But hear me well, Dawn. We'll be talking tonight."

"I'm looking forward to it, John. I love you. I'm fine and I'll call when I get home."

"Okay, then. I love you, too. Bye."

"Bye, John."

= [] = [] =

Once they had finished their sandwiches, Owen asked, "So, John, tell me, what I should expect about living in the dorms? How are college classes different from high school?" John paused the movie they were watching as he carefully formed his response.

"Have you decided to go to State? I can't speak for how things are at any school but State, but I can try to explain what I've encountered." Owen nodded and John continued.

"You'll have to share a room with another guy, and probably a bathroom with another pair of guys on the other side. You won't have a whole lot of privacy unless you work things out with your roommate, so you'll have to learn to avert your eyes and close off your mind at times. Each dorm has its own cafeteria, and most serve the same stuff on the same day, so going to another dorm usually doesn't do much good. It's cafeteria food served by guys and gals who are on work/study financial aid, so there's a general lack of caring if you're not happy with the food.

"Are you more of a morning person or a night owl? It can be an issue if your roommate is the opposite. There's a lot more need for a 'go-along, get-along' attitude. Finding that out right away can make the time go by better. Dawn has become close friends with her roommate Julie, but neither Julie's boyfriend Tom nor I seem to have had much luck with our assigned roommates. Unless there's a crisis of some sort, you're pretty much stuck with that roommate for the semester."

"But what about the classes?" Owen asked.

"It's different from high school. One, you don't necessarily have to go to class. Most classes don't award attendance points, although some might. Two, don't take all of your general education classes right away. You need to save some for your Junior and Senior years as a break from the higher‑level courses you'll be taking. Three, you don't have a locker so you'll have to carry your books everywhere. Try to get class sections that aren't one after the other; try to build in breaks between classes. Your classes will likely be held in separate buildings and the professors don't like it if you walk in late. I'm sure you'll have other questions as they occur to you throughout the coming year. Hey, be happy that I'll be around for your first year."

The brothers spent the rest of the afternoon watching one movie after another and simply enjoying some time together.

The first words out of Susan's mouth as she entered from the garage and saw John were, "So, has Little Miss Daisy Mae gone back to the farm?"

John's expression went completely flat at his mother's words and tone. Biting back a vitriolic outburst, he quietly said to Owen, "I'll be up in my room. I'm not sure if I'm coming down for supper." John then mounted the stairs, entered his bedroom, shut the door with some force, and locked it. He sat on his bed with tears once again rolling down his cheeks. He was conflicted, caught between the love he should have for his parents and the love he knew he had with Dawn. Maybe he should have left with Dawn. He knew that her parents, her sisters, even her dog Gypsy, would treat him with love and respect. He sat there for a while, then got up and pulled his suitcase out of his closet.

= [] = [] =

When Henry came home from work about half an hour later, Susan was busying herself in the kitchen making supper, completely unaware of the negative impact she had on her eldest. Owen was watching television and keeping his head down from the storm he suspected would soon occur. Henry removed his coat and hung it up, looking around, slightly puzzled.

"Where's John?" he asked loud enough so both Owen and Susan could hear him.

"He was down here when I came in," Susan offered.

Much quieter so Susan couldn't hear, Owen answered, "He's up in his room. Said he might not be down for supper. What's Mom's problem?"

Henry went still as a chill ran down his spine.

Equally quietly, he asked, "What exactly did she say to him?"

Owen licked his lips and pressed his lips tightly together before repeating, "'So, has Little Miss Daisy Mae gone back to the farm?'"

"Ouch. Did John say anything?" as Henry grimaced.

"Quietly and just to me that he was going to his room and he wasn't sure if he'd be down for supper. He shut his door pretty hard, though."

Fearing the worst, Henry chose to try to limit the damage and climbed the stairs quietly. Testing the doorknob and finding it locked, he knocked softly on John's bedroom door.

"John? It's Dad. Can I come in?"

"Why are you even bothering?" came the muffled response.

"Because you are my son and I love you. Come on, John, unlock the door. I just want to talk with you for a little bit. Please?" Henry stood at the door. He hoped that John would not be unreasonable. What Owen related that Susan had said had disastrous potential though. Henry rapped again on the door and tested the handle. Still locked.

"John, please. We need to talk quietly and we can't talk through the door and keep the volume down. Please open up and let me come in."

After another minute, the door opened and Henry saw John's back as John was facing his dresser. Henry stepped into the room and his blood practically froze in his veins. The suitcase was on John's bed and almost full of John's clothes; the clothes he had just brought home from school. John turned around with his hands full of socks, which he began to tuck into spaces between the already‑packed clothes.

"I can't stop you from leaving, John. I wouldn't blame you, either. But I don't want you to go. I had stern words with your mother last night, but she appears to have forgotten everything we talked about. Just please, give it tonight. We'll have a 'family forum', and you can say anything you want."

Tears were slowly eking out of John's eyes as he turned to look at his father seated next to the suitcase. When John opened his mouth, Henry held up a hand.

"Please, John, save it for after supper. We all need to hear what you want to say. I probably deserve the harsh side of your tongue as well. For the record, I'm very fond of Dawn. It's obvious to me that you two care very much for each other. You're both good for each other. Just promise me you'll be down either for or after supper."

John's lips twitched several times as he struggled to contain his anger. Finally, he nodded and said, "After supper, a family forum in the living room. Okay." Henry nodded and returned to the living room.

= [] = [] =

John chose not to join his family for supper as he had threatened. He was weighing his options, whether to sit through supper in icy silence or just show up for the family forum time, when Dawn called him.

"Hi, John! I'm safe at home in our driveway now," she informed him, keeping her promise. She mentioned picking up Chiefs and Royals jerseys for her family before leaving the KC area, which was why it took her so long to return home. She assured him that there were no issues on her route to Springfield and then to Phelps Bluff. John tried to keep his tone positive and upbeat, but Dawn was listening very closely. In the two and a half months they had been together, she had learned to 'read' him. She suspected that something upsetting had happened after she had left. Most likely it was his mother who had caused it when she came home from work, but Dawn was trying not to jump to conclusions. This was precisely why she had been a little reluctant to leave that morning, despite her assurances to her family.

"John, what's wrong? I can hear it in your voice. What happened?" she pressed.

He took a deep breath, then asked, "Is your offer still on the table?"

"What offer? Oh... I'm not sure. I'd need to ask and I'm still out in my car, although Gypsy is waiting for me to open my door and love on her." That last bit brought a brief smile to John's face, but it quickly dissipated. "Do I need to ask, for real? What about sticking with our plans?" she asked.

"Our plans may not be viable. I've already packed my bags, and I'm now waiting for them to finish supper. Dad has called a 'family forum' and said that I can say anything I want to. I'll probably stay here tonight, but tomorrow's another day and a different story."

Dawn thought that whatever had happened must have been very bad for him to have already packed his clothes in preparation for walking out the door. She was also aware that Henry and Susan had had several discussions while she had been visiting; discussions that weren't shared with the whole family. The concept of an open family discussion was new and disconcerting to her. There was no way she could say whatever was on her mind to everyone. Maybe in front of Junior and Danny, but no way in front of Jenny and Ginny. But Owen was the same age as Junior, so maybe...

"It was your Mom, right? What did she do this time?"

"Let's just see how the family forum goes. I'll call you later with the results. Oh, can I have a number to throw in their faces?"

"A number?"

"Yeah. We've never talked about any of the specifics. Just a rough value of what your grandmother left you. Something to either shut Mom up or burn that bridge to ashes. That's where we are right now. I'm an inch from walking out the door and never, ever coming back."

Shocked and concerned about this side of John, Dawn thought for a couple of seconds and decided in favor of her love for him.

"Okay. Rough number is at least a quarter of a million."

It was John's turn to pause and reflect.

"I guess there's nae need to be askin' your Pa for a dowry, then, is there, lassie?" he said in his attempt at an Irish brogue.

"Nae, I'm a well‑propertied woman, I'll have you know," she teased back, with a much better accent. Returning to a serious tone, she continued, "I love you, John Wilson. It hurts me to know that you're facing these troubles alone. Call me when you can, and we'll work together from there."

"And I love you, Dawn Taggart, just as much as I did this morning. I'll try to call around 9 o'clock, if that's okay."

"That's perfect, my love. I've got to get out of my car now before Gypsy chews it to pieces trying to get to me. <kiss>"

"Goodbye, my love, my life." John disconnected the call and sat back to wait impatiently for his family to finish their meal.

Susan kept glancing over to John's empty chair and unused plate. When she asked Owen where John was, all she got was a mumbled, "Not hungry." Between that and the Antarctic chill emanating from both Henry and Owen, Susan was beginning to sense that something was wrong and that Henry and Owen thought she had something to do with it.

Thinking back, she thought it had started out as a fairly nice day. Everything went like clockwork, and she and Henry were right on time out the door. The boys were sleeping in as they were prone to do during vacation time. The girl who John had brought home would soon be on her way back to wherever she came from. There was the scolding last night from Henry, but her boy John would never do anything as extreme as what Henry had suggested. The tears she had shed were crocodile tears; insincere tears simply to appease Henry. She wasn't truly sorry about anything, so she mentally shrugged her shoulders. John was entitled not to eat if he so chose.

When Susan had finished her food, she started to get up and reached for the food in the bowls and on the serving platter. Henry stopped her, saying that he had some news to share with the whole family. They would meet in the living room in three minutes.

While he had been packing his bags, John found a one‑inch diameter foot‑long dowel on the top shelf of his closet. It had been decorated with some feathers and cheap plastic jewels, streamers, and a jingle bell was glued to the top. This was the 'talking stick' he made back in second grade in Cub Scouts when they were learning about Native Americans. He was surprised he still had it but smiled a cruel grin as he realized he could put it to good use tonight.

He was at the top of the stairs when Henry called up to him, inviting John to join the family in the living room. John descended the stairs slowly, resisting the call of gravity. He held his Talking Stick in his left hand while his right remained on the banister. When he entered the living room, the other three were already seated around the room, so he sat in a chair and waited.

"Okay, Henry. We're all here now. What's your big announcement?" Susan seemed a bit impatient to get on with the evening.

"I'm going to defer to John to start. Son?"

John stood and moved to the middle of the room so he could pivot as needed to see the others. He held up his Talking Stick so everyone could see it.

"I found this in my closet a little while ago. It's called a 'Talking Stick'. It comes out of some Pacific Northwest Native American customs. This is the one I made back in the second grade. Remember, Mom? We did this in Cub Scouts. It's not as large as a real Talking Stick, but it can still serve the same purpose."