Page 25 of Something Like Summer
“It was still sixthperiod,” Karen explained joyfully. “Janny has work leave so sheleaves after fifth period. Apparently Ben does, too.”
“Is this true?” his fatherinquired.
Ben didn’t need to answer.His mother saw it all on his face. Denying anything would only makeit worse.
“How long has this beengoing on?” she demanded. “Have you and this friend of yours beenskipping school every day? What’s going on between youtwo?”
“Well, that’s not hard toguess,” Karen interjected.
“Be quiet,” his motherhissed at her before turning her attention back to Ben. “What’sgotten into you lately? First you lie to us about where you are andwho you’re with, and now you’re skipping school? I don’t know whothis Tim person is, but it’s clear that he isn’t good foryou.”
“That’s not true!” Benprotested, feeling betrayed. Sheknewhow much Tim meant to him. He’dtold her, and now she was using it against him.
“You may not think it’strue,” she insisted, “but believe me it is. Anyone who asks you tolie and encourages you to skip school--” She shook her head,overcome with emotion. “Adam.”
“You’re grounded,” hisfather said on cue. “Starting now.”
“Grounded from what?” Benasked incredulously.
His father looked to hismother for help. “The computer?” he suggested.
“For Christ’s sake, Adam!”She glowered at her husband before redirecting her wrath to herson. “You are grounded to the house. You aren’t going out withanyone until further notice. And I’ll be calling your school tomake sure you are there the whole day, too!”
“That’s not fair!” Benmanaged to shout as emotion constricted his throat. “I fucking hateyou!” he croaked to his sister before he ran upstairs to hisroom.
Things only became worseonce he had slammed the door. Left alone, he had time to realizethe implications of this punishment. The last few days alone withTim, the romantic meal and whatever memories they would have made,were all gone, forever stolen away from him by his stupid sisterand his treacherous mom.
* * * * *
Groggy and miserable, Benpulled himself out of bed at eleven in the morning and stumbledinto the shower. He had stayed up late, wrestling with the angerlurching inside and listening to music that amplified theseemotions.
Before all of this hecalled Tim to let him know that he wouldn’t be showing up afterdinner or even this weekend. Tim, while sympathetic that he hadgotten in trouble, didn’t sound as devastated as Ben hadhoped.
Once he was dressed, hestomped downstairs for some cereal. Ben was scowling at theselection when he heard the jangle of car keys. He turned to seehis mother with her purse over her shoulder.
“Wanna go with me to thestore?” she asked in pleasant tones as if nothing hadhappened.
“No, thanks,” Ben answeredcarefully. Maybe she realized how she had overreacted and wouldunground him.
“You sure?” she prompted.“It’s your only chance to get out of the house today.”
He turned his back to her,anger swelling up inside of him.
“Well,” his mother sighed,“your sister and father will be back any minute.”
Ben maintained his bittersilence until he heard the garage door raise and lower again. Hecounted to twenty before he dared move to the front windows tocheck that her car was gone.
“Dad? Karen?” he yelled,just to be sure that he was alone.
Only Wilford responded tohis calls, panting happily as he trotted up to him.
“You look like you need togo potty,” Ben suggested. “Don’t you, boy? Don’t you?”
Wilford barked and leapt inanticipation.
Ben smiled at his littlevictory. There was no choice but to take the poor dog out for awalk. Clearly it was an emergency. He threw on his shoes and gavehimself a once-over in the mirror before leashing Wilford andescaping from the house. He ran the first block, just in caseeither of his parents was on the verge of returning. Once thatobstacle was out of the way, he was home free.
He felt a wild sense ofliberation as he approached Tim’s house. So what if he got intotrouble? They could ground him all they wanted. Right now he wassomewhere his parents didn’t know about, somewhere safe. He wouldhave his weekend with Tim and they couldn’t do anything aboutit.
