Carl

I woke up with a start and realized that someone was knocking on Lily’s door, hard. I don’t know how long they had been there, but whoever it was, they were getting pissed and knocking harder with each set of knocks. They were banging on it so hard that the door was shaking with the action and it took me a moment to remember why I was even there and then I saw the woman next to me.

Stirring Melanie up, I asked her if anyone was supposed to be coming over.

“No, not that I know of.”

“You need to go see who it is because I’m not supposed to be here.”

It was then that she seemed to get the predicament that we were in. Someone was here and it was most likely one of her family and if it was Scott, this morning was going to be a problem. I didn’t like to think about it, but I knew that it was most likely Scott and I was going to have to explain what I was doing here with Melanie.

“Okay, you stay here for a minute.”

“It’s not going to matter Melanie. My truck is out front and will probably give us away.”

Even so, I stayed back as she answered the door. I had never been the guy craning to hear from the bedroom before and I can’t say that I liked it all that much.

“Come on Carl. We have to go.”

I wasn’t expecting that and when I came downstairs, it was Mary that was standing by the door. She had a smile on her face and told me good morning. I don’t know why she looked so happy, but she was not the scowling face of her son that I’d expected.

“Good morning Carl. Wasn’t expecting to see you here, but it’s just as well. Ted’s taken a turn for the worst and we need to get down there. I know that he always looked at you as a son, so he wants you there as well. We will leave this little tid-bit out of the conversation though, shall we?”

I was shocked by her words and the knowing look on her face. She didn’t seem fazed by it, though I could see that she was upset about other things. Her husband was lying in a hospital bed and here we were. I felt horrible and I got dressed quickly so that we could leave. I followed them in my truck so that it didn’t look like we’d been together the night before.

When we got the hospital, Scott was already there. “Thanks for coming Carl. I tried to call you and I couldn’t get an answer.”

I told him that I had the phone off and ignored the two women in the room that knew why. It was strange being there, but Ted wanted to talk to me and it was time for me to have a minute alone with him. I don’t know why I was so worried about it, but I was. I didn’t want there to be any problems and Ted seemed to be with it quite well. Like his wife, he seemed to know more than he should.

“Sit down Carl. You look nervous. I’m not going to bite. I doubt I would have the strength to.”

I sat down like he requested and met his gaze. It’d been a while since I had, not wanting him to see how upset his sickness made me. No one wanted to see their role model less vital than he had been before.

“I know that you’re not mine Carl, but you kind of feel like it, so I want to tell you a few things before I go.”

I didn’t like how this was starting or where it was going. I didn’t want to hear him talk like this, but I knew that all I could do now was that very thing. He wanted me to listen and so I was meant to listen. I had always looked up to Ted and I knew that I was going to be saddened when he was gone.

“I want you to take care of them for me. Scott is a good boy and man, but you’ve always been the level headed one. He will in time get over you and Melanie together. Just give him time.”

I wanted to tell him that he was wrong about me and Melanie. Somehow it was known by all but my best friend. I couldn’t lie to a dying man though, never could lie to Ted before. I just sort of nodded my head like I understood.

“You take care of her. That’s all I ask.”

I agreed that I would, not wanting to know what all that meant to him. We’d only been together once, the rest of the time in some sort of dance that was hard to describe. I wasn’t sure what to think of it and now I was promising her dying father that I would take care of her. It seemed impossible when Scott was going to want to come to fists over it.

Leaving the room, Scott wanted to know what he said. I told him a little of it, but the part about taking care of them and his sister more precisely I left that out. It wasn’t the right time to say such a thing, to reveal the truth. I smiled at Melanie with my back turned when I saw her. Making my way down to the machine, I came back up with a hot, bitter coffee in my hand. I didn’t really want nor need it, but it was distraction from what was going on in my head.