Caring Fireman Daddy by Scott Wylder

CHAPTER THREE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Betsy

Yey! I get to be chased again. I wasn’t ready to call him yet, so I’m glad Talia set us up. It doesn’t seem like either of us minds being set up if it means seeing each other again.

I go and hide behind a log near the creek behind Frank’s house. I don’t want to be too hard to find because it is getting darker. As I peek out from behind the log, I see it.

A creature, too big and wild-looking to be a dog, stars right at me. It’s a wolf. It has to be a wolf. I didn’t think they would be this close to people, but Frank’s house is right next to the woods. The wolf is a small distance up the creek, but he could catch me easily if he had half a mind to chase me. Although I’m scared, I don’t want to startle it. I stay as still as possible.

I hear the squeal of Talia as she is “caught” by Frank. The wolf looks toward the squeal but doesn’t move. I slowly begin to stand just in case I have to run.

“Darius?” I say to the night in a normal, calm voice. “Darius?” He needs to know by my voice I am no longer playing.

“I’m gonna get you,” Darius playfully answers. I hear him rustling through the woods.

“Darius. Stop.” I think he’s behind me from the direction of his voice. “Darius, I’m not playing anymore.”

“What’s wrong?” Darius calls out. He can’t be too far away. The rustling begins again, and it sounds like he’s running.

“Darius, stop. Stop running,” I say just below a shout. The wolf and I are staring at each other. I don’t know if he’s coming toward me or if I am imagining it, but he is definitely closer than I would like. “Listen.” The rustling stops.

“There is a wolf right in front of me,” I say as calmly as I can. I sound like a flight attendant demonstrating where the exits are. “I am trying not to move or be too loud because I don’t know what to do.”

I want to scream and run away, but I know that wolf is faster than me.

“OK. It’s OK. I’m coming toward you quickly and quietly.” He speaks as if he’s the pilot telling the passengers of some “minor turbulence.”

“I’m right here by this fallen log. Can you see me?”

“Yes. I can. Be still. I’m coming,” he says. I am as still as possible, though I feel my heart pounding out of my chest and I can’t catch my breath. Being chased isn’t fun when it’s real.

Darius is finally right behind me. He puts his hand on the small of my back.

“It’s going to be OK,” he says, but I don’t know how. He looks around and then picks up a stick.

“Go on. Get.” He yells at the wolf and throws a stick in his direction. He doesn’t intend to hit the wolf, just scare it. The wolf dodges the stick, but otherwise makes no indication of leaving.

“Go on. Get out of here. Go,” Darius yells again. His voice big and low. The wolf trots off in the opposite direction and disappears into the darkness.

I shudder and start to cry. I muffle the sound of my sobs with both hands as if I can catch them.

“It’s OK. It’s over. He’s gone,” he whispers as he holds me close and brushes my hair with his hand. I sob into his shoulder. He is sturdy and warm. I cry even harder. I started crying about the wolf, but then I start crying about everything else scary in my life. I just let it all go. He holds me even closer. I don’t know how long I cry, but it seems like ages and when I let go, I feel lighter. I feel at peace.

“Take a deep breath,” he says. His face is blurry through the tears. “Breathe, Betsy.”

I breathe. I have one or two more sobs in me until I can breathe normally.

“It’s OK. It’s going to be OK.”

I hug him for real. I feel the wetness of my tears on the shoulder of the shirt, but if he doesn’t say anything, I won’t.

“Let’s go back to the house, OK?” I nod and do as I am told.

We walk up to the house, and I’m leaning against him like a wounded fawn. “Oh my God, Betsy, are you OK?” Talia asks. I nod, but I’m not OK. Not fully. Not yet.

“Look, Frank, I appreciate your hospitality, but we’ve had a bit of a fright.” Darius says. “We ran into the big bad wolf, but we scared him off.”

“That damn wolf,” Frank says. “It’s half coyote, half wolf. Animal control has been called, but it doesn’t seem to bother anybody. Seems to feed off squirrels and opossums, or whatever he can get hold of. I guess the city won’t do anything about it until someone’s precious poodle gets chomped on down in Meridian Kessler.”

“Those poor squirrels,” Talia says.

“Betsy here has had quite the night already,” Darius says. I shudder, curling into his body. He puts his arm around me.

“It’s OK.” Frank says. “Can I get you anything?” 

“Maybe some water,” Darius says. Frank motions to Talia to follow him into the house leaving Darius and I alone.

Darius kneels to get closer to me. “I’m sorry about your sleepover,” he says. His voice is gentle, his face softened with care. “Do you want to stay here?”

“I mean, I want to spend the night with my friend, but now I’m kinda freaked out and I don’t know.” I hear my voice get small.

“It’s OK, Baby Girl. Would you like to come home with me? I can keep you safe,” he says, and I want to believe him. “It’s OK. I can drive you to your place if you want.”

“No,” I say too quickly. “I mean, I’d rather go home with you, if that’s OK.”

My mom moved out of state with her boyfriend when I was 16 and I didn’t go with her. I stayed with friends until I graduated high school. Since then, I’ve been the “extra roommate” in sublet after sublet. I never get too comfortable. I can pack and move in an afternoon or less if necessary. I currently have three other roommates. Two are on the lease and then there is a third guy that seems to always be around, either sleeping on the couch or in one of my roommates beds all hours of the day. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen the guy awake.

“I have my sleeping bag and pajamas already for a sleepover, so I can just have the sleepover at your house? If that is OK.” He’s volunteering his house too quickly and I am agreeing to it too quickly, but I don’t care. I want to feel safe. I want Darius to take care of me.

“I’ll talk to Frank. Do you want to say goodbye to Talia before we go?” I nod.

I stand under the porch light, waiting. I feel like I’m on an empty stage. I have always had to perform. I have to act like an adult. I have to read other people’s feelings to feel safe. Growing up too fast in order to take care of my mom who just went from one man to another and was drunk half the time. We got evicted a lot. If I’m going to perform, I want it to be for something good like dancing or singing. I love dancing at Recess. It’s the only time I feel safe and free.

“Betsy?” Talia comes out onto the porch. I can tell she has been sucking her thumb. “I’m sorry the big bad wolf scared you.”

“Me too,” I say, twisting my ponytail and putting the end in my mouth, making it like the tip of a paintbrush. I should stop that, but I have too many feelings to deal with any bad habits. “I’m sorry that we’re going to miss our sleepover. We’ll do it again sometime, I promise.”

“I understand,” she says. “I would be so scared. I am just going to cuddle with Frank and maybe watch a movie. One without any wolves, or dogs for that matter.”

We both giggle. “Thank you.” She comes in to hug me. She smells like cotton candy and strawberries. She releases me and says, “You can trust Darius. He and Frank have been friends for years. And he is a fireman.” I smile knowing a fireman is going to take care of me.

“If he gives you any trouble, you feel uncomfortable, or need anything, call me, OK? Call anyway, I would love to hear the gossip.”

“OK, I will.” She gives me another quick hug.

Talia and I haven’t been friends long. We met each other at Recess. She is so nice. I feel like I can trust her. It’s good to have a friend. It’s even better to have a friend that gets you. Someone who likes the same things you do and doesn’t make you feel weird about it. Moving around so much, I hardly had any friends as a kid. Being a Little is like getting a second chance. Only with a Daddy, it can be sexy too. The best of both worlds.