The General Store

Chapter 32: The Better Man

Seeing Penny and Johnno for the first time in a year was like a breath of fresh air. Their love comforted us and their happy smiles were just what we needed.
'Brooklyn bloody Carmondy!' Penny announced, throwing herself into my arms.
'Bloody Penny Johnson, how have you been?' I asked, hugging her tight.
'As good as I can be I suppose, Johnno hasn't been himself, I think the incident really got to him.' She explained quietly as Johnno stepped out of their car.
'Pat.'
'Johnno.'
The two of them flung their arms around each other and stood in silence listening to their heartbeats. Suicide is so real it's hard to believe which is why I think the two of them were so stunned to be in each other's presence.
'Its still beating mate, it's still beating.' Pat mumble. Johnno nodded and began to release his brother.
'C'mon you mob, lets get home shall we?' Penny suggested and we all piled in to the old Holden.
We rode down the dusty track for 20 kilometres, before pulling down the long driveway of "Cricketer's Dream".
'It used to be called Carmondy Dream, but I took offence as an eight year old and ordered for Mum to change it.' Johnno chuckled, pulling up the handbrake.
'Dad still alive?' Pat grumbled.
'Yeah, he's still ticking, he and Mum live down in Bush Curse, you remember the cottage?' Johnno explained, helping Penny from the car.
'Is that my boy?' Mrs Johnson's voice echoed through the backyard.
'G'day Mum!' Pat was pulled into yet another embrace that nearly crushed his ribs.
'I can't believe I nearly lost you.' Mrs Johnson began to cry. Her heartbroken sobs causing Pat to grip a little tighter.

Dinner that night was quiet. No one really spoke. Mr Carmondy sat at the head of the table, his presence frightening Penny and I. Robert Carmondy was a big man. He had a stocky build and his tall structure made me feel insignificant.
'Brooklyn would you like anymore lamb sweetheart?' Mrs Johnson asked calmly.
'No thank you, it was a beautiful though.' I replied, taking Patrick's hand in mine.
'You could've done so much better in England, Patrick.' Mr Carmondy stated out of the blue. Our heads spun to him, our faces coated in absolute shock.
'Robert there's no need for that.'
'Dorothy be quiet.' He ordered.
'I didn't see you supporting me.' Pat replied.
'Don't see you trying either, I wasted a lot of money on you.' Robert said.
'What? You wasted a lot? You didn't even bowl one ball to us Dad, you didn't give a flying toss about our dreams, you pushed us aside and told us to shove the cricket bats where the sun doesn't shine, that's a direct quote straight from your filthy mouth too.' Pat snarled.
'Don't speak to me like that.' Robert slammed his fists on the table.
'Then don't treat me like I'm worthless, Mum realised our potential and our dreams after we named the bloody farm after what we wanted to do. She took us to Adelaide every weekend, I bet you didn't even notice, you spent most of your weekends in the pub anyway, no wonder we went broke.' Pat rose to his feet, attempting to seem a little bigger.
'Pat he's not worth it Mate.' Johnno said.
'Let me speak, Dad do you remember that time when we were about fifteen, and I hit that ball through the kitchen window?'
Robert grunted in response.
'Do you remember how fast you stormed out the door, and I screamed in terror, you snatched my bat, my prize possession, wrapped it around my head, multiple times and left me in bleeding in the dirt while you went and burnt it. Do you remember that?' Pat stepped over to his pale father.
'I never shed a single tear that day or any time I thought of that incident, you shattered every piece of my being but you didn't shatter my dreams. I thought if I could become someone I would impress you and now I realise how much I became someone for myself. I didn't need you and I never will. Johnno doesn't need you and he never will. Brooklyn and Penny don't need a father in law like you and they never will.' Pat's eyes flared as he stood over his Dad. His hands were shoved in his pockets and I could almost see the pulse in his neck.
'You're just a basket case, a messed up human being who can't control himself. You're not a man Patri-
'No Dad you're not a man!' Pat yelled. 'You can't even acknowledge the fact both your sons are brilliant cricketers, in fact you can't even acknowledge your sons. I hope the fact you've lost your two boys niggles at you for the rest of your life and you live in regret until you die because you don't deserve anything.' Pat stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him. Robert roared something inaudible before exiting the room. I suddenly felt awfully sick to my stomach, I bolted to the toilet and threw up my entire dinner into the bowl.
'Brooklyn, you alright?' Penny held my hair back.
'Penny I'll tell you tomorrow, Pat's gotta know first.' I wiped the tear from my eye before venturing outside.

Pat was sitting crosslegged in the middle of a home made cricket pitch.
'I should've have spoken to him like that.' He said as I sat down beside him.
'He sounded like he deserved it.' I replied.
'He does, I didn't need him then and I don't need him now.' Pat muttered before looking down at his twiddling thumbs.
'Pat I gotta tell you something, you gotta promise me that everything is going to be okay with you, as soon as I say it.' I swallowed hard.
'Murph what's happened?' He asked quickly, a concerned look fell over his face.
'Patrick, I'm going to have a baby.' I whispered. I watched his eyes register what I had just said. He has dropped then formed the most beautiful smile i had ever seen.
'Murph, everything is going to be perfect.' Patrick announced, cupping my face and pulling me into a kiss.
'I'm gonna be a Dad, and I'm gonna be a better father than he ever was and ever will be because he's taught me a lot about how to a love and cherish a child without even doing it himself, I love Brooklyn and I love this baby just as much, and I pledge to you, my love will never die.' The seriousness behind Pat's words nearly made me cry. I couldn't believe I'd found a man quite as loyal and as loving as him.