The Humdrum Life of a Hero

Chapter 7

"I can't find your shoe anywhere, Nick," I shout to the boys peering at me from the middle seat as I sort through all of the crap currently occupying the trunk. We've been sitting outside of the Chuck-E-Cheese entrance for ten minutes now in an attempt to find Nick's left shoe, which he claims he put in the trunk.

After this morning's soccer game, which Jay did not show up too for another week in a row, the boys and I headed here for yet another birthday party. But we haven't entered because I made the boys bring a pair of shoes so they wouldn't have to wear their muddy cleats, but clearly it's not working out well. While Connor managed to keep track of both of his shoes, Nick has lost an entire shoe in a car.

"I know I brought it out," he refutes. I glare at him, "Then where is it?"

He shrugs.

"Check the backseat again," I command. I watch as Nick climbs over the seat into the very backseat. He digs around a few seconds before he comes up with a left shoe identical to the one of his right foot in his hand. "Put it on and let's go."

I shut the trunk and grab my purse from the front seat. I press the 'lock' button on my car keys when both of the boys are out of the car and already halfway to the door. I catch up with them at the door where they stamp your hands so none of the little rugrats try and leave on their own, or if someone tries to take one that isn't theirs.

But I think I'm safe when it comes to someone trying to take one of mine. They'd just return them as soon as they'd have taken them.

The very tired-looking attendant lazily stamps all three of our hands, and then I herd the boys up to the front counter and dig out the coupons from last Sunday's paper to give the cashier. "We'll do the $20 special with a pepperoni pizza and one hundred tokens, please," I slide the coupon and credit card across the counter. The cashier runs my card and hands me the card, three cups, one hundred tokens, and a number for my table back.

"It'll be ready soon," the cashier mumbles. Everyone here must really hate their jobs. The boys take their cups and tokens and head off to wreck havoc on the establishment. I wander amongst the tables filled to the brim with presents, people, and pizzas in various stages of eatenness until I end up along a bank of windows facing the parking lot. Most of the tables are empty so I pick the one in the middle, the one with the best view of parked cars and the highway.

I place the number on the edge of the table and focus on the things I currently know about Jay. After my enlightening lunch with Bridgette, I decided to take stock of what I already know and what I need to find out. I don't want to waste any of my precious free and alone time on a boy who I know nothing about.

So far my list contains the bare necessities like his name, though not his full name. I know his dad is a senator, and that he has a seven year-old little sister. I know he lives in Tall Oaks and drives an Escalade. I know he plays football and loves my lasagna. And that's about all I have.

I know nothing about his mother or his home life. I don't know what his hobbies are, or what he wants to do when he graduates in a few months. I don't even know if he's going to college.

"Number 19?" a voice pulls me out of my concentration. I look up to find a perky red-head with our pepperoni pizza. I nod and she sets it and some plates and napkins down on our table. "Thank you," I say as she walks away with the number.

I snag a piece of pizza from the pan before the boys get wind of the delivery and scarf it all down before I even have time to process what happened. Luckily, I don't see them anywhere in sight, so I have a little more time before they return.

Two pieces of pizza later, the boys finally reappear. As I predicted they finish off the rest of the pizza, six pieces between the two of them and head back to their friends and games without uttering a single word.