Date: Mon, 11 Oct 2010 19:45:00 -0400 From: Homer Simpson Subject: Devon's Lie 12 The usual disclaimers apply. If you're under 18 or not supposed to be reading this, go somewhere else. Otherwise enjoy. Any comments can be sent to d.beer@hotmail.com The next morning Devon slowly pulled himself out of bed and walked slowly to the bathroom. After taking care of his morning necessities, he wondered down the staircase and down the hallway towards the kitchen after hearing noise. He was still rubbing his eyes as he entered. "Wow, that's a sight" he heard. It wasn't Paul's voice but Reuben's. He quickly ran out of the room towards his bedroom. He searched everywhere looking for his jeans. He was looking thru the junk in the closet when he heard Reuben behind him. "Hey, it's cool" Devon turned red still facing the closet. "Uh, sorry. I wasn't expecting you. Where's Paul at?" "Well he had some early morning business to attend too so he called me to come over. I hope it's OK. But why don't you take a quick shower after I leave and wrap a towel around you when you come to the kitchen for breakfast. OK?" "Uh, sure" Devon said over his red shoulder. He looked slowly around and Reuben was gone. He went and looked down the hallway. He could hear Reuben going down the stairs since they creaked. He quickly moved into the bathroom. He looked at the shower and wondered if he should get his incision wet. He decided that he could keep it covered while he got wet. It didn't work but then again nothing bad happened. He was happy to see stubble slowly filling in the right spots. After he got out and dried off, he put the towel around his body. It hung to just above his knees. He held on to it while he went down stairs with his hair all wild looking. Reuben was making some eggs and bacon. Devon sat quickly down in the chair keeping his legs together. "Now how do you feel?" "Uh, OK I guess. I didn't mean to do that" "Hey, what you do here is your own choice. I do need to check your incision though. I can do it now OK?" "Uh, OK I guess. Paul did say you were a a a" "I know, a nurse honey, but don't worry about that. This is really a quick and simple thing. Just sit back for a minute" Devon did just that. Reuben came over and pulled the towel that was tucked in away from the main part. He lowered the part to just over the incision. Then he told Devon to stand up while he held the towel against his body. Devon was somewhat surprised when Reuben tucked the towel in again and then put a safety pin in it to keep it from opening up. Devon sat down smiling. "Thank you and thank you for the pin" "Not a problem. You'll feel better for a bit. I'm only here for a little while any ways" Reuben fed the boy, did the dishes up, and asked Devon if he needed anything. He laid down a pre-paid cell phone for him and gave him a couple numbers he could call if he had an emergency. After that, he patted Devon on his head and left. Devon was sitting at the table still sipping on his glass of milk. Devon spent the day in the music room playing around with the piano, pump organ and guitar. He wondered what was keeping Paul so long when it got to be around 3 in the afternoon. He wondered out to the backyard and sat down on the concrete seat that was facing the mountains. He just sat there for a long time thinking, longing and dreaming some. The two dogs hadn't left him the whole time. Devon would pat them now and then, talking to them about stuff that was on his mind. He'd removed the towel earlier in the day when he was about to sit on the piano bench. He figured that Paul wouldn't like that nor if the wet towel was gonna be any good for the wood. He heard some noise behind him, so he stood and turned around. He was almost bowled over by his 9 year old brother who was hugging the wind out of him. Devon gathered up his senses and hugged the boy back. The 9 year old was crying into his stomach. He heard his sister approaching. Realizing his predicament, he quickly held his brother in front of him tight. "Devon!" she cried approaching him. "Devon, you're hurting me" Sebastian said. "Devon, I wanna hug too" Sebastian got away from Devon revealing all of him to her. She got to him and quickly went behind him and hugged his back. Devon quickly covered himself up turning red again. "Are you OK" she asked him. "Devon, you don't have any clothes on" Devon could only hold his hand over himself. "Are you OK bro? Did you survive the surgery?" Devon had tears dripping down his face as he shamefully looked at the approaching Paul. Devon burst into a run to Paul and leaped into his arms burying his head in his shoulder crying great gasps. Paul was rubbing his back telling him it was gonna be OK. Paul went to put him down but Devon held on. Paul finally had to sit down. "Come on Devon, it'll be OK" "I know but not like this, plllleeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaasssssssssssseeeeeeeeeeee" "Sebastian, bring that cat over here please" Sebastian got the great big cat into his arms and stood near Paul. Amanda stood just a few feet away watching everything. She saw Paul forcibly pull Devon out from his arms. Devon re-grasped tight against Paul. "Devon, remember to t r u s t me" he said slowly. Devon slowly let go of Paul. He was sitting on Paul's lap still. Paul took the big Tiger cat from Sebastian telling him thanks. He put the cat into Devon's lap and Devon finally caught on. He scooted off of Paul's leg on to the bench. "Thanks" he said demurely to Paul looking at the cat and then his feet. "Devon Shire! I swear. If you think that seeing your dink and balls makes a big difference to me, you are sooo in trouble!" Amanda said forcibly. "Me neither!" Sebastian said. "But I'm your big brother" "I don't give an owl crap. You're just growing up is all?" "yeah" Amanda added. "But it isn't right" "What? That you can't be like God, ya G O D, created you? You're acting all ashamed. Daddy wouldn't want that" "How'd you get here?" Devon said trying to focus on something else. The cat hair was getting him slightly aroused again. "Paul came and got us. Peewee was being mean to us. He kept saying that he'd finally get what he should have gotten all along. Now I don't know what that is all about but Paul talked to Auntie and here we are" Amanda said in a rush. "You did this? For me? " "Yes for you" Devon cried more into the cat's fur. Sebastian came to him and hugged him. Amanda came to him and Tiger jumped up and away thinking he was gonna get squashed. Devon just held the other two. Paul let the three of them just catch up as he walked into the house to change his clothes and start dinner. Paul heard them before he saw them. Devon was carrying Tiger while the other two were petting the dogs. Their tails were wagging like a wind storm. Devon seemed to lose his embarrassment over being caught in his lack of attire. He looked even happier than he was before. Devon scratched at his stubble unconsciously as he sat down holding tiger away from him. "You want Tiger Basty?" "Sure. You take him" pointing to Sonny. "You guys Hungry? I have some Tuna sandwiches and chips" "Yes sir" Amanda said. "It isn't very nutritious though" Sebastian said. "And when do you all of the sudden become an expert on food?" Devon said. Turning red from embarrassment, "I'm sorry" as he suddenly buried his head into the cat. "Devon, was that a nice thing to say especially to your brother who came all the way to see you?" Paul said. "Yeah butthole" Amanda said suddenly standing and glaring at her brother. "Did it ever occur to you that he just might have learned about it in school or boy scouts??" Devon immediately ran from the room towards his bedroom. Paul heard a door slam. "Y'all eat, I'll be right back" "Yes sir" came Amanda. Paul stopped at the door and listened. Inside he could hear sobbing. Cher whined laying down at the closed door. Paul opened the door after telling Cher to stay. "Well Mr. What do you have to say for yourself?" "I'm so messed up, so terribly messed up" "Yes you are. I want you to stay in this room for the rest of the night and think about what just happened. No dogs allowed. I'll put food outside your door. Just think about it Devon. You can only leave the room to use the bathroom." "Yes sir. Tell Basty I'm sorry" "Bullshit. You're not sorry. Your feeling sorry for yourself and you can tell hum yourself. I'll NOT be your messenger!" Devon sat in shock as he watched Paul leave. Devon did stay the night. His journal was again filled with more written pages. Paul found the door open the next morning. Sonny was thumping the floor with his tail when he saw Paul. Paul had to wonder what was going on. There in the bed was Devon holding on to Sebastian for dear life. The food tray was still where Paul had put it-uneaten. On the end of the bed was the guitar. Devon's journal was open but Paul didn't read it. He slowly shut the door and walked into the kitchen. He was taken aback to find Amanda sitting there with a plate of scrambled eggs and a glass of milk-eating. She was wearing some shorts and a t-shirt. "Morning Mr. Paul. I made you some coffee" "Uh thanks I think" "Sure. What are your plans for us now? Are we going back to our aunt or what?" "Uh, are you sure your only 7?" "No I am 8, why?" "Just unusual is all. Plans? Well I guess that depends on what the 3 of you want I guess. Where'd you learn to make eggs?" "Well geez, mother taught me some things. I can read though ya know. We need some more food if we ate gonna hang around" "Oh I see. Okay then" They discussed what was needed and Paul told her about the plantation. They spoke of the funeral. Paul began to realize the girl was wise beyond her years. Paul wandered back up to check on the boys. Outside the room he had to pause to listen. Inside came sounds of a guitar slowly being strummed. Stop and then some low talk then more strumming. The pattern continued off and on. "Do you think he will let us stay?" "I don't know Basty; he's single and likes it that way" "We could be quiet and stuff. We don't have to be a bother." "I know but I really messed up last night" "Ya you said all that. You've had a tough time" "We gotta put the guitar back before he sees it" "Yeah. I shouldn't have brought it up" Basty said. "You didn't know" "I still prefer an electric one like we had at the church" "Yeah but he ain't got one" "You had any luck writing stuff" "Yeah but I'm outta ink. Maybe Reuben will give me a pen" Paul entered the room. The first thing he noticed was Sebastian holding the guitar. Both boys looked up to notice Paul standing in the doorway. Devon immediately jumped to his feet and stood with his fists clinched on his hips In front of Sebastian. "I brought it in here. If your gonna beat anyone it's me!" Sebastian cowered behind his brother. Paul looked at him. Sonny had gotten up and was looking between the two of them and growled menacingly. "Return it to the music room and use it there. Come eat I have errands and work to complete. I'll be home in a couple of hours" Paul said then left the room and house. They found Amanda in the garden later after they'd eaten some cereal. They heard a car pull up with loud music playing thru the speakers. "oh gosh, Rubens here. Be right back "as he ran off into the house with sonny barking after him. He came into the kitchen to find Reuben and Amanda cooking something on the stove. Sebastian sat at the table watching and petting Cher's head. On the table was another pad of paper with two pens on them. Reuben turned and saw him there in his wrapped towel. "There's the party boy! These are for you. Take them to your room and come back down. Paul should be here in a few minutes and you two will need to help him carry stuff in. Now scoot" Devon took the writing material and left the room smiling. He thought that Reuben was so smart about stuff. He put the paper in a drawer and found his pants all folded up. He shut the door and put them on. He couldn't find his belt though. He might have to ask Paul about where it was. Hearing a car driving up, he went back down stairs and outside where his brother and sister were. Paul had groceries that Amanda and him took into the house. Amanda was putting all of it away while Paul carried the other 6 bags in. Devon and Sebastian tried to help but Paul told them to wait by the car. When he returned, he unlocked the trunk. Inside were an electric guitar and an electric bass guitar. He told each boy to grab one and take it to the media room while he got some more stuff from the office. Each boy picked up their guitar carefully carrying it into the house. Paul came in with his brief case which he took to his office. He closed the door to find Amanda and Reuben had joined the boys. Reuben was looking the guitars over. "Nice Paul. Got any cords for 'em?" "Yeah in this drawer" The children just watched as the cords were extracted from the drawer and connected to the guitars. Paul produced two plastic picks from his pocket. He gave one to Reuben and the other to Sebastian. Sebastian smiled and uttered a small 'thank you'. Reuben plugged one of the guitars into a mixer unit that Paul pointed out. He pushed a couple of buttons and adjusted the main amplifier, then went over and sat in a chair. Amanda sat in the other padded chair to see what was gonna happen. Devon just stood around. Reuben plucked a few cords out of the rhythm guitars while Sebastian strummed the bass guitar. "Not bad Paul. A little out of tune though" Reuben said as he put the guitar down. Sebastian put the bass guitar down after he'd plucked a couple strings. The sound was amplified around the room though each time both had strummed. "May I?" asked Sebastian to Reuben. "Not mine, ask him" as he plucked some various cords on the bass guitar. He handed it to Devon along with the pick. "Please sir?" "Sure, rock my socks off" Paul answered sipping the ice tea he'd brought into the room. Both boys picked up their guitars and strummed a couple of notes. Sebastian adjusted a dial, tweaked a couple of the knobs on the guitar. Paul completely spilt the ice tea all over him when Sebastian took off on the guitar with a tune that was commonly known. Devon made a minor adjustment on the top of the bass guitar, then tweaked the knobs on the guitar itself just to the bottom of the guitar and began a rhythmic bass thump along with Sebastian. Sebastian had turned to look at Devon as they faced each other oblivious to the others in the room. Reuben's mouth had opened up in complete astonishment to the boys. Amanda smiled at Paul whose mouth had opened up wide, his lap and shirt all wet. The dogs ran from the room from the sound. They played for about 10 minutes then stopped. Sebastian looked at Devon in fright as he carefully put the instrument down carefully and then ran from the room. Paul saw Sonny and Cher running after him. "He's scared you're mad at him" Devon said. "Oh shit!" Paul said as he walked from the room. "Where in the name of God did you guys learn to play like that?" Reuben asked. "Natural I guess. Never had lessons except for Devon" Amanda said. Devon just stood there, strummed once more and removed the tool from himself. He placed it carefully in the saddle, looked at the others and then to his feet. "Nothing to be sorry about. I'm just kinda shocked" "Heck, you should see him sing" "Oh?" "Well, she plays along too" Devon said as he left the room for his room. "What the hell is going on here?" Reuben said. "Quite simple. New environment, new people, people finding out stuff about others they didn't know before" Amanda offered. "Oh" Reuben said Devon found Paul talking with Sebastian outside near his bench. Sebastian was petting and hugging Sonny for all he was worth at times. "It's OK Sebastian, really it is" "«Sniff sniff» I dunno" "Well why do you think I got the guitars to begin with? I heard you and Devon talking this morning. I heard you say something about an electric guitar. I got for you, I expect you to play them" "Your heard us this morning? Reuben didn't get the pens and paper? YOU got them?" "Guilty as charged" "Aw fuc----uuuu heck!" Devon said quickly. Paul looked at him looking at his feet. "Is there a problem?" "Well, uh, nnnoooo" "It's OK Devon; I think he really means it now. He does care about all of us" "I do and don't doubt for a minute I don't" Paul offered. All Devon could say was 'shit' softly and fled back into the house. "What now?" "Well, it isn't really my place to say so please don't force me to Mr. Paul" Sebastian said. "OK but is it something I did?" "Nah, Devon was really messed up ever since he came back from Grandma's. I don't know what happened but he hasn't been the same. Something about our cuz and him I think. I got that much out of him then he just locked up. Daddy brought him here thinking someone here could help him. Daddy tried but he couldn't get thru to him and momma was too involved with other things" "So you don't know what happened to him?" "No sir, not the slightest. Do you?" Sebastian said staring for the first time with his bright blue eyes into Paul's. Paul thought it was mesmerizing. "Yes I do and your cousin is all the reason I can tell you about it. I'm sorry. If Devon wants too, that is his choice" "It's sexual isn't it?" Paul would only stare out towards the mountain. "I wondered and now he thinks he gonna get all that money that Devon made from his song. Well, sir, Mr. Paul, you gotta make sure that doesn't happen. PROMISE ME!" "I'll try Sebastian. I will do everything I can do but back to the guitars" "I believe you and thank you" "Where'd you learn to play like that?" "Dunno, just picked it up from watching Devon strum. I listened to some records at a friends and watched something called VH1. I saw the guitar kinda sound like the record. I tried it at church with some headphones on and it all just clicked I guess" "Did you mom and dad know about this?" "No way! Only Devon and Amanda" "I see" "Can we go back inside now? I wanna check on Devon" "Sure thing" They went inside together to find Reuben talking to Amanda in the music room. She stood up as soon as Paul entered the room. She'd been at the piano. "She plays pretty good I think. I don't know how those old hymns are supposed to sound though" Reuben said. "Oh?" "Yeah. She said the piano needs tuned though but I have an idea if you'll come to my car for a minute before I leave" "OK, you gonna be OK for a few minutes Amanda?" "Sure" Paul followed Reuben to his car and chatted for a few minutes. Meanwhile Sebastian found Devon in his room. He looked inside the door to see Devon writing fast in his journal. Sebastian just closed the door gently. Devon didn't even notice it shutting.