Date: Mon, 25 May 2020 15:23:15 -0400 From: JJ Rockwood Subject: Zachary All Grown Up Chapter 37 Zachary All Grown Up Chapter 37 By JJ [ jjrockwood000@gmail.com ] HEY GUYS I KNOW A MANY OF YOU ENJOY THE STORIES ON THIS SITE!! PLEASE HELP KEEP THIS SITE UP AND RUNNING AND FREE!! GIVE WHAT YOU CAN!! THANKS Chapter 37 Zachary was playing with his food. I looked at him and laughed out loud. He looked at as if to say what. I know what you are doing he said what? I tell him go over and get it over with. The sooner you do it, the better you will feel. It's like ripping a band aid off or pulling a loose tooth out. Just be honest and there will be no problem. He went upstairs to brush his teeth and wash up. Geez he came down looking glum, I say smile, and what did you tell me last night, you can support yourself. Zachary left and I watched him walk across the street. I felt bad for him, shit you thought he was on the way to the guillotine. I texted Mario & Maria fast to let them know he was on his way. Maria had texted me last night, that I was correct about why he was down. Zachary walked into the kitchen of his grandparents' house. They had finished breakfast and Maria just finished telling her husband what had transpired the night before. Zachary came in and grabbed a glass of orange juice; he was asked if he was hungry. So Mario asked what was going on and how was school. Zachary looked at them, and Maria gave him a sign to do it. He told his Poppa that he wasn't happy; he wanted to quit school and go back to work. Mario told him he wasn't happy that he wanted a life with more opportunity for him, but ultimately it was his decision. Just then Dan walked in and said what was his decision, Zachary stood up to hug his Dad and said I'm quitting school. Dan stepped out of the hug and said "no you are not". Dan went on "you need an education. What kind of job are you going to get"? Zachary replied "I got a job" and relayed how he called Jared's boss and was hired back for more money. Dan said "not happening". Zachary told him "I am 18 and you can't stop me and if I decide to go back to school the company will pay for it, and there are accelerated programs". Maria pipes up and says it looks like you have this covered and help me carry this basket of laundry outside so I can hang it. When they had left Mario said to his son, look at your son, he has lost some weight and you can see he is not happy. Dan says he didn't notice it till he hugged him. Mario asked him if he remembers the two times in his life that Dan stood up to him. The first when you refused to go hunting at 15 and the second when you said you didn't want to be a mason, you wanted to go to college to be an engineer. Dan said "Thanks Dad". Dan called out for Zachary and told him he would support him in his decision. Zachary hugged his Dad and thanked him. Then told him first thing Monday to go to the admissions office to see what money he could get back, and that he was in his 5th week. He might get a full refund also bring his books back to the book store; he will get a refund either full or partial. He practically ran back across the street. He rushed in the back door and grabbed and kissed me. I looked at him and said I guess it went well. Zachary nodded and said it couldn't have gone better. I asked Zachary what did he want to do, and he said he wanted to go upstairs to fool around. I locked the back door and up we went. The rest of Saturday flew by we basically laid around all day. Today was Halloween; we got all the normal things done for the week ahead shopping, laundry, and lunches. Zachary went over for Sunday dinner. I put the pumpkins out on the front porch and got a bowl for the candy. I ended up buying a couple of more bags because someone kept eating them. It could be hit or miss as far as kids go. This is the 2nd year I gave out candy; I only did last year because Zachary was here. Zachary came back before dark and lit the pumpkins. I had something up my sleeve for when Stephan was going to facetime later. I picked up a mask a scream mask years ago in fact I use to scare my kids and Zachary with it all the time (it never got old). We actually got about 15 kids and a little over half the candy was gone. He brought the pumpkins in about 8:30 we hadn't seen anyone in quite a while and his grandparents had turned their porch light off. Not long after that Andrea called Stephan was there all hopped and the other 3 boys were there also. Stephan was telling Zachary about his night and how two of his brothers were being jerks and kept trying to scare him. Stephan also kept asking where I was Zachary was telling him that I was giving out candy. Meanwhile I kept creeping around on the back deck and they could see through the window in the mask. One of the older boys had said he thought he saw someone outside. Zachary said impossible that the back deck was locked. Then they saw me in the mask in the window and Stephan said there was a monster outside Zachary turned around and put on the light and said no one was there. As soon as he turned I appeared again now the 3 young ones are yelling he's back, Zachary turns and I disappear. Stephan is saying go get grandpa. Zachary leaves the room and they can see me come in the back door and the older figure out it is me by my clothes and don't say anything. Stephan is screaming someone call the police. I duck behind a door and Zachary comes back and tells Stephan I will be right in, and the poor kid is telling Zachary to call the cops someone is in the house. Just then I come out and pretend to strangle Zachary. The older two are laughing and Stephan is looking at the screen and at them can't understand it. I get down and look at the screen the kid looks like he wants to shit; I take off the mask and say "Happy Halloween lil man". He looks at me and calls me a jerk and gets up hits and the other boys and walks away. I talk to Andrea for a while and tell her quietly everything is good. They get Stephan to come back and I told him I was sorry for trying to prank him. He is like me and said "yeah right". Which I'm going to assume means payback is a bitch. The next day Zachary heads to Quinnipiac withdraws from school, because it is still a grace period, he gets a full refund on his tuition. The book store gave him 80% of his money back, which was better than nothing. My boss James called me Monday and asked would I mind having Zachary back full time. I said not at all. I also asked if it was a problem since he was my neighbor and would be travelling with me. James said no, it's not like we are related and there are ways even around that. He was very happy to have him back. He then laughed and said he already contacted HR and Zachary would be starting Wednesday and to have him come in to HR tomorrow to get a permanent badge and do some paperwork. James said he would call him later on today. November is starting out on a very good note. JJ PLEASE DONATE TO NIFTY!!! Everyone there will only two chapters left to this story. I plan on leaving it open it to revisit it later. Thanks to everyone for their great support and encouragement.