And Brenda Married Me

Chapter 3
And Brenda Married Me

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Chapter Description: Being a kid has it's perks, and Simon learns a few more things about his wife

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A week, I thought. Just one week to end the life of Simon Thompson. My will was duly registered, and notarized, I changed my life insurance policies, and tried, just once, to call Brenda before I died. She wouldn’t take the call.

Turns out that Dr. Owens also owned a Hotel at the west end of the city. Roger rented a room for me for the week, until the funeral. I didn’t mind. Dr. Owens had twin sons my age, and for once, I got to play with kids,without anyone minding. Mrs. Owens was sad to hear that her favorite tech had passed, but she welcomed me with open arms.

"I am so sorry, Simon, this has to be a nightmare for you."

I nodded, and wiped my eyes. Collin, the younger twin

patted my back, and I let him. Clark, the older twin by a few minutes tried to cheer me up.

"Social Services bundled him up, and shipped him down here with just the clothes on his back. With everything going on, I don’t have time to get him even the basics, like underwear or p.j.’s. Could you find someone to take him to C-Mart or somewhere? I’m giving him a couple of hundred dollars for this."

"I will," Mrs. Owens said, and let me go.

"Thanks, Marian, I really owe you for this. After the funeral I’m going to take the kid home to pick up his things, clothes, toys, whatever he needs, but in the mean time."

"He can share our things," Collin volunteered.

"That’s very generous, but the first order of business is this," Mrs. Owens said and pulled out a large package. "For you."

I opened it and found a huge teddy bear. My heart jumped as I took the bear and hugged it. "Thanks. I really need him."

"I know you do."

"Hi," said a boy walking into the kitchen. He looked to be a couple years older than me. My mouth dropped open as I recognized him. "I need to borrow the piano. My Dad’s home, and...."

"Sure, any time, but Roger, Simon, this is Kyle Gray, our pianist. Kyle, this is Simon Farrell, and his uncle, Dr. Roger Farrell. Simon just lost his folks and will be staying with us for a bit, while they get everything settled."

"I’m sorry," Kyle said and shook my hand, after I put the bear down.

"I have every one of your cd’s," I said, and picked up the bear again.

"Good to meet you, kid," Roger said. "Simon is a singer. Why don’t you sing our song for Kyle to see what he thinks."

"Uh, Uncle Roger, he’s a world famous pianist, you know. I won’t bother him with that. I’m sure he gets that a lot."

Kyle gave me a grin and a look of complete understanding. "Come on, Simon, the piano’s this way."

All of us went to the music room. I sat down at the piano and warmed up for a moment. "This is called ’The Journey Home.’ I wrote the music, but Uncle Roger writes the songs...."

"Don’t go there."

"Busted." I played the intro and closed my eyes as I sang the song.

I turned around surprised at the amount of applause I got. The room was crowded with people wiping their eyes. The expression on Kyle’s face was priceless. Tears ran down his cheeks, too.

"You -- you sing better than I play the piano. I don’t remember hearing anything that beautiful before."

"If someone tells you that you sing like an angel, it’s true," Mrs. Owens said.

"Do you know anymore songs?" Collin asked.

"Yeah, but...."

"Look, Simon," Kyle said. "That song is going to make you famous. I thought I could write music, but that, that touched my heart. I own a record company, and.... Grandma has to hear that, and Uncle Steve."

I picked up my bear, and shook my head. "Not now, okay? I couldn’t.... Everything’s been -- too much."

"Oh, my God, I’m sorry," Kyle said. "I wasn’t thinking."

Mrs. Owens helped me off the bench, and hugged me again, bear and all. "Of course it has. Collin, take Simon

and his Uncle up to his room. The one next to yours."

"He can share our room?"

"He’s going to need some privacy, okay?" she said letting them know that was final.

I barely noticed where we were going as Collin directed us upstairs. I sat down on the bed, still hugging the bear, and crying.

After Collin left, Roger sat down next to me, and held me. "Are you okay?"

"No, I don’t know. I do need time to get used to this."

He rubbed my back for a moment. "It’s okay, Tiger.

You’re whole world has changed. Of course you need time. You’re ten years old, now, and that is how it has to be. I...."

Someone knocked on the door. Roger opened it, and let Dr. Owens in. "Hi, George. Come in."

"Is everything okay with our patient?"

"As much as it can be," Roger said with a grin for me.

"His whole world crashed down on him a few minutes ago."

"I understand, but do you think having him playing with my kids is the best idea? He isn’t a real kid, after all."

"What am I then, chopped liver?" I asked him. "Look, Dr. Owens, I won’t hurt your kids, I swear it. What would happen if you told them who I was?"

He sighed. "They would believe it, and still want to play with you."

"Yes, exactly. They would still see me as a kid, right? Everyone in the whole world is going to see me as a kid. What would happen if you told them they couldn’t play with me?"

"They would let me know exactly how horrible I was, and tell their mother, who would not believe it either, and if I didn’t let them play with you I would be on the couch for a month."

I nodded.

"George, I know this is going to be hard for all of us that know about Jason’s Syndrome, and Simon, but, in the long run, this is not going to be a real hardship for him. He’s been ten years old his entire life, even though he was married and held a job. The only reason he loved his job at Jake’s Computers was that he got to try out all the new games that came in."

"You weren’t supposed to tell anyone that."

"George, sit down, won’t you? Right here. Are you really going to tell Simon he can’t play with your kids?"

"I -- I don’t know. That would be hard. I don’t know, Roger. This whole concept is new to me. I can barely believe that it happened, and I saw it."

"True, but now think what would it mean to you, if you were the one that was hit with that aftershave? You try to help a kid in the park, and boom, you’re ten years old again."

"The twins would love it, but...."

"Yes, they would. Okay, so even if every doctor in the hospital saw it, would you be allowed to practice medicine?"

"No. Not one of my patients would let me near them."

"Okay, you have a wife and a family to support. Could you get a job. Not would you, could you?"

"No," Dr Owens said with a long sigh.

"The Hotel would be enough for you and your family to live on, but you wouldn’t be the one to run it, or make the decisions, would you?"

"No."

Roger stood up. "You will be a kid, a little kid, and people would treat you as a kid. The twins, and their friends would treat you as a kid. No matter how grown up you acted, no one would buy it. Like it or not, you will be dragged, screaming and kicking, but dragged anyway back into a boy’s world.

"They wouldn’t let you into our clubs, at least the drinking section. Your golf game will be off, and no one will take you seriously, including your wife, after a while. Unless you stick with kids your own age, you won’t have anyone to talk to."

Dr. Owens sighed, and nodded his head. "Roger, I’m sure your nephew is a great kid, and I didn’t mean to be so overly concerned about mine. Simon, good having you here, son."

"Thanks, I think." I said.

I followed Dr. Owens and Roger back down stairs. The three boys were waiting.

"Simon’s okay," Roger said. "Kyle, I know you’re excited about his singing, and records and everything, but this last week has been a killer for him. Let him get adjusted to his new life. After his godfather’s funeral, I am taking him home to Boston to pick up his stuff, and say good ’bye to his folks, again. After that, we can talk. Okay?"

 

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