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On Friday, Shawn’s first day back at school, fall began to feel like winter. And of course he missed the bus. He pulled the hood of his sweatshirt up against the wind, slipped out the back gate of the playground, and began the long walk home.
He was waiting to cross the street at an intersection near the Matthews’ neighborhood when he heard his name.
“Shawn!” Cory yelled out the window of Amy’s station wagon. “Hey!”
Amy pulled up next to him and stopped at the curb. “What are you doing?”
“Walkin home,” he said. He sniffled. “I missed the bus.”
“Walking? All the way to your house?” She shook her head. “Absolutely not. We’ll give you a ride home. You can’t cross the highway by yourself.”
Shawn didn’t think he should say he’d walked home half a dozen times.
She unlocked the door, and Cory scooted to the middle. Eric sat in the front passenger seat. One-year-old Morgan giggled contentedly in her car seat, waving her chubby baby fists at Cory.
Shawn shut the door. “Thank you, Mrs. Matthews.” He held his backpack in his lap, knee-to-knee with Cory. It was crowded, but it was warm.
“Do you have a heavier coat, honey?” Amy asked. “It’s cold out!”
“Oh,” Shawn said. He pulled his hood down. “Yeah, I do,” he lied. “I just, uh, forgot it today.”
“Put your seatbelt on,” Amy said. “I’m happy to see you. Cory said you’ve been out sick. Are you feeling better?”
“Yeah,” he said. But then he started coughing, rough and deep.
“Oh, yeah,” Eric said. “You sound real healthy.”
Amy frowned. “Cover your mouth, Shawn, especially around the baby.”
“Sorry,” Shawn said. He pulled his sleeves into his fists and leaned against the door, embarrassed.
They hit a red light, and Amy glanced at Shawn. “You alright?”
He shrugged.
“His ear drum exploded!” Cory blurted out. “And he had to go to the hospital!”
“Oh man!” Amy gasped. “That sounds awful.”
“Gnarly,” Eric said. “That must’ve hurt like hell-- heck , sorry, Mom.”
“Who took you to the doctor?” Amy asked. The light turned green.
Shawn knew what she was doing. She was using that soft, pitying voice grown-ups sometimes used when they felt sorry for a kid. The same one Mrs. Baker had used after recess today when she gave him a hug and told him she hoped he’d feel back to his normal smiley self on Monday.
“My dad and my uncle,” Shawn said. “I got some medicine now.”
He left out the part about being home alone.
He left out the creepy shadows that climbed the walls when lights from the highway flooded his little bedroom. His mom worked nights. His dad gambled or worked on motorcycles with an uncle.
He left out the endless, feverish days wilting on the couch while his parents stormed around arguing about money. His parents called each other names that his grandmotherly third-grade teacher would term “disgraceful”, and he’d learned to just turn the TV up to drown them out.
He left out that he’d woken up coughing every night this week. Gasping for air. Ribs aching.
He left out that he’d come to school today because there was no more food in the house, and he wanted to make sure he got a school lunch before the weekend.
It’d been a long week, he realized.
Shawn leaned his head against the window, watching the gray skies fly past. A full school day after being sick all week made him feel weak and shivery, like a strong wind could knock him over.
Amy gave a half smile. “I’m glad you were able to get medicine. Hope it helps soon.”
“My throat still kinda hurts,” Shawn said. “My Grandma Gertie gave me a shot of Jack Daniels yesterday--that’s whiskey--and it really helped. I’m gonna ask her for more.”
“What’s whiskey?” Cory asked.
Amy changed the subject. “Anyone have weekend homework?”
Eric groaned. “Always,” he said. “Another book report.” He turned around to face Cory and Shawn. “Wait until you guys get to 6th grade. Mr. Feeny is the hardest teacher I’ve ever had.”
“He’s tough, but he’s fair and you’ve learned a lot,” Amy reminded him. “Have you read the book yet?”
Eric squirmed. “Some of it.”
The conversation turned to Eric’s procrastination, while Cory told Shawn he hoped the weather would hold for one more good weekend playing outside. Shawn was listening, but in his mind, he was hoping he could get dinner at his uncle’s or his grandma’s.
Amy slowly pulled onto the gravel roads that led up to Shawn’s trailer.
“Is your mom off work?” She looked around. “The house looks pretty dark. Sure someone’s home?”
“Yeah,” Shawn said. “Mom’s heading to work soon, but I can go hang out with my grandma or my uncle. They both live around here.”
“Need me to drop you off there instead? It’s no problem.”
Shawn opened the door to cold wind. “No, thanks, Mrs. Matthews.” He just wanted to go home. “Thanks again for the ride.”
“Anytime, sweetie. It’s way too dangerous for you to walk. Don’t you ever hesitate to come with Cory.”
Shawn nodded. “Bye, Cory.”
“See ya Monday, Shawny.” Cory waved and scooted back to the passenger side.
Amy didn’t drive away. Shawn noticed they waited and watched until he’d safely shut the door behind him.