The Kids Grow Up - Trish Hanan (i want to read a book TXT) 📗

snow washed down and crashed to a halt against the trees. Linda held his hand and they smiled at each other. Violet snorted.
“It’s just a bunch of stupid snow, what’s the big deal?” she asked and everyone looked at her. Jake rolled his eyes.
“You don’t think that’s the most glorious thing you’ve seen?” he asked with disbelief. She shook her head.
“It’s the most boring thing I’ve ever seen, are we going out tonight or watching boring view-screen all night, I want to go dancing,” Violet said and stood up, her lower lip making that little pouting movement that he used to think was cute, but now just got on his nerves. Jake shook his head.
“He’s going to show us the snow rushing into the ocean next, we don’t want to miss that, sugar,” he said, almost pleading. David and Gloria stood up with their friend. Gloria made a face.
“That sounds dreadful to me, let’s go to the Bird Cage, come on, Jake, you can drive, David and I want to get toasted,” she said and giggled. David giggled too. Jake got up and sighed. Violet squealed and hugged his arm.
“Thank you, honey, I’ll rent you one of those go-go boys and you can take him to a back room,” she said with a sly look. Everyone laughed. Jake shook his head and he walked to the door.
“You can keep your nasty boy, I’m not little any of those filthy creatures near my mighty sword, no way,” he protested and Violet giggled and made a grab for his crotch.
“Ah, is your mighty sword afraid to come out and play?” she teased. He grabbed her hand.
“Violet, don’t grab at me in front of people, where’s your manners?” he was shocked and sounded it. She pouted.
“Jake, we’re in front of our friends, don’t be such a prude,” she scolded him. He glared at her and slammed the car door shut and started the engine.
“Don’t grab at me like I’m a piece of meat, its inappropriate behavior, stop acting like a slut,” he shouted and now she was the shocked one. Gloria and David both giggled. Violet glared at them and then at him.
“Drive me home then, I’ll take my own car and you can stay the hell home and watch your stupid ex and his stupid snow,” she yelled. He drove them to his house and got out of the car and slammed the front door as he entered the house. They all got into her car and she drove away slowly and carefully, Gloria sat in the front with her and David sat in the back as he usually did when he drove with the two ladies.
“I tell you if he acted this way with Harry, I don’t see why the man made such a fuss about him leaving, Jake is a big fat idiot,” Violet fumed. Gloria laughed.
“Maybe you should give him back,” she suggested. Violet giggled.
“Not as long as he wants him back, no way, Jake will be mine until I’m through with him and not a day sooner. I’ll make his life miserable if he keeps this shit up,” she vowed. Both of the Marshalls laughed with her.
Harry spent five years on Sherwood, five years in which he slowly recovered and he would have eventually made it back to Eden and his life there if it hadn’t been for the dream. A very horrible dream which he kept having over and over and he couldn’t get rid of it no matter how hard he tried. He should have gone to Dr. George for some advice or help, but he didn’t trust the man to keep the dream to himself. If he told the others, they would have had the time of their lives laughing over poor old Harry and his pathetic dream.
In the dream Harry was walking down the streets of Edenville with his seven children and they were all happy, smiling and enjoying the sun. Then they turned the corner of Jackson Street and Talbert Street and standing in the middle of the street were Jake and Violet with seven children, five boys and two girls just like Harry and Jake had. But these children were all younger; the eldest son was only about ten years old. Violet had this superior smug look on her face and Jake was wearing a proud look, the one he always wore when he was with his children. The eldest son stepped forward and looked at Harry’s son Jackson who had stepped forward.
“Who are you supposed to be?” the younger son asked. Jackson frowned.
“I’m Jake’s son Jackson,” he answered. The other boy shook his head.
“I’m Jake’s son Jackson, you’re just a fishy freak and the fake Jackson, I’m the real Jackson, ain’t that right, granddad?” he asked and turned around. Suddenly Dr. Jackson was there with Sissy and they were both beaming, their arms around the real Jackson.
“That’s right, grandson,” Dr. Jackson said proudly, “This is my real grandson, this is Jackson Henry Jackson and he’s the real grandson, not that fishy freak, he’s the fake. Harry, all of your sons are fakes, Jake regrets ever making them with you. Those fishy freaks shouldn’t be alive, you should all go away.”
“Yeah, Harry, go away,” Violet stepped forward to say. “And take your fishy freaks with you.” Jake stepped forward with her.
“Go away, Harry, take those fishy freaks with you, you’re all fishy freaks,” he declared. Then suddenly everyone in Edenville was there and they were all saying the same thing.
“Go away, Harry and take those fishy freaks with you, you’re all fishy freaks.”
Harry would wake up with his heart pounding and his throat dry from shouting.
“No, not my children, no, Jake,” and the dogs would whine and lick his face but he would still have the dream a few nights later and spend the night crying and holding his belly where his precious boys had come out, rubbing his hands together and feeling the warmth on his body trying to heal himself of something but he didn’t know what.
Finally Harry decided that he had enough of the TV show, it was about time for him to go off the air anyway. Ten years was long enough for him and the dogs to be in view of the alterian public, anymore and they would start to get suspicious of how the dogs stayed alive and young looking and why he didn’t age. So he had a goodbye show telling them he was retiring and selected a house and barn and headed for Mykonos. It was far enough away from everyone where he could stay out of everyone’s way and be left alone. There was no way he could return to Eden and resume a normal life. Before he left he filled everyone’s stores for the third time to shut them up. Except for Jake’s store which he knew Violet was running, he didn’t fill that one. He didn’t care if it pissed her off, in fact, he hoped it did.
“Harry, where are you?” Jackson asked a few days later. Harry had set up his phone as he began building his barn. Harry smiled at his eldest son.
“I’m on Mykonos for some fun in the islands man, how are you?” he asked as cheerfully as he could. Jackson grinned.
“I’m fine, thanks for filling the stores, that’s from the kids, you should be getting pretty low on stores by now, what in the hell are you doing on Mykonos?” he asked. Harry shrugged.
“I’m building a house, I felt like a change of pace, going to do something artistic and relaxing for a while and since Jake and that fake-tittied bitch have my beach house, I’ve decided to build here,” he told him. Jackson laughed.
“You’ve got the whole other side of the island to build on, you couldn’t find a nice spot there?” he teased. Harry shrugged again.
“I’ve always liked the view of the waterfalls and its nice here, very peaceful,” he said. Jackson shrugged.
“I guess, well, don’t stay too long, we’ll miss you,” he told him. Harry nodded. Then Jackson said the real reason for the call. “I got a call from Jake and he’s pissed that you filled all the stores except for his and wants to know why.” Harry grinned.
“Don’t you mean little Miss fake-titties is pissed because I didn’t fill her store?” he said and both men grinned. “Please inform your father that we all know whose running his store and that I don’t fill the stores of husband stealing, fake-tittie bitches and he’s a millionaire so let him fill the damned store for her.” Jackson whistled.
“You’re still holding a grudge after ten years, man, remind me never to piss you off,” he teased. Harry smiled and put his hand up to the screen. On his side his son put his hand up so they were touching hands.
“Jackson, there is nothing you can ever do that will ever make me that angry with you,” he assured him. Jackson smiled.
“Well, have fun on the island man, and stay away from those goats,” he winked and hung up. Harry laughed and went back to work on his barn. Jackson called his other dad.
“Jake, I called Harry and you’re not going to like what he said,” he told him. Jake groaned.
“Oh, Jackson, don’t tell me he’s not going to fill the damned store, Violet has been screaming for days as it is,” he complained. Jackson laughed.
“Well, Harry’s exact words were, and I quote, “We all know whose store it really is and I don’t have to fill the store of some husband stealing, fake-tittie bitch,” unquote,” he told his dad. Jake whistled.
“Harry’s still holding a grudge after ten years, wow; I never knew he could do that,” he sounded pleased. Jackson laughed.
“Don’t sound too pleased when you tell Violet what he said, I don’t think she’ll like it,” he warned him. Jake flushed.
“I’m not pleased, I’m angry, damned what in the hell am I going to do? Harry’s put me in an awkward position, Violet’s really going to be hurt,” he said. Jackson shrugged.
“Harry did say that you’re a millionaire and that you should fill her store yourself,” he suggested. Jake sighed.
“I guess that’s what I’ll have to do, unless she makes me go see Harry and demand the bins,” he sighed again. Jackson shook his head.
“That’s going to be hard to do, Harry’s on Mykonos building a house,” he told him. Jake looked surprised.
“What the hell is he doing on Mykonos?” he demanded. Jackson shrugged.
“He wants to relax in the sun and he can’t do that in Hawaii, someone else has his beach house,” he said and Jake flushed.
“Yeah, I know, hell, we don’t even use that place anymore, he could have gone there, he should have asked, I would have let him use it,” he said. Jackson shook his head.
“Jake, you know perfectly well Violet would have never let Harry use her beach house and Harry would have never used it,” he told him and Jake sighed.
“Yeah, I really screwed up there, Son, I used to think Harry and I could have stayed friends but I guess I was wrong,” he said sadly. Jackson smiled.
“Well, we all make mistakes Jake, but it’s never