All In

CWE16-One Lives, One Dies: The Butterfly Effect

Part I

Bill Regan, or Regan as he preferred to be called, could hear the medley of voices as he approached the stable that was part of the huge Wheeler estate.  The sun was beginning to set and the pasture surrounding the structure was tinged with the golden colors of the late afternoon.  A gentle summer breeze lifted the longer grasses, sending their sweet scent across the gently rolling hills.  Passing under the large doorway, Regan suddenly squinted in an attempt to acclimate his vision to the darker interior of the structure.

“Hey, Regan,” chirped sixteen year old Trixie Belden, her usual headful of curls snugged tight in a ponytail,

“Hey, yourself.”  Regan grinned at the young woman.  “Make sure you get that tack clean.”

“Aye, aye, sir.”  Trixie gave Regan a mock salute then got back to her cleaning.

Regan surveyed the group that was scattered across the floor.  Trixie, her cleaning supplies strewn around her,  was seated near Jim Frayne, whose own supplies were stacked neatly next to him.  Jim was the adopted son of Matthew Wheeler, Regan’s boss, and had joined the family three years earlier.  Jim was a fine young man, a leader among his peers and totally smitten  with Trixie and had been from the moment he’d met her. Tucked into an empty stall were Mart Belden, Trixie’s brother, and his girlfriend Diana Lynch, a raven haired beauty who possessed a similarly haunting likeness to a young Elizabeth Taylor.   Mart, blond haired and blue eyed like his sister, would be starting his senior year at the Sleepyside Junior/Senior HIgh School in the fall. The other young man seated with the group was Brian, the oldest Belden who shared a dorm room at NYU with Jim. The three Beldens lived in an old, rambling farmhouse which was lovingly called Crabapple Farm with their parents, Helen and Peter, and their younger brother Bobby.   Honey Wheeler, the final member of the seated females,  had been an unhappy, scared girl when the Wheelers moved to Sleepyside.  Her friendship with Trixie enabled the young woman to blossom.  With her sweet disposition and classically cool demeanor, Honey carried an air of poise and self assuredness that was usually reserved for older and more accomplished women.  Regan noted that Honey and Brian were in their own world, talking softly while they worked.  Whistling a nondescript tune, Regan grabbed a nearby broom and swept loose hay into a neat pile.  

“Hey, Brian,” he called out, “can you hand me that dustpan?”  Regan frowned when he realized that again, Brian had heard nothing, his attention so focused on Honey.  “Never mind, I’ve got it.”  Dropping the broom, Regan snatched the dustpan from the stool near Brian and finished his chore.  “I’ll be glad when those two guys go off to college in a month or so.  These kids’ hormones are driving me crazy.”  

Although he couldn’t say what, Regan was sure something was up with the six friends, a tight-knit group that called themselves the Bobwhites of the Glen.  He had caught several gestures and meaningful looks among the group when they thought he wasn’t watching.  It made him uncomfortable not knowing what was going on and pretty sure he wouldn’t like it if he did.  

“Okay, gang.  Finish up the tack.  I saw a platter of fresh hamburger patties on the  kitchen counter with your name on it.”

Mart Belden paused in his vigorous polishing.  “Ah, yes.  Our grilled delicacies will soon have that  fragrantly superior aroma wafting across the estate.”

Rolling his eyes, Regan walked toward his office at the back of the stable.  “Yeah.  Yeah.  Just make sure you put your supplies away.”  

Settling himself at his old wooden desk, Regan could hear the Bobwhites finishing up, then the different thuds and clanks as they returned the equipment to their rightful places.

“Bye, Regan,” the group called out in unison.

“See ya.” Regan waved his hand toward the door.  The sudden silence that filled the stable was jarring.  Grabbing the feed order he had been working on earlier, he silently vowed to complete it before retiring for the night.   A short time later,  he threw down his pencil.  “Damn.  Mart was right.”   Regan’s stomach growled in response to the smoky tendrils that drifted in through the open stable windows.

“Hey, Regan,” called Honey from the driveway.

“Yeah?” Regan pushed back his chair and and looked out his window.

“Come join us.”

Regan knew he didn’t need a second invitation.  “Let me wash up first.  Thanks, Honey.”

A few minutes later, Regan joined the Bobwhites and Miss Trask, Honey’s governess, on the artfully landscaped patio.  He grinned slightly when he noticed Jim intensely concentrating on the doneness of the burgers as he carefully manned the grill.  When they were cooked to Jim’s stringent standards, he slid them onto a plate then added them to the already laden table.  

“Dig in!” Jim commanded.  

Instantly the Bobwhites gathered around the large table and, after filling their own plates, passed around the bowls of potato salad and baked beans while MissTrask kept busy pouring iced tea.  

Regan was content to sit back and watch the interactions between the six friends.  It hadn’t surprised him at all when the group broke off into couples; it seemed each Bobwhite’s object of affection was eager to get into a relationship.  He was stunned, however,  when the group became so inwardly focused.  With a start, Regan realized that the kids he had known for the last three years were no longer as fun or interesting as they once had been. “I can’t believe I’m wishing Trixie would find a mystery to work on,” he thought to himself.  “Have they really become that boring?” Finding his musings a bit uncomfortable, Regan returned his attention to the food on his plate, eagerly topping off the meal with a bowl of creamy, homemade vanilla ice cream.  After thanking Honey again for her generous invitation, Regan left the group and returned to the stable where he got to work on his evening tasks and making sure the horses were settled for the night.  The soft darkness stole across the meadow and the sounds of chirping crickets filled the air.  As Regan was getting ready to ascend to his cozy apartment over the stable, he heard the unmistakable sound of a car with a bad muffler chugging up the hill, past the front of the Manor House and to the stable door where it stopped.

“Not tonight, old man! Not tonight!” muttered Regan.  He strode to the main door and shoved it open.  

“Billy, my boy!”  

Regan scowled as he stared into the face of his father, Sean Regan.  

Sean Regan was a man in his mid fifties.  Even though he lived in Saratoga Springs in upstate New York, he had a fondness for flamboyant hawaiian shirts that he usually wore with a pair of  wrinkled khakis.  His slight paunch threatened to peek through the stretched front placket.  His graying hair was kept trimmed through the use of a pair of kitchen scissors that Sean stashed  in one of his bathroom drawers.  Somehow, he had managed to retire honorably from the Army and now supplemented his income by routinely joining card games in smoky, dimly lit basements in his neighborhood or in the back rooms of shady bars that he frequented. When he wasn’t busy with his gaming, he could be found at the local ice rink, cheering on his grandson, Danny, who played a mean game of hockey.

“What are you doing here?” demanded Regan as he looked over Sean’s shoulder. “Is Danny with you?”

Sean threw back his head and laughed.  “Billy, Billy.  Danny’s back in Saratoga Springs with some of his buddies so I’m footloose and fancy free tonight.”

Regan grunted.  “Lucky me.”

“You know, you should drop the high and mighty act and come visit me and Danny.  That way you could see him play hockey.”

In an attempt to curtail his annoyance, Regan took a deep breath.  “I agree that I do need to come see him play.  If I don’t do it soon, I may have to pay the big bucks to see him play when he goes pro.

“That’s the truth.  That boy can chew up the ice better than any player I've ever seen.”

Regan, his hands on his hips, dug his heels into the gravel.  “So, what do you want this time?

“I stopped by for a little visit, that’s all.”

“If my memory serves me right, your little visits usually have a hidden agenda.  What is it, Sean? You never just stop by.”

Sean ran a hand through his hair.  “Hey,” he said spinning around.  He rummaged through a bag on the floor of his back seat.  “Aha!” Sean faced Regan, a bottle of Jameson Irish Whiskey in his hand. “For you.”

Regan firmly shook his head back and forth.  “No, thanks.  Are you going to tell me what’s on your mind?”

“Can we at least sit down?” asked Sean, dropping the bottle back onto the floor of his car.

With a weary sigh, Regan dropped his arms and motioned Sean toward the stable office, leaving the rusty and dented car parked at the stable door.

***********

“Hmmmm…”  Trixie  stood on tiptoe and looked out  Honey’s window.  “There’s a strange car at the stable.  What do you think that means?”  She looked at her two friends anxiously.

“Let me see,” demanded Honey.  Kneeling on her window seat, Honey looked down at the driveway below her.  “That is strange.  Regan doesn’t get many visitors and never at night.”

Diana, buffing her nails, remained seated in Honey’s mint green swivel chair.  “As long as he’s gone soon, who cares.”  She paused briefly to admire the shine of her french manicure then went back to her buffing.

“This has the potential to ruin our plans,” fretted Trixie.

“Shhhh. I’m sure whoever it is won’t stay.  You know how Regan likes to go to bed early,” said Honey.

“I do. And that’s what we were counting on.”  Trixie shifted her position and continued to stare out the window.

Across the hall from Honey’s room, the three males were trying to watch a baseball game.  

“Do you think we’ll actually succeed in our quest for a nocturnal swim?” asked Mart for about  the tenth time that night.

Jim and Brian’s eyes met.  

“Sure,” answered Jim, squeezing the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. “Just like I’m sure that asking that question every three minutes will have any effect on anything except my nerves.”

Mart grabbed a football off Jim’s nightstand and began tossing it into the air.  “Diana and I have been having a dialog about this little rendezvous for a week.  I believe she even purchased a new bikini for the exact purpose of…”

“Stop!”  Brian, glaring at his brother, held up his hand.  “We all agreed to keep our fantasies to ourselves.  Focus on the game, little brother.”  Brian pointed toward the flat screen tv that hung on Jim’s bedroom wall.  

***************

In the stable office, Sean dragged a chair from the corner and sat down at the desk.  Seeing Regan still standing, he motioned to the groom’s own chair.  “Have a seat, Billy.”

Regan yanked his chair from under his desk and threw himself into it.  “Again, why are you here, Sean?  And without Danny!”

Sean shook his head.  “No, ‘how are you?’ I’ll never understand why you doubt me so.  What’d I ever do to you?”

Regan barked out a laugh.  “Are you kidding me?”

Sean rolled his eyes.  “No, I’m not kidding you.  The way I see it, I did all right by you kids.”

“And there’s your first mistake, Sean.  Kids.  As in plural.  There’s only me, thanks to you.”

“Are you going to rehash your sister’s rebellious streak and blame that on me?  I had nothing to do with her running away. She had her sights set on that Mangan guy and nothing could stop her.”

“Your constant senseless rules and consequences was just one of many reasons why she left.  If only you’d  given him a chance, she still might…”  Regan bit down on his lip, not wanting to continue with his angry tirade.

“She should have kept looking,” muttered Sean.  “That guy was never going to amount to much and I sure as hell wasn’t going to see them get married and then end up living under my roof.”

“Well, I guess she fooled you, huh?  You ended up with Danny.”

“And I’ve done right by him.  He’s got a good home and has managed to get himself on a spiffy little hockey team.  Now, granted, that sport has cost me a pretty penny but I stuck with it.  So what if I cover his training fees with a few winning pots from a poker game.  He’ll never know that.”

“You know, you could get a job like normal people.”  Regan nervously drummed his fingers on his desk.

“No, sirree.  I had enough of reporting to others when I was in the Army.  I’m my own man and I’ll make my own rules.”

“And in the meantime, anybody who lives under your roof has to abide by your rules, every single one, even when they don’t make sense.   Don’t you see the hypocrisy of your ways?”

“No.  Look, Billy, I didn’t drop by to dredge up the past.”

“Then why are you here?”

“I came to say ‘goodbye.’”

“Good-bye?”

“Yep.  I’m going to Florida.”

“So?  A lot of people go to Florida. It’s a big vacation spot, in case you didn’t know.”

Sean curled his lip at his son. “No, I mean I’m moving to Florida.”

“You’re moving to Florida?”

Sean nodded  “Yep. I’ve got a friend who lives in one of those retirement communities.  You know, the kind with the cute little flower beds and golf carts instead of cars.  Anyway, my friend says there are a lot of poker games going on down there. I figure I’ll be able to play cards every night.  I can see the money piling up already.”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?”

Sean looked puzzled.  “Like what”

“Danny.”

“I didn’t forget him.  That’s why I’m here.”

Regan stared at his father, his jaw clenched.

“Look, Billy.  You said so yourself, I’ve done good with Danny.  But I’ve done my share.  I have an opportunity to move on and get out of the cold weather and enjoy myself a little. If you ever bothered to call and check on me, you’d know how the cold weather makes my arthritis hurt.  Now I”ve got a chance to get out and I’m going to take it.”

“What about all the crap concerning Danny and his hockey team?  Did you mean it?”

Sean rolled his eyes.  “Of course.  And I’ll probably miss the kid.  But this is going to happen and it’s going to happen now.”

“What are you going to do with Danny?”

“I thought you could take him.”

“Me?”

“Sure.  You’re always talking about these kids that live here and how you’re like their big brother and how everybody trusts you to keep an eye on them.  You could move Danny in here and he’d be just fine.  Why I bet nobody would even blink an eye if you did that.”

“Move him in here?  What about his life in Saratoga Springs?  He’s going into his senior year in high school.  Why would he want to move here?”

Sean shrugged.  “He might.  Who knows?”

The two men sat in stony silence.  

Clearing his throat, Sean leaned back in his chair.  “You know, I could use a drink here.”

Regan pointed toward the door.  “The watering trough is next to the fence in the pasture.  Help yourself.”

Sean stared at Regan before hefting himself out of the chair.   With an unstable gait, he walked to his car, rummaged through the trunk, then reappeared with two beers.  Sinking back into his chair, he set the beers on Regan’s desk.  “Don’t say I never gave you anything.”

“No, thanks.” Regan pushed the palms of his hands against his eyes, trying to calm the  headache that was pounding through his skull.  He was tired and wanted to get to bed, but he knew that even if he went up to his apartment at that moment, there would be no sleep for him.  

“Danny won’t want to come here.  His life is up north.” Regan’s chair creaked as he leaned forward.

“You can make him see things differently.  I know it.  Just let him spend the summer hanging around these kids you’re so fond of.  He’ll probably be begging to stay here.”

Regan shook his head.  “No.  It won’t work.”

“Well, I suppose I can always put him in foster care, tell the courts I can no longer raise him.”

“I'll never let you put my sister’s child into the foster care system,” Regan snarled, his fists slamming the surface of the scarred desk.

“Then it’s settled!” Sean finished his beer and crushed the can.  Standing up, he sighed in relief,  “I’ve got to tell you, Billy.  I was afraid you'd say no.  And I really want to go to Florida.”

“This is not settled, not by a long shot.”

“It is for me.  I’ve got to get home and get packing.  I’ll tell Danny you want him to come spend some time with you.”

“Now wait a minute.”  Regan stepped toward his father.

“Billy, it’s either you or foster care.  That’s my final word.”  

Fighting the urge to punch his father, Regan strode to the door.  “Thanks for stopping by, Sean.  I won’t say it was a nice visit because it wasn’t.  Fine, Danny can come here.  I’ll deal with the rest.  I don’t want you making a bigger mess of things.” 

Sean huffed.  “You never did appreciate all I did for you and your sister, not to mention what I’ve been doing for  Danny.”

“Yeah, you’re a real peach.  We’ll see how Danny feels in a month or so.  See ya.”  Regan gave Sean a slight push, then quickly slid the door tight, leaving Sean alone on the gravel drive.  

Standing inside the stable, Regan listened to the sounds Sean made as he got back into his car.  When he heard the car’s engine turn over, he exhaled the breath he had been holding.  After seeing the reflection of Sean’s lights through the stable windows, Regan walked back to his office and sat down.  

“What am I going to do with Danny?” he wondered aloud.  There was a time when Regan thought Danny would fit in well with the Bobwhites, but that wasn’t the case now. “He’d be the odd man out not to mention he’d be leaving behind the his own friends and activities.’” Too wired to sleep, Regan went into the feed room and began rearranging the supplies, making sure to rotate the older feed to the top.  “If this doesn’t wear me out, nothing will,” he muttered as he hoisted a fifty pound bag onto his shoulder.

************

“Gleeps!” whispered Trixie.  “The car just left.  But Regan’s still in the stable.  I knew this wouldn’t work.”  She plopped down on one of Honey’s embroidered cushions.  “I don’t even care who the visitor is.  I just want Regan to go to bed.  Now!”

“Shh,” soothed Honey.  “I’m sure he will.  And you know Regan; he falls asleep two minutes after his head hits the pillow.”

“But the guys are probably wondering where we are,” fretted Trixie.

“Why don’t I just go tell them what’s going on,” volunteered Diana.

Before Trixie or Honey could reply, Diana sashayed out of the room and into the hall where she lightly tapped her manicured nails on Jim’s door.  When Jim opened the door, she briefed him about the events at the stable.  Trixie and Honey watched Jim nod his head in acknowledgement, then close the door.  Diana returned to Honey’s room.

“What’d he say?” demanded Trixie.  “What’d he say?” She’d left the window seat and was now pacing the room.

“He agrees with Honey.  Wait a few minutes, then Regan will probably be asleep. “ Diana sat back down in the chair and picked up a fashion magazine.

Trixie returned to her post at Honey’s window and anxiously watched the stable.  “I wonder what Regan’s doing?”  

**************  

Regan heaved the large bags of feed around.  Each time he moved a stack, he grabbed the broom and swept the area underneath.  “Stupid old fool,”he grumbled.  “Who does he think he is anyway?  Taking a young boy like Danny, then dumping him at a crucial time in his life.  And just because he thinks he doesn’t like the winters up north.”  Regan arranged a pile of feed, then sat on the top bag.  Rubbing his temples, he struggled to tamp down the memories of his challenging childhood.  

“What happened to my bank account?” demanded Bill  Regan of his father.  “I know it had almost $8000 in it last month.  Did you take any?”  Standing in front of his father, a murderous look in his eyes, he clutched a bank statement in one hand.  

“Now, Billy,” answered Sean Regan patronizingly.  “I just borrowed some.  You know I didn’t fare so well at last week’s games.”

“That’s my money.” Bill stamped his foot on the cracked linoleum floor.  “I worked hard for that money and you have no right to it.  You know that’s my ticket out of here.”

Sean shrugged.  “Out of here?  What’s wrong with this place?”

“You mean besides the fact that you grounded me for not tucking in my blanket on my bed?  Or that we ate beans for dinner every night last week because you lost so much money in a poker game?  Or that we had to cook our meals on the old rusty grill because instead of paying the electric bill, you bet on the horses?  Not a thing.  Not a stinkin’ thing.”

“You’re lucky I didn’t give you additional demerits for your broken shoelace.  Stop worrying about your money.  You’ll get it back.”

“When?  I want it now.”

Sean shook his head.  “Enough whining, Billy.  I said you’d get it back. Look, I only borrowed a little bit.””

“A little bit?  Looks like you took most of it. So much for all your babbling about honor.”

“Don’t question my honor.  I served my country.  To be honest, if you want to blame someone, blame your sister.”

“What does Maureen have to do with this?”  Bill clutched his bank statement tighter.

“If she’d hung around, she could have chipped in for the running of this household.  That’s what a family does; they help each other. As it is, I can’t stretch my pension any further. My army retirement doesn’t go very far, you know.”

“It’d go a lot farther if you didn’t waste it at the track or in poker games.”

“You have a roof over your head, food on the table and a chance to go to school.  What I do with the rest of the money is my business.”

“Food on the table,” muttered Regan.  “If that’s what you want to call it.”

“You’re now grounded for an entire month.” Sean glared sternly at his son.

“But I was saving that money to buy a horse, a real horse that I could race.”

“Be quiet, Billy.  I'm tired of your whining. The last time I checked, your bed still needed some attention and there’s some KP with your name on it.”

Bill shook his head.  “No, I'm not following any more of your stupid rules. My money's gone and it’ll take me forever to earn it back.  You just totally screwed up my future, not that you care.”

Throwing down the statement, Bill Regan stormed out of the small, dilapidated house with its sagging gutters and peeling paint. Before exiting the front porch, Bill’s foot connected with a bent aluminum lawn chair and sent it sailing across the weed choked yard.  With his chest heaving and his emotions swirling, Bill stomped to the broken and chipped sidewalk that ran along the front of the house, then stormed up the street.  Inside the house, Sean Regan picked up the bank statement and stared at it.  “Looks like that little tantrum is going to cost him,” he said as he pocketed the paper.

A few weeks later, Maureen Regan and Tim Mangan, who had eloped years before and lived in another state, were killed in a car crash.  Their son, Danny was left alone in the world, with only Bill and Sean to care for him.  Sean resisted taking in the youngster, complaining that he was struggling to  make ends meet.  But when the lawyers informed Sean that Danny would be receiving a monthly stipend from the government, Sean’s tune changed.  Soon he had Danny living in the cramped alcove off the living room and was happily cashing Danny’s support check each month.   

Regan shifted his body and recalled his own graduation from high school, when Sean decided to skip the ceremony and instead head to a poker game. “Between the rules and the ridiculous penalties imposed for breaking them, I knew my time in Sean’s house was coming to an end.  But when Sean demanded I get a full-time job and put my pay into a household account so he could have access to it, I hit the road.” Regan shook his head  in an attempt to clear the painful memories and returned to his sweeping.  “There was no future there for me, but I thought Sean actually cared for Danny and would do the right thing.”  He swept the loose feed into a neat pile, then scooped it up.   Scrubbing his lower face with his hand, Regan surveyed the stable.  “I should have known better. Sean always takes care of himself first.”

Replacing the broom and dustpan, Regan checked the horses, then locked up for the night.  He climbed the stairs to his apartment and disappeared inside.  

***************

Back in the Manor House, Trixie sighed in relief.  “Finally!  Regan’s out of the stable and should be closing his eyes in about two minutes.”  She dropped to the floor and began doing a series of rapid sit-ups.

“What are you doing?” asked Honey.

“Sit-ups,” answered Trixie who flipped onto one side and executed a side plank.

“Still confused.’ Honey stared at her friend who appeared to be concentrating.

“I’m just trying to tone up my abdomen before I put on my bikini for this midnight caper.”  Trixie turned onto her other side.

Diana calmly finished reading her magazine, then dropped it on the floor.  Looking at Honey, she shrugged.  “I guess we can either have her working out or fretting about Regan.  I personally prefer the former.”

“Yeah, I think you’re right,” agreed Honey.  “Look!” she gasped, pointing out her window.  “Regan’s lights are out.”

“And just in the nick of time.”  Trixie scrambled to her feet.  “I don’t think I could have held that plank any longer.  I’ll be right back.”  Grabbing her tiny black bikini, Trixie disappeared into Honey’s bathroom.

Diana stretched her long legs then got up.  Honey grabbed her beach bag as Trixie joined them. Standing together, they waited for the right moment to sneak out of the house and meet the guys at the lake for a romantic midnight swim.

**********

Regan stood in his dark kitchen, the light from the open refrigerator making a small rectangle on the linoleum floor.   He stared at the shelves in front of him, then shut the door.  

“Damn him!  I can’t believe Sean’s going to do this to Danny. First he ran Maureen out of the house, then he stole my future and now this.” Regan wandered through the small apartment, trying to visualize having his nephew sharing the space with him.  “Would the Wheelers even let me have Danny here.”

Regan paced between his living room and bedroom, kicking aside any obstacle that blocked his path.  Pausing in the living room, he cocked his head slightly when he heard an unusual sound.

“Great!  What was that?” Regan went to the double window and pulled back the curtains.

Beneath him, the gravel drive basked in the glow of the multiple floodlights that lit up the Wheeler Estate.  Peering from side to side, Regan noted the bushes and pathways that trailed from the house to the driveway. Suddenly, the bushes parted and six figures stepped out.

“I knew those kids were up to something.” Regan swung open his door and dashed down the stairs, his bare feet slapping on the wooden risers.

Startled by the sudden sound of Regan’s approach, the Bobwhites stopped in their tracks.

“Hi, Regan,” cried Trixie, a nervous catch in her voice.  “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing.  In fact, I think I will,” replied Regan, folding his arms across his chest.

The Bobwhites stood in a semi-circle in front of him.  Nobody said a word as the silence stretched out into an uncomfortable awkwardness.

“So?” Regan asked again.  

“We were just going for a late swim,” answered Honey.  “We were all so full from dinner that we thought a little exercise would help us sleep better.” She smiled innocently at Regan.

“You can just march yourselves back into the house.  Nobody’s going swimming at this time of night.  Your parents would have my head if I allowed that.”

“But, Regan,” argued Trixie.  “We just want to take a quick dip.”

“No.” Regan pointed back toward the house.  “Now go!”

“Please, Regan.  Please.”  Trixie clasped her hands together.  “I’ll clean the stable for you  for an entire week if you just let us go.”

“No.”  Regan again pointed toward the house.  “Now!”  

“I guess I did those sit-ups for nothing,” grumbled Trixie as she turned and followed the rest of the Bobwhites back into the Manor House.

Regan stood in the driveway and watched as the group pushed through a hedge, then up and  across the veranda.  Sighing, he turned and padded back up the stairs to his own apartment.  “I knew they were up to something.  Damn it, now I’ll never get to sleep,” he groused as he crossed the living room and opened the curtains then the window. “Wait a minute.  What if they think I’m up here watching them? That should keep them in line.”   Regan quickly snapped on a lamp, then went into his bedroom and flopped down on his bed.  He tossed and turned, his thoughts in turmoil as he worried about the choice his father had made.  “Why couldn’t he wait a year?  Just one more stinkin’ year and give Danny the chance I never had.”  He finally wore himself out and drifted into a restless sleep that left him feeling tired and grumpy the next morning.

A few days later, Regan got in his pick-up truck and headed to Saratoga Springs to get Danny.  As he drove along, he auditioned various scenarios in his mind how he would tell his nephew that Sean was moving away.  Not a single one ended well so Regan finally gave up and turned on the radio, hoping music would distract him.  When he pulled up in front of the familiar house, he turned off the engine and waited a bit before getting out.  Walking slowly through the neglected yard, Regan noted that the house looked even worse than when he had lived there.  He tentatively opened the outer door, afraid the torn screen would come loose and disappear on the wind.  

“Sean! Danny!” he called out when he entered.  

“Hey, Uncle Bill!” Danny ran from the kitchen and gave Regan a quick hug, slapping him on the back several times.

“Hi, Danny.  Let me have a look at you.”  Regan stepped back and studied his nephew.  Danny was almost the same height as Regan, but instead of the red hair that Regan had, Danny had dark, glossy hair that matched his eyes. His slender physique was solid and toned.

“Grandpa told me I’m going to visit you for a few weeks.”

“Is that what he said?” muttered Regan. “Where is Sean?”

Danny shrugged.  “He’s taking a shower because he says he has an important meeting tonight.”

“Meeting my foot,” muttered Regan.  

“And the timing of this visit works out great for me.  I don’t have any practices scheduled for the next month.  But I’m still going to keep myself in shape while I’m with you.  When hockey starts up again, I’m going to be a mean machine on the ice.”

Regan groaned inwardly but said nothing as he helped Danny carry his bags out to his truck.  Going back into the house, Regan noted that nothing appeared to have been packed.  “Sean has really outdone himself this time. Danny doesn’t suspect a thing yet his whole life is going to be turned upside down.”  He shook his head in disgust.  “And I’m the fool who hopes Sean  won’t like Florida and will be back before Danny misses out on anything.”  But in his heart, Regan knew that Sean was setting Danny up for a hard fall.  After a brief and strained conversation with his father,  Regan and Danny made their exit.  Driving back to Sleepyside, Danny talked about his various activities while Regan, who refused to make eye contact with his nephew, felt the guilt eating away at him.

They arrived back at the Manor House in time for Danny to help with the evening chores around the stable.

“Hey, Uncle Bill, where is everybody?” Danny carefully swept up loose straw on the floor.

Regan knew Danny was referring to the Bobwhites, who had been a bit scarce since Regan had interrupted their late night plans a few days before. “Oh, they’re around.  I never know when one of them will pop in and want to go for a ride.”

“I’m surprised I haven’t seen them.  Last time I was here, they couldn’t wait to greet me.”

Regan closed a stall door firmly.  “How long has it been since you were last here?”

Danny stopped pushing the broom and looked up.  “Hmm. I don’t think I’ve been here for two years.  I started playing hockey when I was in tenth grade and  I”ve been busy ever since.  Yeah, I bet it’s been two years since I’ve seen them.”  He shook his head.  ‘It’s weird how time goes by so quickly.”

“That’s for sure.”  Regan finished securing the horses for the night  then he and Danny headed up the stairs to Regan’s apartment.

“What’s for dinner?” asked Danny, closing the door behind them.

Regan looked slightly panicked. “I’m not sure what I’ve got. Let me check the kitchen.”  He nodded toward a small, second  bedroom.  “You can put your stuff in there.  It’s not much, but it’s all I’ve got.”

“Don’t worry about it.  It’s actually nicer than my room at Grandpa’s.”  

Danny disappeared and Regan went into the small kitchen.  Opening the refrigerator door, he rummaged through his meager supplies, settling on a package of bacon and a few eggs.  He quickly fried up the meat, then cracked the eggs into the grease.  Before Regan was done cooking, Danny reappeared and helped set the small pedestal table that was in the corner of the room.  Then the two sat down to eat.

“So, what do you want to do tomorrow?” asked Danny.

“I’ve got my job to do.  I was hoping you could help me.”

Danny shrugged.  “Sure, I guess.  But aren’t we going to do anything fun? You know, see the sights?” He grinned broadly.

Regan sighed.  “Since I was gone today, I’ll need to spend more time with the horses tomorrow.  I thought you and I could ride some of the trails through the preserve.”

“Okay.”  Danny munched on a piece of bacon.  “Maybe Trixie and Honey will want to ride with us.”

Regan swallowed a mouthful of food.  “Maybe.”

As the two ate, Danny outlined his senior year for Regan, including what classes he was taking and how he had scheduled them so he’d be out of school in time for hockey practice.  Regan sat, his stomach tightening into knots as he listened to his nephew’s plans, knowing they would never come to fruition.

The next morning, Regan and Danny got to work cleaning out the stalls.  Through the open windows, Danny could see the sun shining on the wildflowers that dotted the pasture.  The occasional  breeze carried the sweet smells of Mrs. Wheeler’s rose garden into the cool stable.  Regan had his radio on and the two worked in silence, the sound of country music filling the air.  Danny had just finished one stall and was starting an another when he heard the sound of approaching voices.

“It’s Honey and Trixie,” he cried.  Dropping his broom on the clean floor, Danny ran out to the driveway. “Hey, you two!”

“Danny!” the girls squealed and ran toward their friend.  After sharing hugs all around, the three began to talk excitedly.

“I didn’t know you were coming,” said Trixie.

“I can’t believe how tall you are,” remarked Honey.

“What’s new with you two?” demanded Danny.

The trio stopped, looked at each other, then burst out laughing.  

“I think we need to have a serious get-together,” said Honey.  “How about I have Cook pack a big lunch for all of us? Then we can ride through the preserve and eat at the bluffs.”

Danny looked back at Regan.  “Would that be okay?”

Regan nodded.  “Sure.  That will get three of the horses exercised, plus the trails checked.  How about you finish the last two stalls, then you’ll be free for the rest of the day.”

“Deal.” Danny turned to the girls.  “Can you come back in an hour.  I should be done by then.”

“Perfect,” smiled Honey, her shiny hair reflecting the bright overhead sun.  

“I better go home and get my chores done too.  Trixie gave a short wave, then took off down the path that wended its way to her house.

“I’ll go see about that lunch.”  Honey hurried back to the Manor House.

“Gosh, they sure look grown-up.  Don’t you think, Uncle Bill?”

Regan nodded briskly.  “Let’s get these stalls done.” Turning, he disappeared before Danny could say anything else.

An hour later, Honey, a large insulated pack slung over one shoulder, appeared in the stable’s doorway. “Anybody looking for a nice ride and a picnic lunch?” she sang out.

“I am!”  Danny led Lady, Honey’s preferred mount, onto the driveway  Behind him, Trixie’s favorite, Susie, was saddled and ready.  Honey could see that Regan had chosen Starlight for Danny to ride.  

As Honey was getting settled in her saddle, Trixie appeared on the path, her face flushed from running and her curls clinging to her forehead. “Don’t leave without me,” she wailed.

“Never,” smiled Danny.  “I’ve got your horse all ready for you.”

“Thanks.”  Trixie flashed Danny a smile, then swung up into the saddle.  After making a few minor adjustments, she pronounced herself ready to ride.  

Danny mounted Starlight and the three walked their horses along the driveway to the main path that led through the Preserve.  Riding in single file along the shaded trail, they shared what they had been doing recently.

“How long has it been since you last visited?” asked Trixie  “It seems like forever.”

Danny squinted his eyes at the sporadic sunbeams that filtered through the trees.  “Regan and I were talking about that last night. I haven’t been here for two years.”

“Two years !” Trixie’s eyes widened. “Why don’t you come to Sleepyside more often?”

“My grandfather runs a pretty tight ship.  Plus, I’m on a hockey team and I’m not allowed to miss any practices.”

Coming to the end of the path, the three dug in their heels and broke into a gallop as they raced across the open field toward the bluff, embracing the deep blue sky that was sparingly dotted with small,  puffy clouds,

“This is a perfectly perfect day,” declared Honey when the three stopped.  

Danny shook his head.  “I haven’t heard that phrase in….two years.”

Laughing, they dismounted and tied their horses to a cluster of shade trees.  Honey retrieved the food and, after spreading a blanket, they settled down to eat.  

“What’d Cook put in there?” asked Trixie eagerly, rising to her knees and grabbing at the top flap.

Honey pulled out three chicken sandwiches, potato chips and apples.  Bottles of cold iced tea quenched their hearty thirsts.

“So,” began Trixie as she took a bite of her sandwich, “why does your grandfather run a tight ship?  Is he mean like Jonesy?”

Dan looked puzzled. “Who’s Jonesy?”

“That’s Jim’s stepfather.  He beat him and made him work really hard on his farm.”

“Oh.”  Dan opened his bag of potato chips.  “That sounds pretty rough.  But, no, my grandfather isn’t like that.”

“What’s he like?” demanded Trixie.

Danny shrugged.  “I guess like most grandfathers.  He was in the army so he really likes to lay out a bunch of rules, which rarely make any sense to me.  But he says they’ll keep me from going bad.  He can be difficult, but he’s all I’ve got.”  Danny shrugged and took a bite of his sandwich.

Trixie wrinkled her nose.  “What are the rules like? Do you have to dust everyday?”

Danny chuckled.  “Actually, I do have to dust a lot.  Also, my bed has to be made perfectly, my room kept clean, my shoes lined up and shined.  Stuff like that.  I have to do the dishes after every meal then wash the kitchen floor.”

“It sounds like you do a lot,” remarked Honey.  “How do you have time for hockey?”

Danny smiled.  “There’s always time for hockey.  Besides, Grandpa got me on a good team.  He complains how much it costs so it doesn’t bother me to keep up with my chores.  It’s the least I can do.”

“So you really like hockey?” asked Trixie.

“Yep.  I’m hoping to get a scholarship to college.” He took a long pull of his iced tea.  “What about you two? What’s new with you?”

Trixie and Honey looked at each other and smiled.

“Let’s see.  We still like to solve mysteries, when we have the time.”  Honey giggled softly.

“The time?” questioned Danny.

Trixie stuffed the rest of her sandwich into her mouth and nodded.  Swallowing her food, she explained, “Honey and I are dating Brian and Jim.”

“Oh.” said Danny.

“That’s all you have to say?” Trixie’s face looked troubled.

Danny shrugged.  “What else is there to say?”

“Don’t you think that’s exciting?”

Danny shook his head.  “Not really.”

“Not really?” exploded Trixie.

“No. I thought you girls were smarter than that.”

“Care to explain?” Trixie looked ready to pounce as she clutched an apple in her hand.

“I just think it’s silly to get all wrapped up in a relationship when you’re...how old are you?”

“Sixteen,” answered Honey.

“When you’re sixteen.  What’s the rush?  Why not enjoy yourselves?”

“Sixteen is plenty old enough to date.  Besides, I’ve always wanted to date Jim,”  argued Trixie.

Danny looked up at the birds that were flying overhead, then back at his friends.  “If that’s what you want, then I’m happy for you.”

“You sure don’t sound very happy,” grumbled Trixie, taking a bite of her apple.

“Do you have a girlfriend?” asked Honey.

“No.  I don’t have time for one, nor the money.  To be truthful, I’m not really interested in dating right now.”

“Oh.”  Honey wiped her fingers with a paper napkin. “Well, Trixie and I are.”

Danny crunched into his own apple.  “I find that a lot of kids who go steady in high school miss a lot of the fun.”

“Miss the fun?” Trixie’s blue eyes bored into Danny’s brown ones.  “Why, we go to all the dances.  We get to go to the movies or bowling or anything else we want to do.  I don’t think we’re missing any fun.”  She sat back on the blanket and crossed her arms.  “Do you get to do all those things?”

Danny shook his head.  “But it’s because I don’t want to.”

“Well, we do.  Sometimes all of us, including Mart and Diana, go out as a group and sometimes we have private dates.”

Danny shrugged.  “Like I said, I’m just not that interested in tying myself up with one person right now.  There are too many other things I want to do.”

“I see,” responded Trixie icily.

The three finished their lunch, their strained conversation consisting of discussions of school courses and books they had read. The beautiful day that had started out so well had fizzled. When lunch was over, they untied the horses and rode back to the stable.  Once there, they got to work wiping down their mounts, then cleaning the tack.  When Regan came in a short time later with Mr Wheeler’s horse, Jupiter,  he found the mood in the stable subdued.

“What’s up with you guys?  Did you wear yourselves out on your ride?  I hope you didn’t push the horses too hard.”  Regan instantly checked on the animals.

“No.  We took real good care of them.”  Danny stood and hung his reins on the wall.  He put away his supplies then got the broom and swept the floor.  

Regan watched,  his brows furrowed.  “What about you two?” he asked of Honey and Trixie.

“We’re almost done,” answered Honey, keeping her gaze focused on her work.

Regan turned to Trixie.  “What about you?”

Trixie stood up.  “I took care of my tack.  I guess I better go home and help Moms.  See ya, Regan.  Bye, Danny.”  Trixie walked to the door, then broke into a jog as she went down the hill.  

“Whew! I’m hot.  I think I’ll go lay down for a while.”  Honey rose gracefully.  “I hope we'll see you later, Danny.”  Smiling politely, she walked out of the stable and disappeared.

Regan spun around.  “What the heck happened?  Did you three have a fight or something?”

Danny shook his head.  “No.  Everything was fine until Trixie mentioned she and Honey were dating Jim and Brian.  I guess I wasn’t as excited as they wanted me to be.”

“Oh, that.”  Regan got work on his own horse.

“What’s that mean?” demanded Danny.

Regan, brushing down Jupiter, paused.  “Those kids all started dating this spring.  The parents aren’t really happy about it.  Personally, I think the girls are too young to be wrapped up in a serious relationship.  But it’s not my call.  I just have to monitor them.”  Regan rolled his eyes.  “And that’s not an easy thing to do, especially with all the petty bickering and lovers' spats that happen now.”

“Did their dating change things around here?”

Regan sighed.  “Yes.  The kids used to be a lot of fun.  Now they seem to be more interested in what they should be doing as a couple.”  He shook his head.  “I kinda miss the way things used to be, you know, mysteries, criminals and close calls.”  Grinning, Regan went to get some fresh water, leaving Danny standing alone.

“Good thing I’m only visiting,” Danny decided.  “Being here all the time sounds like it’d be a real drag.”

After finishing their tasks, Regan and Danny took a quick swim in the lake, then grilled hamburgers for their dinner.  They were closing up the stable for the night when Jim strolled in.

“Hey, Danny.  I heard you were  visiting.” He offered his hand.

“Hi, Jim.  Yes, I’m spending some time with Uncle Bill while my grandfather’s in Florida.”

“How are things with you?”

“Great. You?”

“Couldn’t be better.”

The two stood and chatted about their favorite baseball teams until Jim heard his father pull up in the driveway.

“I guess I better go.” Jim nodded his head toward the door.  

“And I need to help Regan with a few things.  See you later, Jim.”

“Let’s take the horses out soon.”  

“Sure,” answered Danny as he watched Jim disappear through the door.  Spinning around to face his uncle, he exclaimed,  “I can’t believe we only talked about baseball!”

“See what I mean. The Bobwhites just aren’t as much fun as they used to be. Plus, I’m sure Jim got an earful from Trixie about how you don’t approve of their dating.” He scratched his head. “And I don’t get it.  Why would dating change everybody so much?”

Danny shrugged and reached for the water pail.  “I don’t know.  It does seem that when kids at school get all involved with someone, they suddenly become very serious and they don’t seem to want to do things with anybody else. I would find that incredibly boring. But maybe they’re afraid if they do something without their significant other, he or she will get mad.”

Regan eyes his nephew suspiciously.  “When did you get to be so smart?”

Danny grinned.  “Easy.  It’s all in the genes.”

Regan turned off the light and the two retired to his apartment.

“There’s a baseball game on tonight.  Wanna watch it?” asked Regan.

“You bet.  How about if I make some popcorn?”

“Help yourself.”  Regan waved his hand toward his small kitchen then disappeared into his bedroom.  When he came out a few minutes later, he had changed into a pair of shorts and an old t-shirt.

“You know,” said Danny as he drizzled melted butter over the popped kernels,  “I always thought it would be cool to live here.  You know, pal around with the Bobwhites, go to school with them, get involved with their activities.”

“And now…”  As Regan grabbed two bowls from the cupboard he felt some optimism returning.

Danny shook his head.  “I don't see much.  Remember a few years ago when they were trying to convert that old carriage house into a clubhouse.  They were all excited about it and had a bunch of plans. The whole thing sounded like a lot of fun.  Then, it fell apart and I never heard anymore about it.”

Regan handed Danny the salt shaker.  “Yeah, they kinda lost interest when they couldn’t get what they needed to secure the building for the winter.  By spring, the carriage house was in even worse shape so they just abandoned it.”

“And they were always hyped up about helping somebody or doing something for a good cause.  Do they still do that?”

“Rarely.  It seems they don’t want to spend the time on those things anymore. And with Brian and Jim off at college, that leaves even less time for the couples to be together.”

“Hmm… Who would think I’d have the more fulfilling life?” Danny asked with a half grin.

“Indeed.”  Feeling his optimism crashing, Regan took his seat in front of the tv while the guilt he felt at the thought of uprooting Danny grew inside him, making the popcorn feel like a giant iron ball in the pit of his stomach.

Word count-8502

Author’s notes:  This story was written in response to CWE 16 - One Lives, One Dies: The Butterfly Effect.  A big “thank you” to Katia and to my sister Judith for their editing and comments.  Picture by Pixabay.com.

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