FATHERHOOD... Learning to cope (Part 51b)

As if my list didn’t have enough on it, Elle was feeling so good that she created her own list. At least hers was filled with things I could do on my own. The main thing was to find her some clothes that would fit. Since we’d be going right to the track after she was released she also needed ”protection“. The ladies from the trailer park had decided to visit on Sunday so I took off for the track to touch base with AJ. I’d been so occupied with just about any and everything on Saturday I’d forgotten to call him. I figured it would be better to show up and talk to him in person rather than a phone call. I was right as I could see he was a bit upset that I hadn’t kept him up to date. After I explained he was very sympathetic and told me to stick around for a while. I watched him drive off wondering what was up. About a half hour later he came back. It was around noon time and being Sunday, there was nothing going on around the barn area. He grabbed a couple of folding chairs and we sat down under the awning. At that point I was a bit concerned. I don’t think I’d ever talked with AJ when I wasn’t standing.

I certainly wasn’t expecting to hear what he was saying. Simply put, he’d gone home and spoken with Mrs AJ and they had decided to invite Elle, the baby and I to stay with them until the trailer was in place and the electricity and water was hooked up. In the time that I’d worked for AJ I think I’d spoken to Mrs AJ maybe three times. AJ said that he remembered how it was when his daughter was born and how hard it was on Mrs AJ. He said that they had a spare room and Mrs AJ ”needed“ to have something to keep her busy. All I remember was that it took a tremendous load off my mind. With all that Harry had done for me (us) I didn’t want to bug him about moving the trailer and the not knowing about when it would be moved was driving me to distraction. This offer would solve that.

Elle wasn’t as excited as I was about it though. She’d only met AJ a few times and had never met Mrs AJ. She wasn’t happy but I put my foot down and told he that it was the way it was going to be. I also didn’t make her happy when I told her that I was going to work on Monday. It felt good to get back on the track. I had to concentrate on what I was doing instead of worrying about things I couldn’t control. When we finished up the morning’s work, AJ told me take off and to tie up all the ”loose ends“ and he’d see me in time for my race the next night. That was the first mention of that and I’d suppressed my nervousness about it until then. But, on the trip back that’s all I could think about.

I’d put off calling Harry not wanting to be a PITA (pain in the ass), but had to know when he was coming. Back in those days we didn’t have answering machines or cell phones and if someone wasn’t home when a call came in it went unanswered. Harry had been trying to reach me all day. He or someone was going to be there first thing in the morning.

Before I left to see Elle I picked out the clothes she’d asked for as well as some things for the baby. That was one thing we had plenty of. When her sorority sisters had a baby shower for her they had provided (thankfully) enough stuff that we had very little to buy. She was in a much better mood that night and was actually glad that she was going to have some help (with the baby) for a few days. I promised that as soon as the trailer was completely set up that I’d make arrangements for her mother to come up and visit. That put me back in her ”good graces“.

I was up and waiting for Harry when he arrived. I helped load all the cement blocks and other ”stuff“ and he was on his way by 10am. I had a chance to say my goodbyes to our friends in the trailer park before going to the hospital to pick Elle up. Since classes were over and graduation ceremonies were scheduled for the afternoon almost everybody was around. Elle had told me that Vince had driven her to the hospital but I’d not been able to catch up with him to say ”Thank you.“ When I got to the trailer he and Trish were just leaving. Trish was due that week and she thought she was starting contractions. I helped get her in the car and yelled my thanks as they drove away. Josh had passed everything and was graduating that afternoon. Beth, who was also due that week, wasn’t feeling all that well so I didn’t stay long. Of them all I was going to miss them the most.

The three of us left the hospital in the early afternoon. It was the first time I’d seen Elle on her feet since the baby was born and she really looked good. She’d only gained around 20 pounds. One thing I do remember was that I was famished. I’d not had anything to eat as I’d emptied the last of the things in the refrigerator the night before and hadn’t taken the time to find something to eat. Elle wanted to know why I was so quiet. My mind was now on my first race that was coming up that night. I was really getting nervous. (2)

When we got to AJ’s house it was Elle who was nervous. Mrs AJ was very gracious and showed us the room we’d be sleeping in. Their landlord’s daughter had had a baby about a year earlier and had loaned Mrs AJ their bassinet for the baby so we were just about set... except for letting Mrs AJ know about Elle’s wetting. I’d packed up the rubberized sheet and some of our towels and the first thing we did after Mrs AJ left was to remake the bed. I told Elle that she had to be the one to tell her and she wasn’t very happy about it. The baby was asleep and Elle was tired as this was the longest period of time she’d been awake since the baby was born. When she lay down I headed for the track. Even though I didn’t have to get ready for the race until around 5pm I was anxious to check on the trailer.

I’d requested a space where I could see the trailer from the barn. Since I wasn’t there to observe when it arrived I was somewhat concerned although I knew there was little I could do about it. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw where it was. Harry had blocked it and hooked up the water, sewer and electric (I hadn't known that the track paid for the power) so there was nothing major I really had to do. I went inside to open the windows since it was about 85 degrees out and there, right in the middle of the living room was a brand new white wicker bassinet. There was a big pink bow on it and I knew right away that it had come from Harry and Vi.

Mrs AJ had told me that she’d have something for AJ and I to eat before we left for the track so I went back to the house. There was a patio with an awning in the back of the house and when I pulled into the driveway it seemed like a small party was going on. Elle had brought the baby down and AJ and his wife, the landlords and one of their kids were there. Of course, the baby was getting all the attention. I didn’t say anything about the new bassinet so as not to hurt the feeling of the landlord who had retrieved their daughter’s for us to use. Mrs AJ brought down some sandwiches and iced tea for AJ and I and we did make it into somewhat of a party.

From the time we left for the track until the race was over is just a blur in my mind. Unlike an O. Henry story, I did not win the race. I finished a poor sixth. AJ told me that I’d allowed myself to get ”boxed in“ at the rail and really had no chance. All I knew was that I was glad that it was over.

To be continued...