I Start on breakfast, a normal day. Two eggs, some sausage, and microwave a biscuit I made yesterday. It's all for my little man.
And I hear him, walking softly, every footstep is soft, every step is planned. And there is a reason.
My son, Ty, is blind.
When he was about two, his eyes just stopped working. The doctor said there was a high chance that one day, they will just start working again, but, it's been about five years... Man I feel old.
"Morning daddy!" He says happily, sitting at his chair. He had everything memorized. Everything from where his chair was to how many steps from here to the couch.
"Morning son." I say happily, putting the cooked conents on a plate, a red one with slots in it where the food would go. Every meal was put on these plates, placed in the exact spot infront of him. "What's it smell like?" I ask, smiling.
He sniffs the air, his tail wagging fast behind him. "Sausage, and egg, and... uhm..."
"Biscuits." I say smiling, laying the contents infront of him and handing him a fork. He cut the biscuit and put the sausage in it, smiling.
"My FAVE!" He says, his tail beating back and forth. Being beagelrs, his tail isn't fluffy, and his coat isn't shaggy, but that just makes him easier to clean.
"You still going over to Jerry's today?" Jerry was his best friend. And I have to say, I am so happy. Most kids wouldn't dare play with a blind child. But Jerry, bless his soul, first day of school, went up to my son and talked to him, played with him, made him feel whole.
"Yep. You still going out with that Clarice lady?" He asked, nomming on his biscuit.
"Oooh, been listening to my phone calls, have you? And yes, I am," I say, taking a sip of my coffee. So sweet... "I think I might propose to her." I say matter- of- factly.
"Really!?" He asked, amazed. "So you really like her?"
"I Think I love her, just like I loved your mommy. Clarice really seems to like you, and we are getting along very well. I'm not going to do it NOW... Maybe wait another month or two."
We sat in silence, he ate, I read the newspaper, everynow and then telling him his favorite stories and funnies, and he would giggle or give his input.
The boy eventually slid off his seat, going to his room to dress. He wanted to do it hisself, so I bought him similar colored clothes so he would never mismatch, not that he cared, but he allready got weird looks for being blind.
I sat down the paper and went to the couch, looking at my game console. I was a big gamer, and always wanted to play games with my children. It was impossible now, but still, maybe if things work out with Clarice I could have another.
"Howwwww, do I look" He asked, racing down the stares. I turn and smile.
"Look nice." I Say smiling, my son, who had previously been in red undies, was now in a blue shirt with Mario on it that said POWER UP in white letters, and a pair of blue jeans. "You all ready to go to Jerry's?"
He would nod, and I grabbed my car keys. He gets in the car, buckles hisself up. I have gotten to the point where I park in the exact same spot so he doesn't need help getting in. Everything in my life revolves around my son. And I will never complain.
It's a short drive to Ashley's house, Jerry's mother. Her husband works on a oil rig somewhere, I'm not sure where.
When we get there, I knock on the door. It opens in a few seconds. "Hey you!" She says smiling. She looked nice, as usual. "Hey Ashley, thank you for watching him today." I say smiling, my son going into the home. He knew it almost as well as ours, and before long Jerry, a skunk cub, walks down the stares, invites my son upstairs, and they run off.
"You okay with watching him for the whole day, you know, while I see Clarice?"
"Of course! You deserve it... I can't believe how much you do for him... I hope things work out. Maybe when the tykes are asleep when you get back we can have a beer." I nod, that sounded great, but I had to get started with my day.
I was an IT man, mostly working at home, incase I needed to reach my son, even though I spend hours infront of a computer, or a game console, or a phone, I went to the gym tree times a week, and today was one of those days.
I had a NICE body. I don't mean to brag, but I get compliments, and back in my wilder days a few one night stands (One of which was how Ty came to be) and I can hold my own in a fight.
The only thing I do NOT do is jogging. Seriously, it's boring as hell, unless the view changes. I guess I'll pay for it in the zombie apoc, but allwell.
I finish early, so I can drive home and get a shower and change. I wear a nice red shirt, some black jeans, and a necklace my son got me when they went to the rennaisance a few months ago.
"Welp, DATE TIME" I say to myself in the mirror, looking at my teeth in the mirror to make sure they look nice. My teeth are my self concious thing, you know?
I Make my way to the cafe. Do not ask me to pronounce the name, because I HAVE NO IDEA. And there she is, Clarice, waving at me from her chair. It's a smalllll date. Tonight is the real thing, for know, it's just some coffee and small talk.
"Hey you." She says giggling. This woman, a nice french poodle, made me feel like a young pup again. She was so sweet. She owned the cafe, so she could slide a break to see me during the day.
"Hey, I didn't keep you waiting long, I hope." I say smiling, sitting down in the seat opposite of her.
"Not at all." She said, smiling so lovely it made he smile wider. Before I knew it we were deep in conversation, one of her workers brought us a drink, and went about his work.
"Well, I was going to wait till tonight to say something... but..." She smiled. "I was wondering if I could move some things into your house?"
"Oh, well..." I Sip my drink. This was always the hardest part.
"You see, my son allready know the lay out of our house, I don't want to put anything else in there, you know, it might make him fall." I sip my drink again, alittle afraid of what she will say next.
"Well, see, I found this." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a pamphlet, handing it to me.
"What is it?" I ask,looking through it, I see the cover and gasp.
Richards private school for the blind and physcially impaired.
"See, it's a nice school for kids who-"
"No deal." I say, laying it down. My heart is beating fast.
"I'll pay for everything!" She says, reaching out and holding my hand. "He will be sourrounded by people like him, and teachers who know how to take care of him."
"But he won't have me. No. Deal." I say, pulling my hand back.
"Why won't you atleast give this a chance?"
"Because." I say, slamming my fist down. I knew the people around us were listening, and I didn't care at this point. "These places aren't for loving parents, they are for parents who are ashamed of their kids and want to hide them from public... My son is blind, and I love him with all my heart!"
"And look what that has gotten you!" She says standing. "You live in a home where you can't even move your furniture in fear your son will get confused. You can't go out and have a drink with your buddies because you are afraid to be away from your son for to long..."
"So basically it's you or the kid!" I bark, standing. "Then fuck you Clarice. Y'know, I finally, finally found a girl who I thought might love my son like a mother would, but no, you want to shell him off to some boarding school!" I adjust my shirt. It was cooler than I thought today. "This isn't going to work." I say, turning around and walking away. She doesn't fight or ask to talk, and I knew I was right.
The whole time, THE WHOLE FUCKING TIME!!! She had every intention of trying to seperate me from my son, and I will never, never, NEVER let that happen.
"Wait!" I Hear someone behind me say, and I rub my eyes before turning. When I am pissed, I tear up. "I, uh, wanted to give you this." It's a raccoon. She looks nice, red glasses and a red scarf, with brown pants and red shoes, and a thick coat. I guess I didn't realize how cold it was today.
She handed me a cup of iced coffee, smiling, and even though I can't see it through her fur, I think she is blushing. "That was really nice, what you did for your son." She said. She had a nice smile, I can't help but smile back. "Could, I, uh, meet him sometime? My name's Janice." She says, holding out her hand.
"Eric." I say kindly, shaking her hand. "And sure... So, uhm, you single?" I ask,making her giggle, much to my confusion.
"Straight to the point, I see... And yeah, I'm single." She said happily. "And after that, I'm guessing you are too?"
"Yeah... I guess I am... Do you maybe, want to, uhm, go somewhere tonight?" I couldn't help but fall in love all over again. Her glasses looked really nice on her.
We exchanged numbers, much to my happiness, and I walked home with a smile on my face.
That night, was the best night of my life. What I felt with Clarice was beer compared to the champagne of affection I felt for Janice. We talked, we laughed. I don't think I even touched my beer, and I barely ate. I hadn't clicked like that in, well, forever. "I'm in love." I say to myself, driving to Asley's house. How would I tell this to Ty?
"Hey sport, Me and Clarice didn't work out, but I met this lovely girl named Janice! No... that won't work, because then he will ask why and then when I tell him he will think he is a burden... then again... I could always lie. Yeah, lieing is good." I park next to her lawn and knock on the door. By know, I bet Ty was asleep.
The door opened and out poped the female skunk. "Why haven't you been answering your God damn phone?" She asks, opening the door.
"Oh, I left it at my house and never thought to get it... Why?" I ask, going inside and looking upstairs where I heard the sound of a game being played. I began to walk upstairs, knowing it was okay.
"Your son, well, he, uhm, well, it was nap time and..."
"Is everything allright?" I ask, putting my hand on the door knob.
"And when he woke up, it was... He was..."
"So which button makes him jump again?" I heard my son say, before I opened the door. As soon as I did, he looked to me and waved.
"Hey daddy! You look just like I always imagined." He said, waiving to me.
I sucked in a breath, unable to speak. "Wh-what?" I finally say, my voice high pitched.
He giggled, closing his eyes and smiling wide. "I can see now daddy, isn't that AWESOME!"
He doesn't get to say another word. I run to him, and hug him tight, tears in my eyes. Hugging my son, in his best friends bedroom.
My son, my blind son, can see again.
