Chapter 9: Growing Up short story
The conversation between Tommy and I prompted me to make my next move. Nowhere near being dressed for my evening with Rachelle, I left him in my room and left the house. I marched over to the Arlene house, I rang the doorbell like I had done previously a hundred times. Cynthia opened the door and immediately said, “Rachelle’s not ready yet.”
“And are you going out dressed like that?” Lisa asked while seated on the couch nearest the door. I was dressed comfortably in my gym shorts and tank top.
“Lisa, I’m not going out looking like this,” I replied.
“Well, Rachelle’s in the shower,” Cynthia said.
“I’m not here for her. Is your father home?” I asked.
“Yeah, he’s upstairs in his lair,” Lisa said.
“Lair?” I asked
“Lair? What the heck are you talking about, Lise? Why would you call Daddy’s office his lair?” Cynthia asked after I walked into the house after she invited me in.
“Every good villain needs a lair,” Lisa said.
“Walton, go on upstairs. He’s probably trying to figure out the internet,” Cynthia said.
“Thank you for being the good sister,” I said before walking towards the stairwell.
My palms were sweaty and my knees were weak. Even though I was nervous, but my face needed to be calm and fierce. My plan was in my head, and I needed to be ready for anything that may go wrong. My goal was to accomplish one thing that I evaded me previously. Fifteen steps separated me from the top of the stairs. Each step I took, the more nervous I grew. Upon reaching the top step of the stairs, I watch Russell struggling on his computer.
“Burkett, I’m glad to see you,” Russell said as he laid his eyes on me.
“That’s probably the first time you’ve ever said that,” I said. “Did you need help with something?”
“Yeah, I’m having trouble getting this thing connected to the internet. Can you help me?” Russell asked as I made my way towards Russell in his upstairs office. “I’m supposed to have the fastest internet around because I got it through the cable company.” I jumped right into action, troubleshooting Russell’s issues. It only took me a couple minutes to find the root of Russell’s problems.
“Russell, you didn’t plug your computer up to the modem,” I told him after looking behind his computer tower and noticing that he didn’t have a cable connected coming from his modem. “Or do you have a wireless card on here?”
“Hold on, kid. Don’t get into your technical crap. What are you saying?” Russell asked.
“You’re not getting internet because it’s not connected to the box,” I quickly said.
“Shit! I knew I forgot something,” Russell said before springing into action and getting his cables connected from his modem. Seconds later, we were connected to the worldwide web via a broadband connection. “Thanks, Burkett, for helping me with this. Having internet always on is gonna help me with all these phone lines in this house.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean. I wonder if I can con my mother into getting broadband,” I said while standing up from Russell’s seat at his desk.
“Well, it depends on how good of a conman you are,” Russell said. “Anyway, what brings you up here, son?”
“I’m here to chat with you.”
“Oh yeah? Aren’t you and my daughter going out in an hour?”
“Yeah, we are, but I need to chat with you about something.” I said. After Russell sat in front of his computer, I continued to stand.
“Okay, get to it. I don’t sit in my office to just sit. I’ve got work to do. So get on with it,” Russell said.
My nervousness grew even stronger, but I knew I needed to stay focused. “Russell, you offered me a gift not long ago. I’m here to collect,” I said.
“A gift? What are you talking about?”
“The ring. I want the ring.”
“Boy, you must still be crazy. Get out of here,” Russell dismissively said. “I told you once before, you have to earn it.”
“Russell, I’m serious. I need that ring.”
“I’m gonna tell you one more time, you gotta earn it, boy.”
“Russell, what do I need to do to prove that I’m worthy?”
“Well, first, you won’t come to me and ask for it.”
“Who said I’m asking?”
“So you’re demanding?”
“I’m requesting.”
“That’s the same damn thing.”
“No, Russell, it’s not. I want your daughter’s hand in marriage. If you won’t give me the ring, I’ll buy one myself tomorrow. I’m requesting the ring you said you’d give me when the time was right. That time is now.”
“Where are you going to get the money for a ring, Burkett?” Russell asked.
This was my chance. It was my opportunity to prove to Rachelle’s father that I was able take care of her. “Last week, I met with three companies about my computer language. I’ve worked a deal with all three to use my computing language. If things go right, it might turn into a 3.3 million dollars per company business venture.”
“Really? How did you swing that?” Russell asked.
“Let’s just say your daughter has my back. So providing for her is nothing. I have no problem protecting her. I’ve been to war defending her honor. Violence is not the answer, I am aware of that, but I’m still working on that. It’s just that ring is special because it’s a symbol I need to prove to the rest of the world that I’m worth. So, Russell, I need the ring.”
Russell stood up in silence and walked over to his bookshelf to retrieve a book. He brought the book back over to his desk and sat down. After opening the book, I noticed that it was hollow on the inside. Russell retrieved a tiny safe from inside the hollowed-out book where he opened after inputting the combination. “Before I give you this, you need to sit down,” Russell said while handing me the ring.
I quickly grabbed the ring to examine it. Three huge princess cut diamonds set on a platinum ring. It was just as beautiful as when I first saw it. The difference, it was in my hands. I sat down in a chair in front of Russell’s desk and asked, “This is an amazing piece of jewelry. How much did it cost?”
“It’s not about how much it cost. It’s about the history. This is my family’s heirloom that has been passed down for over a hundred years. My great-great-grandfather bought this ring for my great-great grandmother, Cynthia back in the 1890s after working his ass off shoeing horses, making knives, and doing anything he could to make a living to purchase that one of a kind ring you got there son,” Russell explained.
“This ring is a hundred years old? It’s so new looking and shiny. How did you guys keep it looking so great?” I asked.
“The women of my family only wore it ten years before locking it away to pass down to the next. My grandfather and mother had the stones polished while their rings were in their possession. After Mandy stopped wearing it, I had it cleaned and appraised. It’s worth over twenty grand. So, you put this on Rachelle’s finger fast or I’ll put an axe in your back.”
“I will. Tonight’s the night.”
“Yeah, you’d better, because there’s a long list of women who’ll be hunting you down for that ring. My great-grandfather barely had any money to afford a wife after the family business of blacksmithing, but his girlfriend’s father gave him the ring so he could marry my grandmother Elsie. Grandma Elsie gave her son and my grandfather so he would use it to purpose to my grandmother, Madeline. I suppose you are mindful how the rest goes.”
“I guess I do. Listen, thank you, Russell. I promise you, you’re not gonna regret this decision,” I told him before standing up.
“Before you go, you’ve got ten years before it goes in a safe for the next generation. After ten years, buy her another one. That’s the tradition,” Russell said. “This ring has survived Jim Crow, two World Wars, the Great Depression, the Civil Rights Movement, my family’s fire, and has seen us all at our worst and best at the same time. You guys do your best to continue the honor this ring gives me and my family.”
“No doubt. Russell, thanks again,” I said. “We’ll do our part to continue the family tradition.”
As I stood up to leave, I placed the ring in my pocket. Before I could full turn to the go back towards the stairwell, Russell said, “Have her home by midnight.”
“That’s always the goal, sir,” I said as I continued my efforts to leave. After getting halfway between the stairs and Russell’s office, I turned back to him and walk back toward him. “Why give me this ring? It obviously means a lot to you and your entire family.”
“You’re a good kid, and contrary to popular belief, I believe in you and think you are the best thing for not only my daughter but my entire family. As Rachelle continues being an honor roll student, the other girls try their best to one up each other, and I’ve seen how good you are to my granddaughter. You’re a good kid, even though you have a lot to learn,” Russell said.
“Well, I’m right here. Teach me what you think I should learn. I’ll learn it fast,” I said.
“Just worry about treating my baby girl right and the rest will come to you,” Russell said.
I soon left the Arlene family house to go back home. I needed to finish packing my overnight bag and get dressed. The night with Rachelle was scheduled to be extra special, but after the day we had, I recognized I needed to up the ante. With the ring in my pocket, I returned home to finish getting ready for my evening. When I prepared for this night felt like I was prepping for the most important day of my life. At that point in my life, it was the important evening I’d ever face. With my overnight bag in my car, I marched over to retrieve Rachelle for our night about an hour later. Once we were in my car, it was time to get the party started.
… to be continued in Chapter 9: Growing up in the published novel Be A Man
Be A Man Universe 