Post # 11 - Checklist for life

Sile N'Bhroin ambled passed Spring as she struggled with the handles of the wheelchair, attempting to force the two wheels over the door frame. Spencer winced as the chair fumbled over the bump. 

A frazzled man ran up the stairs, taking two at a time. He brushed past Spencer and Spring, nudging the wheelchair with his hip. Spring's hand slipped and the chair rolled forward, but she managed to regain her grasp. 

"Are you alright?" Spring asked.

"Yes," Spencer said.

"I wonder what his hurry was..." Spring mumbled.

"Who knows," Spencer said.

It was so interesting how the two communicated now. They were both cautious, careful not to upset the other on account of the previous events. 

But they were mostly silent. Not an awkward silence. A serene, comfortable silence that settled between them and felt right. They didn't need to say anything. They just needed to go.

In the second the wheelchair made it across the doorframe, however, Spring realized that she did need to say something.

"I saved a woman's life," she blurted out. "She gave me $10,000." Spencer didn't say anything. Had she really spoken out loud?

But Spencer craned his neck around to look at her out of one eye. "Wow. That's a hell of a story," he said. 

"Yeah," Spring sighed. No one knew yet. But now Spencer did. It felt good to make the events of the last few days known.

"What are you gonna do with the money?" Spencer asked.

Spring contemplated the question. "What would you do?" she asked.

Spencer chuckled. "Hell, I don't know. A few days ago, I would've bought a lifetime's supply of beer and whiskey," he said. "But now ... I don't know. I can't think of anything I'd want that I'm not about to have."

"You're lucky to be so content," Spring said.

Spencer laughed again. "I wasn't always," he said. "But I'm getting out. I'm doing what I want to do. What do you want, Spring?"

Spring was taken aback. No one had asked her this in years.

"I think I want to have a baby," Spring said. "I think I want to use the money to adopt or to pay for artificial insemination."

Spencer looked back at her again. "Wow. That's a big step," he said.

"I know," Spring said. "But that's what I want." 

The tranquil silence settled over them again. Spring wheeled Spencer to the end of the hallway.

"I think you'd make a great mom, Spring," Spencer said.

Spring smiled. 

Post # 10: And one more thing...

There was no getting away from it now. $10,000.
Spring didn't know Linda's address. She didn't have her phone number. She doubted the hospital would give her that kind of information. There was no way for Spring to give the money back, even though she felt she shouldn't take it.
$10,000. It was all hers. As uncomfortable as the thought made her, the money was a relief. The barely-there weight of the check and the thinly-scratched numbers could hardly represent what the money meant.
"What is that?" Trish scream-asked. 
Spring didn't answer. She continued to stare at the paper, holding it in her hand so that only her thumb held it down, as if the wind could cary it away at any second.
"Spring! What is it! Why do you have that look on your face? Spring!" Trish continued.
"Nothing, Trish!" Spring snapped.
Trish looked taken aback. Her face welled up, red and shiny, as she prepared to belt out again.
But Spring was already at the door. She yanked it closed behind her.
Back in her car, Spring looked at the check again. Her heard thudded at the sight of the zeros on the end of the number. $10,000. The things she could do...
But again, she could think of just one thing.
Linda's baby's face flickered in Spring's mind for a moment. She shook her head.
Turning on her car, she made her way towards Spencer's apartment.

Blog 9: Sunset Grill

Spring finally arrived back at her car, miraculously still sitting there on the curb. Of course, there was a ticket. $200. Not as bad as it could be.
The ticket triggered the image of the check. $10,000.
All the things she could do with $10,000. Spring could only focus on one.
But she hadn't taken it. She'd refused, but Linda insisted. So, when she'd fallen asleep again, Spring left it there on the bedside table. She couldn't take $1,000 from a stranger, not even though she'd saved her life.
Spring fumbled in her purse for her keys, finally producing them and getting into her car. She lifted the keys to the ignition to start it. 
Spring jumped at the ring of her phone. She'd almost forgotten about it. She hadn't spoken to someone on her phone in days. Not that she usually got many phone calls.
She answered. "Spring?" It was Spencer's voice.
"This is Spencer Daey. You bought a car from me a while back."
Spring was silent. Spencer had been ignoring her. And the last time she'd called him, she'd left a message sounding like a total lunatic. Now he thought she didn't even remember him.
She realized she'd been silent for several seconds. "Oh yes!" she said, trying to recover from the awkward pause.
"One, I'd like to apologize. I'm sorry for yelling at you."
Spring was silent. She didn't know how to respond. She felt she should be sorry for bothering him in the first place.
"Two, I need a favor."
Spring made a noise like a cough mixed with a laugh. What on earth could she do for him?
"I want to go to the Grand Canyon," Spencer said. "I can't drive, I can't use my legs, but I'd like to go there and I need someone to take me. You're the only person I know who has a car. I thought I might ask..."
Again, words didn't come quickly to Spring. "The Grand Canyon?" Spring finally asked. "But why?"
"Because everywhere there is ground. And that's what I want. I want to feel ground, everywhere, all around me, nothing else. Will you go with me?"
Spring was silent. This was crazy. He was crazy.
But, then again, she was sometimes, too. She had a feeling she knew what he meant about ground. When everything was so out of control, she could use some solid soil, too.
"Okay," she said.
"Okay?" Spencer said, almost surprised.
"Okay!" she exclaimed. 
They made plans to meet within the next few hours. They didn't want to waste any time.
Spring hung up, giddy from the conversation.
There was just one problem, she realized. Her car didn't work. The one reason he called her of all people, her car, and it wasn't working. Or, at least, it hadn't the last time she'd tried.
She sighed. "Here we go," she said. She put the key in the ignition and turned.
The engine hummed beautifully, no, gloriously to life. Spring nearly screamed in excitement. All she needed was to swing by her house to grab some clothes and equipment. 
Trish, unfortunately, was at the door to meet her.
"Spring, where the HELL have you been?!" she screamed.
"No time, Trish," Spring said.
"What do  you mean no time! You've been gone two days and you have nothing to say! And you cursed at me when you left! I want you out! I want you out of here!" Trish gasped for air after her rant. 
"Fine, Trish, I'll get out. As soon as I get my clothes." Trish's screams followed Spring into her room. Caleb's began to mingle with them. She threw some clothes in a duffle bag and grabbed a sleeping bag, and she was ready.
" -don't even have the courtesy to apologize! And take your goddamn mail with you!" Trish's screams continued. She threw an envelope in Spring's direction.
Spring picked it up. "Linda Powers" was printed in the upper left corner.
Spring ripped it open, but she already had a feeling she knew what was inside.
$10,000.