Two

Jimmy awoke the next day feeling about as good as smashed fruit. His head felt like it was about to burst at the seams and his teeth felt bruised. For a moment, he thought his nose was feeling better, but a gentle caress set off fireworks that worked its way up from the bottom of his spine.

He fumbled around for his keys and prayed his car would start but it sputtered into nothingness.

“For fuck’s sake!” Jimmy took his frustration out on his steering wheel.

“Excuse me sir?” a knock at his window brought his fit to an end and Jimmy saw the police officer that stood there staring at him with a disapproving look. The copper’s face was clean-shaven except for a hairy brush for a moustache that covered his top lip.

“Sorry officer, is everything okay?”

“You know you’re not meant to be staying in your car, don’t you?”

“Sorry officer had a rough night. Thought it would be safer to stay here for the night.” Jimmy turned to face the officer and hid a smirk when he saw the officer’s reaction.

“You look like absolute shit. Are you okay?”

“Yeah. You should see the other guy. Am I okay to go officer?”

“Yeah, that’ll be alright. Take it easy though. I don’t want to be hearing about any crashes coz you can’t see.” With that, the police officer turned and walked away. He waved without looking back at Jimmy.

After countless attempts, Jimmy’s car finally choked into life, and he was on his way.

The drive took close to two hours, but Jimmy finally pulled into the muddy driveway of his dilapidated chicken farm.

It was an unwanted property and business that Jimmy had inherited from his father after he passed away.

As soon as he was old enough, Jimmy moved as far away as he could from the farm. But the news of his father’s rapidly declining health and a begging letter from his mother brought him back, internally screaming and kicking the whole way.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

His father made him promise on his deathbed that he would look after the business and take care of his mother. The word no was about to escape his lips, but one look at his mother’s grave face made him change his mind and he said yes, again internally screaming and kicking himself for doing so.

Jimmy was a far cry from being a handyman and farmer, relying on the few lessons he could recall growing up on the farm.

His mother’s health had taken a drastic downturn in the last eight months, and it took what little money they had to pay for all her medical bills. That, coupled with the slow business with the eggs and chooks, had brought Jimmy into a deadly whirlpool of drowning debt.

Being turned away from all the banks, Jimmy turned to the dark and dodgy underground and took a loan from a mob boss. One Mister Walsh.

As Jimmy pulled up to the heart crushing view of his cottage, he looked with disdain at the quality of his home. A constant fight with holes in the roof and rotten weather was his latest pain, and for a moment, he forgot about his burning nose.

He opened the door with a sigh that turned into a hiss as he heard a slew of tiles slide from the roof and slap the mud. Thunder boomed in the distance and Jimmy’s shoulders slumped as he walked in to check on his mother.

Her withered body and sunken eyes were always a sad sight to behold. She sat on her frayed favourite chair and was covered in hand knitted blankets. Ever since her health started to plummet, she’d knitted with a furious speed. Bankets, socks, coats, scarves, anything she could think of.

“Oh, Jimmy dear, are you okay? You look terrible.” The sickness still hadn’t claimed her sweet and cozy voice.

“Yeah ma. Had a nasty accident last night, that’s why I didn’t come home. Did Mrs Smyth come over this morning?”

“Oh yes, that sweet dear lady helped get me dressed and made me some breakfast. You know, her daughter is around your age, you’d be a perfect fit for each other.” His mother broke into a soft smile.

“Come on ma, stop trying to set me up with everyone you can find.” No annoyance in his voice.

“I want some grandkids before I kick the bucket, Jimmy. Who knows how much longer I’ll be here.”

“Don’t talk like that. You’re gonna be here for a long time yet.” Jimmy approached his mother and took her gnarled, cold hand.

“Jimmy, come now. We know its going to happen sooner rather than later. I just want to be able to hold one little baby before I’m gone.”

“Okay ma, we’ll see what happens.”

“Oh good, I’ve set up a date this Friday night. Pick her up and take her into town. Take this to pay for it.” She pulled out a few notes and coins and put them in Jimmy’s hand. “I’ve been putting a little aside for a while now, for just this occasion.”

“I can’t do that ma.” Tears welled in Jimmy’s eyes.

“Come now, I know things haven’t been doing well around here. I may be old, but I’m no fool. I’m not about to allow my son to go on a date empty handed. Please, entertain this elderly lady, take it.”

“Thanks ma. Love you.” Jimmy leaned in and kissed his mother on the forehead.

“I love you too.”

Jimmy quickly left the room and went into the chicken barn and made his rounds for the eggs.

The money burned in his pocket and thoughts of Friday night clawed at the back of his mind.

“What do I do?”