Chapter 8
Jesse's mind was on Beth's bad news while he pulled his Bel-Air into his driveway. He wasn't in any mood for more bad news.
He turned off the car and got out.
He walked over to the front door and got ready to open it, but something caught his attention to his right. He saw broken glass in one of the panes of the living room window. He was pissed at that sight and opened the door.
Inside the living room, Erica slept on the couch with the TV on while Jesse stormed inside.
"Who broke the window?" Jesse yelled while he stood by the window and pointed at it.
Erica woke up in a bit of a panic from his yelling. "Ah?" she asked, still being sleepy.
"I said, who broke the window?" he yelled again while he pointed at it.
Erica looked hesitant. "It was an accident."
"An accident? How the fuck can it be an accident?" Jesse yelled a little louder.
"Calm down. Ernie and I had a catch. He accidentally threw it at the window."
Jesse stormed off to the hallway.
"Please don't," Erica quietly talked to herself, knowing what was going to happen next.
Erica heard a bedroom door slam opened.
She waited, and then the dreadful sounds of young Erne crying while Jesse beat him with his belt were heard.
Erica's eyes welled up as she hated these moments. Erica was too afraid to move, as she knew Jesse would smack her around if she interrupted.
The smacking sounds of Jesse's belt ceased.
A bedroom door slammed shut.
Jesse stormed out of the hallway and stormed to the front door. "I'm going out for a few beers," Jesse said then left slamming the front door behind him.
Erica got off the couch and rushed to the hallway.
Erica rushed down the hallway and opened up young Ernie's bedroom door.
She rushed inside his bedroom and saw young Ernie sobbing on his bed.
Erica walked over and sat down on young Ernie's bed. She picked him up and held him tight. He sobbed in her arms.
Back at the time machine, Ernie and Louie were sound asleep inside the tent.
"Ahhhhh!" Ernie suddenly cried out in pain.
Louie bolted up and looked scared.
Ernie bolted up and looked dazed.
"What the hell happened?" Louie asked while he looked around, making sure nobody tried to break into the tent.
Ernie looked around a little confused. "I had this dream, and then someone started beating my ass with a belt. Reminded me of the beatings my dad would give me," he said then rubbed his butt cheeks. "But I've never had a dream where I woke up feeling pain," he added and looked totally confused.
"Sorry man, but your dad sounds like a complete asshole."
"No need to be sorry. He is an asshole. I just wish he would be taught a lesson one day."
Ernie lay down, and his eyes welled up a little while he thought about previous beatings. "I wish I could stand up to him," he quietly said then closed his eyes. A few more tears ran down his cheek.
Jesse drove his Bel-Air down the street.
"Pregnant. How could this happen?" he talked to himself while he raced his car through a red light. "How am I going to get the cash?" he said while he pondered an idea. Then like a flash, an idea came to his head.
He made a sudden screeching left turn down another street.
The dealership was dark and quiet when Jesse parked his Bel-Air by the front entrance.
He got out of his car and unlocked the side door. He went inside.
Jesse rushed through the showroom area then headed straight to Billy Watson's office.
He rushed to Billy's desk and started opening and rummaging through his desk drawers.
He emptied all the stuff from the drawers on the floor.
A little while later, Jesse left through the side door. He left it unlocked and snatched up Laurence's rubber boots.
Jesse rushed over to the Bel-Air and opened the trunk. He tossed the boot inside, then quietly closed the trunk.
He rushed around and got back behind the wheel. He leaned over and opened up the glove box door. He shoved something wrapped up in a handkerchief inside it then closed the door.
He started up the car and drove off.
Back at Jesse and Erica's home, she lay on the couch and stared at the ceiling. She looked down at her wedding ring. She regretted drinking that night during the party. She tried to have a loving relationship with Jesse, but he didn't seem interested. She talked about having another kid, but Jesse's temper flared up every time she mentioned it.
She slid her wedding ring off her finger. She looked at it, and her eyes welled up. He slid her ring back on her finger and started a quiet cry.
She heard the front door open, so she quickly turned to her side to avoid eye contact with Jesse.
Jesse entered the living room and saw Erica on the couch.
He ignored her while he walked through the room and went down the hallway.
An hour passed, and Jesse lay in bed and stared at the ceiling. Today's events flooded his mind and kept him awake. He tossed and turned to get comfortable to sleep, but he just stayed awake.
Then he looked curious when he remembered something from tonight. He seemed bothered and jumped out of bed.
Jesse got dressed.
He rushed to the door.
Erica lay on the couch and just started to doze to sleep. But Jesse's footsteps coming down the hallway woke her up.
She watched while Jesse rushed to the front door and left the house.
"What is he doing?" she said while she heard his car start up then back down the driveway.
Erica closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep since she had to work tomorrow at Woolworths.
Back in the woods, Jesse drove his Bel-Air down the dirt road.
He stopped before he got to the clearing and turned off the car.
Jesse quietly got out of the car.
He gingerly walked through the woods.
Jesse gingerly walked to the covered time machine. He lifted part of the tarp on the left side and looked underneath. "What kind of strange vehicle is this?" he quietly said while he looked at the wheels.
Jesse saw the door and quietly opened it.
He sat down inside and looked at the console.
He touched the key and turned the ignition to the "Both" position. Nothing happened, but Jesse still looked suspicious of the strange vehicle.
A little while later, Jesse gingerly walked back to his Bel-Air and got inside. He started up his car and backed down the dirt road and kept his headlights off.