Chapter 17
Ernie drove down York Street.
He pulled into the driveway of Erica's house or his old home. It looked different. Instead of being painted white with black shutters, it was painted a sandy brown with dark brown shutters.
Ernie didn't think anything about the different color of the house, as people do change their home appearances.
Ernie got out of his Tercel and rushed to the front door. He knocked.
It was nerve-racking while he waited. The door opened, and his heart raced with excitement with seeing Erica again.
The door opened.
"Hi, mom," he immediately called out.
A man around forty years old appeared at the door. "Ah, I'm not your mom," the man said and was a little leery of Ernie.
Ernie looked at the house number and knew this was Erica's house. "I'm looking for Erica Conner. She lives here or did live here," he said and looked a little confused.
"Sorry man, but we moved in here three years ago. I don't know of an Erica Conner," the man said then slammed his front door closed.
Ernie moped back to his Tercel.
He opened his door then stared back at the house.
The man peeked through his living room curtains to make sure Ernie was leaving.
Ernie got inside his Tercel and started it up.
He backed down the driveway and onto the street.
Ernie drove down York Street.
He stopped at the stop sign at the end of the street and paused for a few seconds. He had a strange feeling that went through his body. Something clicked in his mind. He knew.
Ernie made a right turn and drove down that street. A smile grew on his face while a memory popped in his head.
Ernie through Waterford and headed to the northeastern section where a new residential area was built eight years ago.
Ernie drove down Bentley Avenue, which was becoming extremely familiar to Ernie.
He pulled his Tercel into the driveway of a two-story brick home. He looked at the house, and it felt like home. He turned off his engine and got out.
Ernie walked to the front door.
He stood at the door, and his heart raced. He rang the doorbell.
A few seconds passed. The door opened, and Ernie's heart raced faster.
He couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Erica, now fifty years old, and she looked great. Aging was kind to Erica.
She stepped out on the front stoop. "Ernie. You're way too early."
"Early?"
"Yeah. I said to come over at six for dinner with everybody."
Ernie felt a little foolish. Then some more memories started to come back to him. "I know. I was passing by and wanted to know if you wanted me to bring anything."
"That's so sweet. But I don't need anything."
Then Erica saw Ernie's split lip and black and blue right eye. "You're hurt. What happened?" she asked while she touched his split lip.
"I got clumsy and tripped in my apartment," he replied.
"You need to be a little more careful," she said in her motherly tone.
Ernie leaned over and gave Erica a hug. "I'll see you later tonight," he said.
Erica watched with a warm smile while Ernie headed back to his car with a spring in his step. She was so proud of him being an aerospace engineer.
Ernie got in his Tercel and drove away.
He stopped at the stop sign at the end of York Street and got curious.
He made left turn and raced off down the other street
A little while later, Ernie sat in the library at the microfilm machine doing some more research. He had an August 10, 1956 newspaper article on the screen. It was titled "Jesse Conner Sentenced for Bank Robbery and Attempted Murder."
Ernie looked satisfied while he read the article. He didn't even miss Jesse since he never acted like a real dad.
Ernie turned the knob of the microfilm machine, and the articles whizzed the film went to the beginning of the cartridge.
Ernie headed out of the library and drove back to his apartment.
Ernie spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing in his lazy boy chair. He thought about his 1956 adventure while he watched a movie on the TV. He saw so happy that his mom was still alive, and he had the opportunity for more years of having a mom around.
A commercial appeared on the TV screen for Whitfield Toyota.
Ernie's eyes widen when he saw Beth appear in the showroom on the TV. She looked the same from what he remembered from before he left for 1956.
"Come on down to Whitfield Toyota where I can make a sweet deal on a new car," Beth said from the TV.
Then on the TV, Ernie saw Laurence Lincoln walk over and stand next to Beth. The "Laurence Lincoln - Sales Manager" title appeared on the screen under Laurence.
Ernie looked happy that Laurence was alive and doing great.
"And she can do that because she's the boss!" Laurence said with a smile from the TV.
Ernie smiled at that sight. "I remember," he said while the memory of him buying his Tercel from Laurence suddenly filled his head.
The commercial went off, and then a quick newsbreak appeared with a female news anchor sitting behind a news desk.
Ernie got up off the chair and headed toward the hallway.
"We have breaking news. Jesse Conner was just released from state prison this morning," the female news anchor said while an old mug shot of Jesse appeared on the TV behind the news anchor. "Mister Conner was sent to prison in September nineteen fifty-six for robbing the Waterford First National Savings and Loan bank and for the attempted murder of his wife. At the time, Mister Conner was the son of Sheriff Matt Conner. That news shocked the town of Waterford in fifty-six."
The sound of the toilet flushing was heard from down the hallway.
Ernie walked out of the hallway and headed back to his lazy boy chair the TV where his movie resumed.
He sat in his chair and watched the TV, unaware of the newsbreak about Jesse.
Later that evening, Ernie changed his clothes and drove over to Erica's home. He was really looking forward to dinner with her.
He walked to the front door and rang the doorbell.
Erica opened the door. "Hey sweetie," she said the second she saw him.
Erica gave Ernie a kiss on his cheek when he entered her home. She closed the door.
Ernie entered the living room and saw one of the walls filled with pictures of him growing up with Erica.
He curiously walked over to the wall.
While he started to glance at the pictures, those loving memories strangely filled his head. It was a beautiful feeling.
His eyes widen when he saw the picture he took of Erica, Wilma, and young Ernie back at the drug store.
He saw the picture he also took at the drug store where Erica gave young Ernie a kiss on his cheek.
He saw the picture he took of young Ernie eating French toast with a syrup ring around his mouth. Ernie smiled at those pictures he remembered taking the other day.
Then Ernie saw some pictures of him with a younger girl with black hair. He curiously looked at them, and then memories of her started flooding his mind. She was Sandy Wilson, his nineteen-year-old stepsister. He smiled at the picture since he's always wanted a brother or sister.
He saw a picture of himself around eight years old in a Little League uniform. Howard Wilson knelt down by Ernie's side.
Ernie looked a little confused with that picture.
"Hey Ernie," Howard's voice came from behind him.
Ernie looked and saw Howard Wilson from the drug store. Howard was heavier, and his hair was thinning.
Ernie glanced over at the TV and saw the old wedding picture of Howard and Erica. He suddenly remembered that Howard was his stepfather. Then fond memories of being with Howard suddenly filled Ernie's mind.
"Hi Howard," Ernie said.
Howard walked over and extended his hand. Ernie shook it.
Howard saw Ernie's split lip and black and blue eyes. "You're hurt. What happened?"
"Oh, I was clumsy and tripped in my apartment," Ernie replied.
The doorbell rang.
Erica walked over and opened the door.
"Hello," Erica said to the guest outside.
Ernie looked and saw Matt and Wilma outside. They looked the same from before he time-traveled back to 1956.
Matt and Wilma entered the living room, then Erica closed the door.
"Hey Ernie," Matt said while he walked over with Wilma by his side.
Matt and Ernie shook hands.
Wilma gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Matt saw Ernie's face. "Did you get in a fight?" he curiously asked.
"He was clumsy and tripped in his apartment," Howard replied for Ernie.
"Oh," Matt replied, as he knew Ernie often tripped over his own two feet.
The doorbell rang again. Erica opened the door.
"Hey, dad. How was the cruise?" she said.
Judge Buford Peabody now seventy-five years old entered with his wife, Cindy.
"Refreshing," Judge Peabody said while he entered then gave Erica a kiss on her cheek.
Cindy nodded in agreement about their vacation, and she gave Erica a kiss on her cheek when she entered the living room.
Judge Peabody saw Ernie with Matt and Wilma. Then he noticed Ernie's face. "Did Ernie get into a fight?" he asked.
"He was clumsy and tripped in his apartment," Erica answered for Ernie.
Matt and Howard nodded in agreement.
"Oh," Judge Peabody said then he looked at Ernie again. "I still can't believe how much he looks like that boy that saved you back in fifty-six. There are times I wonder if," he said.
"Don't even think that. He left town the next day never to be seen again," Erica quickly interrupted her father
Ernie pretended he didn't hear their conservation while Judge Peabody and Cindy walked over.
He looked at everybody and seemed so happy.
The doorbell rang again.
Erica opened the door, and Sandy stood outside.
"Mom," Sandy said, then stepped inside the house and gave Erica a kiss on her cheek.
Sandy's eyes lit up the second she saw Ernie.
"My big brother," she cried out in joy then rushed over to Ernie.
Ernie was surprised when Sandy gave him a hug and kiss on his cheek.
"Ah, hi, Sandy," he replied then he remembered more about her. "How's college?"
"Better after I graduate," she replied while she placed an arm around Ernie's arm.
"Dinner will be ready in a few. Let's all commence to the dining room," Erica said while she headed to the dining room.
Everybody headed to the dining room looking forward to another one of their family meals.
"Matt, did you hear the news today?" Judge Peabody asked while they all walked into the dining room.
"Yeah. I hope he's a changed man," Matt replied and looked a little concerned.
"What news?" Ernie curiously asked while they all walked over to the table.
"Your father was released from state prison," Judge Peabody said while he pulled out a dining room table chair for Cindy.
"I'm pretty sure we'll never see him again.
Ernie looked a little concerned while he pulled out a chair for Wilma.
She at down and looked a little upset that her son spent time in state prison.
Ernie looked at Erica, and she didn't appear to be worried at all while she headed into the kitchen with Howard and Sandy.
It was a wonderful dinner while everybody talked about the latest events in their lives.
Nobody mentioned anything about Jesse, but he still weighed heavenly on Ernie's mind.
The night wore on, and Ernie was the last to leave.
Erica walked Ernie to the front door. "With dad on the loose, do you want me to spend the night?" he asked her.
"Don't worry. You dad won't bother me again. He disowned us a year after he was sent to prison. Plus I have Howard here to protect me," she replied.
Howard appeared in the doorway from the kitchen. "Goodnight, Ernie," he said.
"Goodnight, Howard," Ernie replied with a little wave.
Ernie gave Erica a kiss on her cheek then goes out the door. "Don't worry. I'll be fine," she reassured him.
Ernie stepped outside.
Erica closed the door.
Ernie still looked a little concerned while he walked to his Tercel in the driveway.
He got inside his car, looked at Erica's house while he started up his engine.
He backed down the driveway and onto the street.
He drove away with a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.
Later that night, Ernie sat in his lazy boy chair and watched TV. He tried to believe that Jesse would not return.
But something still bugged him while he got up and turned off his TV.
He walked down the hallway and headed to his bathroom.
He got ready for bed.
It was midnight.
Way over at the eastern side of Georgia by one of the north ramps of Interstate 16 stood Jesse. He wore blue jeans, new cowboy boots, and a tee-shirt.
He bulked up while in prison and had both arms covered with tattoos, his head was shaved, and he sported a goatee. The past twenty-five years in state prison harden Jesse, and he had a permanent bad attitude.
A car drove down the ramp.
Jesse stuck out his thumb.
The car raced by ignoring Jesse.
Jesse waited.
Twenty minutes passed, and a tractor-trailer truck drove down the ramp.
Jesse stuck his thumb out.
The tractor-trailer truck slowed down on the ramp and stopped by Jesse.
The passenger window rolled down.
"Hop inside," a trucker called out from behind the wheel.
Jesse climbed up and got inside the cab.
"Thanks," Jesse said when he sat in the passenger seat then closed the door.
The tractor-trailer truck drove away up the ramp.