A Waltons Story - Chapter 20

A Waltons Story

(The Waltons Fan Fiction)

By: Kristi N. Zanker

Disclaimer: All publicly recognized characters, settings, etc. are the property of Lorimar Productions and Warner Bros. Television. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. I, in no way am associated with the owners, creators, or producers of The Waltons. No copyright infringement is intended.

20.

The Walk

John-Boy had fallen asleep against a tree. When he woke up, it was dark. He couldn’t believe he had slept that long. Then, he remembered the night before, the nightmare and not sleeping well. At least, he knew he slept this time. They must all be wondering where he’d gone to. His mother probably thought he was with another girl which made him think of Jenny. He said he’d be there after lunch to help her out. It was too late to go there now. He got up, brushed himself off and headed for the house. While on the way, he wished the shed was empty. If it had been, he’d go there. After all, he didn’t want to see anyone.

He was almost to the road, when John-Boy was sure he heard a car coming toward him. Suddenly, he heard a loud noise, almost like a gun shot. His heart began to pound, as he fell to the ground. At the next instant, he felt himself being pulled inside the foxhole. The same men were pulling him in and yelling. He then heard another loud explosion as he began to sink further into the foxhole. He shut his eyes. When he opened them again, he was shaking. He couldn’t understand it. He hadn’t been sleeping when he had that nightmare--maybe he had been. He sat up, his clothes and hair disheveled. He listened for more explosions, but didn’t hear any. The men were gone. His heart was beating, as if he really had been pulled by them into the foxhole at that particular moment. It had been so real. John-Boy sat there for a few moments, and then felt himself calming down.

When he felt his heart beating normal again, he got up and went to the road. A man had just finished changing a tire. A cigarette hung out of his mouth. John-Boy walked past him, as the man muttered, “blow out.” A few minutes later, the car sped past him. John-Boy shuddered, wondering what was happening to him. In the past, he would’ve asked the man for help. But this time, he walked right on by.

So, that was it. The man’s tire had blown out. He was sure it was a gun shot. John-Boy thought he was going crazy. He didn’t want anyone to know what had just happened. His father had said that this may fade with time. He hoped he could believe him.

John-Boy opened the door to the house, and went straight to the bathroom and into the tub. The house was quiet as he turned on the water. Soon, he was drowning those horrid dreams.

As he got dressed the next morning, John-Boy was not looking forward to confronting anyone downstairs. He could hear the usual chatter at the table. Someone had said his name. He then heard footsteps and finally a soft knock at his door.

“Come in,” he said, dreading the moment.

“It’s me, John-Boy,” said Mary Ellen.

“Door’s open.”

His oldest sister stood in the doorway, staring at him.

“Breakfast is waiting for you downstairs,” she said.

“I’ll be there in a minute,” he said, putting his shoes.

“John-Boy, you look terrible. Are you sure you’re feeling alright? You’ve been acting strange the whole time you’ve been here,” she watched him as he tied his laces.

“Strange? How?” He looked up at her.

“Well, with the way you spoke to Daisy—“

John-Boy waved his hand through the air, as if to push an object off of a table. “Now, don’t you start! I don’t want to talk about her with anyone right now.”

“You have dark circles under your eyes.”

“You’re very observant,” he peered up at her, while retying his shoe.

“I’m a nurse, I have to be.”

“Well, don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

“John-Boy, if you need to talk about anything—I’m here.”

“That’s very nice of you.” After two tries, he tied up the second shoe and then stood up.

“I worked in the hospital a lot and saw what war did to those men.”

“You did? That’s good. It makes your job more challenging now, doesn’t it?”

“Don’t you speak to me that way. I’m only trying to help.”

“Help? Help with what? I don’t need any help. I wasn’t in the war. Not like those men you saw in the hospital. Why don’t you go help them and leave me alone?”

He brushed past her and went downstairs.

“John-Boy, are you alright?” asked Olivia.

“Mama, I’m fine! Will everyone just stop worrying about me?” he said, as he sat down at the table and reached over for the plate of pancakes.

He ate his breakfast in silence. He could tell the others were only talking, as if they had been forced to. No one said a word to him. One by one, his siblings left the table to begin their day. Each one mumbled what they were going to do. John-Boy guessed most of them were excuses to get away from the table. He knew he had caused the tension.

“John-Boy, you can’t go on like this,” said John.

“Daddy, I—“

“When Daisy calls, you need to speak to her. I’m tired of that phone ringing all day.”

He watched as his father pushed his chair back, stood up, and went out the back door.

“Your father’s worried about you too,” Olivia said.

“I know. I wish you all wouldn’t be. I’m sorry I’ve caused all this anger and confusion.”

Just then, the phone rang. Olivia sighed and went to answer it. Within seconds, he knew who it was. He slowly got up and went to where his mother stood, holding the receiver. He turned away from his mother as he talked to her. He could hear his mother’s footsteps moving around the kitchen and out the back door. He couldn’t believe what Daisy was saying. “I’m here…come pick me up.” Here!?

“John, I’m at the train station. The next bus to Waltons Mountain doesn’t come in until the evening. Please come get me.”

“Daisy, what are you doing here?”

“I want to talk to you. I have some things I’d like to settle.”

“Alright, I’ll pick you up, but you’d better be on the evening train!”

He slammed down the receiver. Throwing open the back door, he found his parents in the saw mill, quietly talking, most likely about him.

“Mama, Daddy…guess who’s in town?” Before they could answer, he said, “I can’t believe she’d do this!”

They knew immediately.

“Well, this will give you time to sort everything out, won’t it, son?”

“Yes, Daddy, it will. But I’m still putting her on the evening train.”

He asked Jason if he could borrow the Model A for awhile. His brother didn’t mind, after it was originally John-Boy’s car. As he drove to the train station, he thought about what he was going to say. He was a man of words, but this time, all he could come up with is--it’s over.

John-Boy found her sitting on a bench outside of the station. Looking as casual as possible, he said “hello” to his wife, but did not kiss her. He took her suitcase and put it in the rumble seat. He started the car in silence, drove a few blocks and then stopped.

“Why are we stopping here?” asked Daisy. It was the first words she had said to him, besides “hello.”

“This is the best place to be able to talk to you right now, without anyone knowing.” He got out of the car, grabbed her suitcase and waited for her to open her door.

They walked in and he asked for a room. He was asked if he was going to stay for the night and he said no. The man handed John-Boy a key and then gave a smirk.

Once they got into the room, John-Boy blurted out, “Where’s Melissa?”

“She’s staying with Millie while I’m away.”

“Well, you won’t be gone too long. I’m putting you on the evening train, remember?”

“Yes, you told—“

“I only came here to tell you one thing. It’s over, Daisy.”

“Don’t you want to hear what I have to say?”

“Not really. I’ve heard enough during the past year. Enough lies to fill up this entire building.”

“John, I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry—“

“I’ve heard that before.”

“Wait, please. I’m so sorry for hurting you the way I did. But for me, I know it’s over between us.”

“I loved you, Daisy, ever since I first met you at the marathon dance.”

“I loved you, too. But things have changed. Steve and I—we’re in love.”

“Is that a fact?”

“After we get married, I mean, when things are completely settled between us and Steve and I--we’re moving out of the city…to Long Island. It’s called Levittown. Our house isn’t ready, but—“

“Has he been with you?”

She nodded.

“What does Melissa think of this? Or have you forgotten about her?”

“She wonders where you are and why Steve comes by all the time now.”

“I’m sure she does.”

“She wants you to come home, but I told her you had to go away for awhile.”

“Are you going to tell her the truth?”

“Of course!”

Daisy started to cry. John-Boy stood there, with his arms folded and leaned against the wall.

“I tried my hardest to make things work for us,” said John-Boy. “But another part of you was hidden. I should’ve known, right at the beginning, when you didn’t tell me about Melissa.”

Their exchange of words had only taken forty-five minutes. It was discussed that once John-Boy went back to New York, the divorce proceedings would begin. It was really over and they both knew it.

John-Boy left Daisy as he found her, sitting on the bench. He didn’t look back as he drove away from the train station. A heaving sigh of relief was in order, but he was frightened of what the future would bring. He was sure he still had a job with the Associated Press, but he had no place to live. The moment he returned to New York, he would have to find his own place. He would have to move his things as soon as possible.

John-Boy didn’t go into the house right away. Instead, he walked over into the barn and went up to the loft. He quietly cried while the animals shuffled around. Chance gave a comforting “moo” and Myrtle, the goat, responded.

The door to the barn opened and he saw Elizabeth come in and pet Myrtle.

“What are you making all of that noise for?” she said and then looked up. “John-Boy?”

“It’s me, Elizabeth,” he answered and then cleared his throat. As she climbed the ladder to the loft, he brushed away the tears.

“How long have you been up here?” she asked, as she sat next to him.

“I’m not sure. I’ve just been thinking.”

“Is Daisy here?”

“What? Yes…no, no she isn’t.”

“I heard you on the phone.”

“I thought you went outside.”

“I was, but I listened in through the screen door.”

“You shouldn’t have done that.”

“I know, but you haven’t talked to me at all since you got here.”

“I’m sorry, honey, it’s just been really hard these past few days.”

“I’ll say. You woke the whole house up the other night.”

“I did.”

“Yeah, Mama told everyone to stay in their room. What did you dream about that was so bad?”

“I don’t want to talk about that right now, honey.”

“Mama says it’s—“

“Good to talk about it when something is bothering you. I know what she said. But this time, that won’t help.”

“I wish things were better for you.”

“Me too.”

“How’s Daisy?”

“Elizabeth—“

“Are you both all right?”

John-Boy shook his head. “It’s over,” he said quietly.

His youngest sister wrapped her arms around him and gave him a big hug.

“I had fun visiting you in New York that one time.”

“I know you did. I’d like you to visit again, but I don’t know what’s going to happen in the coming weeks.”

“I understand.”

“Elizabeth!” the voice sounded distant.

It was Olivia calling her. They both scrambled out of the hay loft and out of the barn.

“John-Boy! Have you been up there all afternoon?” asked Olivia.

He shook his head. He explained how he went into town and saw Daisy, talked with her. He then told his mother it was officially over. John-Boy would be heading back to New York in two days to move his things out and look for another apartment.

John-Boy made a promise to himself, that before he left Waltons Mountain, he was going to see Jenny one more time. After what was said today, he knew it was okay to let his family know that she was in town. He didn’t know when or if he would return to Waltons Mountain.

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