Reality Cheques

[Jimothy]

Chapter 2 - A Week to Remember

“Aw come off it, it’s only ten!” Tyler groggily grumbled as he rolled over dragging his covers around his shoulders.
“Yeah, and we’ve got a transport to catch. Ty, come on, you knew about this.” Marie goaded calmly from the desk chair across the room.
Glancing back over to face his Mother, Tyler slowly propped himself up against his headrest, the movement kick-starting a long overdue hangover. “Ah hell.” He paused briefly to rest his pounding head in his hand. “Yeah, alright, I’m up. I’ll be down in five.”
Marie lifted herself slowly from the chair with a knowing, mirthful sigh “OK, just mind your head!” She leant over and kissed her son on the forehead and left, closing the door softly behind her.

A few days previous, and a month since completing his apprenticeship, Tyler had turned eighteen, and had spent the last week celebrating all of his hard work over his life so far. While not extreme by most standards, the small group of friends Tyler kept had spent the best parts of two months’ wages in bars, clubs and on a night in with some cardamine, synthetic marijuana and girls met on the previous nights. With the quiet day of yesterday’s sobering up a pleasant unwinding finish to an unforgettable week, Tyler sported a smile from ear to ear, and pulled himself from his bed with little note to his hangover. Today was a slight return to normality, as after giving him time to celebrate his all-important eighteenth his own way, the family had arranged their celebration today. It was just a small party of the family friends, mostly from the office and depots that Tyler had worked in under his Father’s management over the last couple of years. Despite the grin, the unmistakeable face of the morning-after a few nights out greeted Tyler as he glanced at his mirror. With a quick thought back to one of the girls from the other night, laughed lightly to himself and set about getting ready.

With remarkably few complaints from Tyler’s sister, Hayley, the ‘party’ was a lovely peaceful end to what Tyler had already deduced was going to one of the best weeks of his life. The friendly and relaxed atmosphere that the office had at work made for a cheery gathering of people all enjoying themselves. Perhaps the only event that remotely dared to break that mood was when Russell hushed everyone and began what Tyler thought was going to be an over-the-top speech.
“If everyone could follow me out to the loading area please,” Russell said, leading the group through the office and heading out toward the depot, “we seem to have a comical issue with one of our storage hangars.” He continued into a well-rehearsed explanation on how Tyler had messed up an invoice, and how the goods in storage had been sitting with no owner for the last few months. Well timed with the length of the walk, as they emerged into the bright Cambridge sun, Russell was launching into another piece on responsibility, and how that now Tyler was ‘all grown up’ he had to face up to it. They stopped in front of one of the storage hangars, and brought Russell stood firmly beside his confused son, the slightest hint of a smile playing across the corner of his lips. Keeping his stern gaze carefully composed, Russell turned to Tyler and took a few steps back to join the others leaving Tyler by the Hangar door. “Now, before you go and get drunk again, I want you to sort out the mess you made with that lot in there.” The small crowd laughed cheerfully and Tyler smirked at the mention of his inebriation over the last few days.

Glancing over the small audience in front of him, Tyler’s confusion quickly turned to realisation. His Father’s wavering feint scowl , his Mothers welling eyes and pride-filled smile, and his siblings smirking at his unease told him whatever was happening was a surprise from his parents. Laughing as he turned, Tyler keyed in his code and opened the lockup. As his eyes adjusted to the dimly lit interior, Tyler was still unprepared for the looming shape he saw within. The unmistakable curve along the top, backed by a round rear and bulbous underbelly was that of something he was all too familiar with from his training. The shape was the first step of the realisation of his dream, a Clydesdale.

Tyler’s face stretched to a jaw-dropped smile as he turned back to his family, his Father now beaming from ear to ear, his Mother crying joyfully and the twins silent and still in a state of utter disbelief. With their friends clapping around them, Marie and Russell hugged their son and wished him a happy birthday.

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I was formerly know as Spiritar.

It's been a while.