William's Love - 12. Chapter 12

Flag the Homophobe

Geez… Every man and his dog are here. There has to be…ooh cute puppy, a parking spot here somewhere. Who knew this many people would be interested in flag football. A-ha! There’s one, it’s mine all mine. Slide right on in there, ooh tight squeeze. I only have about a foot to open the door but I’m lean – should be okay.

As I walk past the bed of the truck I notice my tools, better chuck them in the cab. As I’m walking down to the sports field someone nudges me in the shoulder.

“Hello dipshit, how’ve you been?”

He scares the shit outta me, “Hey!” I say rudely and look again to see who it is, “Oh my God, Pete. Geez I haven’t seen you in what four or five years. How are ya buddy?” I ask back and we shake hands.

“Not too bad, just come down to check it out. We just move back to town, Mom and Dad got divorced so Mom wanted to come home.” He says shrugging his shoulders.

“Sorry to hear that Pete. Are you coming back to school with us?”

“Yeah Monday, soooo looking forward to it, you look good by the way been working out?” He says sarcastically and sizing me up.

I laugh “Somethin’ like that.” I state not elaborating, “There’s Katherine, do you remember her?” I see Katherine standing alone by the fence of the football field. She looks pretty today, her beautiful brunette hair down and blowing in the wind. Her figure is outlined nicely in the dress she’s wearing with a light cardigan over the top. It’s oddly warm today, when I say warm I mean warmer than it should be for October in Kentucky.

“Umm… Yeah! Girlfriend?” He asks smiling.

“No ex-girlfriend, but we are still great friends. She’s helped us a lot, even when she should have been mad.” I say.

He tilts his head and furrows his brow looking at me. Oh shit! I forgot he wouldn’t know.

“You still friends with Liam?”

I laugh hard, “Uh… yeah you could say that, we live together. His parents moved away a while back and he stayed with me and Dad. But a couple of months ago his Dad was killed in a wreck and his Mom moved back here and lives with us also.”

“Wow, shit that’s harsh. How’s he coping?” he asks concerned.

“He’s not doing too badly actually, much better than I thought he would. But honestly it’s been one shit storm after another since he passed away so he’s had other things to deal with. Everything’s good now though and settled down,” I reply smiling. “Are you here with anyone, did you wanna hang with us?” I ask as we reach Katherine.

“Yeah sure that would be great.” He says smiling.

I sneak up behind Katherine and wrap my arms around her and kiss the back of her head. She quickly whips her head around and sees it’s me. She lifts her hand and puts it over my arm and says, “Hello handsome,” smiling up at me. “You should see our boys , they’re doing great.”

“Good-good, Katherine do you remember Pete?” I ask her as I move her whole body around to greet him.

“Oh wow… you look all grown up. You back for good?”

“Yeah! I’m starting…” Pete is interrupted.

“Hey! Get your hands off of my girl. You had your chance!” Oliver is running toward the fence with Liam and their laughing. “You got your own problems, leave mine alone.” He reaches over the fence and wraps his arm protectively around Katherine laughing.

“Watch it shit head!” Liam says laughing and leaning over the fence and kisses me hello. “Hey Babe! You didn’t go home and get changed. Did you wanna play because I brought some of your sports clothes in case.” His hand lazily resting behind my neck, I kind of see Pete shuffle uncomfortably.

“Nah! I’m too tired, and I don’t think I need to take on anything else at the moment. Dad’s head will explode, not to mention Mom. Look how she reacted when I started boxing.” I say rolling my eyes.

He chuckles, “You’re probably right. Ollie you should see this boy since he started boxing, fucking ripped. Nice.” I feel myself turn red like a freakin’ fire truck. Liam laughs and pulls me to his chest and kisses my temple.

“Yeah, give us a show of all your muscles then.” Katherine says chuckling at my embarrassment.

“We don’t need to see that, honestly.” Oliver states.

“Speak for yourself!” Katherine exclaims and breaks away from Oliver and lifts my shirt while I try to push it back down. Geez, it’s not that big a deal. “Holy crap Will, you were nicely defined before but now… all the girls will be all over you once they see this.”

“Just what I need.” I say rolling my eyes. “Did you guys want me to get you a drink or somethin’. I haven’t had lunch yet and I’m starving.”

“Yeah Babe, I’ll take a Gatorade, Oliver what do you want?” Liam calls over to him.

“Same thanks.” He replies.

I see Pete just kind of standing there like a shag on a rock looking uncomfortable. “Shit! Sorry Pete, you guys remember him from Middle School. Well you probably don’t Ollie, but you should Liam.”

“Yeah! I do, how are you?” Liam asks putting his hand out to shake, Pete hesitates and reciprocates with a nod and shakes his hand. “Pete this is our friend and Katherine’s boyfriend Oliver.” Liam introduces them.

“Nice to meet ya!” Pete says shaking Oliver’s hand.

“Likewise,” Oliver replies.

“Don’t get any food Babe, we’ll get some after this. Did you lot wanna come with us and get somethin’ to eat after?” Liam asks.

Katherine and Ollie reply with a nod of the head and Liam turns to Pete, “You wanna join us?”

“Sure, why not.” He says hesitantly.

“BLUE TEAM TO FIELD 1, ORANGE TEAM TO FIELD 1!” comes squawking out of a speaker near us.

“That’s us, cheer loud ladies.” Oliver says as he heads away with Liam.

“Asshole,” I call back at him and Liam chuckles.

“I’m gonna find somewhere for us to sit.” Says Katherine as she looks around the bleachers.

“Okay back in a sec, did you want anything Pete?”

“Um… No but I’ll come with you, so when you said you and Liam live together. You actually meant you live together as a couple?” Pete asks.

“Yeah! Is that a problem?” I don’t wait for an answer, I just continue, “Look we don’t care one way or another if you can’t handle it keep it to yourself we aren’t interested. We are together; we love each other, we live together and just want to be left alone to be normal teenagers. We are no different to any other couple except we are obviously a same sex couple. It’s up to you. You can be our friend or not, it’s entirely your choice?” I look sideways at him, I could see the wheels turning in his head.

As it so happens, he didn’t join us after the game and was mighty quiet, while we watched the boys.

<>-<>-<>

“I hope you don’t think I’m putting out tonight after you took me to ‘Macca’s’ to eat after flag football,” I tell Liam as we slip into bed.

He hangs his head, “I couldn’t even if I wanted to. That last game was brutal, I didn’t realise how sore I am until I went to get off of the couch tonight. I’m aching all over,” Liam says with one knee on the bed.

“Do you want me to go get that smelly sports achy muscle stuff from the medicine cabinet and give you a massage Baby?” I ask him.

“Now that would be too much to hope for.” He replies as he falls the rest of the way in bed.

I jump out of bed, retrieving my boxers and grab the rub. “On your stomach my poor Baby,” I instruct as if he is one. I start with his neck and shoulders and work my way from there, keeping clear of any sensitive parts of his body because this stuff can sting like Mother. He isn’t lying though all his muscles are so tight as if they are cramping. It took me thirty minutes just to work over his shoulders and back.

By the time I finish his back and front side he is asleep and I am rock hard. Now this should be fun trying to sleep with. I know he has to work in the morning so I set the alarm on my phone. If he’s still this sore in the morning I think I might do his shift for him – poor soul. It took me a while to go to sleep with my raging boner. Maybe he’ll just have to be woken sometime in the night to help me with it. I chuckle to myself.

As it turns out I must have been tired because I don’t remember much else after that thought last night and the alarms going off. I can feel Liam trying to move and moaning so I quickly grab my phone and turn it off. He’s not making an effort to get out of bed, I think I’ll leave him here to sleep and I’ll go do his shift at the bowling alley this morning. The trick will be getting out of bed without disturbing him, which is easier than it usually is. I have a quick shower, grab my uniform. Crap it needs ironing, so I hop downstairs for breakfast and to iron my work shirt. Mom is sitting having her coffee as I pull the iron out and plug it in and open up the ironing board.

“I thought Liam was working this morning?” She asks.

“He supposed to, but he’s still aching from yesterday so I left him to sleep. It’s only a three hour shift while the Sunday morning league is in so I thought I would do it for him, he needs the rest I think.” I say smiling at Mom.

“That’s thoughtful of you, here let me iron that you get yourself some breakfast.” She says smiling warmly.

“Thanks Momma,” I reply while popping some English muffins into the toaster. “By the way how did you go with that job interview last week, have you heard from them?”

“Yes actually, they have called me in for a second interview on Wednesday. I’m pretty nervous about it. The more I think about it the more I want the job and not just because I need it.” She says.

“Well, that’s great, Congratulations.” I give her a hug and lift her off the ground then put her down safely while she giggles.

My muffins pop in the toaster I scoff them down with some honey, dress and take off to work for the morning.

<>-<>-<>

Early Monday morning we stop in at Starbucks on our way to school, I can’t stop fidgeting. Liam put his arm around me to get me to stand still.

He leans down and asks quietly, “What’s wrong Babe?”

“Huh! Oh yeah, nothing. I think your thankyou last night and again this morning was a little too enthusiastic. I’m just a little sore is all.” I smile sheepishly leaning against him.

I turn my head to look at him and in the corner of my eye I catch Gator, from the football team, staring daggers at me and Liam. A cold shiver run through my veins like ice. I don’t trust that guy at all, I know the coaches have him off my back at school but out in the real world I still don’t feel safe from him. Once we place our order and move to the pickup counter, I tell Liam my concerns about the guy. I see Liam look over toward him and when he does Gator shifts his gaze elsewhere. Okay I see how it’s going to be. It’s me he has a problem with not Liam.

“That’s weird, did you see that? When I looked at him he shifted his gaze away, but when he thinks I’m not looking he stares daggers into you.” Liam says quizzically.

“I did notice, I think I’ll have to be careful if I’m anywhere on campus by myself. He was the main one pushing me around. I have no idea why, ” I tell him shrugging my shoulders.

<>-<>-<>

“Hello gentlemen!” Mr Wright exclaims, “How are you both this morning?”

“Good thanks,” Liam says brightly.

“Uh-huh!” I moan drinking the last of my coffee.

“You are not a morning person are you Will?” Mr Wright chuckles.

“Oh, I’ve been up since five, had my run, showered and just finished my coffee and I still can’t seem to wake up.” I utter.

Liam pulls me into him and kisses the top of my head and he and Mr Wright chuckle.

“Okay, first things first, Liam, I took the liberty of extracting your schedule and took a look at your classes. You should be okay with what you have here to qualify for each of your three career paths we spoke about the other night. You could probably use another science class but you have time before you graduate so not a big deal. Just make sure you get great marks on your SAT’s and that shouldn’t be a problem going by your grades.”

“Cool, thanks Mr Wright.” Liam says nodding his head with a smile.

“Now next, there is a young fellow, a freshman, Patrick O’Rourke. I have noticed he is withdrawing in class and I’ve also noticed some bruises but he assures me he is clumsy. Now saying that I don’t want to call him a liar but… I’ve also witnessed him being harassed by some other kids. Every time I approach and ask questions he clams up. I’ve also noticed he sits by himself and doesn’t have any friends. I was wondering if you two wouldn’t mind just trying to get to know him and make sure he’s okay. I’m not saying you have to be friends with him but if you could make the effort to at least introduce yourselves so he might feel a little safer here.

“If you do find out he is being bullied or abused I need you to report this to me immediately so we can help him. This isn’t an ideal way to go about it, but I, like you Will, abhor bullying in any shape or form. Would you mind doing that for me?”

We both nod yes and then a big grin smothers his face and I can see the relief in his shoulders.

“Okay, last item up for auction,” he says with a chortle, “I’ve looked at your exhaustive research and the one you highlighted as you seeing the most positive, also comes with a government grant to have it placed in the school. I am going to sit with the new Principal and see if we can write a proposal to see if we qualify for the grant.” He says opening the folder.

“I’m guessing you won’t need me for that?” I say.

“No probably not, however, whether we get the grant or not I would still like to advise the Principal to go ahead and we have all your fundraising ideas to go to next to raise the money. So… one way or another we should be able to get this program up and running by the end of the school year. I know it seem ridiculous but all things take time. In the mean time I will put forward your other suggestions about a peer committee and we can get that rolling asap.”

“Great, thanks Mr Wright, I hope the Principal will listen to you.”

“I’m sure it will be fine I’ll keep you informed as we go along. Okay you boys scoot, Liam, you probably have enough time to beg the Canteen ladies to get your boy here another coffee before the bell rings.” Mr Wright says shooing us from his classroom.

I head toward our normal meeting place at lunch and see Liam with Sasha – Oliver’s younger sister.

“Hey Babe!” Liam says as I stroll toward him, he put his arm around me and pulls me in to give me a quick hello kiss. “You remember Sasha, Oliver’s sister,” he says making the introduction.

“Of course I do, how do you like high school?” I ask. Shit! I forgot Ollie has a sister, god I’m a horrible friend. Plus I know they are really close, how stupid am I? Thank God for Liam, up there for thinking getting her to help us. He’s so adorable.

She giggles shyly, “It’s okay, I keep to myself mostly.” She states fidgeting nervously.

“You should join our table for lunch if you ever find yourself without company. We’d love to have you there, plus I’m sure Ollie would love it. He’s always gushing about you.” Liam says smiling. He’s such a charmer, I’ve not really heard him say anything.

The poor girl turned bright pink blushing, “He is a good big brother, I love him to death. Katherine is always really patient and nice to me. She never complains when I’m around. All his other girlfriends did.” She finishes a little deflated.

We both smile at her knowing how close they are. “You stick with our crowd and you’ll always be looked after, plus eventually they’ll stop looking at you as his younger sister and you’ll just be another one of us.” I kiss Liam on the cheek, he is always so charming but he’s genuine, well mostly.

“Thank you very much, are you sure you don’t mind?” She asks blushing.

“Stick with us kiddo, we’ll make sure you have fun and that no one messes with you.” Liam says winking at her.

“I think I will, thank you… oh there he is, the boy leaning against the wall pretending to be invisible.” She says, “Do you want me to come with you?”

“Actually that’s not a bad idea, do you want to go sit with him for a second and try and break the ice, we’ll stroll by and join you in a few minutes we don’t want to spook him.” Liam says.

“Okay sure, and thanks again.” She says.

“Sash, you are the one doing us a favour so thank you.” Liam says giving her a gentle nudge in his direction.

Sasha slowly walks over to Patrick and sits down next to him, he looks a little put out. It’s hard to be invisible when people sit with you I guess. The kid looks like he’s drawing in one of those artist pads. I don’t see any lunch for him. We can see Sasha trying to talk with him but he doesn’t seem to take any notice of her. Poor kid, fancy being that isolated and now it’s by choice. I feel bad for him it’s no way to live. Suddenly Sasha leans against him a little while he show’s her his sketches.

“That Babe, is our cue, you ready?” Liam asks.

I blow out a breath, “Ready as I’ll ever be, that poor kid is so skinny. If he doesn’t have any lunch, can we buy him some? I can’t bear the thought of him going hungry.”

“Absolutely we can. We’ll have to be careful how we do it. I imagine he won’t take kindly to charity if he is a foster kid.”

We take the long way around so we didn’t look to intimidating walking straight at him. I watched how Sasha got him to talk to her about his sketches, he seemed really passionate about it. And Sasha is a champ, she smiles and giggles while he’s talking. He even let himself smile, but it disappeared the moment we appeared.

“Hey Sasha, who’s your friend?” I ask her.

She giggles and replies, “This is Patrick O’Rourke, Patrick these are friends of my brother Oliver. This is Liam, and Will.”

He looks up at us and I can see the fear in his face, he starts packing up his stuff. Liam and I sit down quickly.

“Hey Patrick, nice to meet you, please don’t leave we aren’t here to mess with you.” Liam says as he gently stops him from packing up his things.

Patrick looks between Liam and I, and he looks like he’s about to wet himself in fear. I try and start a conversation to stop him from leaving.

“Hey Patrick, are they your sketches or drawings?” I ask softly. He nods his head and keeps packing his things. “I guess your into Art?” he nods his head in reply. “That’s cool, here I’ll show you what I’ve made, I’m more into wood, but I still consider it Art.” I say shrugging my shoulder, I pull out my phone and hand it to Sasha to be less threatening. She takes the phone and leans into him and they look through the photos on my phone. I hear him mumble a couple of times, “I like that,” or “that’s cool.” I smile over to Liam and he reaches up and squeezes the back of my neck gently smiling back at me.

“Man, I’m starving, did you two want to come get something to eat with us? I’d love to see what you’ve been drawing Patrick.” I say to the freshman.

“Um… no I don’t… um… have…” Poor Patrick is stumbling over himself.

Sasha stands and pulls Patrick up, “Come on Sunshine, it will be fun plus when are we ever going to have two of the hottest guys in school ask us for meal again.”

Liam bursts out laughing and puts his arm around Sasha, turns and walks with his arm around her to the cafeteria. I hear Liam and her laughing as they take their leave.

“C’mon Sunshine,” I say giggling and he rolls his eyes and stands up. I can see he wants to run. “Don’t be scared,” we start to follow the other two. “We aren’t messing with you I promise. You can show me your stuff while we eat.”

He stops walking, “I don’t have any money.”

I smile the friendliest smile I can find, “Oh don’t worry about that, we got you. We work and earn money besides, you can just get us back another time. No biggie!”

He looks up at me, “Um… I can’t do that, I don’t have any money. I can’t take it knowing I can’t pay you back.”

“Well how about this then, you can draw me a real funky lamp or something I can make out of wood and we’ll call it even for now. I’ll make you one and I’ll make one for myself how does that sound.” Trying to convince him to eat something.

He looks at the ground, and back up at me, “I guess that would be okay.” He answers with apprehension. I don’t think he knows if I’m messing with him.

“Great,” I say, putting my hand on his shoulder and steer him toward lunch. Yum.

When we reach the cafeteria Liam stumbles through some of the sign language I taught him. He wants us to sit down and he’ll bring it. I led him over to our table where Oliver and Katherine were sitting and introduced him. He gave a shy “Hello” and they made the effort to make him feel comfortable. Liam and Sasha came back to the table with the lunches for us. Liam sat next to me and Sash went and sat next to Katherine so we were all facing each other. As Sasha went to sit Ollie piped up.

Smiling from ear-to-ear at his sister, “Hello Baby Girl, what are you doing here?”

Her smile shrunk, “Your friends asked me to join is th-that not o-okay,” she looks at him cautiously.

I chuckled, “Of course it is, sit, sit you’re always welcome Sha!” His pet name for her.

Katherine giggles and puts her arm around her shoulders and pulls her in for a quick hug. “You never have to ask sweetheart we love having you around.”

I looked over at Ollie and I could see right at that moment he fell in love with Katherine. I nudged Liam and whisper in his ear, he looks over at Ollie and then gives a knowing smile.

“What?” Ollie says looking between us. We just shake our head and he went back to eating. I saw him grab Katherine’s hand and he held it under the table. I giggle and turn my attention to Patrick. While the others all chat I went through the art pad with Patrick. I kept making sure he ate, he took tiny bites as if to make it last longer and to fill him up somehow. My heart was breaking for this kid.

I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket so I take it out to look.

From: Dad

Message: Your mother has contacted me to see you.

To: Dad

Message: Nope

From: Dad

Message: You have to I’m afraid, her parents are coming to town and she says they all want to see you.

I curse under my breath, and I’m pretty sure I have a face like thunder.

“What’s wrong?” Liam asks

I lean over and show him the messages.

“Shit! I’ll come with you, it’ll be fine.” Liam says.

“I can’t let you do that, you remember what they’re like. Fucking homophobic, church going mongrels.” I curse.

Liam chortles, “I know, think about how much fun we can have making them uncomfortable. Plus they don’t know about us yet.” He laughs and in an irish accent he follows with, “It’ll be grand lad.” I crack up and shake my head at him.

I look at him and chuckle, “You’re an evil man!”

He grins, nods his head and says, “I’ve learnt from the best!”

To: Dad

Message: Fine but it has to be somewhere neutral like a restaurant or something. If I have to sit through their shit, I want good food and a place where they can’t lay into me and Liam for our ‘Lifestyle choices’. Also make it early if we can I don’t want to waste a Saturday night all om them.

From: Dad

Message: Consider it done, I’m sorry you have to do this. Would you like me to come with you boys?

To: Dad

Message: Probably best you don’t, I am old enough not to take their crap anymore and I’m not going to. I’ll take Liam with me and they can like it or lump it. Plus I don’t want to embarrass you if it goes to shit. Homophobic jerks!!!!

From: Dad

Message: Sounds like fun, I might just come. I hate those in bread, holier than thou ass hats. LOL

I laugh and hand my phone to Liam for him to read, he laughs and gives it back.

I turn to the table, “Hey guys, Liam, and I have to go to an early dinner on Saturday night. I’ll borrow Dad’s SUV and we’ll come pick everyone up after and go do something fun. We could go bowling or to a movie or something juvenile.”

Everyone nods and agrees, young Patrick just sits there stoic. I elbow him, he looks up at me and I can’t tell what the look in his eyes are.

“Um… I don’t think I could go,” he says shoving food in his mouth so he didn’t have to continue.

“Would you not be allowed,” I ask gently. He shakes his head no. I look around the table and everyone is making fun of Ollie about something and laughing. So I lean into him and quietly say, “Hey, if it’s money we’ll find something to do that doesn’t cost. Nobody needs to know.”

He looks straight at me his eyes wide and looks uncomfortable, but also see defeat. I don’t like that at all, this kid needs help. I can see it. I’m not sure what kind but I know he does.

“Do you have a phone?” I ask. He shakes his head no, and looks away from me. “That’s okay, on Friday I want you to bring some extra work out clothes with you. Tell your folks you won’t be home until just after eight, can you do that?” He’s quiet and still for a moment then nods a quick yes.

<>-<>-<>

After school on Friday, Liam pulls in the driveway at home and there is a strange car parked out front and Dad is home.

“Who’s that I wonder,” I ask rhetorically to Liam.

“Oh, that’s right I forgot to tell ya, Dad is putting you up for adoption. Can’t have us living under the same roof anymore, it’s just too expensive. Mom and Dad flipped a coin and you gots-ta go buddy. But it’s been great.” He says with a straight face and slapping my shoulder.

I burst out laughing and look at poor Patrick sitting there stunned. I motion for him to get out of the truck, he quietly follows us to the door. Of course we head straight for the kitchen, Dad, Mom and Mr Sunderland are sitting there having a coffee chatting away. The conversation ceased as soon as they see us.

“Hi there Mr Sunderland, you’re back.” I say reaching out to shake his hand.

He smirks and nods his head and reciprocates. Weird that he’s smirking at me. I shake it off. And then introduce Patrick to everyone. He shyly says hello to each as I introduce them. Liam sat at the table with them.

“Alright, we are going to change and go or we’ll be late.” I gently steer Patrick up to our room. “You can change in the bathroom while I change in here.”

Patrick looks around the room and then to me, “Is this your room?”

“Uh…” I look around the room while I open my draws to get my work out stuff. “Mine and Liam’s, we moved in here together when his Mom came to live with us a couple months back after his Dad was killed in an auto-accident.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” he says sheepishly.

“That’s okay you didn’t know,” I say smiling.

“Do you fight over the big bed?” he giggles.

“Uh… No we both sleep in the big one. You know we’re gay right? Liam, and I. We’re a couple.” I say cautiously.

His eyes went big and then he let out another giggle and shook his head. “No I didn’t know, it’s cool though.”

I smile at him as I chuck my stuff on the bed. Patrick went to the bathroom to change and when he come back, I was dressed getting socks out of my draw so he sat on Liam’s desk chair. I threw my socks on the bed and sat down to an almighty “CRUNCH”. I looked at Patrick, he tilted his head and furrowed his brow and then I stood up.

“What the fu…” I said.

I lifted the cover back on the bed, there must have been twenty trays of 24 eggs laying across the bed. Patrick started laughing.

I yelled, “SON OF A BITCH.”

I heard all the chairs in the kitchen scrape, Liam was at the door in a split second followed by a loud bang of the front door. I look out the window to see our very mature, sophisticated parents making a mad dash exit into Mr Sunderland’s car. I look at Liam and point out the window. As Dad is getting in the car he looks up and waves at us laughing.

“ASSHOLE!” We both exclaim.

We look over at Patrick, he is now trying to hold back his laugh because he can see we are clearly pissed off. But… he failed, he lost his shit right there and couldn’t stop laughing.

“I’m gonna be late now, son of a bitch.” I say while pulling the cover off of the bed.

“Go Babe! I’ll fix it.” Liam says and kisses me quickly.

“Just put them in the laundry I’ll fix it when I get home. Son of a bitch!”

“I can manage to wash the bedding you know.” He says with a raised eyebrow.

“Baby, last time you washed the bedding we ended up with pink sheets. I don’t even know how you managed that.” I whine clearly frustrated.

Liam chuckles, “It’s gonna be fine Babe. You guys go I’ll take care of it and while I’m doing that, I’ll think of a way for us to get back at the Assholes.”

“Fair enough, maybe we can put them up for adoption or swap them on craigslist for a better car.” I finish getting ready and kiss Liam goodbye and leave with Patrick in tow trying not to laugh.

In the truck on the way to the gym, Patrick is still laughing. He looks over to me and says, “Why did your Dad do that to you?”

I look at him and smile, “Well on Tuesday, when we got home from school we opened our bedroom door to four live fully grown chickens in our room. Chicken shit everywhere. It took forever to clean up. But before we did that we found the cage Dad hid in the garage and put the chickens back in and hid them. Then Liam may or may not have went down to the wholesale chicken place and got four whole chickens ready to cook. We put one in the oven for dinner and the other three on the bench for him to see. He threw a Godzilla sized hissy fit because he had borrowed them from his friend who owns that egg farm on the edge of town, so they weren’t even eating chickens. He didn’t find it funny, but we sure as shit did.” I couldn’t keep myself from laughing at the memory.

“Wow, that’s crazy, does he do things like that often?”

“Yeah, pretty much. That’s the first one he’s done in a while, I think since before Liam’s Dad passed away.” I could see his brain was processing it all. “Trust me it’s terrifying sometimes, because we never know when he’s gonna get us and we never know how.” I say chuckling.

Patrick looked out the window, “It must be fun to have a Dad like that.”