his eyes, and a line of drool spills from his lips and lands on the toes of his white sneakers.
Bobby’s sneakers.
It’s like they think we don’t notice the missing bread and peanut butter.
We do.
Just like we notice Jon wearing Bobby’s shoes.
Shallow panting breaths whistle through his lungs as his white skin turns a shade of green. “S’okay. Gimme a sec.”
“It’s not okay!” I don’t dare speak loudly. My lips are barely two inches from his ear as I crouch down. “It’s time to get serious, Jon. Talk to me, let me fix it. I’ll fix it, I swear to God, I will. I’ll end it for you. I just need you to give me the yes.”
He shakes his head and reaches up to hug Iz to his side as she crawls into the non-existent space between us. “Nothing to fix. I’m okay.”
“Jon!”
Fiery dark eyes snap up. He’s twelve, but his eyes speak of a man’s experience. “Leave it alone, Mr. Kincaid.”
Mr. Kincaid.
He’s running.
Even as he sits half a foot in front of me, he’s running.
I bring my hand up to his hair. “I’m sorry, Jon. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
He shakes his head, but he’s too weak to speak. He swipes a tear from his cheek and stares at his shoes.
“Come on.” Bobby works to help him to his feet. “Quick. Mom’s gonna turn around in a sec. Get up.”
Shakily, Jon pushes to his feet and clutches at my steadying hand when his eyes roll into the back of his head. “Jesus Christ, kid. You’re killing yourself over these secrets.”
He shrugs and swallows down a bubble of gas. “S’okay. Come on, Sissy.” He turns gingerly. “Where’s Sissy?” She wraps her arms around his hips and steps forward with him and Bobby. Nodding, he holds her close. “Okay. S’okay. Let’s go to bed.” His eyes come to mine. “I just wanna go to bed. Please.”
His weary spine snaps straight when Nelly slides under my arm with a smile. “We’re going out for ice-cream. Aiden’s choice.”
“Actually.” Bobby wipes a shaking hand over his face. “I’m not feeling so good, Mom. I’m just gonna go to bed.”
“Bobby!” She leans in close. “You need to support your brother. This isn’t funny anymore.”
“No.” He’s not joking anymore. “No, I’m serious.” He looks to Aiden. “Sorry. I’ll make it up to you tomorrow, I promise. I just wanna go to bed.”
Nelly’s eyes come up to mine. “Bry?”
“I’ll take Bobby home to bed. Make sure he’s behaving. Put the princess movie on for him. We’ll drop you and the others off at Dixie’s on the way, then I’ll pick you up when you’re done.”
“You don’t have to stay with us, Mr. Kincaid.” Jon’s glassy eyes clear with determination. “I’m tired, too. I’ll go with him. It’s time for bed for Iz, too.”
She doesn’t argue.
Unlike when Jimmy broke his arm, her loyalties are with her hurting brother. She yawns dramatically, because her entire life has been built on being her brother’s alibi and going along with whatever he needs to do to survive. “Yeah, I’m tired. I’m gonna go to bed.”
“We have to go home tonight,” Jon adds. “I told my folks we’d be home tonight. They’re expecting us.”
My gaze snaps to his, and without words, I promise that if he leaves my property tonight, with or without Izzy, he’s in trouble. “Maybe you could sleep over again tonight,” I add through gritted teeth. “It’s getting late, Jon. It’s too late to walk home with your sister. Too dangerous.”
Breathing through his nose and nodding, he limps past me and leans on Bobby as they move down the aisle.
Twenty minutes later, after dropping Nell, Jimmy, and Aiden off at Dixie’s ice-cream parlor, though they were like pathetic puppies in the window – Jimmy was looking for Iz, Nelly was looking for me, and Aiden was simply worried because everyone else was – I walk through the front door of the humble home I finally bought for my wife, throw my keys down on the narrow hall table, and watch Bobby and the two Harts stumble down the hall to the bedroom.
I have an abused boy in my home.
Day in day out, he comes home to us all beaten and bruised, and I can’t do a fucking thing about it.
In all my worries when I was younger, the worst of it was not having enough money. If I could just get another job, a better paying job, all our troubles would be solved. Just a little extra cash, and