Fixing Love

22

"Dude. Seriously, don't." He ignored me and stood right in the middle of everyone. I let out a sigh, and stood up to take Nick to my room. Last time he told this story, he cussed up a storm. Don't want Nick picking up any new words.

After I put him down and grabbed the baby monitor, I made my way back to the living room. Everyone was waiting for me. I was kind of hoping to avoid it, but guess not. I gave Freddy a nod to start.

"So. I'm just gonna come out and say it. I have been in jail before. But not for any of the reasons you are all thinking. Jenny I swear to god, keep it shut." I saw Marcus about to say something, but one look from me shut him up. "When I was five, I was taken away from my parents. My parents were junkies, and always on meth and cocaine. Child services stepped in when my mom gave birth to my baby brother. He was addicted to meth the second he was born. They put me in a foster home, and he was under observation for almost two years. They wanted to make sure he wasn't severely affected by it. Once they decided he was okay, they placed him in foster care with me.

We were never adopted because we wanted to go somewhere together. So any family that did take us, sent us right back because of behavior issues. Once I turned sixteen, I started working. I wanted to save money to get a place for me and him when I turned eighteen. I was close too. I had saved just enough for a decent apartment. But then I got a call from the orphanage. Apparently Mikey was getting picked on in school. The meth in his system wasn't as much as they expected, but it was enough that it caused some damage. He was born with a stutter because of it. So the other kids would pick on him. They somehow found out about our parents, and they picked on him more and more." At this point, Freddy started shaking. I saw his hands turn into fist, and got up to calm him down. I could see the pain in his eyes. He hates remember this. But I know he was determined to tell them everything. "I got a call telling me to go to the hospital. I remember running out the doors of the restaurant, and running all the way to the hospital. He was in critical condition, because, he." At this point tears were pouring freely from his eyes. The sight of a happy go lucky guy like Freddy, bursting in tears was a heart breaking sight.

"Freddy, you can stop." He shook his head no, and just kept telling them.

"My little eleven year old brother, tried to kill himself." Everyone gasped, and had tears in their eyes. Marcus was holding Jenny, Ethan was holding his mom. James was looking down at his hands, Alastor at Freddy, and my dad at me. "He got into the medicine cabinet, and took every pill inside. When he passed out, he hit his head on the counter. I can still picture him on his hospital bed. Tubes in his mouth, stomach, and IV on his arm. To this day he is still under watch at the hospital. They don't know if he will wake up. His body was already weak from being born addicted to meth. And he was premature too. Taking all those pills just made it worse." His voice started to shake, and tears were gliding down his face and on to the floor leaving spots.

"When I found out I was so pissed off. I searched all over the god damn town for the ones responsible. I couldn't hurt the kids, so I took my anger out on the parents. They thought their kids did nothing wrong. They said the child of meth heads was bound to fall into drugs. I beat the dads within an inch of their lives. At the time I was sixteen, so they put me in juvenile hall. When I turned eighteen they transfered me to the local county jail to finish my time. I was charged with three attempted murder, and I was sent to ten to fifteen years since I had done time in juvenile hall. I was let go on good behavior, and a confession from a witness who was there. I got out when I was twenty. Since then I've been working as a mechanic to pay for Mikey's hospital bills. Even now, I still send about eighty percent of my paycheck to the hospital. I'm blessed to have met Carter. He offered to help me, even before I told him about Mikey. I still refuse his offer. Mikey is my responsibility, and I will pay for all his expenses. At the very least, I can do that much." He walked out the house after that. His eyes were bloodshot, and his face was red. I took a deep breath, and faced my family. No one said a word.

"Freddy has been through more shit than I thought possible. He is by far the strongest man I know. He still manages to put on a smile everyday, when I know full well he is breaking inside." I looked to Ethan, and saw him staring in the direction Freddy left. I know he wants to go after him, but he knows to just let him have his space. "I wouldn't be close to him, if I felt he wasn't a good guy. Have some faith in me and my choices once in a while." I left them to think while I went to check on my son. He was laying on his back, watching his mobile turn. I leaned over his crib, and he started reaching for me when he saw me.

"May I hold him?" I turned and saw Ethan at the door. I handed him to Ethan, and just stared as he held my son in his arms. He looked so natural holding him, and Nick looked so happy. "He looks likes you." Hearing that made me so happy.

"How are the others?" I watched as Ethan bounced around with Nick in his arms.

"Dad is trying to calm mom down. James and Marcus followed Jenny to the backyard. She's the one who took it the hardest, since she's been the one to always fight with him. She said she's the biggest female dog in world, and walked out." I nodded my head, and looked out the window.

"And my old man?"

"He followed Freddy." My head snapped when he said that. I left Nick with Ethan and went to follow them outside. But when I got out there my car was gone, and so were my dad and Freddy. Well isn't this just great!