A Heart To Have A Heart To Break (Boyxboy)

9

"TJ please you have to go to school." I literally beg my son.
"No I go sit with Papa til he wake up." TJ says defiantly. Half way through January Tris has been unconscious for about a month now and TJ won't leave his side. School's starting back up now and he's refusing to go.
"TJ what do you think Papa would say about you not going to school?" I ask him. He just shrugs.
"What about Ryan?" Connor asks him walking into the room. "You and Sam are the only ones who know his secret he needs you to be there, he needs you to be his friends." TJ's stubborn face breaks and a look of shame replaces it.
"Ryan needs us." He says nodding his head. "Will you call if Papa wakes up?" He asks me.
"Yes baby I will call the school if Papa wakes up." I promise him. "If you're good and go to school every day without arguing I'll see if Ryan's mum will let him come over for a play date." His eyes light up at my words.
"Yeah okay." He says nodding his head quickly.
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Today is my day to pick the kids up from school. I pull into the school parking lot just as Sam and TJ walk out the door. In between them is another child with long chocolate brown hair and grey eyes.
I step onto the sidewalk and Sam sees me.
"Uncle Jamie!" She calls out running towards me. She puts her arms up wanting picked up. Since they came home Sam has been very clingy. Plus her nightmares keep her up all night. She sleeps with TJ in his room now she can't bare to be in hers especially not alone.
"Daddy? Papa no wake up did he?" TJ asks sadly.
"No he didn't I'm sorry baby." I tell him before turning to the other child. "You must be Ryan." A look of terror crosses his face. "Don't worry I won't tell."
"Thank you." He says in a quite voice.
"Rosie." A woman says walking up to us with a little girl about nine. "We're going to be late if we don't get going."
"Are you Samantha and TJ's father?" She asks me.
"Yes I'm TJ's dad, James, but I'm Sam's uncle." I tell her. "You must be Rose's mother?" I ask making sure to use Ryan's feminine name.
"Yes I'm Vanessa and this is my elder daughter Annabelle." She tells me.
"I was wondering if we could get the kids together for a play date some time." I say already not liking this snobby woman.
"Oh well I suppose that would be alright." She says. She sounds surprised. "If you'd like you could take her with you now I suppose. Annabelle has ballet for four hours tonight and Rosie just can't stand it I have no idea why."
"Sam doesn't care for ballet either." I tell her. "When would you like her back?"
"Oh anytime. If you'd like you can keep her overnight and I'll pick her up at school tomorrow." Vanessa offers.
"Yes I'm sure that will work. I'm sure Sam has something she could loan her." I tell her.
"Great it's settled then." She says before turning to Ryan. "Now Rosie be a good girl for James and his wife."
"Actually I don't have a wife." I tell her quickly.
"Oh I'm sorry for your loss." She says trying to sound kind. Sam buries her head in my neck but not before I hear her giggle.
"I've never had a wife." I explain to her.
"Oh." She says looking down the end of her nose at me. "Well we'd better get going. Be good Rosie." She says before stocking off.
"Well boys let's get this show on the road." I say looking down at TJ and Ryan.
"Can we play dress up when we get home?" TJ asks me with bright eyes.
"If that's what you all want." I tell him nodding.
"I don't want to play princesses." Ryan says quietly looking up at me shyly.
"We don't play princesses. Well most of the time. We only play princesses if TJ really wants to." Sam tells him. "Normally we play pirates. Do you wanna play pirates with us?" She asks the shy boy enthusiastically.
"I like pirates." He replies with a small smile.
"Okay then we'll play pirates when we get home." TJ says definitely.