Bayside Queens (BoyxMan)

8.

8.

CJ

I had found yesterday's newspaper lurking in the hospital cafeteria when I left to go find some food. The only almost edible thing I could find was a PBJ and an apple juice, so I settled for that.

I was pretty content sitting at Quinn's bedside, reading the paper and finishing my dinner-if you could call it that. Quinn was still asleep and Val had stopped by for a little bit. I told her to go home because her baby was crying. I had no idea how old Val was, but she had to be under 18 to live in foster care, meaning on top of living in the Strauss house, she bore a son as a teenage girl.

There was a knock at the door to Quinn's room and for a second I thought it was Quinn waking up. But my eyes flashed to his and they were still very much closed. I sighed and yelled, "it's open", realizing someone was here.

I half-expected to see Val and Tobias again, or maybe even a doctor. But seeing Viola here in his hospital room hadn't crossed my mind. Not even once. I stood up immediately, asserting my dominance over the situation. Viola smiled. Her white hair was pinned up in her signature curls, red lipstick contrasting her ghostly pale face like always. She looked older than the last time I saw her.

"CJ, what are you doing here?"

I had to fight the urge to roll my eyes at that tight condescending voice she still used, even when I was a 25 year-old police sergeant.

"I'm waiting for him to wake up," I told her, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. She pressed her lips together and eyed me suspiciously.

"May I ask how you know my son?"

I slammed my hand on Quinn's bedside table unintentionally. I could feel the animosity stem from every part of my being, a feeling so foreign to me now. I almost laughed.

I just couldn't fucking stand her.

"Spinner is not your son. Val is not your daughter. You get paid to give them a place to sleep. And in that house? You are the furthest thing from a mother I have ever seen. So don't you dare say that in front of me again."

I watched Viola's eyes widen for the first time in all the years that I had known her. Despite the context of the situation, I felt myself glow with pride.

Viola just nodded after that. I couldn't really blame her, considering she was absolutely wrong. So I decided to delve into my next topic of discussion with my ex-foster mother. This one got me just as heated.

"Your foster son did this to Spinner," I told her, point-blank. "I'm not looking for your apologizes or explanations or excuses, Viola. I'm telling you that this is what happened. Derek doesn't like that Spinner is gay; therefore, Spin is lying in a hospital bed with three broken ribs. Your house isn't safe for him anymore, so I'm taking him to stay with me for a while, just until his body fully heals."

Viola opened her mouth in protest, but I cut her off.

"That's not a request. It's a demand."

I guess the tone of my voice was enough. Viola shut her mouth, and didn't say anything else. I swallowed back the rage building up in my throat. For right now this was all I could do about Derek. I had already called my buddy at the station to start looking into him and the kids he hangs around with. Val agreed to go in for questioning.

Viola gripped the doorway, her bony skeletons shaking. "Well I'll go pack him a bag," she said tentatively, eyeing me with suspicion, as if I would protest that as well. But I only nodded and resumed my place at Quinn's bedside.