Take Care
Chapter 1: Prologue
Quinn's/Charlie's Point of View
It's strange just how many directions life can pull people. As a young child, adults try to shield from the bad turns life can take, but they can't shield you from the shuddering impact of death. Let me start from the beginning; my name is Quinton Charles Fabray. I'm seventeen, which to some people may not seem old, but I've seen enough tragedy in my life to last a lifetime. But the story didn't start with me, it started way before I was born, the day my mother met a one Russell Quinton Fabray.
She was fifteen years old, young and naïve enough to fall for the sixteen year olds mind games. It was the age-old tale of the quarter back dating a cheerleader. They dated up until the end of her junior year, his senior year. High school sweethearts they were-or at least that's what she thought- until college pulled them apart. Russell was accepted to Yale University, though it was hardly a surprise seeing as how his grandfather was the dean of admissions.
Shortly after he left, my mother discovered she was pregnant. She made several attempts to contact Russell directly, but he never answered her calls or letters. She eventually stopped trying, but in her small town of Lima, Ohio nothing stays secret for long. When her stomach started protruding with a growing me inside her, Russell's father, Russell I stopped by her house to see her claiming he'd heard the news about her bastard child-his words not mine- and offered her fifteen hundred dollars to 'take care of the little situation', aka me, but she refused his money.
He strongly discouraged her choice, and then attempted to butter up my mother's parents to convince their daughter to get an abortion. They both refused as well. So Russell I left that day, but it was far from over.
Every month leading up to my birth he visited my mother and her family. He even went as far as demanding to know the gender of me, but she refused unless Russell II would speak to her directly, which he wouldn't. I was born on October 27, 7lbs 7ounces. Quinton Charles Fabray was the name on my birth certificate. (My mother claims she gave me the Fabray last name so that Russell would know what he missed out on.) My mother's parents got fed up with Russell's II constant badgering so after I was born, they sent her and myself on a plane to New Jersey to live with her uncle Charlie- who I was named after.
For the next two years of my life she didn't do much but take care of me. My great uncle Charlie owned his own auto repair shop, which brought in enough money for my mother not to work. She started college when I was three and old enough to go to pre-school. Her schedule, however, conflicted with my pre-school one so my great uncle would pick me up every day and bring me back to his auto shop.
I was five when my mother graduated from college and went on to become a nurse at the hospital a few blocks away from our apartment. Her schedule was even more conflicting with mine than before, and I spent more and more time at my great uncle's auto shop, learning everything there was to learn about cars from the inside out. By fourteen I was even working by myself on small projects in the shop, hardly ever asking for great uncle Charlie's help. He even gave me my very own toolbox for my fifteen birthday. Sadly, that would be the last present he'd ever give me. He pasted away from a heart attack three months after my birthday, which left just my mom and me. She cut back hours at the hospital in order to fill the void that great uncle Charlie left, but when money got tight, she decided to enroll me in music classes instead. Guitar and piano were the two courses I was taking every day after school. That was our routine until one day she wasn't there to pick me up from practice. I later found out that she was T-boned by a truck, and died on the scene.
Which brings the story to right about now, as I'm on the plane to Lima, Ohio where it all began. After my mother's untimely death, the judge had only two places to send me: to my deadbeat father or foster care. Needless to say, she chose to send me to Russell Fabray II, one of the richest businessmen in the country.
Going to live with the man that never wanted me to exist doesn't so exciting, but it sounds more stable than foster care, and since Russell accepted the responsibility, I'll give it a shot. Now, this in no way means that I like him or that I even consider him my father, but he's about the closest thing to family I've got that's still breathing, besides my dog, Fat-Boy of course. My half red nose pit half yellow lab baby boy is by far my best friend. My mom got him for me shortly after my great uncle passed, and he's become the only one in this world I truly care for anymore. I told the judge that wherever I go, he's got to go to or else I won't go at all. She agreed- not seeing a reason why she should break us apart- and informed Russell to buy an air fair for Fatty's travels as well.
"Attention passengers, please fasten your seat belts. We'll be landing shortly." I buckle up my seat belt, ready to face my new life.
Just an idea I'm playing around with. Let me know if I should continue or not.