It was about 9am when I was awoke by yet, more officials the next day and a rather nervous Mrs. Mitchel.
"Carlos Garcia?" A woman asked.
I can honestly say that I fucking hate my name now... Which is what probably lead me to respond, well... This way.
"Seeing that my name is on the door and on the clip board that is right in front of you on the end of my bed would lead me to believe that I am indeed not Carlos Garcia."
"Smartass." The woman mumbled underneath her breath.
"No. I'm serious." I said looking at her sternly.
"What?" Mrs. Mitchel asked.
"Then who are you?"
"Call me Carlos Pena. My mothers last name was Pena. Garcia was my... Fathers name. I no longer want it."
"But legally you are Carlos Garcia?"
"Yes, but you will call me Carlos Pena." I said adjusting myself.
I moved a bit too far to the right and pulled something. I hissed and pressed the nurses button.
"Is something wrong Carlos?" The woman asked.
"Yeah, well no, fuck, ow! Yes, I just need my pain killers." I said slowly trying to rub out the pain in my side.
"Now that we have established who I am, who are you?"
"I'm Kelly Wayneright. Your attorney."
"Attorney? How did I get an attorney? My da- I mean I could barely afford an apple yesterday."
"You lost your only living care taker and have no family who is willing to take you in. I was appointed to you by the state. Now, I understand you have no where to live. We will take you down for processing later today to be put into the foster ca-"
"No!" Mrs. Mitchel just about screamed, making all of us jump. "No, I mean. I offered to take him in."
"I see. Well, seeing that you are now an orphan that makes you a ward of the state..." She stated, I watched as Mrs. Mitchel lowered her head. "However, seeing that someone is willing to take you in and as long as a background check clears and I deem the house suitable... You will be able to stay with her, as long as you are comfortable with it."
"My dad was a foster child and look where he ended up." I said looking over at Mrs. Mitchel. "I think I'll take my chances with Joanna."
"Alrighty then, I will be in contact with you later today after I go to Mrs. Mitchel's house and get the paper work written up." Kelly said looking over at Joanna. "When could I see the house?"
"You could go right now if you like, Logan's home. Just tell him who you are and he will let you in. I-I'd like to stay with Carlos for a while."
"Okay, if I can get you to just write your address down on this paper.." She said handing it to Joanna.
Joanna wrote down what Kelly needed and then Kelly took off.
"I still don't get it. Why are you taking me in?" I asked as Joanna took a seat next to me.
She sighed and then placed her hands in her palms. "Because I know what you are going through..."
"How could you possibl-"
"Logan's gay."
"What?"
"He came out last year... It-It wasn't easy. His dad, Mark, left us after that because I refused to send him away to a straight camp. Then word got around the school and when I went to go pick him up one day, a kid was about to slam his face into the concrete but I caught it in time."
"Oh."
"Yeah, and after that I pulled him out of school and began to home school him. He's really smart, sometimes I feel like he's teaching me." She said wiping her eyes off. "When I saw what those kids were doing to you... I suddenly saw what could have happened to Logan if I had not caught it in time. After that, I couldn't just let you be placed into foster care. I know I was meant to save you. Not just from the kids who beat you but from a life where you were known as worthless."
I hadn't realized I was crying until then.
"T-Thank you." I said lunging forward to hug her.
"You're Welcome."
"What do you do for a living?" I asked sitting back in the bed again.
"I'm a Realtor."
I was about to speak but her phone went off. "Hello? Oh Hi Kelly. No, I divorced him. He was an ass. Nope, he lives over in Spain now. He won't be bothering us. Current address? No idea. Okay thanks Kelly. You too. Bye."
"What did she want?" I asked.
"She was asking about the divorce that popped up on my background check."
Flashback
"Mom, dad? Can I tell you something?" Logan asked as they sat at the kitchen table.
"Sure honey, you can tell us anything." Joanna said smiling.
"I-I'm g-gay."
Mark burst out laughing "Oh! Oh that's a good one son!"
"Dad, I'm not kidding."
"What? You're 14! You couldn't possibly know that right now!"
"Mark, calm down. It's fin-"
"No! It's not fine! He's not gay! My son will not be a faggot!"
"MARK!"
"I'm not a faggot!" Logan screamed standing up.
"Damn right your not! We are going to fix this no matter the cost!"
"Fix me? Fix me? There's nothing wrong with me!"
"Mark! There is nothing wrong with my son!"
"He's my son too and my son will not be some butt fucking twink!"
"STOP CALLING HIM NAMES!"
"SHUT THE HELL UP JOANNA! YOU OBVIOUSLY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT!"
"Excuse me!" Joanna yelled raising her hand and slapping Mark.
"You son of a bitch! How dare you!" Joanna yelled. "There is nothing wrong with my boy!"
Mark growled and looked over to the boy slightly cowering under the table. "Pack your bags! We're going to get you help!"
"Don't pack a thing! Mark, get out of the house NOW! You homophobic bastard!"
"And go where!"
"I don't care! Just leave! And never come back!"
Mark moved forward and slammed Joanna into the wall.
"MOM!" Logan screamed.
"PACK YOUR BAGS!"
"I fucking hate you!" Logan screamed picking the vase up from off the table. "Go to hell!"
Logan threw the vase at his dad, harder than anticipated. Mark hit the floor, a slight cut forming on his forehead. Logan jump down from off the table and ran to his mom.
"Mom! Mom! You okay! Just stay still. I'm calling the cops now." Logan said as he grabbed his moms hand. "Mom! Mom, stay with me... Can you hear me? Can you hear...me..."
"Joanna?" I asked.
"What? Oh sorry honey.. Was just, remembering something."
I looked at her funny, she seemed like she was about to cry.
"Oh, well the nurse is here with my discharge papers..." I said pointing the the nurse at the door who was looking at us weird.
Joanna walked over to the nurse and signed where she was asked too.
"You ready to go?" She asked me.
"Yeah, can we stop by my ho- trailer on the way?"
"Sure thing honey." Joanna said smiling before helping me off the bed.
As we drove through my trailer park, I could tell Joanna was freaked out. But I mean, who wouldn't be? It looked like Ghetto Town USA. Before dad went off the deep end, we actually lived in the suburbs. I try not to think about it because it just makes me realize how shitty my life has gotten since then.
"Right there, with the dead bush by the drive way."
Flashback
"Now Carlos, I know things have gotten bad and I'm gonna try to do better. I promise."
"Sure dad, that's what you said last time." Carlos said as he walked out the door.
He walked out to the drive way and sat at the end of it. Soon he was lost in thought, mindlessly playing with the gravel. He suddenly stopped when a seed caught his eye. He picked it up and inspected it. He looked over to his side and had an idea. He scooted over and dug a small hole, then placed the seed into it. He stood up and inspected it for a minute before walking over to the faucet to get some water. When he returned, he sat down and began to water it.
"As long as my spirit never dies... Neither will you." He said as he watered it.
But over time, Carlos' spirit did start to die and so did the bush. His job at the plant got shittier and began to pay less. His worries moved on from the bush and to whether he would be able to pay the electricity bill this month or buy groceries. The more Carlos had to become an adult... The more leaves the bush lost and one day, the bush was completely dead.
"I-I'll be right back." I said when we stopped.
I walked over to the bush and inspected it. I dropped down to my knees and picked up one of the dead leaves.
"I guess everything and everyone dies a little along the way, right?" I said wiping the tears from my eyes.
I looked down at the ground, only to see the small rock I had written 'Spirit' on still there and the writing still visible.
"Carlos? You okay?" Joanna asked placing a hand on my shoulder.
"Y-Yeah, lets go inside." I said getting up and walking to the door.
When we were inside, I grabbed an old box from the porch and began to fill it with things.
"Look for anything with my mother in it... She looks like this." I said holding up a photo. "Leave anything of my fathers."
Joanna began to collect things and I headed to my room. I went straight for my closet to grab a box. Inside the box was my baby blanket, the last thing I had from when I was a baby.
"Don't worry about your clothes or anything like that." Joanna said from the doorway. "I'm going to get you all new ones."
I nodded my head and set the small shoe box inside the bigger box. I picked it up and looked over at Joanna.
"Anything else?" She asked.
I looked around my room and shrugged. "Let the landlord have the rest. It all holds to many bad memories."
"Okay sweetie, let's go then." She said.
As we walked out the door, I thought of something.
"Wait, Joanna. There is one more thing." I asked setting the box down by the car.
I walked over to the bush and looked at it one more time. I bent down and grabbed the rock.
I turned around and walked over to the car. "Ready to go?" Joanna asked.
I nodded and placed my things in the trunk along with the small rock.
As we drove along, Joanna's phone rang. "Hello? Yeah, sure honey. Carlos, you hungry?"
"Yeah, a little."
"Okay." She said nodding. "Be there in five."
"Who was that?" I asked
"Logan is hungry so we are all gonna go out to lunch."
"Cool! Where are we gonna go!" I asked excitedly.
Joanna laughed. "Logan wanted Mcdonalds."
"Okay!"
"Carlos, Logan. Why don't you go find a seat. I'll go order." Joanna said as we walked into Mcdonalds.
Logan and I sat down at the table. It was silent until Logan broke it.
"So, my mom said we're gonna be sharing a room. But we have to sleep in the same bed until she can get another one in there for you."
"Okay." I said shrugging my shoulders.
"Y-You don't have a problem with that... Do you?"
"Why would I?"
"I just thought that mayb-"
"Logan, we're not gonna get any gayer than we already are." Logan smiled at that. "Plus, it might be nice to not be lonely for once in my life." I said shrugging.
"I'm going to spoon you!" Logan said.
"What?"
He got up and ran off, leaving me confused and with a mental picture me him and I spooning together.
When he returned, he sat there smiling. "Stop it, that's creeping me out." I said to him.
"Aww! Don't worry!" he said pulling a spoon out and rubbing it on me.
"Oh. Ha ha. Such a comedian."
"Yeah right, if Logan is a comedian than I am a duck." Joanna said sitting down at the table with our food.
"Hey! I'm funny!"
"Yes, funny looking." Joanna said playfully shoving him.
I just sat there, watching them. I couldn't help but think that this may have been what me and my moms relationship would have looked like if she was still alive.
Flashback
"Carlos Garcia to the principles office please." Rang out from the speaker in the class room.
He quickly put his stuff into his desk and grabbed the hall pass from the teacher. As he walked down the hall, he began to get a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. When he reached the office, his grandmother from his mothers side was sitting in the chair. Her eyes red and puffy from crying.
"Grandma? What going on? Wheres mom and dad?"
"Carlos, come on. We must be leaving." She said reaching for his hand.
"No... I'm not leaving till you tell me whats going on."
"Carlos, please. Don't make this anymore difficult than it has to be."
"W-What happened? Wheres mom and dad!" He screamed.
"Carlos, pleas-"
"What's going on!" He said putting his foot down.
"Carlos, sweety." She said getting down to his level. "Honey, there was an accident, your mom- she- there was a mix up at work. Someone had set a cup of bleach on the counter and your mom- she didn't know it wasn't water... And- And-"
"...Wheres mom?" Carlos asked quietly.
"Honey, she's gone." His grandmother said trying not to break down.
"What? No! She can't be dead! She just can't!" He screamed.
"Carlos, please settle down." His grandmother asked, in tears.
"No! I want mom! She can't be dead! I want mom!" He screamed as he bolted out of the office and down the hallway, crying.
He ran until he came to a supply closet, he opened the door and ran inside. He locked the door and slid down it to the floor.
"Carlos! Carlos, please open the door! Carlos please!" He grandmother begged from the other side of the door.
"No! I want mom! I want mom! I'm not leaving until mom comes back!"
"Carlos, please!"
"...I'm not leaving till mom comes back." He said quietly to himself as he cried.
"Carlos? Are you okay? Honey, your crying." Joanna said to me, snapping me back to reality.
"S-Sorry." I said wiping my eyes dry.
"Whats wrong?" Logan asked.
"N-Nothing, just seeing you two interact brought back some memories."
Joanna smiled sadly at me and Logan looked almost guilty.
"S-So what are we doing after this?" I asked.
"Heading home." Joanna said smiling.
Authors Note: Sorry if I made anyone cry. Also, this is still Carlos character from the show, I just couldn't think of another name for his mothers maiden name. Please review!
