Session 10
Gideon hefted a few bags from the trunk carrying them up the walkway to his grandma's house. It was grocery day, and that usually meant a dozen trips from the car to the house and back again. It always surprised him how much his grandma ate. When he stepped through the door, his grandma was humming a song in the kitchen. The melody luring him into the kitchen, where she was putting stuff on the shelves.
"Got enough groceries?"
"I hope so, I'm not use to feeding two and half mammals." The sound of his grandma laughing, brought a smile to his face.
"Yeah, har har. Fat joke. I'm going to go grab the last few bags, I'll be back."
Gideon started down the hallway, he heard his phone ringing from the bedroom. Gideon hurried to get it, flipping it open.
"Hey."
"Gid."
"Trev, what's going on? Everything alright?"
"No, dad's back. They're trying to get me out of the foster home. I don't wanna go."
"Where's Eddie?"
"He's in the Bunnyburrows staying with a friend."
"Alright, can you get to him."
"I dunno, maybe."
"Just go there, I'm heading back to the farm."
"Love you, bro."
"Love you too, Trev."
Gideon hung up the phone and started dialing Dr. Hamm's number. It barely rang one time, before she picked up the phone. Her voice sounded a bit hazy as if she'd been sleeping.
"Gideon, are you alright?"
"Yeah, my step dad's out and he's trying to get Trevor from foster care. We can't let him get his hands on him."
"Calm down, Gideon..." He could hear her shifting out of her bed. "There's really nothing we can do about that."
"But you were able to help me before."
"I was able to help you, because I was assigned to your case. But...I have an idea."
"What?"
"You can confront your step dad, if he gets angry enough to hit you. Then we can have him arrested again. I know it's not a permanent solution, but it's the best I can do."
"Can't I get in trouble for that."
"No, for two reasons. One I will be with you and say it's part of the healing process to make things better. Two, you're not going to hit him back. That way it'll be an assault, not a fight. I'll be there to vouch for you."
"I don't want you getting hurt."
"I'll be okay, I know a thing or two about self defense. Let me get dressed and give me ten minutes, I'll be right there."
"Alright, see you soon."
Gideon flipped the phone closed, his body was shaking all over. He tucked the phone in his pocket and hurried into the kitchen. His grandma was finishing putting away the last bag of groceries, looking back over her shoulder at him.
"You're so pale, what's eatin you?"
"Step dad's going back to the farm today."
"Oh? At least your brothers are both safe."
"But their not, Mom and dad are gonna try and get them back."
"Over my dead body, that man is a monster. If I were a younger woman, I'd take care of him for sure."
"Nah, this ain't your arena. Dr. Hamm think's now is a good time to confront him for what he did to me."
Grandma touched his cheek and shook her head. "No, you can't do that. If you get in trouble, you'll go to jail."
Gideon explained about Dr. Hamm's plan, the worry not leaving her eyes. Instead she moved closer, petting her grandson's cheek. Tears welling in her eyes. Gideon felt like his heart was going to break, seeing the frail woman crying. All she wanted to do was keep him safe, blaming herself for the way Eddie turned out. It was always apparent whenever she talked about her youngest son. Gideon pulled his grandma into a hug and kissed her cheek.
"Trust me, grandma. I really think I can do this, and who knows, I might be able to right the wrongs I made by leaving Eddie and Trevor to deal with that monster. In the long run it might make me feel better about what happened."
"Well, I trust that you know what you're doing, come home safe."
"I will grandma."
Gideon gave the little old fox another warm hug. Hearing a soft knocking at the door. Gideon stalked over, opening it. Dr. Hamm stood at the door, wearing a slap dashed outfit of baggy jeans and a t-shirt. The way that he looked at her close, caused her to give him a light slap in the arm.
"We all can't dress as spiffy as you, slick."
Gideon wanted to laugh by he was way too concerned about his brothers. Dr. Hamm ran her fingers slowly along the pudgy fox's arm. A calming look on her face and a reassuring smile.
"I know you're worried about them, but everything will work out. Come on, let's get this over with."
"Love you, Grandma, be back soon."
Gideon didn't wait for her to respond and followed Dr. Hamm out to the car. The warm sun was hanging over head. It was still mid-morning so a cool breeze wiped through tussling the young fox's hair. By the time he got in the car, Dr. Hamm already had it started and was putting on her seat belt. Gideon followed her example and buckled up.
"Just remember to stay calm during this whole thing. I will be recording the encounter with my phone so if anything does happen, we'll have evidence."
"Would you think less of me, if I told you I feel like I'm gonna throw up?"
"Not one bit, I feel like it too."
The hour long drive to the farm did little to settle the pudgy fox's stomach. In fact it only made it more rocky. When they turned the corner and headed down the dirt path. He could see the house in the distance. It had been the first time he'd been back since the incident that almost landed him in jail. His heart started pounding in his chest, his breath coming out in short burst. A doubt started radiating through him, slowly turning into anger. A warm hand rested on his knee and looked down to see Dr. Hamm's fingers rolling circles in the fur on his bare knee.
"Hey, it's going to be okay, sweetie. I'll be with you, he only get's one punch. I know you can take it."
"Alright, I won't let you down."
"No, you won't let yourself down. I'll always be proud of you."
Dr. Hamm pulled the car over to the side of the road near the gate. Gideon could see the path ahead. In truth it was just a dirt walkway to the house, in his head it looked like a hallway from a horror movie. Something dark and shifting, with over grown paths of thorny branches. Suddenly Gideon had to pee, the anxiety making him hurt in places that only reminded him of what happened. When he stepped out onto the path, his mouth went dry. It lead deeper into the woods, deeper where the monsters dwell.
Dr. Hamm stepped up behind him, resting her hand on his shoulder. They share a look and started down the path. The monster sat on his porch talking to another fox. A fat fox that looked like she couldn't move even if she wanted to. The female pushed her hair out of her eyes with one hefty hand to swat away a fly. Gideon almost couldn't recognize her, she'd gained so much weight. In his mind he pictured a curvy fox female that use to chase him around the front yard. Could see her kissing her father when he go finished with his chores. Now she just looked like an amorphous blob that ate the fox that he knew as mom.
The male fox on the porch stopped talking and turned to see the youth coming towards the house. He rose up from the broken yellow lawn chair, taking a long drink from the bottle of beer dangling in his fingers, before throwing the bottle into the yard with a muted shatter. Gideon felt like stopping, felt like turning and running., but knew that there was noway he could live that down.
"What you doing here?"
His step dad looked right passed him to Dr. Hamm, didn't even flinch. Gideon's step dad jumped down from the porch, walking over to them at a brisk pace. He carried himself in a threatening way. Fist clenched, arms out. Gideon stopped a few feet away, but didn't cower in anyway. If anything he stood as tall as he could, almost a foot taller than the scrappier looking fox.
"I'm talking to you, bitch. What are you doing here?"
"I'm here with him, we're doing one of his court ordered session." Dr Hamm announced loudly to making sure that she could be heard on the video.
The fox tried to get by Gideon, but the larger fox moved between them forcing the smaller fox to slow his pacing. Gideon struck a violent pose himself. By this point Dr. Hamm had her phone ready, already recording the encounter.
"Well, you and this fag are trespassing on my property. I'll give you to the count of ten to leave."
"Do you still gather government benefits on Gideon Grey's behalf?"
"Yeah, so?"
"Then he legally resides at this residence."
"But you don't, so get out."
"I'm here as his therapist in the hopes to help him through this difficult point in his life."
"Difficult point? You mean all this crap he brought on himself...never mind I'm done talking to you. I'm calling the cops."
The scrappy fox turned and started back towards the house, making sure to keep his macho act going. Dr. Hamm ran her fingers down Gideon's back, he could feel the urgency in her touch. Telling him int was now or never.
"You touched me!"
The scrappy fox stopped in his tracks, slowly turning around. Even the blob fox on the porch turned her head to look at her son. Gideon held his ground against their stares, tensing when his step father started back.
"What the hell did you say-"
"You touched me, you used to...to have sex with me. Make me suck your dick."
"Making shit up are you...you ungrateful piece of shit." The step dad attempted to chest bump, Gideon, but only forced him to fall back a few steps.
"You did it, you know you did. You use to hit me, then you'd fuck me to make yourself feel better about being gay."
"I'm not gay."
"Tell yourself that, lie to yourself like I lied to myself."
"You don't know what you're talking about you little fruit. If I'm gay, why am I doin your mama so often we're having babies like crazy." There was a concerned look in the scrappy fox's eyes.
"The only reason that is, is because you're turning eighteen soon, he's gonna lose money."
"Shut up, bitch. One more word out-"
"We all know the real reason you're having another baby. Eddie's too old for you now, once he hit ten, just doesn't get you going. That's why he ran away."
"Shut up! He didn't run away."
"Yeah he did, cause he can't stand you touching on him. That's the reason why you're working so hard to get Trev back...being in jail so long left you wantin' it. Trevor's your type, young and easily-"
The world went white for a second and then black as Gideon fell to one knee. His leg moving up to cover his face in enough time to catch a foot before it hit him in the face. Gideon pushed so hard that the scrappy fox fell, rolling back a few steps. Blood dripped from his bottom lip, pooling on the ground. When he slowly got to his feet it ran down his shirt. For the first time the rage didn't come, there was no anger. It felt strange, like he was weak and vulnerable. The scrappy fox got to his feet, making a move at Gideon.
"Stop." Dr. Hamm moved only to take a full on shove to her chest, pushing her back on the ground, dropping her phone.
Before Gideon could stop himself, he punched the scrappy fox as hard as he could in the stomach. The punch was so solid that he could hear the air being pushed form his step dad's lungs. The smaller fox fumbled back and fell into the dirt, throwing up. Gideon knelt down next to Dr. Hamm who was fighting to breath her hand thrashing around for the phone.
On the other end of the line an officer was calling to her. "Ma'am, have you been attacked. We're sending a car, get yourself to safety.
"I... called...the cops." Dr. Hamm grunted touching her chest and fighting to breath.
Gideon nodded and helped her to her feet. Turning to see the blob that was once his mother standing on the lawn between him and his step father. Her mouth hanging open over multiple chins. The once beautiful fox lady he knew as mom was gone, now there was this hollow shell that clacked like pills in a bottle when she moved.
"He molested you..."
"Yeah." Gideon said around his fattening lip.
"I don't believe you. Eddie took care of us when your dad died."
"He helped himself to dad's insurance money, helped himself to you, and he helped himself to me, to Eddie Jr. Soon he's going to help himself to Trevor, that baby in your belly, and every other kid you have. He's sick in the head."
"You're a liar, dead to me. Dead to me like your worthless father."
Gideon's face softened, his eyebrows going as slacked as his mouth. Both of his parents were dead now, all that was left was a hollow home. Gideon shook his head and helped Dr. Hamm back up the pathway to the car. In the distance they could hear sirens approaching. Gideon sat in the passenger seat next to Dr. Hamm who was finally able to talk to the police. Gideon only heard a few of the things they talked about, his mind somewhere else.
"He attacked his step son and then attacked me. I got most of it on video. I dropped my phone when he attacked me. Yes, I just need to get some numbers from my phone before you take it. Two more kids, one is at a friends house. The other is in foster care. Evidence of molestation."
When she hung up the phone, she pulled out her notebook starting to jot down the important numbers. Gideon couldn't help, but notice that the top two were his number and his grandma's. It was cute the way she wrote his name, making sure to dot the I with a heart. Gideon wished he had such nice handwriting.
"This has been quite the day." Dr. Hamm whispered, finishing some file transfers to her memory card before pulling it out.
"I think that may be an understatement."
"You did wonderfully, Gideon."
"Yeah, well then why do I feel so shitty? Sorry, language."
Dr. Hamm dabbed his bottom lips with a tissue. "Because you're still hurting, talking about it makes it hurt worse."
"Will it ever stop?"
"No, but it gets better. Then worse, then better again. It'll never go away Gideon. I'll be here for you as long as you need me to."
"At this rate, that might be forever."
"I have no problem with that." Dr. Hamm smiled warmly at the pudgy fox, running her fingers through his hair.
They sat there in silences, enjoying the sounds of Gideon's step dad being arrested while they waited to be questioned. Only a few question were asked, one of the cops mentioning that Eddie Grey had just been released from lock up on suspected child abuse charges. A familiar wolf sheriff winked at Gideon and smirked as he informed the young fox that his step dad will be gone for a long time.