"Mom?"
"Mom went to the store."
"Oh. Well then I guess I'll just sit around until she gets back." Sandy watched his son try to sneak into the living room.
"She told me you're grounded! No video games."
"Really? Really dad? You're not gonna let me and Ryan play video games? We were bonding. You don't want us to bond?"
"Ryan can play video games if he wants. You can watch." "Oh my god you guys are the worst parents ever." Sandy laughed as Seth threw himself dramatically onto the couch in the next room. He wondered if Ryan was ever that overdramatic. Seth certainly hadn't inherited it from himself, but Kirsten was never like that either. It was probably Seth just being a kid.
Had Ryan ever gotten the chance to be a kid? To dramatically throw himself on a piece of furniture and huff and puff for not getting his way? Was he able to throw a tantrum even as a small child? What would have happened if he had? He tried not to think about it. It didn't matter anymore anyway. Ryan was with them and he was safe.
"You sure there's nothing you want Kirsten to get for you? That woman would love a new excuse to shop." She older man laughed to himself while Ryan stood. He shook his head. He was sure he looked like a moron standing at the kitchen counter, trying not to put weight on his one leg. He should have just sat down. But where? He should have probably said something back to Sandy, right? But what? He had already answered the question he was asked.
He opened his mouth, hoping that something would come out. He heard words, but they didn't come from him.
"Dude. Hey, dude. Don't you want to come watch TV? The Goonies is supposed to be on and, I mean, I think it would be right up your alley." Seth was now standing in the kitchen doorway, smiling hopefully. Ryan raised his eyebrows in Sandy's direction, hoping the older man would understand what he was trying to ask so he wouldn't have to actually find the words. He smiled at the two of them and went back to his reading.
"Okay, go."
The movie was strange, but Ryan didn't really care. It at least gave him something to do besides sleep. But by the time the movie was over, all he could think about was sleep.
And pain. It had been a normal dull ache since he had really woken up. Ryan could deal with that amount of pain. It was an amount of pain that he had dealt with on a regular basis. He spent a good amount of the movie trying to figure out if he really was in a lot of pain or not. Was he getting weak because he knew that the pills sitting in the kitchen would take all the hurt away? Or had spending one whole day in a house this nice turned him into a pussy? Or had his knee really just started hurting more?
When the credits rolled, Ryan stood and walked to the kitchen, despite Seth jabbering about how great the movie was. He decided to get himself an actual glass of water since he had been thirsty since lunch. He didn't want to bring it into the living room, but it would be all right, wouldn't it? He had eaten in there just the day before. Should he offer to bring Seth something?
Before he could turn around and ask, Seth bounded into the kitchen talking about popcorn and Nightmare on Elm Street.
Ryan and Seth were in the kitchen when Sandy went downstairs.
He had been on the phone with the principal at Seth's school trying to get Ryan in. He didn't want Ryan to have to go jumping through hoops and taking tests to get in. What if he failed? What if he wasn't very smart and the tests and the school threw it in his face? He didn't want him to go through any more trauma than was completely necessary. Deep down, he knew that it would be better for Ryan to take the tests now and have the possibility of going somewhere else than to let him go in blindly and fail in front of everyone. He wondered if Ryan was smart enough to pass the tests and do well in the school.
"Hey, dad. Wanna come watch movies with us? We did the goonies, but I think we should change pace and hit all the major slasher flics. Just, you know. 'Cause. But only the originals of course." Sandy rolled his eyes. His son acted like he was allergic to sunlight. Did Ryan enjoy spending time outside?
"Why don't you guys go outside?"
"Really, dad? Ryan is hurt. He's practically dying. And you want to throw him outside to the cold, cruel world? While he's wounded like this? Dad, he's gonna think you don't like him."
"'Cold, cruel world'? Seth, it's eighty-five degrees outside. It's a beautiful day."
"You're right. Do you think we could drag the TV out there?" Sandy sighed.
"You know what? Fine. Just watch your movies. But why don't you let Ryan pick one out eventually."
It was strange for Ryan, having an adult around that wasn't angry. Or drunk. Or crying. He wasn't really sure how to act around his new father.
Maybe if Ryan was on his best behavior, it would last. But how long could he really go without messing everything up? A few days? A few weeks, maybe? And then everything would be back to normal. Or maybe they would just kick him out? Why go through the trouble of disciplining him when they didn't need to? Could he survive on the street until his real father was out of jail?
He tried his hardest not to fall asleep in the middle of the living room, but he didn't make it through many gory movies before he gave in.