Disclaimer- I don't like people today.
Dwayne entered the single room and saw one mattress stripped of its sheets. His eyes snapped to the other bed where Rowan clasped Gabe to his bare chest, the young cheek resting on pockmarked skin. Dwayne's heart sat upon his tongue- children who had been abused rarely ever broke the cycle completely- why would he think Rowan would be any different? He should take Gabe away, get him into a good home, it wasn't like he'd ever see his mother again.
Rowan was staring at the ceiling, his breathing shallow. "It's not what you think," he said. Then tell me what to think, Dwayne's psyche pleaded. "He wet his bead so I gave him mine and loaned him my shirt- he refused to sleep in his underwear, I don't know why. So I as on the floor and he said he was afraid so I lay down just for a moment and I fell asleep, and he on me. I didn't mean to sleep here, Dwayne." Dwayne didn't say anything, mind attempting to believe him. "I swear to God Dwayne, I wouldn't do anything like this. Please believe me. C'mon, you have to believe me. God, I'd never do that to anyone, not after Frank."
Dwayne thought for a moment. Gabe needed Rowan like Rowan had needed Sara. Both of them needed a family; Dwayne wished yet again that he could be the one they'd count on but he knew it wouldn't happen- that would mean giving in, on some small mental level, and neither of them were the giving in type- that was acquainted to death in at least one of their minds. "I know," said Dwayne. "I came to tell you that you're allowed to smoke. We know you do it anyway and as long as you don't do it blatantly."
"Like a take care of Gabe and get nicotine kind of a thing?"
"Yeah, something like that."
"I don't know. A kid, a brother." Chose Gabe, thought Dwayne. Chose the one person who still has full faith in you. Chose Gabe.
Dwayne entered the single room and saw one mattress stripped of its sheets. His eyes snapped to the other bed where Rowan clasped Gabe to his bare chest, the young cheek resting on pockmarked skin. Dwayne's heart sat upon his tongue- children who had been abused rarely ever broke the cycle completely- why would he think Rowan would be any different? He should take Gabe away, get him into a good home, it wasn't like he'd ever see his mother again.
Rowan was staring at the ceiling, his breathing shallow. "It's not what you think," he said. Then tell me what to think, Dwayne's psyche pleaded. "He wet his bead so I gave him mine and loaned him my shirt- he refused to sleep in his underwear, I don't know why. So I as on the floor and he said he was afraid so I lay down just for a moment and I fell asleep, and he on me. I didn't mean to sleep here, Dwayne." Dwayne didn't say anything, mind attempting to believe him. "I swear to God Dwayne, I wouldn't do anything like this. Please believe me. C'mon, you have to believe me. God, I'd never do that to anyone, not after Frank."
Dwayne thought for a moment. Gabe needed Rowan like Rowan had needed Sara. Both of them needed a family; Dwayne wished yet again that he could be the one they'd count on but he knew it wouldn't happen- that would mean giving in, on some small mental level, and neither of them were the giving in type- that was acquainted to death in at least one of their minds. "I know," said Dwayne. "I came to tell you that you're allowed to smoke. We know you do it anyway and as long as you don't do it blatantly."
"Like a take care of Gabe and get nicotine kind of a thing?"
"Yeah, something like that."
"I don't know. A kid, a brother." Chose Gabe, thought Dwayne. Chose the one person who still has full faith in you. Chose Gabe.