At The Bayberry
KayM
As Long As He Draws Breath part 7
Wed Apr 9 18:43:01 2003
24.130.196.170
As Long As He Draws Breath part 7
Peter didn't balk at the money he'd have to pay for Todd's uniform. He just
pulled some bills out of his wallet, threw them in Todd's direction and walked
away.
Todd would stand in front of the bathroom mirror and stare at himself in his
new uniform. True, the uniform seemed to eat his small, frail body like it was
a live thing, but he felt more proud and happy then he ever believed he could.
His father was staying out later and later, sometimes not coming home until
well into the wee hours. Sometimes he would come home with a woman he'd
introduce as Todd's nanny. Todd had many nannies, most of whom never gave him
a second glance, and who often disappeared soon after he met them. The
housekeeper would make him dinner before she left for the day, but other than
that, she had no real interaction with Todd, or warmth toward him. Most of the
time, Todd was home alone, and even when Peter was home, he was mostly
ignored. Peter was too preoccupied with the "nannies" to worry about him. At
least the nights visits lessened when there was a nanny around. For that, Todd
counted himself grateful.
He hated having to go home after practices. After all the fun he had playing,
and being with the other kids and Sam, he could barely stand going back to the
cold, empty house where Peter alternately beat him and ignored him. He was
starting to come out of his shell a little and his teammates were starting to
talk to him and include him, even during school hours. He started to show a
little more of his sweet smile, and quick wit, and his eyes weren't always
planted on the floor. Now, he didn't spend every lunch hour eating alone.
And Sam, as promised, drove him home from every practice. He loved talking to
Sam because he always seemed interested in what he was saying. He listened
with a smile as Todd babbled on happily about football, his favorite shows on
t.v., his new friends, about anything. Of course, Todd made sure not to get
too personal. Sometimes Sam would ask him how things were going at home, and
Todd's face would shadow over. He'd carefully skirt around the questions,
giving as little detail as possible, or changing the subject altogether. Sam
didn't think anything of it. Some people were just like that, private, kept
themselves to themselves, but he was pleased to see Todd getting along well
with the other team members, and enjoying himself. And he loved seeing him
smile. It was infectious.
Often, though, Sam was distracted with his own problems. Things weren't going
well at home, and Todd could tell that Sam had other things on his mind,
though Sam would come out of his reveries when he noticed Todd's silence and
encourage him to go on, making an effort to listen. Todd would continue, but
he would wonder if his coach had secrets of his own he was desperately trying
to keep.
One late afternoon, as they were nearing Todd's house, Sam couldn't help but
notice Todd wilting in his seat. Sam noticed with a frown that Todd often got
suddenly quiet as they rounded his block and he wondered about it.
"Todd," he said softly, "What's going on, pal?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing? Come on, Todd, you shut off like a faucet after talking my ear off
halfway home," he smiled and pinched Todd's ear lightly to show that he was
teasing. "Oh come on, Boomer, you know you can tell me anything. We're not
just coach and player. We're buddies, right?"
Todd nodded, smiling a little at his new nickname, given to him when Sam
commented that Todd could run like thunder. "So what's wrong, pal? Tell your
old coach."
Todd looked at his hands, squirming like mealworms in his lap. "I-- I
don't...want to go home," he nearly whispered.
Sam frowned. "Why not?"
"My dad works late. I'm alone a lot. I don't like it. It's so--" He didn't
know how to express to Sam that he was lonely. It wasn't a new concept for
him, he'd missed his mother every single day since she left, but it never
seemed to get any easier to deal with. Sam seemed to understand.
"Oh Boomer, I didn't even realize. You must rattling around like a pea in a
can in that big house of yours. Hey, maybe a few days a week, you can come
over to my house, do your homework, maybe have some dinner, at least until
your dad gets home. He can come pick you up on the way home. How would that
be?"
Todd's heart swelled in his chest. He'd never been inside of Sam's house
before. It was like his frequent fantasy of Sam taking him to live with him
and letting him be his son was coming true. He knew it was silly to think
that, but he couldn't help it. At least he'd get to spend more time with Sam.
He tried to supress his excitement.
"I'd like that," he replied evenly, but his smile was wide and beautiful. Sam
couldn't help smiling himself.
"Well, good. Ask your dad and we'll see, okay?"
The grin dropped from Todd's face and he swallowed as he got out and trudged
up the front walk. Ask your father. That was the last thing he wanted to do,
especially now. Things were getting bad again. He' d tried to stay out of
Peter's way as much as possible. As lonely as he often felt at home alone, he
was sometimes glad when his father didn't come home until late at night, often
when he was already in bed. Sometimes he wished he'd never come back, then he
felt guilty for thinking that way. He felt torn with confusion. He loved his
father immensely, but he didn't know how to please him. Doing well on the
football team didn't do it, getting good grades didn't do it. He picked up his
toys, he cleaned up his room, he was quiet when his father demanded he be
quiet, and he stepped lightly, tried to be good. Still, his father seemed to
be in a foul mood more often than not, and he drank more than ever. He hit
more than ever too, whether Todd misbehaved or not. If he had no reason to
punish Todd, he made one up. There was no way Todd could be safe from a kick,
a slap, or a hard pinch that Peter was determined to give him.
And worse, the night visits were starting up again. Peter "fired" another
nanny, a woman named Terry who didn't even seem to know Todd's name. She
called him, "the boy" or "the kid", something that amused Peter to no end. She
and Peter fought, Todd didn't know what about, and he got rid of her. Then
Peter stormed into Todd's room, dragging him out of bed by his thick, dark
blond hair, and took his anger out on his most convenient target. As light a
sleeper as Todd was before, it was almost impossible for him now. He lay down
with the covers pulled up to his chin, staring at his closed door and
wondering if his father was going to crash in and hurt him again. He could
barely force himself to close his eyes let alone get more than a few hours of
sleep a night. Even in his dreams he didn't feel safe.
He wanted desperately to go to his mother, but knew that was impossible. After
Mount Joy, he knew he couldn't seek her out again. His father would certainly
come after him. He wouldn't admit it to himself, but deep down he was afraid
that she would send him back again, reject him again, for good this time. His
mother was one. His father wouldn't love him. The only bright spot in his life
was Sam, and if he wanted to be with, he had to go through his father first.
What can $36 a year buy? — Server.com Sponsor
At The Bayberry FanFic Board -- The Gutter
KayM
As Long As He Draws Breath part 7
Wed Apr 9 18:43:01 2003
24.130.196.170
As Long As He Draws Breath part 7
Peter didn't balk at the money he'd have to pay for Todd's uniform. He just
pulled some bills out of his wallet, threw them in Todd's direction and walked
away.
Todd would stand in front of the bathroom mirror and stare at himself in his
new uniform. True, the uniform seemed to eat his small, frail body like it was
a live thing, but he felt more proud and happy then he ever believed he could.
His father was staying out later and later, sometimes not coming home until
well into the wee hours. Sometimes he would come home with a woman he'd
introduce as Todd's nanny. Todd had many nannies, most of whom never gave him
a second glance, and who often disappeared soon after he met them. The
housekeeper would make him dinner before she left for the day, but other than
that, she had no real interaction with Todd, or warmth toward him. Most of the
time, Todd was home alone, and even when Peter was home, he was mostly
ignored. Peter was too preoccupied with the "nannies" to worry about him. At
least the nights visits lessened when there was a nanny around. For that, Todd
counted himself grateful.
He hated having to go home after practices. After all the fun he had playing,
and being with the other kids and Sam, he could barely stand going back to the
cold, empty house where Peter alternately beat him and ignored him. He was
starting to come out of his shell a little and his teammates were starting to
talk to him and include him, even during school hours. He started to show a
little more of his sweet smile, and quick wit, and his eyes weren't always
planted on the floor. Now, he didn't spend every lunch hour eating alone.
And Sam, as promised, drove him home from every practice. He loved talking to
Sam because he always seemed interested in what he was saying. He listened
with a smile as Todd babbled on happily about football, his favorite shows on
t.v., his new friends, about anything. Of course, Todd made sure not to get
too personal. Sometimes Sam would ask him how things were going at home, and
Todd's face would shadow over. He'd carefully skirt around the questions,
giving as little detail as possible, or changing the subject altogether. Sam
didn't think anything of it. Some people were just like that, private, kept
themselves to themselves, but he was pleased to see Todd getting along well
with the other team members, and enjoying himself. And he loved seeing him
smile. It was infectious.
Often, though, Sam was distracted with his own problems. Things weren't going
well at home, and Todd could tell that Sam had other things on his mind,
though Sam would come out of his reveries when he noticed Todd's silence and
encourage him to go on, making an effort to listen. Todd would continue, but
he would wonder if his coach had secrets of his own he was desperately trying
to keep.
One late afternoon, as they were nearing Todd's house, Sam couldn't help but
notice Todd wilting in his seat. Sam noticed with a frown that Todd often got
suddenly quiet as they rounded his block and he wondered about it.
"Todd," he said softly, "What's going on, pal?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing? Come on, Todd, you shut off like a faucet after talking my ear off
halfway home," he smiled and pinched Todd's ear lightly to show that he was
teasing. "Oh come on, Boomer, you know you can tell me anything. We're not
just coach and player. We're buddies, right?"
Todd nodded, smiling a little at his new nickname, given to him when Sam
commented that Todd could run like thunder. "So what's wrong, pal? Tell your
old coach."
Todd looked at his hands, squirming like mealworms in his lap. "I-- I
don't...want to go home," he nearly whispered.
Sam frowned. "Why not?"
"My dad works late. I'm alone a lot. I don't like it. It's so--" He didn't
know how to express to Sam that he was lonely. It wasn't a new concept for
him, he'd missed his mother every single day since she left, but it never
seemed to get any easier to deal with. Sam seemed to understand.
"Oh Boomer, I didn't even realize. You must rattling around like a pea in a
can in that big house of yours. Hey, maybe a few days a week, you can come
over to my house, do your homework, maybe have some dinner, at least until
your dad gets home. He can come pick you up on the way home. How would that
be?"
Todd's heart swelled in his chest. He'd never been inside of Sam's house
before. It was like his frequent fantasy of Sam taking him to live with him
and letting him be his son was coming true. He knew it was silly to think
that, but he couldn't help it. At least he'd get to spend more time with Sam.
He tried to supress his excitement.
"I'd like that," he replied evenly, but his smile was wide and beautiful. Sam
couldn't help smiling himself.
"Well, good. Ask your dad and we'll see, okay?"
The grin dropped from Todd's face and he swallowed as he got out and trudged
up the front walk. Ask your father. That was the last thing he wanted to do,
especially now. Things were getting bad again. He' d tried to stay out of
Peter's way as much as possible. As lonely as he often felt at home alone, he
was sometimes glad when his father didn't come home until late at night, often
when he was already in bed. Sometimes he wished he'd never come back, then he
felt guilty for thinking that way. He felt torn with confusion. He loved his
father immensely, but he didn't know how to please him. Doing well on the
football team didn't do it, getting good grades didn't do it. He picked up his
toys, he cleaned up his room, he was quiet when his father demanded he be
quiet, and he stepped lightly, tried to be good. Still, his father seemed to
be in a foul mood more often than not, and he drank more than ever. He hit
more than ever too, whether Todd misbehaved or not. If he had no reason to
punish Todd, he made one up. There was no way Todd could be safe from a kick,
a slap, or a hard pinch that Peter was determined to give him.
And worse, the night visits were starting up again. Peter "fired" another
nanny, a woman named Terry who didn't even seem to know Todd's name. She
called him, "the boy" or "the kid", something that amused Peter to no end. She
and Peter fought, Todd didn't know what about, and he got rid of her. Then
Peter stormed into Todd's room, dragging him out of bed by his thick, dark
blond hair, and took his anger out on his most convenient target. As light a
sleeper as Todd was before, it was almost impossible for him now. He lay down
with the covers pulled up to his chin, staring at his closed door and
wondering if his father was going to crash in and hurt him again. He could
barely force himself to close his eyes let alone get more than a few hours of
sleep a night. Even in his dreams he didn't feel safe.
He wanted desperately to go to his mother, but knew that was impossible. After
Mount Joy, he knew he couldn't seek her out again. His father would certainly
come after him. He wouldn't admit it to himself, but deep down he was afraid
that she would send him back again, reject him again, for good this time. His
mother was one. His father wouldn't love him. The only bright spot in his life
was Sam, and if he wanted to be with, he had to go through his father first.
What can $36 a year buy? — Server.com Sponsor
At The Bayberry FanFic Board -- The Gutter