Frankie nudged Shawn, who was still asleep on the couch. "Hunter, wake up,
your dad's outside." Shawn opened his eyes, just barely. He could see the
outline of his right eye from the left one, not a good sign. "What time is
it?" Shawn asked a bit disoriented. "Frankie glanced at his watch, "Almost
six in the morning, oh man, I should still be dreaming." Frankie sighed and
sluggishly wandered back into his bedroom. Shawn slowly rose to his feet,
clutching his sore shoulder. Although the burning pain subsided, it was
still pretty stiff. Shawn stepped out the front door to see his father
talking with Mr. Stecchino. Although he couldn't hear what they were saying
he could tell Big Frankie was angry.
The two men turned their attention to him as he made his way down the steps to the ground. Mr. Stecchino cut in front of him and returned to the trailer in a huff, the door slamming shut behind him. "Hey Slim.Man I guess I really did a number on ya last night huh boy?" Chet queried, as he moved a bit closer to his son. Shawn rolled his eyes and shrugged, "YA THINK??" He asked sarcastically as he gently stroked his eye. "Chet folded his hands in front of him in a pleading motion, "Shawnie, I can't tell you how sorry I am..I went way overboard last night and I would do anything to take it back."
Shawn grimaced as he experienced major déjà vu. "My God, how many times are we going to have this same conversation!! Over and over you do things like this and over and over, I'm stupid enough to think it will never happen again." Shawn folded his arms in anger and leaned against the corrugated trailer. He immediately regretted the movement as his shoulder began to throb. He groaned and cradled his arm, instinctively turning away.
Chet advanced quickly realizing Shawn's discomfort. He gently placed his arm around the boy apologetically. Shawn closed his eyes and pouted. Chet squeezed the back of his neck, as Shawn began to pull away. His heart skipped a beat as he realized his father was attempting to embrace him, but his soul told him not to be fooled. "Shawn, please.I know I hurt you, I'm so sorry..Please just let me try to make it up to you son!! Kid I love you so much, I would never hurt you intentionally. I just didn't know what I was doing last night, I can't even remember any of it."
Shawn swung around and broke away from Chet's grip. His brow furrowed in anger, his breathing deep and steady. "THAT'S SUPPOSED TO MAKE IT OKAY!!! THE FACT THAT YOU CAN"T REMEMBER ONLY MAKES IT THAT MUCH WORSE!!" Shawn kicked the step and slammed his fist onto the side of the trailer. "God dad, you may have took off on me or forgot about me or even ditched me on more than one occasion, but I never feared you. I never was afraid to be near you!!" Shawn screamed into the early morning silence with vigor. "Sure, you've gotten a bit rough sometimes, and hurt me without realizing it. When I was ten and you broke my arm the first time, I knew in my heart it was an accident. I felt so bad when they came and took me away from you and mom, cause I knew you didn't mean it. It just happened."
Shawn sat down on the step as Chet hung his head and listened. "But this. This was totally different!! You hurt me, you got so angry with me you lashed out and came after me and that scares the hell out of me. I don't trust you when you're drunk. Plain and simple!! When your drunk it's like a crapshoot, is it a good drunk, where you're all jolly and lighthearted and we laugh and have a good time just being stupid together, then we fall asleep wherever we are, just the two of us. OR is it the bad drunk when you turn into this guy I don't even know, who sometimes forgets his own strength and shoves me into a table so hard I feel like my lungs are gonna explode!!"
Shawn buried his face in his hands, but eerily the tears did not appear. Frustration however was building, welling inside him like a volcano. Chet remained silent, his expression riddled with guilt and sorrow. "How many times are you gonna throw me to the ground or push me through a window or bang my head against a wall before you unintentionally kill me?? Huh dad is the booze worth it that much, that you're willing to throw them dice and gamble with my life?? Cause I'm no gambler dad, and if you choose your buddies Jim Bean and Jack Daniels over me, I'm gone!! I'll grab what little I have and I'll go... Just like all the others who are tired of broken arms and black eyes and split lips..Just like my mother!!!"
Chet knelt on the ground beside his son. His posture shadowed utter defeat, He began to weep openly as he leaned in against Shawn's knee. "I'll stop I swear I will Shawnie, please just give me another chance to show you I love you.I need you so much boy, your everything to me." Shawn placed his arm around his father and patted him on the back. Deep down he knew the man was sincere, but history made him cynical, jaded, and untrusting. He's seen this episode before. This display was a mere rerun, and one Shawn disliked immensely. Shawn gave in and placed his chin on his dad's shoulder, Chet wrapped Shawn in a bear hug and gently squeezed, the sight of dried blood on his neck and matted in his hair made Chet's stomach swell. As much as Shawn's inner voice told him to change the channel, he decided to stay tuned. He decided to roll the dice just once more and bet on his dad.. All or nothing this time, maybe his luck would change and he could win it all.Maybe.. Maybe NOT.It's a crapshoot.
Jonathan Turner rolled into the faculty parking lot just as Mr. George Feeny was locking up his Gremlin. "Good Morning Jonathan, at least it was before you broke the sound barrier." George joked as he pulled his briefcase from the trunk. "I know it's loud George, but to the trained ear, to true hogg lovers, this baby sounds like a purring kitten. Mr. Feeny's smile faded as he noticed the second helmet strapped lonesome to the back seat. "Say Jonathan how are you holding up, now that Mr. Hunter has returned home?" George asked with concern. Turner dismounted the bike and smiled. "I'm okay I guess, I'm surprised at how attached I got to him, but being back with his old man is what's best, we all know that." Feeny nodded and glanced around the empty lot, "Do we?" he questioned in his telltale lecturing tone.
Turner raised an eyebrow at the question, "Come on George!! You of all people should agree with me, you told me yourself my little arrangement with Shawn was a bad idea, that I should be his teacher and only his teacher and not to get too involved in his personal life..You said It was a mistake taking that child into my house." Feeny sighed as Jonathan held out his hands questioningly. "I'm well aware of what I said, Mr. Turner, and I admit at the time I meant it, but now, a year later. I've reevaluated my opinion. I feel as though Shawn needs more than just teachers. He's come such a long way, he's come farther than I dare say I thought he would."
The two men started toward the door as they continued their conversation, "Don't worry about that George, I'm still going to make it a point to be an active participant in Shawn's life, even if his father doesn't push him to move forward I will." Feeny stopped shy of his office, pausing in thought for a moment, he moved in closer to Jon. "Jonathan, do you have a few moments to talk privately in my office?" Jon glanced at his watch and nodded. Feeny led Turner through the door and closed it behind them.
Jon plopped into one of the leather seats facing Feeny's walnut desk, as George placed his briefcase on the roll away chair. Instead of sitting behind the desk, he moved a chair in close to Turner. "Look Jon, we've become more than colleagues this past year.I'd like to think we've become friends..good friends actually, so I feel comfortable speaking to you about this. I've been a teacher for over thirty years, and never have I stepped over the boundary of my student-teacher relationship. I've prided myself on finding that perfect harmony as educator-mentor without emotionally involving myself with a single student. At least I thought that true of myself, until I crossed paths with Master Hunter. I can't help but bring the baggage associated with that boy home sometimes, now what I say to you in this room, must.Mr. Turner.stay in this room." Mr. Feeny looked Jonathan in the eye with a stern stare, not wavering.
"Of course George, you have my confidence." Feeny sighed, "When Shawn was about eight years old, he and Cory signed up for an after school program I launched. Basically the children would stay an hour past last bell and do odd jobs around the halls, clapping erasers, scraping gum off chairs and tables, little things. As a reward for their efforts all year, during summer break I took the kids to a swim club for the day. When I saw Shawn, in just the swimming trunks, I almost fell over. He was covered in bruises.you could actually see large handprints on his arms and back. I was so alarmed; I took him aside immediately and questioned him about them. He of course lied through his teeth about it, just like he always does, but that day sounded an alarm for me." Feeny closed his eyes and frowned as the images clouded his mind once again.
Turner leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs, "What are you telling me George?" he reluctantly asked as he covered his mouth with his hands nervously. "After seeing him like that, I started to pay attention to him more and more in class, and sure enough, the bruises kept appearing. Then when Shawn was ten he came to school and was acting very peculiar, he wouldn't take notes, he brought no books to class, he was sluggish and very agitated, when I brought him into my office to question him, he almost fell over as he entered the room. It turns out he walked around for two days with a seriously fractured arm. Could you imagine, what it took for him to do that. He still would not budge, never spoke a word of how it happened, he just refused to cooperate with any of us. The nurse, the counselor, myself, no one could get him to confess to the abuse. Finally after that incident I decided to involve the state, I called DHS, and filed a report, after a two-week investigation they removed him from the home and placed him in foster care. I was directly involved in getting Shawn away from that man."
Jonathan's eyes were wide with shock, he was a bit familiar with Shawn's history from his meetings with DHS, but since he was a temporary guardian, they weren't obligated to disclose all the details. Jon bit his lip and took a deep breath, "WOW George, I'm speechless.. I mean, I knew Chet neglected Shawn, but I didn't know he physically abused the boy. He seems irresponsible and careless, but not angry or violent. I actually thought he was quite lighthearted, and a bit immature."
George nodded and smiled, "Your right Jon he doesn't seems that way, that's what makes him so dangerous. You see Shawn is going to be fifteen this year, he's gotten bigger, and he's growing into a strong young man, with quite a temper himself. Shawn is more confident and bolder than he was when he was a child. If Chet could do what he did to him then, what do you think Shawn will be in for if he begins to fight back. What do you think would happen if he one day he hits back. Shawn was a very frail and subdued boy at ten years old, but now, I honestly think If Chet was to go after him, I'm afraid he may try to stop his father, and although Shawn may be getting older and stronger, he's no match for Chet."
Jonathan had to agree, "What do you think I should do George. You know I love that kid, I really do. He came into my life and completely turned it in a different direction. We both gained so much from our time together, and now after all that's happened, If DHS came to me and asked me if I wanted to have Shawn for the rest of my life, I would do it in a heartbeat, no hesitation. But that chance came and went, now it's too late, he's gone, besides.. Now that I've screwed up and passed the chance to have Shawn, what makes you think he wants me.huh?? What makes you think Shawn won't turn around and do the same thing to me?"
Feeny folded his arms, "Well Jon, I can't answer that, there's only one person on earth who knows the answer to that question. Maybe it's time you talked to him. I can't tell you what to do Jonathan, only you can make this decision, but in all fairness you asked me what I think you should do, I'll oblige you with at least an answer... I think you should fight for him."
The two men turned their attention to him as he made his way down the steps to the ground. Mr. Stecchino cut in front of him and returned to the trailer in a huff, the door slamming shut behind him. "Hey Slim.Man I guess I really did a number on ya last night huh boy?" Chet queried, as he moved a bit closer to his son. Shawn rolled his eyes and shrugged, "YA THINK??" He asked sarcastically as he gently stroked his eye. "Chet folded his hands in front of him in a pleading motion, "Shawnie, I can't tell you how sorry I am..I went way overboard last night and I would do anything to take it back."
Shawn grimaced as he experienced major déjà vu. "My God, how many times are we going to have this same conversation!! Over and over you do things like this and over and over, I'm stupid enough to think it will never happen again." Shawn folded his arms in anger and leaned against the corrugated trailer. He immediately regretted the movement as his shoulder began to throb. He groaned and cradled his arm, instinctively turning away.
Chet advanced quickly realizing Shawn's discomfort. He gently placed his arm around the boy apologetically. Shawn closed his eyes and pouted. Chet squeezed the back of his neck, as Shawn began to pull away. His heart skipped a beat as he realized his father was attempting to embrace him, but his soul told him not to be fooled. "Shawn, please.I know I hurt you, I'm so sorry..Please just let me try to make it up to you son!! Kid I love you so much, I would never hurt you intentionally. I just didn't know what I was doing last night, I can't even remember any of it."
Shawn swung around and broke away from Chet's grip. His brow furrowed in anger, his breathing deep and steady. "THAT'S SUPPOSED TO MAKE IT OKAY!!! THE FACT THAT YOU CAN"T REMEMBER ONLY MAKES IT THAT MUCH WORSE!!" Shawn kicked the step and slammed his fist onto the side of the trailer. "God dad, you may have took off on me or forgot about me or even ditched me on more than one occasion, but I never feared you. I never was afraid to be near you!!" Shawn screamed into the early morning silence with vigor. "Sure, you've gotten a bit rough sometimes, and hurt me without realizing it. When I was ten and you broke my arm the first time, I knew in my heart it was an accident. I felt so bad when they came and took me away from you and mom, cause I knew you didn't mean it. It just happened."
Shawn sat down on the step as Chet hung his head and listened. "But this. This was totally different!! You hurt me, you got so angry with me you lashed out and came after me and that scares the hell out of me. I don't trust you when you're drunk. Plain and simple!! When your drunk it's like a crapshoot, is it a good drunk, where you're all jolly and lighthearted and we laugh and have a good time just being stupid together, then we fall asleep wherever we are, just the two of us. OR is it the bad drunk when you turn into this guy I don't even know, who sometimes forgets his own strength and shoves me into a table so hard I feel like my lungs are gonna explode!!"
Shawn buried his face in his hands, but eerily the tears did not appear. Frustration however was building, welling inside him like a volcano. Chet remained silent, his expression riddled with guilt and sorrow. "How many times are you gonna throw me to the ground or push me through a window or bang my head against a wall before you unintentionally kill me?? Huh dad is the booze worth it that much, that you're willing to throw them dice and gamble with my life?? Cause I'm no gambler dad, and if you choose your buddies Jim Bean and Jack Daniels over me, I'm gone!! I'll grab what little I have and I'll go... Just like all the others who are tired of broken arms and black eyes and split lips..Just like my mother!!!"
Chet knelt on the ground beside his son. His posture shadowed utter defeat, He began to weep openly as he leaned in against Shawn's knee. "I'll stop I swear I will Shawnie, please just give me another chance to show you I love you.I need you so much boy, your everything to me." Shawn placed his arm around his father and patted him on the back. Deep down he knew the man was sincere, but history made him cynical, jaded, and untrusting. He's seen this episode before. This display was a mere rerun, and one Shawn disliked immensely. Shawn gave in and placed his chin on his dad's shoulder, Chet wrapped Shawn in a bear hug and gently squeezed, the sight of dried blood on his neck and matted in his hair made Chet's stomach swell. As much as Shawn's inner voice told him to change the channel, he decided to stay tuned. He decided to roll the dice just once more and bet on his dad.. All or nothing this time, maybe his luck would change and he could win it all.Maybe.. Maybe NOT.It's a crapshoot.
Jonathan Turner rolled into the faculty parking lot just as Mr. George Feeny was locking up his Gremlin. "Good Morning Jonathan, at least it was before you broke the sound barrier." George joked as he pulled his briefcase from the trunk. "I know it's loud George, but to the trained ear, to true hogg lovers, this baby sounds like a purring kitten. Mr. Feeny's smile faded as he noticed the second helmet strapped lonesome to the back seat. "Say Jonathan how are you holding up, now that Mr. Hunter has returned home?" George asked with concern. Turner dismounted the bike and smiled. "I'm okay I guess, I'm surprised at how attached I got to him, but being back with his old man is what's best, we all know that." Feeny nodded and glanced around the empty lot, "Do we?" he questioned in his telltale lecturing tone.
Turner raised an eyebrow at the question, "Come on George!! You of all people should agree with me, you told me yourself my little arrangement with Shawn was a bad idea, that I should be his teacher and only his teacher and not to get too involved in his personal life..You said It was a mistake taking that child into my house." Feeny sighed as Jonathan held out his hands questioningly. "I'm well aware of what I said, Mr. Turner, and I admit at the time I meant it, but now, a year later. I've reevaluated my opinion. I feel as though Shawn needs more than just teachers. He's come such a long way, he's come farther than I dare say I thought he would."
The two men started toward the door as they continued their conversation, "Don't worry about that George, I'm still going to make it a point to be an active participant in Shawn's life, even if his father doesn't push him to move forward I will." Feeny stopped shy of his office, pausing in thought for a moment, he moved in closer to Jon. "Jonathan, do you have a few moments to talk privately in my office?" Jon glanced at his watch and nodded. Feeny led Turner through the door and closed it behind them.
Jon plopped into one of the leather seats facing Feeny's walnut desk, as George placed his briefcase on the roll away chair. Instead of sitting behind the desk, he moved a chair in close to Turner. "Look Jon, we've become more than colleagues this past year.I'd like to think we've become friends..good friends actually, so I feel comfortable speaking to you about this. I've been a teacher for over thirty years, and never have I stepped over the boundary of my student-teacher relationship. I've prided myself on finding that perfect harmony as educator-mentor without emotionally involving myself with a single student. At least I thought that true of myself, until I crossed paths with Master Hunter. I can't help but bring the baggage associated with that boy home sometimes, now what I say to you in this room, must.Mr. Turner.stay in this room." Mr. Feeny looked Jonathan in the eye with a stern stare, not wavering.
"Of course George, you have my confidence." Feeny sighed, "When Shawn was about eight years old, he and Cory signed up for an after school program I launched. Basically the children would stay an hour past last bell and do odd jobs around the halls, clapping erasers, scraping gum off chairs and tables, little things. As a reward for their efforts all year, during summer break I took the kids to a swim club for the day. When I saw Shawn, in just the swimming trunks, I almost fell over. He was covered in bruises.you could actually see large handprints on his arms and back. I was so alarmed; I took him aside immediately and questioned him about them. He of course lied through his teeth about it, just like he always does, but that day sounded an alarm for me." Feeny closed his eyes and frowned as the images clouded his mind once again.
Turner leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs, "What are you telling me George?" he reluctantly asked as he covered his mouth with his hands nervously. "After seeing him like that, I started to pay attention to him more and more in class, and sure enough, the bruises kept appearing. Then when Shawn was ten he came to school and was acting very peculiar, he wouldn't take notes, he brought no books to class, he was sluggish and very agitated, when I brought him into my office to question him, he almost fell over as he entered the room. It turns out he walked around for two days with a seriously fractured arm. Could you imagine, what it took for him to do that. He still would not budge, never spoke a word of how it happened, he just refused to cooperate with any of us. The nurse, the counselor, myself, no one could get him to confess to the abuse. Finally after that incident I decided to involve the state, I called DHS, and filed a report, after a two-week investigation they removed him from the home and placed him in foster care. I was directly involved in getting Shawn away from that man."
Jonathan's eyes were wide with shock, he was a bit familiar with Shawn's history from his meetings with DHS, but since he was a temporary guardian, they weren't obligated to disclose all the details. Jon bit his lip and took a deep breath, "WOW George, I'm speechless.. I mean, I knew Chet neglected Shawn, but I didn't know he physically abused the boy. He seems irresponsible and careless, but not angry or violent. I actually thought he was quite lighthearted, and a bit immature."
George nodded and smiled, "Your right Jon he doesn't seems that way, that's what makes him so dangerous. You see Shawn is going to be fifteen this year, he's gotten bigger, and he's growing into a strong young man, with quite a temper himself. Shawn is more confident and bolder than he was when he was a child. If Chet could do what he did to him then, what do you think Shawn will be in for if he begins to fight back. What do you think would happen if he one day he hits back. Shawn was a very frail and subdued boy at ten years old, but now, I honestly think If Chet was to go after him, I'm afraid he may try to stop his father, and although Shawn may be getting older and stronger, he's no match for Chet."
Jonathan had to agree, "What do you think I should do George. You know I love that kid, I really do. He came into my life and completely turned it in a different direction. We both gained so much from our time together, and now after all that's happened, If DHS came to me and asked me if I wanted to have Shawn for the rest of my life, I would do it in a heartbeat, no hesitation. But that chance came and went, now it's too late, he's gone, besides.. Now that I've screwed up and passed the chance to have Shawn, what makes you think he wants me.huh?? What makes you think Shawn won't turn around and do the same thing to me?"
Feeny folded his arms, "Well Jon, I can't answer that, there's only one person on earth who knows the answer to that question. Maybe it's time you talked to him. I can't tell you what to do Jonathan, only you can make this decision, but in all fairness you asked me what I think you should do, I'll oblige you with at least an answer... I think you should fight for him."
