Shawn sat on the hood of the old burned out Chevy behind his trailer. He
watched as his father stumbled about the place with some woman he must have
picked up earlier. The wind was freshening and temperature dropping, as he
shivered in the cold. He could see through the window they were obviously
sharing a nice big bottle of cheap scotch, having quite a time as they both
slowly lost control of their faculties.
The boy's heart sank deeper as he spied on the two unsuspecting boozers indulge until they were nearly blotto. Although he was utterly disappointed, Shawn did not feel sad. Instead anger welled inside him, simmering slowly. He wrenched his knuckles with vigor as the pathetic scene played out before him. Deep down he knew the promise his father made was just as flimsy as the rest, but somehow he convinced himself to bank on this one. As the lights in the trailer dimmed so did Shawn's faith in the future. "It's over!!" He thought to himself. "I'm finished." The boy slid from the hood and took refuge from the wind inside what was left of the cab, he burrowed deep between the slashed up seats and cried himself to sleep.
Cory strolled through the back door into what seemed like a summit meeting. His parents were huddled around the kitchen table with Feeny and Turner, their faces flushed with concern. The young man's smile faded as his mind caught up to the situation at hand. "What's up?" he queried, his heart beginning to throb within his chest. Mrs. Matthews placed her coffee mug on the table and anxiously approached the teen.
"Cory, we've been talking here for quite some time about the things you and Eric told us about Shawn, and we all agree the authorities should be involved." Cory closed his eyes and sighed as Amy continued, placing a gentle hand upon her son's shoulder. "Now, it might all turn out to be just a series of accidents and mistakes, but we couldn't live with ourselves if we did nothing and something happens to Shawn." Mr. Turner cupped his face with both hands and nervously rubbed his eyes. Amy led Cory to the table and motioned for him to take her seat. Alan grabbed his son's hand and sternly glared into his eyes. "Now look son, Shawn is your best friend and you have a right to know what's going on. Your old enough this time to understand, and we're not going to hide anything from you."
Cory folded his arms and nodded, "Okay... That seems fair, I guess." He stated, his voice a bit shaky. Mr. Turner turned to Cory, "Look Matthews, Shawn tells you just about everything, he trusts you. Do you think he was happy with me, do you think if I asked him, he would want to come back to me?" Cory thought for a moment. His heart told him to keep Shawn's confidence and remain silent. His mind, however, pulled him in a different direction. "Mr. Turner.....That night, at the game, Shawn told me in secret that he'd wished all along that you would have signed those papers to become his permanent guardian. He told me that leaving you was the hardest thing he ever had to do. He wanted so much to just come out and ask to stay, but he couldn't ever put you on the spot like that. He figured that eventually you'd get tired of him and if he let this chance with his dad go, he could end up in an orphanage when things between you two went south."
Jonathan's eyes welled with tears as he realized the sacrifice Shawn was willing to make for him. "Oh my god, I knew I should have talked to him, I just...." Jon ran his hands through his hair, searching for the right words, "I guess I didn't want to put pressure on him, no kid should have to make a choice like that... You know." Jon looked to the group for assurance. Alan patted the shaken man on the back. "It's not your fault, both you and Shawn were walking around on eggshells for the sake of one another. That should show you how much you care for each other."
Mr. Feeny stood and took the coffee pot from its cradle, he refilled a few cups on the table, "Well, I think we should move forward tomorrow. Kelly Krause from Social Service said she would meet Jon and I, in my office, tomorrow at ten thirty. We can bring Shawn in after lunch and leave her to interview him. Without Jonathan present, we can have Kelly ask him what he wants." Cory turned to Jon, "Mr. Turner...are you sure that your okay with this? I guess what I'm trying to ask is, do you really want Shawn.. permanently?" Cory's voice wavered. He was terrified of the answer. "Cory, not only do I want him back, I need him back!" Jonathan smiled, for the first time he was absolutely positive he was doing the right thing. "That kid changed my whole life...for the better!"
The slam of the metal trailer's door woke Shawn to a dismal day. Thunder growled, as the freezing rain fell heavy from the gray sky. Shawn was soaked to the bone, it must have poured all night as he slept, and he immediately began to shake uncontrollably. He leaned up just in time to watch his fathers guest stagger up the gravel path and around the corner. He slowly pulled himself out from the Chevy's cab and looked at his watch. It was nearly five in the morning; he must have slept through the night. He sluggishly made way to his home as he stretched his numb arms. Shawn entered the trailer and was greeted by his angry, somewhat inebriated father. "WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN!! I'VE BEEN WORRIED SICK..I WAS UP ALL DAMN NIGHT WAITIN FOR YOU!!" The whole place reeked of cigarettes and whiskey, that old familiar smell. "Save it!!" Shawn screamed sarcastically, as he pushed his way past the irate man. "I saw your hooker leave about five minutes ago, for an extra ten bucks did she .." "WATCH YOUR MOUTH BOY!!!" Chet bellowed as he advanced, quickly backing Shawn firmly into the wall.
The boy's face twisted in anger as he shoved his fathers hands out of the way, "I'M DONE WITH YOU!!" He screamed breaking away from Chet's grip. Shawn ran to the kitchen and grabbed the quart of whiskey by the neck, "AS LONG AS YOU CHOSE THIS OVER ME, YOUR DEAD TO ME!!" Shawn was in frenzy as he propelled the bottle like a missile into the kitchen wall. Glass and alcohol sprayed down like rain on the unfazed child. Chet's nostrils flared like a bull as he bawled his fists, "YOU LITTLE.." He charged at the fourteen year old full speed, careening into Shawn like a train. The two sailed into the mini counter separating the two rooms. Shawn's midsection hit the laminate corner with enough force to shear the entire counter from the wall. The wooden spindles cracked like toothpicks from the impact. Shawn immediately felt his ribs give way with an audible snap as he fell hard to the ground.
Shawn thrashed around on the floor, curling his knees into his stomach in pain. Debris from the counter top was falling down around him. Shawn gasped trying desperately to catch the breath that was forced from his lungs. Chet seized the flailing boy by the throat as rage guided his every move. He hollered at the top of his lungs as his hands tightened like a vice around Shawn's neck. He pounded the boy's head against the floor with fury. Shawn clawed in terror at his father's unrelenting grip. His voice silenced, his mind cried out, "OH GOD!! HE"S KILLING ME!!"
Shawn reached out for a spindle that lay just shy of his hand; it was his last chance as he began to fade. His eyes rolling round in his head. His vision was getting foggy as he gasped for air. His ears began to ring, the room spinning out of control until it all faded into blackness. Shawn's grip on Chet's hands released as his arms fell limply to the floor. Chet grabbed Shawn by the shirt and tugged as the boy's bloodshot eyes rolled into his head. "SWEET LORD!!! SHAWNIE!!" Chet threw his arms up in panic as Shawn's head rolled to the side. The drunken man began to shiver with fright as reality set in around him. His instincts brought him to his feet as he scrambled for his coat. Shawn still lay motionless on the kitchen floor. Chet ran around the room in a panic, muttering to himself. He took one last look at his fallen son before he disappeared out the door, "OH Lord!!!! I think I killed my boy!!!!" Chet ran aimlessly into the rainy bleak morning, not looking back.
The boy's heart sank deeper as he spied on the two unsuspecting boozers indulge until they were nearly blotto. Although he was utterly disappointed, Shawn did not feel sad. Instead anger welled inside him, simmering slowly. He wrenched his knuckles with vigor as the pathetic scene played out before him. Deep down he knew the promise his father made was just as flimsy as the rest, but somehow he convinced himself to bank on this one. As the lights in the trailer dimmed so did Shawn's faith in the future. "It's over!!" He thought to himself. "I'm finished." The boy slid from the hood and took refuge from the wind inside what was left of the cab, he burrowed deep between the slashed up seats and cried himself to sleep.
Cory strolled through the back door into what seemed like a summit meeting. His parents were huddled around the kitchen table with Feeny and Turner, their faces flushed with concern. The young man's smile faded as his mind caught up to the situation at hand. "What's up?" he queried, his heart beginning to throb within his chest. Mrs. Matthews placed her coffee mug on the table and anxiously approached the teen.
"Cory, we've been talking here for quite some time about the things you and Eric told us about Shawn, and we all agree the authorities should be involved." Cory closed his eyes and sighed as Amy continued, placing a gentle hand upon her son's shoulder. "Now, it might all turn out to be just a series of accidents and mistakes, but we couldn't live with ourselves if we did nothing and something happens to Shawn." Mr. Turner cupped his face with both hands and nervously rubbed his eyes. Amy led Cory to the table and motioned for him to take her seat. Alan grabbed his son's hand and sternly glared into his eyes. "Now look son, Shawn is your best friend and you have a right to know what's going on. Your old enough this time to understand, and we're not going to hide anything from you."
Cory folded his arms and nodded, "Okay... That seems fair, I guess." He stated, his voice a bit shaky. Mr. Turner turned to Cory, "Look Matthews, Shawn tells you just about everything, he trusts you. Do you think he was happy with me, do you think if I asked him, he would want to come back to me?" Cory thought for a moment. His heart told him to keep Shawn's confidence and remain silent. His mind, however, pulled him in a different direction. "Mr. Turner.....That night, at the game, Shawn told me in secret that he'd wished all along that you would have signed those papers to become his permanent guardian. He told me that leaving you was the hardest thing he ever had to do. He wanted so much to just come out and ask to stay, but he couldn't ever put you on the spot like that. He figured that eventually you'd get tired of him and if he let this chance with his dad go, he could end up in an orphanage when things between you two went south."
Jonathan's eyes welled with tears as he realized the sacrifice Shawn was willing to make for him. "Oh my god, I knew I should have talked to him, I just...." Jon ran his hands through his hair, searching for the right words, "I guess I didn't want to put pressure on him, no kid should have to make a choice like that... You know." Jon looked to the group for assurance. Alan patted the shaken man on the back. "It's not your fault, both you and Shawn were walking around on eggshells for the sake of one another. That should show you how much you care for each other."
Mr. Feeny stood and took the coffee pot from its cradle, he refilled a few cups on the table, "Well, I think we should move forward tomorrow. Kelly Krause from Social Service said she would meet Jon and I, in my office, tomorrow at ten thirty. We can bring Shawn in after lunch and leave her to interview him. Without Jonathan present, we can have Kelly ask him what he wants." Cory turned to Jon, "Mr. Turner...are you sure that your okay with this? I guess what I'm trying to ask is, do you really want Shawn.. permanently?" Cory's voice wavered. He was terrified of the answer. "Cory, not only do I want him back, I need him back!" Jonathan smiled, for the first time he was absolutely positive he was doing the right thing. "That kid changed my whole life...for the better!"
The slam of the metal trailer's door woke Shawn to a dismal day. Thunder growled, as the freezing rain fell heavy from the gray sky. Shawn was soaked to the bone, it must have poured all night as he slept, and he immediately began to shake uncontrollably. He leaned up just in time to watch his fathers guest stagger up the gravel path and around the corner. He slowly pulled himself out from the Chevy's cab and looked at his watch. It was nearly five in the morning; he must have slept through the night. He sluggishly made way to his home as he stretched his numb arms. Shawn entered the trailer and was greeted by his angry, somewhat inebriated father. "WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN!! I'VE BEEN WORRIED SICK..I WAS UP ALL DAMN NIGHT WAITIN FOR YOU!!" The whole place reeked of cigarettes and whiskey, that old familiar smell. "Save it!!" Shawn screamed sarcastically, as he pushed his way past the irate man. "I saw your hooker leave about five minutes ago, for an extra ten bucks did she .." "WATCH YOUR MOUTH BOY!!!" Chet bellowed as he advanced, quickly backing Shawn firmly into the wall.
The boy's face twisted in anger as he shoved his fathers hands out of the way, "I'M DONE WITH YOU!!" He screamed breaking away from Chet's grip. Shawn ran to the kitchen and grabbed the quart of whiskey by the neck, "AS LONG AS YOU CHOSE THIS OVER ME, YOUR DEAD TO ME!!" Shawn was in frenzy as he propelled the bottle like a missile into the kitchen wall. Glass and alcohol sprayed down like rain on the unfazed child. Chet's nostrils flared like a bull as he bawled his fists, "YOU LITTLE.." He charged at the fourteen year old full speed, careening into Shawn like a train. The two sailed into the mini counter separating the two rooms. Shawn's midsection hit the laminate corner with enough force to shear the entire counter from the wall. The wooden spindles cracked like toothpicks from the impact. Shawn immediately felt his ribs give way with an audible snap as he fell hard to the ground.
Shawn thrashed around on the floor, curling his knees into his stomach in pain. Debris from the counter top was falling down around him. Shawn gasped trying desperately to catch the breath that was forced from his lungs. Chet seized the flailing boy by the throat as rage guided his every move. He hollered at the top of his lungs as his hands tightened like a vice around Shawn's neck. He pounded the boy's head against the floor with fury. Shawn clawed in terror at his father's unrelenting grip. His voice silenced, his mind cried out, "OH GOD!! HE"S KILLING ME!!"
Shawn reached out for a spindle that lay just shy of his hand; it was his last chance as he began to fade. His eyes rolling round in his head. His vision was getting foggy as he gasped for air. His ears began to ring, the room spinning out of control until it all faded into blackness. Shawn's grip on Chet's hands released as his arms fell limply to the floor. Chet grabbed Shawn by the shirt and tugged as the boy's bloodshot eyes rolled into his head. "SWEET LORD!!! SHAWNIE!!" Chet threw his arms up in panic as Shawn's head rolled to the side. The drunken man began to shiver with fright as reality set in around him. His instincts brought him to his feet as he scrambled for his coat. Shawn still lay motionless on the kitchen floor. Chet ran around the room in a panic, muttering to himself. He took one last look at his fallen son before he disappeared out the door, "OH Lord!!!! I think I killed my boy!!!!" Chet ran aimlessly into the rainy bleak morning, not looking back.
