Moving On Chapter Two
Warning!!! Mentions of abuse are in this chapter. If you can't handle that, you can read something else. It won't hurt my feelings. Or you can just skip it. Cause, trust me you'll know when it will get dark. You've been warned. *Skips off to write some more*
Author's Note: I never liked George. So if you have a problem of him being the bad guy in the story....skip it. He he. This is my story, and I can do what I want. George was stupid...but that's my point of view.
Chapter Two
Maggie didn't get home from work till later than she had planned. She had some new things to learn at the office, so she told Jason to go ahead and eat with the kids. She'd grab something on the way home, though she did talk to Luke for twenty five minutes before leaving.
"She really missed you." Said Jason with a smile after Maggie said good bye, and that she'd be home soon.
"I missed her too." Luke agreed and looked over at Mike, who was stuffing his face with leftovers. And they had eaten just an hour ago. Luke smiled. "So.." he said to Mike, giving him an expectant look. Mike understood and wolfed down the rest of the food, taking the plate to the sink and sticking it under the faucet, turning it on and then sticking it in the dish drainer. "Right." he said. "Ah, dad...could I talk to you?"
Jason paused in the middle of cleaning up the kitchen, giving the kids a break tonight since they had a guest. "Sure.." he said sensing the conversation would take a dark turn. He paused and studied Luke, who was staring at the linolium on the floor, then looked up seeing Jason watch him and smiled. Or tried to. It was a rather faultering smile, and Jason realized that the poor kid had been holding his emotions in. He felt his heart lurch for Luke. Poor kid.
"I'll.." Luke said, suddenly looking like he wanted out of there. He couldn't...just couldn't. Jason looked at Luke worriedly, but nodded as he headed into the living room. Once out of the kitchen Luke took a deep breath and felt relieved. Chrissy and Ben were watching My Little Ponies, Ben trying to convince Chrissy to make one of her ponies evil. Chrissy took the pony and used it's tail to fluff in Ben's face.
Luke almost laughed out loud. Ben raised an eyebrow, shrugged and started hamming it up to Chrissy that they should turn on MTV because Madonna was gonna re lease a new video. And Ben had the hots for Madonna. "No!" Luke heard Chrissy exclaim. "This is the best part Ben, you can't make me miss it!"
"But Chrissy, you've seen it five thousand times!!!" Ben's said exsasperated. "I mean how little can these ponies get?"
Chrissy rolled her eyes and riveted her attention back to the kiddie film. Luke laughed. He knew what Mike and Jason would be talking about inside, and he didn't feel like being found for a while, so he slipped out the front door for some fresh air.
****
"So." Jason said as he stacked the last dish up. "What was it you wanted to talk to me about?"
Mike sat a jug of juice in the fridge. "Luke."
"I figured that, Mike be a little more....clear." Jason lifted a dark eyebrow and turned, looking at his son. "What's wrong?" he asked suddenly, frowning. Expecting the worst.
"What's wrong?" Mike half laughed. "What could be wrong dad? Asides from we made the biggest mistake ever letting Luke go with that ass–"
"Mike!" Jason quickly interupted. "Luke's in the living room." Mike laughed, this time a bitter one. "Me calling him what I was gonna was nothing compared to the names Luke came up with." he told him. Jason looked perplexed. "So Luke and his dad didn't get along?"
"To...say the least." Mike smirked. "The guy lied, Dad. He made up that story about his bad back so Luke would feel sorry with him and.....give him a chance." Mike spat out bitterly, just wishing George Brower was here so he could give him what he deserved. "He pulled Luke out of school, ya know, that school he was going to that time I went to visit him? Well, he got a trucking gig, and went there. Someplace up North for a while. Missed three weeks of school the first time. No big deal right?" Mike snorted and angrily thwaped the counter with the palm of his hand.
"Mike, if you would just calm down–"
"Dad, for once I'm in the right here." Mike turned around. Gone was the goo fball kid who had once been accused of cheating on a test because he wrote all the answers down on the soles of his shoes. Gone was the scatter brain who thought he could fall in love and marry easy, and he was replaced by some mature–older Mike, a Mike that often times surprised Jason and Maggie. Jason sighed, reached out and grabbed his son holding him still and in place. "All right Mike. WHAT happened to Luke?"
"Dad..." Mike paused. He was so angry, he hadn't realized how hard it would be to tell him.
"George..."
"What did he do to Luke?" Jason asked. "Come on Mike, spit it out!!"
"He hit Luke." Mike finished. "Only a few times, cause when he was 'drunk' as Luke put it. Luke was being nice. He hit Luke, knowing how Luke had lived with his step dad and still the bastard did it!" Another thwap of his hand onto the counter top.
Jason winced. "Oh god." he said with a sigh. "I noticed there was something a little off about Luke...I didn't know he was re-treating."
"Re-treating?" Mike asked, looking confused. Jason nodded, getting 'pshycatric' on him. "Yeah. I should have known. He was acting like everything was fine, but when it wasn't...and too much pretending can take a toll on someone, eventually." Jason said. Mike frowned. "Well, Luke's where he belongs...he doesn't have to pretend here." He said.
Jason nodded. "The thing is." He said, taking the dish rag he'd been knotting up. "Does Luke know that?"
***
Luke stared up at the sky. It was a clear night, and the stars could be seen. He leaned against the railing and sighed a bit. Wincing slightly out of discomfort. But he didn't want anyone inside to know that, even though Mike had seen the bruises.
Luke shook his head. He'd been such a....bone head to believe his dad's lies. At first, George had been a great guy...they'd laughed and gotten to know each other. George had even given Luke a picture of his mother when she'd been sixteen. He had one, but it had gotten lost in his step-father's apartment. Luke still had it. Then...George got all excited about a trucking gig, one that would give him more money than the cook job he had at the restraunt. He kept telling Luke that after this 'one last job' they'd settle down. He swore to Luke that he would.
That was Luke's first mistake. Believing the slime ball. Luke sighed to himself and pounded an angry balled fist on the railing. Stupid. He'd been stupid. He shoulda told George where to stick it when he came by the Seavers in the first place.
And then the drinking started.
Luke knew it wouldn't last then, he just knew it. He hadn't told his father about his step-dad, but he guessed Mike or Jason had, because George somehow knew. George got depressed cause some girl he had been dating had broken up with him, and his boss who'd given him the trucking gig fired him because he learned he had a bad back. And then...he drank.
Luke tried to help him at first. Tried to get him to see that drinking doesn't solve anything, just makes...for harder times. George didn't hit him the first few times. Instead, Luke would complain about how much better it was living at the Seavers, with his other family. That would set George off, because even George was smart enough to realize Luke missed them.
And he'd only hit Luke three times. That's when Luke kind of broke, and called Mike one night and babbled onto the phone that he couldn't stay with his father, please don't ask why Mike, just come get me...and Mike had. Even though he had driven a whole night to get to where Luke was. Mike had been there for him, and Luke had been overwhelmed by the emotion he felt when he saw Mike again.
And now, here he was. "Damn it." Luke whispered in a tight voice, slamming his fist on the rail again. "Damn it George...why'd you have to go and louse it up huh?" he asked.
So. Maybe it was a good thing what happened between him and Jacks. He would've hated for her to be there in all of that mess, anyways. Luke sighed.
"Tough night?" Carol asked, coming home from her date with Dwight. She looked all sparkly and happy–and in love. And also, a little....well...out of Carol-ish. Luke raised a brow.
"You could say that." Luke said to Carol, whom he'd always liked–even if she was a little weird.
Carol stopped up and sat down on the rail by him. "So." She said. "Anything you wanna talk about? Friend to friend?" She added.
"Not really Carol." Luke smiled at her. "Thanks though." he added in case she thought he was being ungrateful or something. Which wasn't the case. He just...wasn't up to talking to anyone about it yet. Mike had only found out the truth because he'd had his back turned, and well...he'd seen. Anyways.
"Look Luke." Carol began with a smile. "It's not that hard." she told him. "Relationships? I mean suuure sometimes they fail, but all in all ya gotta give a little to get a lot.' She nodded and Luke wondered if Carol was just the tinest bit drunk. Which wasn't likely, unless she had something like a wine cooler or something.
"Relationships?" Luke echoed, confused.
"Yeah!" Carol said with a giggly smile. "You know what I mean." She winked again. "My sister's just a stubborn-head." Carol assured him. Ooooh. Thought Luke. But his thoughts, for once, hadn't been of Jackie. He'd had other stuff on his mind. "Oh." Luke nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."
Carol nodded and swung a finger at him. "You do that." Hopping off the rail. "You'll both be happier." She walked into the house, and Luke could hear her singing under her breath.
He shook his head. Some times, the more things changed....the more they stayed the same. He chuckled and sat down on the porch swing. For the first time in weeks, Luke was getting a positive upbeat...that things could get better.
They would get better!
*****
Jackie got up early. She hadn't slept too well, and was stumbling down the stairs, in need of some coffee before she could think. She had heard her Mom and Dad talking about something last night in their room, Jason telling her something that made her mother cry. Jackie had been heading to the bathroom, when she heard Jason say "Maggie...he's here now." And then she had heard her mother weep.
Jackie wondered what happened. She frowned, and grabbed a robe from her closet, belting it and running a hair brush through her hair quick, then heading downstairs. "Coffee." Jackie mumbled, feeling like a sleep walker. She'd tossed and turned so much she hadn't been able to fall asleep until three thirty. Or so it seemed, though it was probably later.
Walking into the kitchen, Jackie started to flip on the light but it was already on. She shrugged, and headed to the coffee pot and started it. Getting out the coffee, she dumped it into the machine.
"Still like coffee huh?" Asked a voice, causing Jackie to jump, the coffee packet going out of her hands and spilling on the floor. Heart beat slowing, she turned to see Luke staring at her, a golden eyebrow arched.
"Sorry Jacks." He said. "Didn't mean to scare ya." he eyed her.
"It's...Ok." Jackie said, grabbing the packet, sitting it on the counter and walking into the broom closet to get the broom and dustpan, sweeping up the bits of coffee grind she had spilled. She smiled a little at him. "I just...I'm.."
"Jumpy?" Asked Luke.
Jackie shrugged and then finally agreed with him. "Something like that, yes." She agreed.
"You're up awful early." Luke commented. He had already fixed himself a plate of food, some eggs and toast. "Usually don't see you out of bed before noon on a non school day."
Jackie nodded. "Not much sleep." She admitted. "Had some things on my mind." She said. Luke nodded understandingly, finished his meal and took the plate to the sink, washing it off. Jackie frowned, watching him walk.
"When'd you get a limp?" she asked him.
Luke paused. Damn it. He could never hide anything from her. "I...at the mall." Luke said quickly. "These huge football players and me decided to slide down the escalators cause I told em how much fun it was, when me and Ben did it. I fell, and one of em fell right on me and smack! Luke sand which." Luke said forcing a laugh. "Doesn't hurt...much." he lied. He wasn't really limping, it was the way George had slapped him on the back and the way the bruises were. Not too pretty, so it kind of looked like limping.
Jackie arched an eyebrow. "Uh hu. So how's come you never fell of the escalators at the mall back home before?" she asked him. She looked suspicious. And like she was thinking about something. "Something happen to you Luke?"
Luke turned. "No." he said grabbing a sponge and cleaning the already clean plate. "I'm fine Jackie, fine ok?"
Jackie blinked at the sudden harsh tone. "Geesh. Ok no need to get spastic on me." She said grabbing a mug out of the cabinet and filling it up with coffee. "I can take a hint." Luke turned, realizing he had been a little harsh on her, and all she wanted to know was if he was ok. "I.." Luke started to say but she was stalking out of the kitchen.
He sighed. Looked up at the ceiling and shook his head. "Can things get any more worse?" Luke asked whoever was up there.