Chapter 5
It was five in the morning when Turner woke up. He hadn't slept very well as he was worried about Shawn and how he was doing. He was worried about Shawn and what he was going through. Mr. Turner knew that Shawn had been raped and he figured it was probably by his Uncle Ralph. Turner felt rage in his chest at the fact that Shawn had been raped by his own Uncle. A man that was supposed to be family, was supposed to be taking care of him and looking after him. This man had beaten and raped his own flesh and blood and it made Turner want to go over there and beat the living hell out of him. Turner knew that Shawn was going to have even more problems now and Turner didn't know how he was supposed to help Shawn through this if he didn't want any help. He should have gone to the hospital, he should have gone to the police, but Shawn was refusing to do any of those things. Even if he could have gotten Shawn to the hospital or to the police he would have just lied about what happened to him and his Uncle would still be roaming around free.
Turner also had another problem, he didn't know if he should be telling the Matthews or not. If he didn't tell them he knew that if something happened along the way they would be furious at him for finding out he knew and didn't tell anyone. On the other hand he didn't want Shawn feeling like everyone knew the truth and pulling away from him because he broke the silent trust. Turner didn't know what to do, he just knew he couldn't risk losing the thin trust he had received from Shawn finally.
Turner knew he wasn't going to be able to fall back asleep in the next hour before he would have to get up for school anyways. So Turner got up and figured he would get dressed and ready for the day. He put on his robe and headed out into the living area so he could get some coffee on before he would take a shower. He was surprised to find Shawn sitting on the couch reading a book this early in the morning.
"Morning Shawn. You're up early. Are you ok?" Turner asked with concern as he went over to the back of the couch.
"Ya I just couldn't sleep anymore. I got up about an hour ago. I went to bed really early last night."
"How are you feeling? The bruising has gotten worse, but your eye doesn't seem to be as swollen as it was yesterday." Turner said, as he gently placed a hand on Shawn's chin to turn his head slightly so he could see Shawn's face better.
"I'm alright. I'm a little sore, but it's bearable."
"Are you sure?"
"Ya I'm fine. The sleep helped it's been months since I've slept in a bed."
"You didn't at your Uncle's?"
"No there was only one room. I slept on the couch."
"Well there will always be a bed here for you. How about some breakfast?"
"No I'm good. I'm not hungry yet."
"Well we still have plenty of time before school. Are you sure you still want to go?" Turner asked as he headed into the kitchen to start the coffee.
"Ya I want to develop the photos I took. Plus I have to return the camera. I don't want Mr. Williams thinking I stole it."
"He wouldn't think that Shawn. I'm sure he will be happy to show you how to develop your photos. He's looking forward to it as well. He has a strong feeling you will be very good at photography like you are in art." Turner said, as he came back over to the couch and sat down.
"Maybe. I don't know. I just fool around. I've never taken a class before. I thought maybe it would be interesting." Shawn said with a shrug.
"Well you have raw natural talent Shawn you are going to exceed all expectations of that class I can tell you. What are you reading?"
"Oh it's just one of your books. I couldn't sleep so I came out here. I didn't feel like watching TV. I started looking at your books, I'm sorry."
"Don't apologise Shawn. You are more than welcome to read them. Just curious which one you picked."
"Shakespeare's Sonnets. Don't really like his plays, but his sonnets are always good and I haven't read this book yet."
"You like poetry eh?" Turner said with a smile.
"Well I like real poetry. In Grade School we had to read some that was all limericks every other line had to rhyme and there had to be so many syllables in each line. It's never felt like real poetry. Poetry is supposed to be about the emotions and raw feelings from the writer. Real poetry doesn't always follow the rules. The older writers are always the best because it was before someone came up with the rules and guidelines."
"That's very insightful Shawn and truly amazing that you love poetry. Have you written any?"
"Ya sometimes. I write a lot, it helps me get my thoughts and feelings out and in order. Writing helps me figure things out. It's also nice not having to worry about someone grading it. I can just write and not have to worry if I used a comma in the right place. It's relaxing. Sometimes I don't even write in English."
"What language do you write in?" Turner asked with curiosity.
"French sometimes if the mood strikes me."
"What? You speak French?" Turner asked with a smile.
"Ya and I can write and read it."
"Where did you learn that?"
"When I was eight the next door neighbor moved in from Paris. He taught me French after school and on the weekends. I thought it was interesting so he taught me. He used to tell me stories all the time about when he was in Paris. He told me how he used to have these summer romances with the American girls that came down for school trips. Then when he was seventeen an American girl came to his school as an exchange student. He fell in love with her and they dated. When she went back home he came down in the summer to visit her. They did that until she was nineteen and they got married in front of the Eiffel Tower. They both loved Paris so they stayed. When she was forty-eight she died from Cancer and he moved down here to her hometown to be close to her again. He lived alone in the trailer and it was sad. I used to go over and see him and he would tell me all of his stories and he taught me French and about Paris."
"That's amazing Shawn and very sad for him. What happened to the man?"
"He died five years later. He didn't have any family so I took up a collection to have him buried. I even was able to get him a tombstone with the Eiffel Tower on it. Paris is the one place I want to go to before I die. It's the city of romance and love. He told me all about the artists that line the street with their work. How buildings are painted with murals all over them and even the streets and sidewalks have chalk drawings on them. I think it would be really cool to see. Plus the Eiffel Tower has lights so when it's dark, it's all lit up. It must look amazing." Shawn said with a smile and Turner could tell Shawn was in total love with Paris and what it represented.
"It sounds beautiful. I've always wanted to go too. Maybe one day me and you could go together. We can show off your own artwork there."
"Maybe. I'd really like to go one day and take a picture of the Eiffel Tower at night. It'd be so cool to see."
"It would be. Do you have any books on Paris?"
"No, I did some research in the library once. The place has a really cool history. I only got to read a little bit of it. I even saw some old pictures of what Paris was like decades ago. It all looks so cool."
"Is that something you are interested in, History?"
"Despite what people believe, I do like school. I like learning new things, I just don't like the structure around it. What sentences can be put together and where a comma has to be. It's all so formal that it takes the fun out of it. Given hour long tests and three hour exams on what we can memorize. It doesn't show what we've learnt. It just makes it stressful and for what? It's not like we are all going to be history teachers or physics majors. School should be about learning for the joy of it. Like History. All we have learnt since grade three is American history. What about European history? What about England and reading about the matriarch and how that came about? Or Native American. They used to forge their weapons from stones and sticks. What their beliefs are. There's a whole world out there, shouldn't we be learning about it too?"
"You're right Shawn, there is a whole world out there and you should be learning about it. I can see how students like yourself would find that more appealing than the same thing over and over again each year. School is supposed to be about learning in a fun and positive environment. You should want to be there. You should be looking forward to different lessons. I hope that is something you can find with your Art and Photography classes." Mr. Turner was already thinking in his mind how he could add some spice into his course with different books that the students could read. He would also be talking to Mr. Feeny about what Shawn said and maybe he would be able to do something as well.
"I don't know. I'll see. It'd be nice to learn different techniques and how to develop the photos and to do different shots. I don't really know much about cameras and all the different lenses. It sounds interesting." Shawn said with a shrug.
"Good, it should be interesting and fun for you. So you draw, you like photography and poetry, you speak French. What else do you like? What do you want to do when you graduate?"
"Come on Mr. Turner, you and I both know I'm not graduating. I'll never be able to."
"Yes you can Shawn. Shawn, you are smart. You could pass these courses if you wanted to. You must have a dream. There must be some job out there that you want to do when you are done. There has got to be something you dream about at some point in your life. What is it? What do you want out of life?"
"Why does it matter? I'll never get it. I'm stuck in this town whether I like it or not." Shawn said with no hope at all to his voice.
"No Shawn, you're not. All you have to do is graduate and then you could go anywhere. There's a whole world out there for you to explore. Honestly, if you could do anything in this world, what would it be?"
"Travel. I'd like to be a journalist and travel the world taking pictures and sketches of the beauty and the darkness in it. Be free to just go wherever my mood takes me. Maybe start my own business and work for myself selling photos and stories."
"Ok see that's doable. You could do that. All you have to do is graduate and you could go and travel and start a business."
"Ya, but high school isn't going to teach me how to do that. That would be college and I'll never be able to go. I can't afford it, I can't get loans because my dad would use my name for ones when he couldn't get them. Even if I could magically find the money, I'll never get accepted. I suck on tests and I'll bomb the SATs. Besides, I don't even really want to go to College and be stuck in just another classroom for four more years. So what's the point in being in school and trying to pass a class when it doesn't have anything to do with my life? There's no business courses I can take to try and learn something to start myself at the end. There's only one art class and it's only offered this year. So once I go through it, I'm not learning anything new. Same as the photography class. If there was a point I'd go, but there just isn't. High school isn't made for people like me."
"And I get that. It's not for everyone and there is a lot that we can't offer that would be great for students. Would you ever consider a different high school? If it had what you were looking for?"
"I don't know. It doesn't matter anyways there isn't one."
"Humor me, would you be okay going to a new school without Cory?"
"Me and Cor aren't really in a good spot right now anyways. If it got me out of this town and prepared for it then ya I would. But there isn't a school like that."
"There are a lot of different schools and programs in the city Shawn. You never know, there might be something that interests you. What is going on with you and Cory? Or is it just about your school work?
"Cor and me, we come from different worlds. In three years he'll be off with Topanga in some fancy university and I'll be left here. Seems pointless to be friends only to be forgotten about in three years."
"Shawn you don't know that though. So much could happen between now and then. You can't just give up on an almost ten year friendship over something as uncertain as the future."
"It's not just that. Every time we talk he bugs me about school and me working. We can't just have a normal conversation or hang out anymore. I get judged enough, I don't want it from someone who is supposed to be my best friend to go with it. I'm just trying to survive, something he doesn't know anything about or understand. Everyone in my life judges me or lectures me about something. I can never just be me."
"I can understand that Shawn. I don't think Cory is judging you, I think he just doesn't know how to help you, how to be there for you without wanting to help you. It's harder for him, maybe because of the life he's had or maybe because it's in him to help someone that is in trouble or struggling. Cory hasn't learned yet how to just let someone be themselves and not try to fix the problems. You can be just yourself with me Shawn. I won't lecture you or judge you. You can tell me anything and I'll listen and if you need help, I'll help you. You can just be yourself with me Shawn."
"Thanks Mr. Turner." Shawn said with a small smile.
"When we're not in school you can call me Jon Shawn. How are you feeling after last night?" Mr. Turner asked. He didn't want to push Shawn, but he had to know how he was handling everything. It seemed like Shawn was just trying to ignore what happened and that wasn't healthy.
"I'm sore, but I'm used to it. It's not the first time I've been beaten up Jon."
"Beaten up by a stranger or your Uncle?" Mr. Turner asked gently.
"It doesn't matter. I'm not living there anymore."
"It does matter though Shawn. If it was your uncle, can he still get to you? Can he find you at Eddie's place? What about work? Can he come down to the factory? I just want to make sure you are safe."
"He doesn't know where Eddie lives and Eddie thinks he can find me another place to work. I'll stay with him until I can save up enough money for my own place."
"Are you sure though Shawn? You could just stay here, go to school, not having to worry about working. You can just be a fifteen year old and not have to stress about bills or any of the adult stuff."
"I'll be fine. I've never really been a kid anyways. I'm safe at Eddie's and I'll work and save up for my own place. A place that will always be there as long as I pay the rent no one can kick me out. I can close the door and just be there myself and no one can get me. My own safe haven."
"That's something you really want." Mr. Turner stated, as he could see what it meant to Shawn.
"Well ya, don't you? Don't you feel better knowing that you always have a home to come home to? I don't have that memory. Every day I went to school I didn't know if I would have anyone to come home to or even a home to come home to. I didn't know if there would be food for dinner or for lunch the next day. I've been doing odd jobs around town since I was seven just to get money for food. All I want is to be able to leave and know that I have a home to go back to. That there's food and hot water when I get there. A place where no one can kick me out or just disappear."
"I can understand that. It's something everyone should have. No child should ever have to wonder if they have a home to go to. Or if there is food there or power or water. You should know what that feels like Shawn and if you being in your own place will give you that, then you should do it. Just know that I'll always be here for you and you can always come by anytime you want and stay here."
"Thanks Jon. I'll be able to get a place in the downtown area so I'll still be close by. It'd be nice to hang out sometimes."
"The door is always open to you man. We can do dinners here or at your place if you want. I can help you with your homework too."
"Don't really see that last one happening, but sure." Shawn said with a small smirk.
"Is there any chance that I could get you to go to the hospital to get checked out. Get some blood taken?" Mr. Turner really wanted Shawn to get checked out. He wanted to make sure that he was okay and he didn't get anything passed on to him by his uncle.
"I'm fine. Nothing bad happened." Shawn instantly denied.
"Ok. But you and I both know that your uncle did more than just hit you. You're not ready to talk about it right now, but when you are ready, I'll be here for you. I'll always listen Shawn, always." Mr. Turner said seriously.
"I'll remember that, but nothing happened. I'm fine. I'll be fine." Shawn said as he just wanted to forget about it.
"Alright, well I'm going to start some breakfast for us. You can keep the book if you want and if there are others you want to read go ahead and borrow them. The library at school has more poetry books and also history books about different countries. You should check it out if you are interested." Mr. Turner said, as he got up off the couch to start some breakfast for the both of them.
"I don't even know where the library is in school." Shawn admitted.
"I could show you if you want." Mr. Turner said with a smile.
"Maybe, but what would people say if they saw me in a place like that? My rep would be ruined." Shawn lightly joked.
"I think you would be safe. You could always say you got lost."
"Have you always wanted to be a teacher?" Shawn asked, as he turned around so he could see Jon in the kitchen.
"I did ya. Well, there were those few years when I was around twelve where I was convinced I would be a motorcycle stunt artist. But after my mother sat me down and had me watch hours of videos that ended in a fiery blaze I changed my mind."
"Seriously?"
"Yup. I love motorcycles. I got mine when I was twenty-one and never had a crash. But I have always wanted to be a teacher after that."
"Why?"
"I like helping kids. I like showing them that school can be interesting and enjoyable. I love reading and I want young kids to love reading too. It's not about learning old literature, it's about finding a love for learning and reading. It wasn't easy though."
"Why not?"
"My parents come from a wealthy society. To them being a teacher and making under fifty grand a year was insulting. They completely refused to pay for my schooling for it. Said if I wanted to be a lowly teacher, that I could leave and never come back. They acted as if I told them I was a serial killer. I didn't give up though. I knew that was my passion and what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. So I worked as many hours as I could while going to high school and when I graduated I left for University. I worked all through school and took out loans to pay for it. There were a lot of years where I didn't have much money for food, but I always made it work."
"Did you ever regret it?"
"Not even for a second. Every kid I got to help made it all worth it. Seeing that smile in their eyes when they got to read a really good book and they didn't expect it. I've never regretted it, not for one moment."
"What about your parents? Are they proud of you now?"
"I haven't spoken to them since I left at eighteen. They told me if I pursued this ridiculous dream to never come back or contact them. To this day I haven't and they haven't either."
"Don't you miss them though? They're your parents, your family."
"I learnt a long time ago that blood doesn't always make you family. I have some really close friends in my life that have been there through all of my hardships and good times. It's those friends that I consider to be my family. It is better to have your own makeshift family Shawn, then have a bad blood family in your life. Don't focus so much on the blood aspect of it and focus on what a family is supposed to represent in your life."
"Hm."
Turner could see that what he said had hit something in Shawn, it was making him think and Turner was hoping that would be a good thing. He didn't want Shawn out there on his own. He could understand why Shawn wanted his own place, especially after everything that has happened to him. To be able to know for certain that you would always have a home to come home to meant everything to Shawn and Turner wouldn't take that away from him. But he would make sure that Shawn knew he also had a home here. Turner wasn't about to just forget about Shawn, he wanted to help him and make sure he knew that he could have a life, one much different to the one he always thought his would be. Once the pancakes were finished Turner placed them down on his island countertop and Shawn came over. Once they were both sitting Shawn spoke.
"Do you really think I could graduate?"
"Ya Shawn I really do. You are a lot smarter than you give yourself credit for. I know you've probably heard it a lot growing up that you weren't ever going to amount to anything, but I'm telling you, you have a whole world out there waiting for you. I get that school isn't for everyone. I know we teach kids a lot that most will never need to know or do anything with. That's why I suggested maybe you should find a different school that will cater to what you love doing. There are a lot of different high school programs in the city Shawn. I could look into it for you if you want. You don't have to go, but you could see what is out there if you wanted."
"Can't hurt to see right? Maybe there is something that would interest me. I don't know." Shawn said with a shrug.
"I'll look into it and see what I can find. If it doesn't interest you, then it's no big deal, but you might just find something that you'd like to try out. I would rather you go to a different school and love it, then stay at this school and not want to go. If doing art and creative things interests you, then I think you should see where it takes you."
"Maybe. I'll see."
"Are you sure about going to school today?"
"I want to develop the photos. I want to know how to do it."
"Ok, but if you don't feel well enough let me know, I can always bring you back here and your brother can pick you up from here later."
Shawn just gave a nod and Turner had a feeling that might not be happening. He wanted Shawn interested in school, but he didn't think that would backfire on him. He didn't want Shawn making himself sick or hurting himself more by going to school when he shouldn't be. He also didn't know how he felt about Shawn being around his troubled older brother. From what he had heard Eddie was a criminal and often was stealing to support himself. He didn't want Shawn caught up in that life, it could ruin his life forever. He was hoping that whatever job Eddie was supposedly able to get Shawn wouldn't be something illegal that could get him in jail. Turner was going to be keeping a close eye on Shawn and making sure he didn't get dragged down into that life. He was also going to be making sure that Shawn had food and heat in whatever place he ended up in. He would be there to make sure that Shawn was looked after, even if he was on his own. He wasn't going to trust that Eddie would be the one responsible for Shawn's welfare.
Once they had finished eating they both got showered and dressed for school. Turner didn't think Shawn should be going, but he was happy to see a small smile on Shawn's face at going to school. He wasn't certain Shawn had ever been happy to be going to school before in his life. Turner was really hoping that his photos turned out well and Shawn continued to be excited for school, even if it was just for Eli's classes. They enjoyed the comfortable silence in the car and once at the school Shawn headed off to his photography classroom. Turner had suggested he should see if Eli was there or not. Turner knew that if Eli was there he would be more than happy to talk to Shawn and teach him something even before school started. Turner made his way towards the office where he knew Feeny would be. He wanted to run something by him in hopes of getting Shawn a little more interested in school. He also figured that if anyone knew about other high school programs in the city it would be Fenny. Turner walked in and saw Fenny sitting down at the desk. Turner closed the door behind him as Feeny spoke.
"Mr. Turner, what can I do for you?"
"I wanted to speak to you for a moment about Shawn."
"Of course. He was absent yesterday, he is at a high risk of being suspended for attendance."
"He's here today, I just dropped him off. He's looking to talk to Eli about developing the photos. He is beaten once again, pretty badly this time around. I tried to keep him at my place, but he wanted to be here to develop his photos. He didn't confirm anything, but his uncle did it. He's been abusive towards him."
"I suspected something was going on, but I was not sure. I'll call DCFS and put the report in." Feeny said sadly.
"There's no point. He won't talk about it. I tried to get him to go to the hospital last night to get looked at and he almost took off. He won't admit to anything and he won't admit anything to a social worker. He's on shaky ground right now, if we push he will take off and we will never find him again. I don't want that to happen."
"You know we are legally obligated to report any abuse, especially to a student."
"I know that, I do. But I also know that we have an obligation to Shawn's welfare. You know all he will do is lie and take off. He won't come around us, he won't come to school. We'll lose him. Legally we have to report it, but it is also at our own discretion. I'm asking you to trust my judgement on this."
"Very well, but you better have a plan." It was clear that Feeny wasn't happy about any of this, but he also could see Turner's point. Shawn was not someone that trusted authority in any way. It was ingrained into him. If they pushed too hard or at the wrong time he will take off and they might never be able to find him again.
"Shawn is going to be living with Eddie, his brother. He's in the downtown area, so I'll be able to keep an eye on him. I'm not happy about him being with Eddie, but I'm hoping that with being around him more he'll crash at my place and eventually he'll just stay with me. I had a chance to talk to him this morning, I'm trying to get him to see that there is a point, that he can be something. He came today just so he could learn how to develop photos. He's very interested in art and history."
"That is surprising. He doesn't even pay attention in my class."
"He's more interested in learning about different history. He's read a library book all about Paris and their history. He wants to learn more about it, about European history or Native American. He's sick of hearing about just American history and the World Wars. He's creative and has a strong desire to see the world. I'd like to embrace that somehow, but still keep to what we are required to teach them."
"Well, I was going to touch very briefly on European history in the sense of how they perceived the World Wars. I could alter that to being more about their history. I could rope that into a project where they could pick which European Country they wanted to focus on to do a display board. Essays are not Mr. Hunter's strong suit and with him being creative it would make sense. Most creative people find it hard to write to societal conventions with restrictions and formatting. It would be good for the students to learn about other history."
Feeny didn't mind reworking his course plan. It would give the other students the chance to learn more about other countries and maybe appreciate their own country and history. If it had the added bonus of interesting Shawn enough to get him to class he was happy with that.
"I think he would really like that. He told me he loves writing and has written some poetry, that's what he does in those books all the time. He doesn't like writing when he has to worry about grammar and punctuation. I'm going to introduce a poetry book today with a writing assignment to go with it. He really liked Eli's classes so that will at least get him here."
"All we can do is try and be supportive of him. When he tries he does very well. He's a smart young man."
"He is and that is what I am trying to get him to see. I also wanted to speak to you about other programs at different high schools in the city. Are there any that cater to creative arts over the other traditional courses?"
"There is I believe one school that focuses on creative arts and business. I can look into it and see if they are still open and running the program. Are you thinking of Mr. Hunter transferring?"
"I mentioned it. I asked him what his dream job would be and after some prodding he told me that he wanted to be a journalist and travel the world taking photos and sketching pictures. What he said made sense though, he wants to be able to be his own boss and learn about different techniques for his art, but he can't get that here. He would have to go to College for it and that is unrealistic for him. He's open to the idea of transferring if there was a high school that could cater to his interests. Personally I don't care where he graduates, as long as he graduates. If there is a better high school out there for him I'm all for trying to figure out how to get him in it."
"I agree that him graduating is the most important. A traditional high school is not for everyone, some students thrive more in a nontraditional setting. I'll see what I can find out about the school and gather some information for you."
"Thanks George, I really appreciate it."
"Mr. Hunter is a good kid that has been placed in a terrible environment. If I can help guide him to the right path I am more than happy to do what I can for him."
"That's exactly my point. I better get to my class, I have a class to prepare for. Thanks for the help George."
"Let me know how he does and if something else comes up."
"I will. Thanks."
Turner headed out of the office and off to his own classroom. He was really hoping that he could help Shawn and get him in a good place. Shawn was lost and at a high risk of becoming lost forever. He wanted to make sure he got to Shawn before it was too late.
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Shawn stopped by his locker real quick before his first class. He had spent some time with Eli learning all about developing his photos. They had just enough time to develop the ten photos he had taken the other day. He couldn't believe how good they looked. Eli was very impressed and said he would be teaching him some different techniques today in class to increase his skills. Shawn was feeling a little proud of himself and he was looking forward to class today to see what else he could do. He was just about to close his locker when Cory came up beside him.
"Shawny boy, how are you?" Cory asked hoping that Shawn would be in a better mood.
"I'm fine Cor."
Shawn turned and Cory was able to see the level of damage done to Shawn. Once again Shawn was supporting some bruises, but this time around he looked really bad.
"Shawn, what the hell is going on? You're hurt, again. You can't tell me you are fine."
Cory had no idea what was happening between the two of them. He had seen Shawn slipping away and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't reach Shawn. Now he was injured again and this time around it looked really bad. He just wished he could get Shawn to talk to him and let him know what the hell was going on.
"I'll be fine Cor."
"What is going on Shawn? Come on, you can't say you are fine here."
"You wouldn't understand." Shawn said, as he closed his locker.
"Shawn, I am your best friend. We know each other better than anyone. There is nothing you could tell me that I can't accept. You say I wouldn't understand so help me understand. Give me the chance to at least try to understand. Let me be there for you."
"We come from two completely different worlds Cor. There's nothing I could say that would help you understand what I go through or how this is my life. I'm glad that you aren't from my world. I'm glad that you have a nice home and family to be there for you. I want you to embrace your life and go off and pursue your dreams. I want you and Topanga to get married and have your own children. I want that for you from the bottom of my heart."
"Shawn." Cory started, but Shawn cut him off.
"But I miss my best friend. I miss being able to hang out with you and not having to hear lectures or being hounded with questions. Can't we just go back to being best friends and you being there and waiting until I'm ready to talk? I really miss my best friend."
"I miss you too Shawn. And I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you feel like all I want to do is lecture and interrogate you. I'm just worried and I want to help, but I don't know how. I forgot that the best way I can help you is by just being there. Like we've always done with each other. I'm always going to be here for you Shawny."
"I'm always going to be there for you. And thanks for what you did for me last semester. I know you did some of my projects so I wouldn't fail."
"I knew you had stuff going on. I'm never going to leave you behind. Do you like your courses this semester?"
"Well I could live without English and History, but Art and Photography I actually really like it. And I'm good at it. Mr. Williams is a pretty cool teacher."
"Ya he's cool. Like Mr. Turner, only he doesn't make us read boring books. I have him for broadcasting."
"Catch me up, what's been going on?" Shawn asked, as they headed off for homeroom that they had with Turner.
Cory started to go on and on about all of the gossip and everything that had happened in recent months. It felt good to be able to have a normal conversation with Cory again and Shawn was happy to listen to him. He was in a great deal of pain today and his heart was heavy, but he did feel a little lighter knowing that at least tonight he would be going home with Eddie and he wouldn't have to worry about his Uncle Ralph again.
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It was just before the end of the day when Turner saw an older man standing by Shawn's locker. He had short spiky hair and was wearing a black leather jacket. Turner could just see the chains hanging down from his pants. The man looked to be in his twenties it seemed like and Turner knew that this man was Shawn's older brother Eddie. Letting out a sigh Turner got up and grabbed the folder that was sitting on his desk. He didn't like that Shawn would be staying with this man, but there was nothing he could do about it. All he could do was hope that he could get through to Eddie, even a little bit and for him to try and protect Shawn's future. Eddie snapped his eyes to Turner the second he heard someone. He wasn't too sure who this was, but he had a good guess based on everything he had heard about this cool new teacher. Eddie had kept eyes on Shawn, he had a few kids in this school that would run product for him in the area. He would be able to keep up to date on Shawn's life that way too.
"You must be Mr. Turner, the teacher that drives a motorcycle. You itching to give me a lecture."
"Not a lecture, just a friendly chat between two people who care about Shawn. One of us cares about him in a healthy way and the other lives a life of crime."
"I wonder which one I am." Eddie said sarcastically.
"I would much prefer to have Shawn living with me. In a safe place where he wouldn't have to worry about money. He could just focus on his school work and recover from what happened to him. But he seems to believe getting his own place is the better option."
"Us Hunters can be stubborn, especially when it comes to outsiders thinking they know what is best for us." Eddie said with an edge to his voice this time around.
"I know Shawn and I know the life you live and how easy it would be to manipulate Shawn into that life. But you would be ruining his future."
"This life is all our family knows for generations. What is he gonna go off and be a doctor or something?"
"Or something." Turner said as he held out the folder and Eddie took it.
He opened it and saw a bunch of pictures of the trailer park and a sketch.
"What's this?"
"Those were done by Shawn. That's the first time he's ever taken any pictures. He has a natural gift and a love for art. He could sell those, they are that good. He wants to see the world, to be an artist. He's got the talent to do it, but he's never going to if his life is ruined by crime before he ever gets the chance. I'm not saying you need to be a model citizen, but don't let your life destroy his. He's got a dream and a really good chance of achieving it."
Eddie looked through the photos and he could tell that they were very well done. He couldn't believe that Shawn had taken these and drew that sketch. He had a serious talent. Eddie was impressed. He handed the folder back over to Turner as he spoke.
"I got no interest in gettin' my kid brother arrested or in this life. But I ain't about to let him go off into some foster home or end up homeless. I'll show him how to survive out there, how to live long enough to even stand a chance at going places. Your job is to make sure he graduates, mine is to make sure he lives long enough to."
"My home wouldn't be a foster home. He could stay until he goes off to college or longer if he didn't go down that road. You have to see that he's seriously injured and that your uncle did that to him. He can't be around him."
"My uncle is about to have an unfortunate accident. It will devastate the family, but we'll recover from the loss. My brother will never have to see his face again. I will always do my job, I suggest you do yours."
This conversation was not making Turner feel any better. He knew what an unfortunate accident meant. Eddie was having his uncle killed, which meant that Eddie was more dangerous than he had originally thought. He also wasn't going to be changing his mind. All he could do was hope that Eddie saw the gift that Shawn had and was encouraging him to pursue it.
"There might be an opportunity for Shawn to go to a special high school that will focus more on creative arts and business, versus traditional courses. It could be a really good opportunity for him. I'm gathering information on it, he seemed interested at the idea of a new school. I would hope that as his older brother you would be encouraging of his future."
"Where he goes is up to him, but I'll look it over."
"You don't have to like me Eddie, but I will be in Shawn's life and even you can agree that it would be good for him to have a positive influence in his life. Someone that can check in on him when he's on his own. Living on his own, paying bills and school is a lot for a fifteen year old to handle. He needs all the people that care about him in his life."
"And he will. We good here?" Eddie said just as the bell rang.
"For now."
Turner turned and headed back to his classroom. He wasn't too confident that Eddie would be there for Shawn and make sure he stood a chance at a future. But he would be there to guide Shawn in the right direction, no matter what.
Shawn made his way towards his locker and was surprised to see Eddie standing next to it. He knew that Eddie was picking him up today, but he expected for him to be waiting outside not in the school.
"Hey." Shawn said, as he went over to his locker.
"You look like shit. You take anything for the pain?"
"No I'm fine. You didn't have to come in, I could have found you outside."
"I wanted to make sure you had this." Eddie said, as he handed Shawn the black leather jacket he had in his hand.
It was a warm winter coat that would be a hundred times better than the spring coat he had now. Shawn took it and couldn't help, but be surprised that Eddie had given him any thought at all.
"Thanks Eddie." Shawn said softly.
"I might not show it, but I do care about what happens to you."
Shawn didn't really know what to say to that so he put the new coat on and grabbed his bag.
"You got your books?"
"No."
"Don't you have homework?"
"A sketch for my art class. I have my sketch book."
"You don't have homework in your other classes?"
"I do, but nothing I can do right now. I need to go to the library to do some research and get a book. Why the interest in my homework?" Shawn asked, as he closed his locker.
"Because you got a shot at something real in life. You've already gone farther in school than anyone else in our family. You got two more years before you graduate and you will be graduating. We can hit the library on the way home." Eddie said, as he turned and started to walk towards the doors.
Shawn followed, slightly surprised that Eddie would even care about his education. He had no idea that Eddie even cared at all about him, but it seemed like he did care on some level. Shawn followed Eddie until he arrived at the truck that he was in yesterday, only this time around Dave wasn't there. They got into the truck and Eddie headed off for the library by the apartment.
"What research project do you have?" Eddie asked after a few minutes.
"History paper. Mr. Feeny has us doing this display board about a European country or city. I picked Paris. I also have an English assignment to read a poetry book of my choice. I'll pick one up at the library."
"Do you like poetry?"
Shawn just gave a shrug. He didn't want to hear about how much of a girl he was if he admitted to liking poetry. Eddie was a very man's man type of guy. He was tough and fought. Shawn could be tough and could fight too, but he also liked softer things like poetry and art.
"I'm not gonna give you shit if you like poetry. I was just curious. That teacher of yours showed me your sketch and pictures. You got some serious talent, little brother. Talent that could take you to places. There's nothing wrong with being creative."
"I like poetry." Shawn admitted after a moment of silence.
"Nothing wrong with that."
"What's going on with the factory?" Shawn asked looking for a change in conversation.
"We are good for tomorrow night. We'll go around eleven and load the trucks up. We got five transport trucks ready to load it all up. Should have all the cash within two weeks. I got my guy looking for an apartment for you in the downtown area, so you'll be close by. He said he would be able to find you something within two weeks."
"Cool. And your friend is ok with me crashing with you guys?"
"He's fine with it. He doesn't like surprises. He was cool with it by the end of the night. You're gonna be around after with the family too. Everyone is lookin' forward to seeing you. You are coming in with a huge score for us."
"What type of jobs do you normally do?"
"Bit of everything. We'll go into factories and take what we can when we get a good in. The guys all rotate workin' in factories or auto shops and we'll hit em at the right time. We package drugs and I got runners that go around the area selling em."
"What kind of drugs? Are you in a gang?"
Shawn didn't know how he felt about any of this, but he was in it now so he wanted to know what he was getting himself in for. He didn't know if Eddie was in a gang or if he just had a crew. Shawn never paid much attention to Eddie and what he did outside of robbing people.
"We are a gang and I'm in charge. I got some contacts all over the place to help when we need it. Everyone is under me and they will leave you alone. You don't gotta worry about anyone giving you shit. We run half the city for the drugs, I got a big gang with lots of runners and cooks for the drugs. We weigh and package them to ensure everything is right. There's twelve of us at the top, you'll be around them the most. Dave is my number two. We do cocaine and heroin for this half of the city. You are part of the crew now so you'll get a cut from it and from everything we steal. We make good money, but we keep a low profile so no one suspects us of anything. We just started the drugs last year and so far it's been goin' good. You stick with us and you won't have to worry about money for college."
"Wow, I didn't know you did all of that."
"We've been branching out and picking up new members as the other gangs got caught or killed off. I made sure to handle the other gang leaders in the city and came to an agreement that we leave each other alone and no one crosses their boundary lines. It's been working for us. You'll need to learn how to fight though and carry a knife on you. We all carry guns, but if you're pinched with one you'll be in Juvi faster than you can blink. Cops won't do nothing for a knife at your age. Just tell em you live in a rough area and are trying to stay alive. They are usually pretty good about it. Make sure you are respectful and polite, they like that. I'll do what I can to make sure you don't get pinched though. This is a short term life for you, you got me? In three years you are either travelling the world or in college. You got it?"
"Ya, no I got it. This isn't the life I want to have forever. I don't even really want it now, but it's better than the alternative."
"You don't have to worry about Uncle Ralph. He's being taken care of. He's never going to be able to hurt you again."
"Do I want to know what you mean by being taken care of?"
"You don't need to worry about it. You focus on your schoolwork and doing what the gang needs you to do. None of that other stuff concerns you."
"Ok."
Shawn didn't want to know everything that was going on. He just wanted to have his own place where he would be safe. If he had to go through this life for a little while then he would. Anything was better than being back at that trailer. Shawn didn't know how he felt about what happened between him and Chris. He was too confused to even think about what that meant. He just wanted to forget about it and move on. They pulled up to the library and they both headed inside, something that surprised Shawn as well. He figured that Eddie would have stayed in the truck. He was surprised once again when Eddie helped him find some history books on Paris and poetry books. Once he had what he needed they headed out and made their way to the apartment. Eddie parked the truck and they both headed inside as he spoke.
"You know how to drive?"
"No."
"I'll teach ya. We gotta get your license so you can be a driver for us. Nothing is going on tonight, you can chill and crash when you want. Tomorrow after school it's gonna be a packed place as we plan for the heist. I already got some buyers in the works once we know what our haul is."
Shawn just gave a nod and took it all in. They arrived at the door and before they walked in Eddie stopped and turned to face Shawn.
"This is the most important, you don't talk about anything we do outside of the inner circle. You'll meet em all tomorrow after school. We got some connections that we can use like Mitch. He's got a big rig we use when we need one and he owns a bar that we can push our products. But even he doesn't know what we make. As far as outsiders know, we are low level and not worth the effort to cause trouble with. It's how we stay safe. Our money goes into our accounts that we have in Springfield, Darby, Camden and Havertown at a bank that is only available there. Once a week we all take the drive and deposit the money in different accounts. It's a little complicated, but you'll get used to it. We'll have to get you set up at the banks too."
"Why so many different accounts?"
"So no one can suspect us of anything illegal. We have a lot of cash that comes in every week from the heists and the drugs. It's not safe to have all of that cash in the apartment. I'll go over it all with you so you know what not to do. Most important is to not talk about it with anyone outside of the circle."
"I won't. I promise."
Eddie gave a nod and he opened the door. They headed inside and Shawn was glad to feel how warm it was in the apartment. The apartment was brick walls with a similar set up to Turner's apartment. Only this apartment was a little larger and the appliances were stainless steel. There was a big t.v that took up the one wall in the living room that had a video game system hooked up to it. The place was nice, a lot nicer than some of the other rundown apartments in the area. Shawn saw Dave sitting down on the big black leather couch watching a basketball game. Dave gave them a quick look before he turned his attention back to the screen as he spoke.
"How was school kid?"
"Fine."
"I ordered some pies. Didn't feel like cooking tonight."
"Works for me." Eddie said as he hung his coat up.
Shawn took his coat off once Eddie held his hand out for it. Shawn handed it over and then stood there, not really knowing what to do.
"Sit, I don't bite kid."
"Make yourself at home little brother. This is your place too." Eddie said as he went into the kitchen and grabbed a beer. He held one out to Dave who gave a nod.
Shawn sat down on the couch and took the pop that Eddie gave to him instead of a beer before he sat down in a matching black leather chair. They sat there in comfortable silence just watching the game. After they ate some pizza Shawn headed into Eddie's room to do some homework before he crashed on the couch for the night.
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It was just after eight the next night. Shawn was in Eddie's room trying to get some of his homework done. Eddie had been really adamant about him doing his homework and getting to school on time. Eddie had driven him this morning and picked him up. It was weird for Shawn, because he couldn't remember the last time someone had taken him to school and been there when he walked out. Shawn knew it wouldn't last long, but he was going to enjoy it while it lasted. Eddie seemed to want to act like a big brother towards him and even if it was just for the two weeks he would be here, Shawn was happy to have it. Tonight was the heist and Shawn had to admit he was nervous. He had no idea how this was going to go down. He had never done anything like this before so he had no idea what to expect or what could go wrong. A knock at the door turned Shawn's attention away from his thoughts. He saw Eddie walk into the room and closed the door behind him.
He spoke as he went and sat down on the edge of his bed. "Everyone's here. We gotta go over what happens tonight."
"Ok."
Shawn started to pack up his homework as Eddie continued to speak.
"You still good with this?"
"I thought there was no going back."
"There isn't, but I would never force you to do something. It's always your choice if you go or stay."
"Don't really have a choice. I got no other way to make enough cash to live on my own."
"Could always crash at your teacher's place. He seemed more than happy to have you there. There's no shame in walkin' away Shawn. You could live a different life with him than doing this life, even short term."
Shawn finished putting his things away in his backpack before he turned around and spoke. "Staying with him would be great. I wouldn't have to worry about paying bills or getting hit. I could just be a normal teenager with him. But for how long? A week? A month? Three months? Before he gets sick of me. If my own parents can't stand to be around me. If they can leave again and again and not want anything to do with me, how long is a stranger really going to last? Besides, he doesn't want someone like me. I got too much baggage, too many problems. I'm too much work. All I want is to be able to know that at the end of every day I have a place I get to go home to. No one is there to leave. No one can kick me out when they feel like it. No one I have to avoid or tiptoe around so I don't get beat. This is the only option for me Eddie. So teach me what I need to know so I don't get killed or thrown in jail."
"I'll teach ya everything I know. I'll do what I can to make sure you don't get caught. But you gotta listen to me when we are out there. I tell you to run, you run, no hesitation. I get caught, I always have a way of gettin' out of jail. I might be gone for a little while, but I'll always get out."
"What do I do if that happens?"
"Dave will get you through. Someone in the inner circle will handle things until I get back out. Don't worry about that. Just make sure you always got a few months of rent saved up."
Shawn gave a nod.
"This weekend we'll head down to the banks and get you setup with an account. My guy is working on finding you a place downtown. I don't know what is available and who will rent to a kid. You'll have to take what he can get for you."
"That's fine. It'll be mine, that's all I care about. What's my job tonight?"
"You're sticking with me. We have five trucks we can load up, we want the most expensive electronics we can get our hands on. We'll go through and mark the sections we want to grab first. We'll take the rest if we got the room."
"What about if someone calls the cops?"
"The factory is isolated and the area is used to seeing trucks coming and going all night. We'll be in and out as quick as possible. That's what you have to think about when picking a mark. Who is around and what their normal routine is. You don't plan it right and you'll get jammed up every time."
"Do you always do the planning?"
"Me and Dave handle it. We've been doing this a long time, we make sure to think of everything so we don't get caught. The others are here, you need to go out and meet everyone and get the rundown for tonight. Tomorrow you have school to keep up appearances. Tomorrow night we also have a new batch of coke we have to package and send out."
"How do we do that?"
"I'll show you tomorrow. Basically we measure the right amounts and get it into the packaging to ship it out when the runners come by."
"Sounds simple enough."
"Come on, you need to meet the others." Eddie said, as he stood up.
Shawn followed his brother out of the room and saw that eleven other guys were here, no girls, but he didn't really expect it. They were all older than him, closer to Eddie's age. Shawn could tell they weren't too sure about him, but he could understand that. He was new and also younger than them. Being Eddie's kid brother was the only reason they were even letting him in on any of this, but Shawn didn't care. Eddie was making it possible for him to be able to get his own place and finally be safe and have a home. That was all that mattered to Shawn now, more than anything.
"This is my kid brother Shawn. This is Mickey, Junior, Jose, Nate, Jackson, Max, Jonny, Bubba, Sticks and Nick." Eddie said, pointing to each guy so Shawn would know who was who.
"Hey." Shawn said to everyone.
"You don't look so good. You in any pain?" Nate asked nodding to Shawn's injured face.
"I'm alright."
"He can't get ya anymore." Jose said. Shawn didn't know why they cared, they didn't even know him. Yet it seemed to bother them to see his bruising.
"It's all taken care of." Junior added, as he looked to Eddie.
"Good. We got business to go over. What do we got?" Eddie said, looking to get things started.
"We got the trucks, they are in the lot at the factory already." Nick said.
"Jackson, Jonny, Bubba, Max and Sticks can all drive big rigs." Dave said to Shawn, who gave a nod in return.
"What type of a haul is it?" Sticks asked.
"From what we know, high end electronics. Shawn and me will go through and mark the area of the most expensive shit. Shawn, how many forklifts are there?" Eddie asked.
"Eight."
"Junior and Dave are on lookout. The rest of you load up the trucks. We need to be in and out within ninety minutes max." Eddie said.
"We can do it. Where are we keeping the shit?" Bubba asked.
"Factory three will be able to hold it." Dave answered.
"We have multiple factories that are rundown and no longer in use that we use to store our hauls while we sell em off. We switch them around so no one can track us." Eddie explained to Shawn.
"Do we have any buyers lined up?" Max asked.
"We got a couple interested depending on what we find." Dave answered.
"Any idea what might be there Kid?" Nate asked Shawn.
"I don't know, it depends on what trucks came to pick up since I've been there a few days ago. They normally have televisions, VHS players, video cameras. Sometimes they'll get computers if a truck is in between a delivery and they need a safe place to store them for the next truck."
"So we could be making more than half a mil, if the right trucks have come by." Bubba said excited at the prospect of making more.
"We could also be making less if all the good stuff was picked up." Nick pointed out.
"We play this game all the time. We'll know once we get there. Tomorrow we also have the new batch of coke coming in that we need to package and hand off to the runners. Shawn is gonna be here to help out. Sticks and Jose, it's your turn this time around to gather the runners and get em ready."
They both just gave a nod and they spent the next little while getting Shawn caught up on what he needed to know about the gang and people to avoid. When it was time they all headed out and off to the factory. Shawn stayed with Eddie in the truck as Dave drove. Once they arrived at the factory he waited until Eddie told him to get out of the truck. The others were scouting to make sure that no one was around. Once it was safe Eddie spoke.
"Let's go."
Shawn followed Eddie out of the truck and over to the factory. Jackson used the code to unlock the door and they all headed in. With the security cameras and system down they didn't have to worry about any alarms. Eddie and Shawn quickly went to work on marking which skids would be loaded onto the trucks while the others got everything ready. Shawn was surprised by the amount of stuff that was in the factory.
"They must have just got a major shipment in." Shawn said.
"There's a lot of good shit in here. It's all high end. I can see some computers, laptops, video games, stereo systems. We're gonna make a killing." Eddie said, impressed by all the goods that were kept here with no security.
They all worked as quickly as they could getting the trucks loaded up.
"This shit is awesome." Nate said impressed.
"It's gonna make us a lot of fucking cash. And it'll go fast." Dave said.
"Too bad this place will be burned after this." Nate said.
"Doesn't matter. We'll be getting away clean, that's all that matters. Let's hurry up and get the last truck loaded and out of here. We still have to unload it all." Eddie said.
It was another hour before they were finally finished loading the last truck. It was nearing three in the morning and they still had to unload the trucks into the next factory. Shawn would then need to go to school to keep up appearance. Shawn wasn't too sure why it would matter if he was there, but Eddie seemed determined for him to be in school. Once the last truck was loaded Shawn, Dave and Eddie got into the truck.
"We need to swing by the apartment and drop Shawn off before heading to the factory." Eddie said.
"Why? I thought I was going with you?" Shawn was confused, because Eddie had told him he was part of the gang. He was to go with them during the heists.
"You did, you don't need to be with us while we unload. I can show you the factory tomorrow after school. You need to be up in four hours, you need sleep."
"I can help unload. I'll be fine."
"You need sleep. You can crash for a few hours and when we get back I'll take you to school."
"It's no big deal kid. We're gonna stand around and wait for the guys to unload the trucks and then head out. You're better off getting some rest before school. We don't need anyone poking around because they're worried about you being tired."
"Ya ok." Shawn said. He was exhausted and sleep did sound very good right now. He was also in a good amount of pain from the beating he took just the other day. Four hours of sleep wouldn't be much, but it would be better than nothing.
"You can crash in my bed so we don't wake you when we come in." Eddie said.
"Thanks."
They made the drive back to the apartment and Shawn headed up while Dave and Eddie headed for the factory. Shawn headed into the apartment and immediately headed into Eddie's room and crawled into bed. He was asleep within minutes. Dave made the drive out to the factory and once Shawn was inside the apartment building he spoke.
"He's bringing out your nice side Eddie."
"What are you talking about?" Eddie asked with a slight edge to his voice.
"You're letting him crash in your room. He's doing his homework in your room. You drive him to and from school. You're on him about homework. You care."
"He's my kid brother. I was the one that got up in the night when he was crying. It was my bed he crawled in when he was scared or had a nightmare. It was me taking the hits so he wouldn't. I might not show him that I care with hugs and soft words, but I have always kept him alive and as safe as I could."
"That's what makes you a good brother. He's been through a lot recently. I'd be pissed if my kid brother showed up beat up all to shit. The gang's got him now, we'll keep him safe."
"He's got a real shot at a life. No one in our family has ever made it this far in school before. He's smart. And he's gifted. I saw a sketch he did, it looked like some professional artist did it. He can draw and take photos, he's gifted. He could make something of himself with it. He's too good for this life. He's graduating high school and then he's going to college or start his own business. He's not going to be a thug."
"So we'll make sure he's out in three years. We're a family, he's your kid brother that makes him our kid brother. You don't want him in this life, we'll make sure he gets out clean. The guys won't care if he's not a lifer. He's only fifteen, we're all in our early twenties. This is it for us, it doesn't have to be for him."
"It's not gonna be. This is the life we all got stuck with. There was no one there to look out for us or tell us we could be anything. None of us had any real talent. He's got a gift. What he can draw, the photos he can take, he's got something real, something that could take him places. He doesn't have to be stuck."
"He won't be man." Dave promised.
They drove the rest of the way in silence with the radio going. When they arrived at the factory the guys were already unloading the trucks with the forklifts they had instead of having to move it box by box. Eddie had a notebook and pen in his hand and he was writing down everything they had and how much of it. Doing a basic count of what they would be making. So far it was looking like they were going to clear a cool million from this haul and it would go fast. It was six in the morning by the time they finished and Eddie headed over to one of the skids that had top of the line canon cameras. They would be selling them for a grand a piece and they would go fast. Eddie picked one up before they headed out. They all made their way back to the apartment after returning the trucks. By the time they got back it was almost seven.
"The kid's asleep." Dave said to them as they headed inside.
They all made their way inside and they made sure to keep quiet so they wouldn't wake Shawn up. Eddie placed the camera down on the counter in the kitchen.
"Why the camera?" Nate asked.
"For Shawn." Eddie grabbed the folder that was sitting on the counter that Shawn had brought home from school. He had gotten his sketch and photos back, after receiving an A on them all. Eddie pushed the folder over to Nate so he could look at it.
Nate opened the folder and everyone moved closer so they could see as well. They all saw the sketch and photos and Eddie could see that they were surprised at the level of quality they were.
"He did these?" Dave asked shocked. He knew that Eddie had said that Shawn was gifted, but this was insane.
"Ya. First time with a camera. He sketched that in one forty minute class." Eddie said and they could hear the slight proud tone to him.
"Shit, he's got talent." Max said.
"Talent, that shit is a gift." Sticks said amazed.
"What the hell is he doing in this life?" Jackson asked.
"He's only in it temporarily. Three years and he's done. He's too talented to die a thug." Eddie said, making a point to look at everyone so they knew he was serious.
"He's your kid brother, that makes him our kid brother. He's got a chance at something real, we would be pretty shitty brothers to let him throw that away." Nick said.
"Ya man, we all got him." Junior agreed.
Eddie turned around and started to make something for breakfast. He knew Shawn would have to be up soon so he figured he might as well make em all something to eat. He wasn't caring and loving, he knew that. Hell, he wasn't even affectionate by any stretch of the imagination. But he did care about Shawn. He was there when he was just a baby raising him. It was him that changed his diapers. It was him that taught him how to walk and talk. It was him helping him with his homework and taking him to school. Shawn might not remember it, but Eddie was the one that raised him and now it seemed like he would need to do it again. This time around would be easier with Shawn being older, but he still needed Eddie's support and protection.
It wasn't long later did they hear Shawn's alarm going off. He appeared a few minutes later looking exhausted still, but he was used to it.
"Hey man, it's gonna be a long day at school eh?" Jose said with a smirk.
"I can sleep at school." Shawn said with a shrug.
"You get your homework done?" Eddie asked, placing the plate of pancakes in front of Shawn at the island counter. "Eat."
"Thanks. And ya it's done." Shawn said, as he sat down to eat. The others getting some food as well.
"You did good last night kid. We're gonna clear easily a million." Max said.
"A fucking sick haul." Bubba said with a smile.
"That's good." Shawn said. He wasn't really sure how he felt about all of this, but he was just glad he didn't have to be with his uncle right now and that was worth it.
"Here, you earned it." Eddie said, placing the camera down in front of Shawn.
"What is this?" Shawn asked, as he took in the brand new camera, a very expensive one at that.
"A little welcome gift. It's one of the ones we picked up last night." Dave said.
"Think of it as an investment into your future. You're good at taking photos, now you can always take em." Jackson said.
"Thanks, I don't really know what to say." Shawn hadn't expected them to be like this. He had always hidden his love for creative outlets, he didn't think they would ever be supportive of something like that.
"You're family. And in this family, we support each other. You got talent, you could go far with it." Nick said with a smile.
"When you are ready, I'll give you a ride to school. Tonight we have the coke we need to get ready for distribution." Eddie said.
Shawn just gave a nod and finished eating. Once he was done he headed off to take a shower and get ready for school. When he was ready Eddie and him headed out for his school. Shawn had no idea what tonigh was going to be like, but he was just happy to know that he would soon be able to get his own place and finally know what a home feels like.