FlatFox - thanks for your support. I can't wait to hear what you think of this chapter.
TheBrothersFurt - I hope you enjoy this little detour our VKs are taking.
Danifan3000- nice? Um... I wouldn't say they're super nice, but they're not bad either... just human, and set in their ways and social status.
Power214063 - honestly, I don't know yet.
"Ok, Carlos, we need to get going." Anita had walked over to the group, the drive was over an hour and she didn't want to get home too late.
"Coming." Carlos answered and gave the others hugs goodbye as he picked up his bag and followed Anita to the car, Dude close on his heels.
Carlos hadn't left the Auradon Prep campus since since his first day, and that was just to come over from the isle, he sat quietly next to Anita and looked out the window at the passing scenes. Anita had tried several times to start up a conversation, but after a few minutes it fell into silence again and she eventually gave up. They drove by the main castle where the King, Queen, and Prince Ben lived. And then through the quaint village that Queen Belle had grown up in. Carlos thought all the little shops, boutiques, and eateries looked fascinating, having never been in a real store before. They drove south of Auradon City but Carlos could see the tall spires and a few sky rises that mixed old with new, it looked so formidable that he was glad they weren't going into the heart of the city, and then the endless countryside started there were orchards, fields, and an occasional little village.
"You make this drive every day?" asked Carlos eventually, it was no short commute.
Anita shook her head, "No, I have a room at the school I stay at sometimes, I'll come in monday morning, stay overnight and leave tuesday afternoon, for example; so it's not too bad."
Shortly after Anita pulled into a gravel driveway and Carlos' mouth dropped open there at the end was a huge old farm house with a wrap around porch. Anita pulled into the barn that had been turned into a garage and tucked the car keys into the visor. Carlos got out of the car, picked up Dude, and threw his bag over his shoulder as he looked around. The barn was huge and had a loft over part of it, half of it was converted into a garage. Carlos followed Anita out, there was an orchard on one side of the barn and he could see a large fenced in section of land for Pongo and Perdita to run. They entered the house by a side door which lead to what Anita called a "mud room" (Although Carlos didn't see any mud and he suspected that bringing some in would still be frowned on) that had the washer and dryer, then into a large kitchen. Carlos could see a dining room through one door and a pantry, another door led into a smaller hallway space that had stairs and a door to a back porch, beyond that looked like a study.
"Roger, we're home." Anita called out and a moment later Roger entered the kitchen, striding purposefully over to Anita and gave her a big hug and kiss.
Carlos looked away with a slight blush, he wasn't used to such public displays of affection, especially from adults, kids at school were always making out.
"Roger, I'd like you to meet Carlos. Carlos, this is my husband, Roger." Anita said once she and Roger seperated a bit.
"Nice to meet you, Carlos." Roger said holding out his hand to shake. Carlos shifted Dude and shook hands and then pulled back as he started to look up towards the tall man in front of him. It felt to Carlos as if the man's height just went on forever, although he was really just over 6 foot, Carlos shrunk back a bit when he finally met the man's eyes, he was smiling, but his eyes didn't smile the way Anitas did. The boy quickly dropped his eyes back to the floor and held Dude a little tighter. The small dog sensed his owners anxiety and started licking his face. Carlos smiled at the little dog in his arms and relaxed slightly.
"Carlos," Anita brought him back "your room is up the stairs, first door, why don't you go up and make yourself at home, it looks like dinner will be ready in about an hour."
Carlos nodded, grabbed his bag, and went out of the kitchen. He could hear Roger saying something to Anita that sounded like complaint about him but he decided he didn't want to hear and looked at the pictures in the hall as he made his way to the bottom of the stairs. There were a lot with dogs in them, a bunch of childhood photos and extended family that obviously Carlos wouldn't know, and then his heart stopped; a photo of Anita and none other than his mother at what must have been a play in high school perhaps. Carlos felt the blood rush out of his head and he felt a bit light headed, Dude whined in his arms and licked his face some more rousing the boy back, Carlos shook his head and ran upstairs shaking.
Once Carlos calmed down a bit he took a look around his room, the room was decorated in blues and greens with, for some reason, a nautical theme, it clearly was like that long before they had planned on having him stay. There was a stash of dog toys in a corner that Dude immediately ran to, a desk with a docking station for his laptop, and a bookcase with a variety of books. Carlos read over some of the titles, some science books, other biographies of notable figures in Auradonian history, and a bunch of fictional stories he had never heard of. Some were older books bound in leather with gold trim and beautiful illustrations, and some newer paperbacks. Carlos's room was on the corner of the house so he had windows on two sides of his room. The one looked over the orchard and barn and the other side looked towards the front of the house with a corn field as far as he could see. He was glad to see that the roof of the porch was right outside his window, he could climb out there if he just needed to get outside, or even an escape route if it came to that. He wandered down the hallway and found the bathroom, another room that looked like a guest room, a linen closet, and what he supposed was Roger and Anita's room.
Carlos went back into his bedroom and unpacked the few outfits he owned, he was surprised to see a few basics already in the dresser drawers, new packs of socks, underwear, and undershirts, as well as jeans, t-shirts, and hoodies (thankfully all in red, black or white) it wasn't his normal style but it was nice to see that they had put in the effort. Carlos sat on the bed holding Dude, he wasn't sure what he was supposed to do now, he was curious about the rest of the house and outside but didn't feel ready to explore just yet, something about Roger made him nervous and he would rather not cross him unexpected.
"Carlos! Dinner." Anita called from down stairs. Dude jumped into the boys arms and the two headed down to eat.
Carlos made his way back downstairs and found Anita and Roger in the dining room and a place set out for him, he put Dude down on the floor and sat down. It was incredibly uncomfortable, Carlos didn't know if he should serve himself, or wait for someone to say ok, he sat quietly looking down at the flowers on the plate as if they were very interesting until Anita told him he could serve himself and start. He noticed Roger giving his wife a look that clearly said "what a weird kid".
Anita tried to start a conversation again, Carlos dutifully answered the questions with as few words as possible. Roger then started in with his questions in a no-nonsense manner, Carlos did his best to answer but felt like he often did in Willerstein's class and eventually fell into silence only answering with yes, no, or a shrug. Roger sighed raised his eyebrows at Anita, and cleared his plate, muttering to himself.
"Um…" Carlos finally spoke up voluntarily, "what do I do with my plate?"
Anita smiled "follow me" she said and led him into the kitchen, showed him where the garbage was in case there was anything he didn't eat like the chicken bones on his plate, and how to put his plate in the dishwasher, she explained how they ran it at night and unloaded it each morning. Then showed him where the various dishes were and cereal for breakfast, "We only eat dinner in the dining room, usually breakfast and lunch are in here."
"You knew my mother." Carlos blurted out.
Anita froze and turned to look down at the boy, she wasn't a tall woman by any means and she even towered over him by at least half a foot, "We were friends, a long time ago."
Carlos mulled this over the idea of his mother ever having a friend, of ever not being an insanely crazy abusive alcoholic was such a foreign concept to Carlos or else maybe Anita was like his mother, although that didn't make sense either. He wasn't even sure what he thought of it.
"Carlos?" Anita said softly "I thought that you knew."
The boy just shook his head, he had never bothered to read his mother's story, he knew the basics, about how she had tried to steal 101 puppies to murder to make a stupid coat. But that was it, he never wanted to know more.
Anita noticed the confusion on Carlos' face, "If you'd like I can tell you about her, before all that bad stuff happened."
Carlos looked up at Anita, "No…. I mean… not yet, maybe someday." His throat felt like it was closing up and Dude padded over to him, the boy scooped up his little furry friend and cuddled him.
Anita nodded, "Ok then, when you're ready. Why don't you take Dude out" She suggested realizing the little dog hadn't been outside for hours. "Pongo and Perdita are in the fenced yard." Anita handed the boy some treats for all the dogs, "go say hello. They're very friendly and won't hurt you."
Carlos nodded. The dogs were behind a fence so he felt comfortable with saying hello, he put a leash on Dude. The little dog didn't normally run off, but this was an unknown area and he didn't want the little dog to run off in the excitement of a new place. Carlos and Dude headed out to say hello.
"Will he be okay out there?" Roger asked his wife as he watched out the window.
"Of course he will." Anita said giving her husband a quizzical look.
Roger wrapped his arms around his wife and sighed, "he's just so… odd."
Anita chuckled, "He wasn't raised in Auradon. I don't think he was really raised at all. I think the isle isn't like we imagine it to be. All of them are a bit... peculiar from what I can tell. He's still just a boy." she sighed slightly and then smiled as she watched Dude and Carlos run around the backyard together. She hoped their home would be good for him, "Give him time."
Roger kissed the side of his wife's head and nodded, she was right, he remembered how Cruella was just before she was sent away, he had no idea what she was like now, but couldn't imagine it would be any better and it was certainly not an environment suitable for children.
When the sun started to set Anita called Carlos and Dude back in, they all settled in the living room to watch jeopardy with Gyro Gearloose as the host. Carlos had never seen the show before, he and Jay usually watched movies or played video games, but it didn't take him long to get the idea and start shouting out answers along with Roger and Anita. Both of whom were impressed at how many he got right. After the Sunday night variety hour was on, which Carlos was surprised to find he didn't hate it, when that ended Roger turned off the TV and declared it time for bed.
Carlos got ready and snuggled in bed with Dude, Anita gently knocked on the door. "Can I come in?" she asked, Carlos nodded and the woman came in, "I just thought I'd tuck you in, if you don't mind." Anita said softly.
"I don't know what that is." Carlos said confused.
Anita pulled up the blankets and tucked them in around Carlos then sat on the edge of the bed and asked if he needed anything, she let him know they'd leave the bathroom light on.
The boy smiled up at her, "Oh thanks for the clothes, I saw them in the dresser"
"You're welcome, Carlos." the woman said as she moved the white curls out of his eyes and giving his forehead a quick kiss goodnight and left.
Carlos lay in the dark of his new room, Dude snuggled up close to him, and stared out the window across from his bed. Was that being tucked in? How weird, he didn't really understand the point, he'd put himself to bed since he could remember and he was sure Cruella had never done more than toss him in the closet and close the door. But he found he didn't mind it.
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