Here's the second chapter. A lot of dialogue; I know it isn't fan fiction, exactly, but it's fun for me. Thanks to both Mint Tea Rose and Verdant Wings!
"You know I'll always be here for you, baby."
"Yeah, yeah. I don't know what you consider 'being here for you', but it ain't the same as my definition!"
"But, baby!"
"I have a name. And it's Lisa!"
"Lisa-"
"No. No! Just leave."
"But I-"
"Just get outta the house."
"Baby! Lisa!"
"Are you gonna do it or do I have to call the cops?"
"Aw, you wouldn't."
"Wouldn't I? Just leave my house. Leave now!"
"Liiiissssaaaa!"
"You don't leave now, I'm gonna go get my phone and call em."
"Aw, come on baby."
She marched into the kitchen and returned with a wireless phone. "Look. Ya gonna watch me dial the number?"
"Alright, alright. Just let me grab my cell phone." he reached behind her and picked it up. "You're gonna regret this, babe. You're gonna come back to me on your hands and knees."
"Yeah, yeah."
"Mark my words."
"I'll mark em right out. Now get outta my house."
He slammed the door behind him.
A young boy padded down the hall is his sock feet and stood looking at the woman. "Why're you fighting?"
"Aw, honey, just go back to your room. That's just something grown-ups do sometimes. Nothing to worry about."
"Is he going to come back?"
"I hope not."
"Good. He was mean to me."
"He was mean to me, too. Now go on back to your room and get some sleep."
"Alright, Lisa." he padded back down the hall as Lisa sank onto the couch, the wireless phone trembling in her hand.
As she rested, she heard a knock on her door. She rose apprehensively, hoping it wasn't him. She latched the door with the chain before she opened it, just in case.
She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Aron and quickly opened the door. "Come on in, honey."
"Are you trying to keep someone out? It's only eight o'clock."
"I'm just worried for your brother. After that stunt Fere was paid to pull, trying to kidnap him, I've just been on edge, ya know?"
"Sure, sure, Lisa." Aron said consolingly. "Where is my brother?"
"I just sent him to bed."
"Can I see him anyway?"
"Sure! He's not asleep yet, I'm sure of it. Go right down the hall."
Aron walked slowly, thinking. His life was walking down hallways. Did he have any guarantee they were leading to something worthwhile? No, of course he didn't. He found the blue door leading to his brother's room and knocked.
"Hello?"
"Hey Cozmin."
"Aron!" the boy bounced to his feet and ran to end the of the bed to greet him.
"I hear someone here has a birthday next week."
"Yeah!"
"Who could that be?"
"Me!"
"You? Really? Well, how old are you going to be?"
"Ten."
"Ten! Already? Wow! You're getting ancient. We'll have to be getting you a razor to shave your bread before long!"
Cozmin laughed and jumped into his arms. Aron sat down on the bed beside him.
"Is Becky still trying to take me away?" he asked, pulling closer to his brother.
After a pause, Aron bit his lip and replied, "Probably. But don't worry about you. She won't get you. Even if she does, we'll get you back."
"Promise?"
Cozmin was small for his age and many people had commented that he looked more like five than nine. Sitting in Aron's lap, he looked even younger. Aron's heart melted, and he smiled and whispered to him, "Promise."
Cozmin smiled back. "Okay...okay, Aron." After a brief silence, he continued, "What're we going to do for my birthday?"
"What do you want to do?"
"I dunno."
"Well, do you want a party, do you want to go out to eat, do you-"
"I want to go eat. I want to eat at the salad place."
"The salad place." Aron wasn't sure he was talking about.
"Yeah! With the big salad bar and the veggie everythings!"
"The Vegan Palace?" Aron said, disbelieving.
"I want to eat there. Can we eat there Aron?"
"I'm sure. But...maybe not on the actual birthdate, though. I have to work. Do you want to do it before or after?"
"Umm...after."
"Alright."
"Can you make Lisa stop fighting with people? It keeps me awake and makes me scared.
"Sometimes people just have to fight. But I'll mention it to her, okay? Hey, aren't you tired? It's after eight!"
"You're up after eight."
"But I'm a grown-up."
"I'm going to be a grown-up, too. I'm going to be ten! When you write it on graph paper, it takes up just as much space as your number!"
"That's true." Aron admitted with a smile. "Well, I'll just have to see what I can do about that. But in the meantime, you're not ten yet, so you still have to go to sleep now. Okay?"
"Come see me tomorrow?" Cozmin asked, pulling close to Aron once again.
"I have to work late. How about day after tomorrow?"
"Lisa says that never comes."
"She's right, usually. But this one will come."
"Why?"
"Because I say so." Aron jutted his chin to the side dramatically.
"Are you magic, Aron?"
"What do you think?" he asked, returning his chin to its normal position and smiling.
Cozmin giggled as Aron tickled him. He set the boy in his bed and pulled the covers up.
"Love you."
"Yeah. Me, too."
Aron left his door open just a crack, so he 'could get it open real fast if the monsters come', and sank onto the couch beside Lisa. "How's he doing?"
"He's a quiet little boy. I feel so sorry for 'im, havin' a mother like her. You, too. How can you stand her?"
"I can't. I just keep away from her and hope she can't find me. My number's unlisted and she doesn't know where I live anymore. I hope she doesn't know where Cozmin is living, either."
"I can understand why she'd want that adorable little thing, but don't she realize she can't take care of 'im?"
"She doesn't know anything. I don't think the drugs have left her with any mental capacity other than that needed to function physically."
"But it was pretty smart of her to go to Fere."
"Not really. It was very foolish. It was a fleeting thought. She stole my money and paid him, though I can't believe it actually cost her that much. The rest must have gone to drugs."
"Poor thing."
"Cozmin says you're fighting with people."
"I know. Jack Parker keeps hangin' around here. He comes in my house, tellin' me he'll 'always be here for me, baby' and I keep havin' to kick him out. That's the fightin'."
"If it gets too serious, get a restraining order."
"You take care of me, Aron. It's all for yo brother, I know, but ya still take good care of me too."
Aron smiled absently. "I'll see you in two or three days. Cozmin wants to go to the Vegan Place with me for his birthday, I didn't know if you were planning anything."
"Nah, you two go ahead. I'll get him some books and other presents."
"What he really wants is to have his bedtime extended to eight fifteen."
"Well...I guess that can be arranged, too." Lisa smiled as Aron got off the couch and headed for the door.
"See you later."
"Yeah."