Chapter 2
By: MysticFantasy
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Evelyn had allowed Jack the privelage to sleep in as late as he wanted the next three mornings. The poor child was exhausted and needed his time to rest. It had been obvious to all of them that he didn't get very much sleep in the previous home since there were dark circles around his eyes.
Quietly opening Jack's bedroom door, Evelyn looked into the room and saw that Jack was indeed still sleeping. Curled under his blanket looking like he was having a peaceful slumber. Most likely the first one in a long time.
She smiled and quietly shut the door to head downstairs where she was sure no one else was.
Her three sons tried to sleep in when they could but she usually got them up before nine or ten. But today she was a bit surprised to see Bobby standing in the kitchen getting a pot of coffee started.
"When did you start drinking coffee?" she asked walking in.
"I haven't. It's for you. But I am tempted to see what the fuss is about." Bobby answered.
"You have youth. You don't need it yet." Evelyn smiled.
"Yet." He repeated.
Evelyn chuckled patting Bobby's shoulder.
"So...I sorta talked to the kid the other night." Bobby said.
Evelyn stood up straight. "Did he actually talk?" she asked.
"Not really but I think I got him to see that he doesn't need to be scared of us." Bobby answered. "I told him that he was safe here and that he didn't have to be scared that something would happen to him. I think he may have believed me."
"I really hope so Bobby." Evelyn said. "He really needs to see that there are places where he's safe and that nothing will happen to him."
"Maybe if you told him that you're gonna adopt him he may feel better." Bobby suggested with a smirk.
"Why are you so sure you think I'm going to adopt him?" Evelyn asked with a tiny smile.
"Call it intuition." Bobby answered with a smile of his own. "I kinda had that feeling when you brought he here and the same thing happened when Jerry and Angel showed up. Besides, I think he kinda looks like a Mercer."
Evelyn smiled again before heading to the fridge.
"Mom, why is he so quiet?" Bobby suddenly asked in a serious tone.
Evelyn placed the carton of milk on the counter with a light sigh.
"He's been through so much Bobby." she said. "The main reason that he's so quiet is because the past few homes he's been in were so horrible that if he made a sound, accident or purpose, he'd get hit. The foster parent's told him that he shouldn't speak unless spoken to and even then, if Jack didn't say what they wanted to hear, they'd hit him."
"How can people be like that? To a little kid."
"I don't know honey. I really don't. Jack's just a little boy and he's already got an impression of how people in the world may be but he has the wrong impression. I want to show him that not everyone in the world is like his past foster families."
"I bet if he was a Mercer he would know." Bobby said with a knowing tone and smile.
"Maybe I will Bobby. He's so innocent and adorable. But I need to get him to come out of his shell first."
"I'll help him." Bobby assured. "I got Jerry and Angel to calm down and be more open. I'm sure that I can do the same with Jack."
"Just make sure that Jack doesn't follow you into trouble like Jerry and Angel did when you got involved with that theater incident."
Bobby grinned at the memory his mother brought back.
"I'll try but no promises." he said.
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Evelyn eventually woke Jack up for breakfast. She spared him having to eat with Bobby, Jerry and Angel by allowing the other three to eat in the living room and watch tv.
"So, Bobby told me that he talked with you the first night you were here." Evelyn said placing a glass of orange juice by his plate he hadn't touched.
Jack averted his eyes when she mentioned Bobby having talked to him.
"He told me what he told you and he's right Jack." Evelyn said. "You don't have anything to be afraid of while you're here with us. I know that Bobby, Jerry and Angel seem a little intimidating but they're all very sweet when you get to know them. They love to joke around and have fun. I know that you'll love them if you give them a chance. They want to get to know you too but they don't want to scare you. Can you give them a chance Jackie?"
Jack looked up at Evelyn. He liked it when he was called Jackie but he didn't want them to know just yet.
He gave her a single nod and saw her smile.
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Jack was back in his room looking out the window as a light snow fell toward the ground. He loved to watch it as it fluttered downward, landing anywhere without care. Free from any kind of pull. Just able to go where it wanted.
That was something he wished he could do most of the time. But he was repeated told that he was too young or too small to do anything or that no one would care what he did. That he was important enough.
He heard that in nearly every foster home he had been placed in and he was sure he would hear it in this one too.
"Come on ladies. We gotta get this snow off the sidewalk."
"You can do it yourself Bobby."
Jack looked down toward the front and saw Bobby, Angel and Jerry walk outside wearing coats and holding shovels.
"Hey, mom just wants the sidewalk and driveway cleared by the time she comes back home. If all three of us do it it'll be quicker and we can get back to what we were doing." Bobby stated starting to shovel the snow at the front of the sidewalk.
Jack watched as Jerry and Angel looked at each other before they both suddenly pushed Bobby and caused him to fall into the snow. The two laughed watching Bobby get up and then ran as Bobby started to chase after them with snowballs.
Jack had to admit that it was humerous to watch them run around the yard but couldn't really see how Evelyn thought he could partake in something like that.
This was something only siblings could do together. And he wasn't part of their family. He was just a kid who nearly got strangled to death and was taken into this house out of sympathy.
Turning his back to the window, Jack looked at his cast. He had heard that people signed someone's cast. Family and friends usually. But his was blank and was just a reminder of how it got to be on his arm.
BANG!
Jack jumped away from the window when something hit it. His heart raced not sure of what it was.
"JACK!"
Timidly, Jack went back to the window and looked down to see Bobby waving at him. Jerry was rolling up a snow ball to make a snowman and Angel was on his back moving his arms and legs to make a snow angel.
"Jack!" Bobby called. "Come on down and have some fun."
The oldest Mercer saw Jack shake his head and then dissappear from view.
"Way to go genius!" Jerry declared. "You just scared him off."
"Did not!" Bobby countered and walked up the stairs to go into the house to find Jack. Inside he removed his snow covered boots and walked up the stairs to Jack's room. He wasn't surprised when he didn't right away see Jack.
"Jack?" Bobby called looking around the room. "Jack? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you buddy. I just thought you might want to come outside and have some fun with us."
After looking in the closet, Bobby was about to leave the room when he looked at the bed. The space underneath was small and he doubted that anyone could fit under it. But Jack was a skinny kid and he could have no problem getting under there.
Carefully, Bobby kneeled and peered under the bed.
There he found Jack pressed against the wall looking like a frightened mouse looking at a cat's hungry face.
"Hey Jack, it's alright. I didn't mean to scary you." Bobby said. "You don't have to go outside if you don't want to. I won't make you go out there. Just come out from under there ok?"
Jack looked at Bobby who was now offering his hand.
Again hoping he wouldn't regret this, Jack timidly reached over with his good hand and took Bobby's.
Bobby helped Jack come out from under the bed, not before noticing the bruise on Jack's wrist half hidden by the sleeve.
"Are you ok?" Bobby asked once Jack was out.
Jack nodded once.
"I'm sorry kid. I didn't mean to freak you out. Guess I should have been more careful." Bobby said. "As an apology how about I make you some hot chocolate?"
Jack looked at Bobby curiously and confused.
"Have you ever had hot chocolate before?"
Jack shook his head.
"Come on. I'll make you some. You'll like it." Bobby offered.
Jack wasn't sure if he should but remembered that he had promised to give Bobby and the others a chance. He quietly followed Bobby downstairs and was instructed to sit at the table. He did so and waited.
There were faint sounds of Jerry and Angel coming from the front of the house and the sounds of Bobby moving around in the kitchen. After a few minutes, Bobby came back carrying steaming cups and placed one in front of Jack then got a bag of mini marshmallows and placed it on the table.
Jack reached for his cup and savored the warmth that radiated off it.
"Careful, it's hot." Bobby said placing a few of the marshmallows in his cup.
Jack remained silent and took a careful sip. Instantly, he felt his tastebuds dance at the taste of the hot chocolate. He had never tasted anything like it before and liked it.
"Guess you like it huh?" Bobby guessed with a little smile. "No one ever made it for you before?"
Jack shook his head putting the cup down on the table.
"That's not right. A kid should enjoy hot chocolate on a cold day." Bobby declared finishing his drink. He watched as Jack took another drink of his hot chocolate and frowned when he saw the bruises on the child's neck.
The bruises had now taken form in the shape of hand prints and nearly stuck out completely on Jack's pale skin. His black shirt was somewhat hiding the bruises and sort of shadowing them, making them hard to spot.
"So Jack, what do you like to do?" Bobby asked.
Jack wasn't sure how to answer and just shrugged.
"Come on little guy, there's gotta be something." the older encouraged. "You like sports?"
Jack shook his head.
"Really? So I guess you don't know how to play hockey then?"
Jack shook his head again.
"Do you know how to ice skate?"
Jack shook his head once more.
"Wow. I haven't met a kid who doesn't know how to ice skate. Want me to teach you some day?"
Jack shrugged.
Bobby lightly sighed. "Why don't you talk Jack?"
Jack averted his eyes as he sank a little more into his chair.
"Does your voice work?"
The child nodded.
"Then why don't you use it? I wanna know what your voice sounds like."
Jack kept his eyes lowered.
"It's ok Jack." Bobby said. "I know that you haven't even been here for a week and you're still scared. But you know that you can trust us. We're not like those other people you've lived with. We'll help you with whatever problems you got."
Bobby took his cup and was about to stand when he heard a weak "Thank you".
He looked at Jack who was looking at him through his bangs and smiled.
"No problem Cracker Jack."