Chapter 4
By: MysticFantasy
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"What about when I leave?"
Jack's words kept repeating in Evelyn's mind all day. It was enough to keep her quiet for hours after coming home from the mall and enough to make her three sons notice and start to worry.
"Mom? You alright?" Jerry asked.
"I'm alright Jerry." Evelyn answered.
"Something's on your mind." Bobby said with a knowing tone. "Is it about Jack?"
"Well, yes. Jack finally talked to me when we were getting him new clothes."
"What's got you so upset then?" Angel asked sitting next to his mother.
"Just a few things he said that I've never heard a little boy his age say. He told me that he's never had new clothes before."
"Really?" Jerry questioned. "Well that would explain why all the clothes he had before were so used. They had holes and were about to fall apart."
"I know." Evelyn said with a nod. "He almost looked like he didn't want to believe he was getting new clothes. Like he thought I was playing a horrible joke on him."
"Want me to talk to him?" Bobby asked.
"No Bobby. He doesn't need to be overwhelmed right now." Evelyn answered. "I'm sure he thought that because he's never gone through something like that before. Then I told him that he didn't have anything to worry about as long as he was here. Then he asked about what would happen when he would leave."
"Got you thinking about letting him stay?" Bobby asked.
"Well, most of it is because I promised him that I wouldn't let anything horrible happen to him anymore. That was really what he questioned. How can I make sure that he doesn't end up in another horrible home?"
"Adopt him." Bobby said point blank. "The best way to keep your promise in making sure nothing bad ever does happen to him again is to make him your forth kid. You know for sure that he'll be ok here."
"Maybe." Evelyn said. "But adopting him so soon...This needs a little more time."
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Jack looked at the new clothes that were now hanging in his closet. Evelyn had bought him a total of six different pants, eight shirts, two sweaters, a jacket, new shoes and many pairs of socks and underwear.
"Like your new clothes?"
Jack jumped when he heard the voice behind him.
"Sorry Jack. Didn't mean to sneak up on you." Bobby said. "Those are some nice threads. You like 'em?"
Jack nodded.
"Good. You say thanks to my Ma?"
Jack nodded again. Bobby seemed nice but he also had that dangerous look. The kind people don't want to mess with otherwise they'll be paying the price for it.
"Good." Bobby said sitting on the bed. "So, you want to learn how to skate and play hockey?"
Jack shrugged.
"Hey come on Jack. You finally said something the other day. You should start talking more. It made my Ma real happy to hear you speakin' to her today."
"Really?" Jack asked softly.
"Yea, really." Bobby answered with a smile. "See. It's not so hard to talk to us is it?"
"Not to you and Ms. Evelyn." Jack answered.
"You haven't been around Jerry and Angel much so I understand that. Why don't you let them help you learn to skate? They're both really good at skating."
"I don't know. No one ever let me learn to skate before."
"Well, we're letting you." Bobby said. "We'll teach you if you want to."
Jack held his broken arm and shook his head.
"Hey, it's ok. I understand. We can teach you later if you want. Come on downstairs and watch a movie with me, Jerry and Angel. They want to spend some time with you but they don't want to freak you out. They don't want you to be scared of them. Come on. Give them a chance."
Jack nodded hesitantly.
"Come on." Bobby said motioning for the child to follow him.
Jack slowly followed Bobby out of his room, down the stairs and into the living room. He right away noticed Jerry and Angel sitting on the sofa and felt a little nervous. The two walked into the living room and Bobby let Jack sit on the armchair a little away from the sofa.
"Hope you like comedy movies Jack." Jerry said with a reassuring smile.
Jack stayed silent as the movie started to play. He watched but didn't think it was very funny and did a great job keeping any laughter back.
Bobby, Jerry and Angel on the other hand were laughing at almost every little thing.
Jack wasn't totally sure what the movie was about. It was a fat guy and a skinny guy trying to stop a company takeover by selling a thousand items. The movie ended with the takeover not taking place and the town being saved.
"I love that movie." Angel said still laughing a bit.
"What'd you think Jack?" Jerry asked.
Jack shrugged.
"That was a funny movie Jack. You didn't laugh once." Bobby exclaimed.
The blond child lowered his eyes.
"Well, it really wasn't that funny." Bobby said. "Too many random things at once. Especially the fake bomb with roadflares."
"So what do you want to do now guys?" Angel asked stretching.
"Don't know." Jerry answered. "Mom won't be back until later. We can do whatever for the next couple of hours."
"Let's go get something to eat." Angel suggested.
"Sounds good. Let's go to that burger joint down the street from the mall." Bobby said. "Sound good to you Jack?"
Jack stayed quiet and motionless. It was one thing to be with all three of Evelyn's sons while watching a movie. It was a totally different thing with them going out somewhere and being away from the house for a few hours.
"Come on Jack. We'll cruise the town and take you to a few places." Bobby urged. "It'll be fun."
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How did this happen? Jack yelled at himself as he sat in the backseat of Bobby's car. Angel was sitting next to him, Jerry was in the passenger seat and Bobby was driving.
He sat as close to the window as he could, still wondering how the three had managed to get him to agree to go with them into town.
He looked out the window and saw all kinds of shops and buildings fly by. He didn't even notice that the car had come to a stop until he heard the car doors open. The seat was leaned forward and Jerry was waiting for him to exit the car.
Slowly, he got out of the car and waited. The doors closed and the three walked over to him.
"Come on Jack. Let's get some food." Bobby said placing a hand on Jack's shoulder and leading him to the door of the restaraunt they had parked in front of.
Jack stayed close to Bobby as they went inside. They went to a booth and Jack was once again sitting by a window. He admitted that it seemed fun but at the same time he was nervous because he was now closed off from any possibile escape if he needed to run off.
A waitress came over and asked for their drink orders while she gave them menu's to look at. Jack didn't answer so Bobby had ordered him a Dr. Pepper to drink. The waitress left and the four looked at what they wanted.
"Hey Jack, think you can finish that?" Angel asked with a grin as he pointed to a picture of a burger with three meat patties and loaded with vegetables.
Jack only blinked at Angel who quickly lost his grin.
"Stop messin' with him. He's just a kid." Jerry declared. "How about the number two Jack?"
Jack looked at the menu and saw a single patty burger with fries on the side.
"Jack." Bobby said giving him a knowing look.
Jack nodded and saw smiles on Jerry and Angel.
The waitress came back and gave them their drinks, then took their orders. The ten year old took his glass of soda and drank a few sips. When he was done a small hiccup passed his lips.
"Easy there Jackie." Bobby chuckled. "Soda can do that to you if you drink it too fast."
Jack nodded and turned his attention to what was going on outside the building.
Not much going on around here. he thought to himself watching as a few cars passed by.
"So Jack,"
The young child snapped out of his thoughts when he realized Jerry was trying to talk to him.
"Bobby tells me that he wants to teach you to play hockey. That right?"
Jack wasn't going to answer but remembered his promise and nodded.
"You want to?" Angel asked.
Jack's blue eyes looked at Bobby who looked like he wanted to hear a verbal answer.
"Maybe." he spoke and saw smiles on Jerry and Angel again.
"There see. That wasn't so bad." Bobby said before taking a drink of his soda.
"Think you'd like learning how to skate and play hockey?" Jerry asked.
"I don't know. I never got to try before." Jack answered.
"Well if you ever want to learn we can teach you. We'll take it step by step." Angel offered. "It'll be fun."
Jack nodded and noticed the waitress returning with plates of food on a large tray. The plates were placed on the table and he was a little surprised to see what he considered a large burger and huge stack of fries placed before him.
He looked over to the other three who were already starting to eat their food.
Bobby took a huge bite of his over stuffed burger, Jerry cut his in half to eat it easier and Angel was drowning his fries with ketchup.
He looked at his own plate before reaching out to grab his burger.
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"It's just a stomach ache. He actually ate a lot." Bobby insisted once they had returned home with a somewhat sick Jack.
"Are you sure Bobby?" Evelyn questioned.
"Yes. Jerry and Angels both saw him eat nearly his entire plate before he started saying his stomach was hurting. It was a lot of food for him to eat." Bobby answered. "He may have even gained a pound or two."
"Well...I'm glad that he's getting a little more use to being around all of you. He really talked to you?"
"Not an entire conversation. Just enough to give a straight answer." Bobby answered. "We're doin' something right if he's finally starting to talk to us more. Anyway, how's the 'adoption' process?"
"There's a family who's considering adopting him." Evelyn answered.