"School?" Rude asked. Great. Just great. He could see how things would go now... Rennan would come home with homework, Reno would try to help, then send the boy over to Rude. There was a reason, other than being too damn old in his opinion, Rude wasn't in school anymore.
Reno shrugged. "Only thing I'll really have trouble with would be the higher math, 'cause I never learned 'em."
Rude just shook his head, speaking too quietly for the child to hear him. "I'm not so sure this is a good idea..."
"We'll be ok. ..and he's better off here than he would be with his mother." he snorts quietly "Besides, he's my responsibility. ..isn't that what you've been trying to drill inta me since we became partners? Taking responsibility for my own actions?"
He was not going to resort to whining. That was a Reno tactic. "We're Turks, Reno. Who will take care of him when we're out on missions? What are we going to tell him when he finds out that his daddy tortures and kills people for a living? What happens when one of the bad guys finds out we have a kid? The boy's going to be their prime target. He's helpless, defenseless. And I highly doubt we are the best role models for a -- what? -- five year old kid?"
"As for defending him, you think Livewire's gonna let anyone he doesn't know NEAR Rennan? fuck no, no more than he'd let anyone he didn't know near me if I was not in any shape to defend myself. ..as for while on missions. .. that's what child care is for, right? Takin' carea the kid when we can't? 'swhat 'Lena's gonna do, you sure as FUCK no she's not gonna quit just from bein' pregnant. ..as for role models. ..well, he could do a lot worse. ..like being taught that his life is only worth a few thousand gil."
"And what happens if someone gets through the damn cat?" Rude asked, his whisper getting harsher. "What then? And child care? Where the hell are you going to find someone you can trust, explicity, in this town? In any town? You saw what a fucking mother would do for the right amount of gil. Anyone can be bought, Reno. It's just a question of price. Are you going to risk that? With what we do, people are always looking for ways to stick it to ShinRa for what they did. People are bitter, hold grudges."
Reno simply looked away, he knew Rude was right. .."I lost him once. ..in my shoes. ..would you want to lose him again?"
The frustration of not having a clear cut answer in front of him exploded from Rude as a furious cry. Instead of putting a hole in their new condo's walls, he instead stalked towards the balcony, closing the sliding glass door behind him as he lit a cigarette, hands shaking slightly.
Reno just closed his eyes, shaking. ..then picked up his phone. .Elena. ..she'd know what to do. ..she always did. "Please. .please answer."
"Hi!" Came Elena's cheerful voice over the line. "Sorry I can't take your call right now. I'm probably having a conversation with the porcelin god right now, what with expecting and all. Leave a message, and as soon as I'm done tossing my cookies, I'll call you back!"
"Lena. ..I need ta talk to you. ..please. ..it's. ..it's really important, an' I have no idea what to do." He slowly explained what had just happened, his voice shaky. "If it were you. ..please tell me I'm not crazy for not wantin' ta let go. .."
Rude had finished his first cigarette and was starting on another, refusing to turn and look back inside the apartment.
"You said. ..you were ready once. ..an' now. ..now that it's happened you're havin' second thoughts. . I guess. ..it don't really matter at all, does it? You'll never be ready. . .guess. ..it's time I accepted that . ..no matter how much time. ..stil gonna be the same." And there it was. ..the sound of a heart breaking. ..he knew it would probably happen. ..didn't make it any easier, though.
Having finally calmed down as much as he thought he could at the moment, he flicked his cigarette butt off the balcony and went back inside. He glanced over at the boy, who had laid down with Reno's cat for a nap. It was cute, he couldn't deny that. But it wasn't in the boy's best interest to be subjected to the kind of life he would be if they kept him. He went back into the bedroom, closing the door softly behind him. "He and your cat are sleeping. Keep your voice down."
Reno wasn't listening at this point. ..he was too hurt to say anything at all at the moment. "You said.. .one day you'd be ready. ..guess. ..I shoulda known. .. when it came you wouldn't be."
Rude closed his eyes. He had said that, and he thought that he was. But when it came down to it actually happening, it scared the living bejeezus out of him to think he'd be somewhat responsible for how a child turned out. He didn't want to mess up a kid... thought it was the worst thing a parent could do. Reno had a rather not-normal upbringing, and he was a hellion. Rude had a rather normal upbringing, and for a time, he was a hellion, too. It was... Rude just couldn't think straight.
"You know. ..I'd never hurt him. ..hurtin' him is the last thing I want. ..but just this once. ..I wanna be a little selfish. ..ta have somethin' I want. ..I gave my life to Shinra.. .but what the Hell did I ever have that was for me? Aside from you, anyway, what have I had that was mine, that was something wholesome n' good that I did for myself? This is the first time. ..I'm not gonna mess it up. ..but I sure as shootin' don't wanna GIVE it up either. Selfish? Maybe. .but don't I have that right, just once in my life?"
Rude slid down the door until he was sitting on the floor, his hands going to grasp at his head. He just stared at the floor between his feet, arms resting on his knees as he just focused on breathing.
Reno just fell silent. ..one could almost hear the cracking of that heart breaking, mending, then breaking again. ..over and over as he contemplated losing this one chance. ..he knew Rude would never consent to it now. ..this was his last chance to have the one thing he had truly wanted out of this life. ..one of his own blood to form in the ways he never had been. .to give him the love he'd never had.
Rude spoke, the words almost too quiet to hear. "I don't know what to do." The admission itself was enough to cause a single tear to blaze a trail down his cheek.
"I only know one thing. ..it hurt being kept away from Rennan an' missin' out on his first steps. .first words. ..first mostly EVERYTHING because Trish was too pissed off at me to give me a chance to even be a father.. . I don't wanna lose him again. . .but I don't wanna hurt you, or lose you either...I want this chance. ...I gave Em up because you said you weren't ready. ..please. ..please don't make me give Rennan up too. .."
Rude head slid to rest between his knees, his arms crossing behind his head as he forced his breathing to go from gasps to deep breaths. He wasn't crying, that tear was all he had in him, but he could feel that hysterical helplessness that he feared more than most anything. That uncertain feeling that ate at the corners of his consciousness, that constantly questioned every action he took.
"You know. .maybe once. .you need ta stop questioning everything you do and just ACT."
"I will not be responsible for fucking some kid up in the head," Rude said, words coming out between forced deep breaths.
"Who said you would? We both know what NOT ta do, right? We both learned what not to do. ..you just do the opposite o' what not to do. .. as for the reason for you bein' scared. ..Eric was already fucked in the head, he didn't NEED any help from you, in my honest opinion."
Rude shook his head slightly, then went back to focusing on his breathing. He was not going to break down. It wouldn't do him any good.
He was pushing it, he knew he was. ..so he just backed down. ..plopping down on his bottom and trying not to break down himself. ..he wanted this, so badly he could taste it, even worse than with Em because this was his own. .."fine. ..whatever you think best. ." but the resentment. ..the loss. ..was clear in his tone.
"I think..." Rude said, lifting his head slightly. "I think I need to go out for a few."
Reno simply nodded. ..trying his damndest to call Elena again as Rude left. ..tears were tracking down his own face. ..he wanted this. .. but at what cost?
Rude walked quietly out the door, carrying a duffle bag full of his gym clothes. What better way to blow off some steam and lose that pudge he'd put on than a trip to the gym?
"Hello?" Elena's voice said, her tone weary. She sounded like she'd just gotten done expelling the contents of her stomach and would try to do so again rather soon.
"Lena. ..m'sorry for buggin' ya, yo." His voice cracked as he spoke. .."We just had a real big blowup over the kid we brought home last night. ..an.." she would be able to tell how upset he was, how his voice cracked, his throat full of tears as yet unshed.
"Kid? What?" she asked. Since when did Reno and Rude have a kid?
Reno explained the whole thing, having to stop ever once in a while. .simply due to his voice choking off. .."finishing with a quiet "He doubts himself so much he's afraid he's gonna mess it up. ..you know how he always second-guesses every single thing he does."
"You have to admit it's something he never really thought about," Elena said softly. "And he only second-guesses himself because he wants to do the right thing. You can't fault him for that."
"No...just. ..ya know how bad I want this.. .if he made me send Rennan away too. .. " he choked up again. ..this was his own blood.
Elena really didn't want to say what she said next, but she felt she had to... just in case. "Maybe... Maybe you two are finding out that you're a little too different..." She cringed, then choked back the nauseous feeling that cringe had caused. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I think you two are perfect for each other, but maybe... maybe on a deeper level... you... aren't"
"Don't say that. ..Gods, don't say that after the last three weeks of Hell, 'Lena. .I almost lost everything. .you don't know how close I was to cuttin' my arms up again by the enda that shit. .."
"I know, I know, I'm sorry, it's just..." Elena sighed. "I know you want to make this work. And I know HE wants to make it work. But... you have to realize that sometimes... things don't work. I mean, I want this to work, too, but..." She sighed again, heavily. "Maybe you two need to take a little time off, get your heads straightened out."
Reno sighed, nodding, tears tracking down even harder as she could hear the sounds of his heartbreak over the line. "I thought. .. I thought we had this fixed, 'Lena. ..I really did. .. c'n. ..c'n I stay with you for a while if it comes ta that? I really can't stay with the boss again, it'd cause more problems than it'd solve."
"Don't give it a second thought. I've got more than enough space in this new place," she said softly. After a moment, she added, "Maybe... Maybe a little heartbreak is what you two need. Sometimes you need a jolt to realize just what you have, ya know?" There it was, she could feel it at the bottom of her esophogas. "And now, if you'll excuse me, the piece of toast I had earlier wants to come back up to say 'hi.'" With that, she clicked the phone off.
With that he waited for Rude to come back. ..trying to stop the outrush of emotion, but he couldn't. ..it just hurt too damn much. ..he even looked the ornamental dagger that had been a wedding gift from Tseng up and down very longingly. ..but he resisted the urge, even with how strong it was. If he did that. ..he'd prove even more to Rude how NOT ready he was to handle the responsibility of a child. ..instead he walked out, making ham and cheese sandwiches for Rennan and him, and feeding that damndable cat.
It was an hour and a half before Rude returned, skin flushed and still a little damp from the gym's showers. His muscles felt a little sore, but it was a good pain. He closed the door behind him, smiling slightly at Reno. "Hey."
Reno turned, nodded, Rude would still be able to see the shadows under his eyes from the tears. "Rennan's in there playing Gran Tourismo. ..he's pretty good. ..made ya a sandwich."
"Thanks," Rude said, leaning against the counter as he ate the sandwich. His duffle bag had been dropped just inside the door. He'd pick it up later. He got halfway through the sandwich before he said, "Elena called me."
"What'd she say. . .I. .I called her 'cause I didn't know what else ta do. .."
"She mentioned that you'd called," he said, his tone not indicating whether he was pleased or not with that fact.
"Oh.." He again kept his voice neutral. .he felt so out of balance.
Rude finished his sandwich. "Told me she thought it would be best if we spent a week or two apart." He paused, putting the plate the sandwich was sitting on in the sink. "What do you think?"
"Don't know. ..maybe. .I'll take Rennan with me. ..I know you'd probably not be too happy with me leavin' him here."
Rude sighed. "Whatever you think is best."
"That's the thing. ..I don't wanna go. . .but at the same time. ..we need ta come ta some sorta agreement."
"Maybe," and Rude was loathe to admit it, but he did it anyway. "Maybe we should spend some time apart. We never really did do the dating thing... I mean, isn't that something you talk about when you're dating someone seriously? Maybe... maybe we need to do some kind of a starting all over thing."
Reno nodded, but the pain could be seen clearly. ..he loved this man so much it hurt. ..and as he began to pack up he and Rennan's things as well as Livewire's supplies he started having to slap his hands across his face all over again. ..when he finally had everything packed he stood on tiptoe. ..pressing his lips to Rude, the taste of his own tears on that questing tongue.
Rude returned the hesitant kiss. "I could have left, you know..." he said quietly. In fact, he was almost certain he would've been the one to leave.
Reno nodded again. .. .his throat choked closed as he wrapped his arms tight around him. ..Rude would feel him shaking. ..feel the pain that echoed off his nerves. .."I love you. .." and with that he turned and was gone. ..taking the sedan, leaving the sports car and bike there for Rude to use.
Rude sighed, a return endearment whispered into the air, unheard by the already gone redhead. He turned to look at the room, realizing just how large it seemed without Reno.
Reno as he knocked on Elena's door had red eyes, Rennan's hand clutched tight in his, the black and white cuahl wrapping around his legs.
"Oh," Elena said when she saw the sad trio. She knelt down, pressing away the nausea that tinged her senses at moving too fast. "Hey, honey," she said to the little redhead. "My name's Elena. What's yours?"
"Rennan" Those green eyes were just like Reno's.. .that lovely shade of wintergreen.
"Such a cute name for such a cute kid," she said with a smile, ruffling Rennan's hair as she stood back up. "Come on in, guys."
Reno nodded, trailing in with his suitcase. ..his face was drawn, pale.. that smile forced. He was doing his damndest to be strong for his kid..
Rennan took Elena aside "Papa's really sad."
"I know, sweetie, I know," Elena said softly. "Sometimes adults do things that make them sad, so that in a little time, things will be happier."
Rennan nodded, then pinned Elena with those bright green eyes, he began to get changed, and the bruises up and down his back were visible. Reno hadn't seen then yet, because Rennan had yet to change in front of him. those bruises could be made by only one thing, a human hand. "I fell down" he said softly in an effort to explain.
Elena just raised her eyebrow, then went into the kitchen to see if she had any cookies or other little treats for the boy.
Reno was drinking a cup of coffee, sitting at the kitchen table, too exhausted emotionally to do much more than leave the boy to his own devices for a few moments.
"Having a kid harder than you thought?" she asked, sitting down with a piece of toast. She was going to keep something down that day if it killed her.
"'snot the kid. ..it's this whole messed up thing with Rude. ..it's like. ..no sooner do we have things set, something rocks the boat again. ..I hate fighting with him."
"He hates fighting with you, too," Elena said quietly. "I think... maybe this will be a good thing for you two. I mean, it's not like he's going out and sleeping with someone else, right?" She smiled slightly around her bite of toast.
"I know. ..doesn't help that we have different dreams.. .I love Rennan ta death. ..his mom SOLD him to those folks, I can't let him go back to her."
Elena leaned forward, a slight frown on her face. "Can I ask you a question and get you to answer honestly, Reno? And I mean honestly, not whatever you think I should hear, or what you want yourself to hear"
"Sure."
"Did you ever see him for any period of time before today?" she asked.
"No. ..his mom made sure of that. 'snot like I didn't wanna.. .and a custody battle woulda been messier than I wanted things ta be then."
"Was there a reason you didn't tell Rude about him before?" she asked.
"I never thought I'd see him again. ..an' until I saw him I wasn't even sure he WAS mine." Reno gestures with his hands a moment. "I only SAW him two other times before yesterday, and then only in passing. ..once was outside a toystore in Midgar prior to meteor. ..he was probably about 2 1/2, maybe 3. .. .The second was last year.. . in the crowd during the protest. I started trying to get into contact with him after I saw him that first time."
Elena sighed. "You didn't answer my question, Reno." She smiled slightly. "Why didn't you tell Rude, even if you weren't sure Rennan was yours?"
"I guess. ..I was a little afraid if he knew. ..he wouldn't want me."
Elena just shook her head. "Not want you? Do you have any idea how badly he wants to make this work? If he didn't want you, why would he be trying so hard to do the right thing?"
"Back then. ..when I first found out. . .was during those few months we were on the straits before the plate drop, 'Lena. Then, every other time I tried to bring it up. . .it was like 'not yet, maybe someday.' an' I'd be too scared to tell him I had one out there already. .. ."
Another head shake. "I'm sure he'll work it out," she said carefully. "However, in hindsight, he probably would've preferred a little head's up before a cute little redhead got dropped in his lap."
"had no intentiona Rennan livin' with us until I found out Trish sold him."
"He still should have at least known about his existence." Elena wasn't budging. And she was keeping her toast down. Things were looking up.
"You're right o'course. ..I just didn't know how ta tell him. Does Sam know about. ..yet?" gestured to her belly.
She nodded. "I think my ear's still sore from him dropping the phone," she giggled.
Reno chuckled. "Rude's gonna likely make damn sure he makes an honest womana you."
"Just like Rude made an honest man of you?" she laughed.
"Yeah. .." and his eyes grow a little sad again. "Things went ta Hell in a handbasket. ..shoulda seen the signs during meteor. ..but I ignored it. ... thinkin' it was 'Just one time'."
Elena's eyebrow shot up so fast it's a small miracle it didn't leave her face completely. "Signs? What signs? If he hit you, pregnant or not, I'm going to castrate him."
"Tseng. . .didn't tell you about what happened? But I mean. ..I shoulda seen the signs o'how rocky and how hard it was gonna be then. .. we both have so damn much baggage. ..an' no, he hasn't hit me. I feel a little priviledged in that department."
"I've nearly been persona non grata since this," she gestured at her abdomen. "I think they just don't want to stress me out. Doctor claimed I could be one of those 'delicate' ones." She snorted. "Me? Delicate?"
"Well. ..at Sam's. ..we had a huge blow up over Eric.. .then the thing at the club. ..he beat this kid senseless. ..an' I found out he'd had a record for beating someone else he'd been with. .."
Elena's face just got more and more shocked as Reno spoke. "What did that kid do...?" She asked, then, "Rude? He doesn't seem the domestic violence type..."
"He used ta run around on him. ..alot. As for the kid at the club. ..he kissed me. ..without askin'."
"Were you flirting with him, Reno?" she asked. She knew that sometimes Reno could get a little carried away.
"I wouldn't called it flirting. ..I was dancin' with him. ..an' you know how I am about bein' touched, I don't want someone touchin' me without askin'. We were both all tweaked out on mako-laced cognac shooters, though. . .when he has that stuff in him. ..he doesn't think. As I discovered."
"Oh, Reno," Elena said, shaking her head. "I thought he told you he gets mean on that stuff. It's like me and tequila."
"It was HIS idea. ..at any rate. . .At any rate. ..I've already dumped by box. ..if I'm gonna have a kid around I don't want him around that shit. . ..kinda leads me ta wonder though. ..how mucha it is bein' afraida messin' up the kid. ..an how mucha it is fear of the lifestyle changes. ..like controlling the alcohol use. ..and discarding the drug use altogether?"
"Are you asking about you or him?" she asked, getting up to get a bottle of water from the fridge. The toast seemed to be fine, so she braved some water on top of it.
"Him, yo. ..I'm NOT afraida makin' the changes I needta"
Elena thought for a moment. Perhaps Reno was right, or maybe it was a little of both for both of them. "Rude usually smoked in the house, right?" she asked, then amended, "Has he since Rennan started living with you?"
"Not that I've noticed, but I was sorta unconscious for a good portion o'it."
Elena sighed. "I don't know what to tell you, Reno. I wish I did, but even Elena the Great doesn't have all the answers... especially on an empty stomach." She smiled weakly
"I know. .I'm gonna call. ..see if he wants ta meet somewhere for lunch. ..can ya watch Rennan?"
Elena nodded. "Don't have much for a kid to play with around here yet," she said carefully. "But I'm sure I can keep him occupied."
"My ps2 an' my games are in the box, he likes Gran Tourismo." Meanwhile, he picked up his phone. ..dialing nervously.
There was that eyebrow again. "Are you sure he should be vegging out at his age? What ever happened to going outside to play?" she asked with a slight smile.
m
"We found out he likes Gran Tourismo while Rude n' I were fightin'. ..I didn't wanna go out."
Elena shook her head, then went back into the living room with Rennan and Livewire.
Rude picked up his phone with a breathless, "Hello?"
"You wanna. ..meet somewhere for lunch..I know. ..we need ta get things straightened out.. .an'. ..maybe this is the best way ta do it. ..on neutral ground."
"Where?" Rude grunted, then exhaled. "And what time?" Another grunt, another exhale.
"Green pagoda. ..in. ..about 45 minutes? I gotta get myself put together."
"Make it an hour so I can get a shower in," Rude said, and he was certain Reno could hear the clanking and the voices around him as he moved around to the other side of the building.
M
"Allright. ...an' Rude. ..for what it's worth. ..m'sorry." and his voice got raspy again. ..he hated feeling this.
Rude shook his head, then realized Reno couldn't see him. "Don't worry about it. See you in an hour. Love you." With that, he hung up.
Reno got into the best pair of pants outside of his uniform, one of his dress shirts, and the jacket that went with the pants. ."Laney, give me a hand with this tie, woulda please"
"Let me guess, Rude usually does this?" she asked, taking the tie from him. She wrapped it around her own neck, tying it, loosening it, then handing it back to Reno. "There. It's the only way I know how to tie 'em."
"I almost never wear one."
It was Reno's turn to wait now. ..he sat at the table, jittery, tapping his fingers nervously on the table top whild drinking cup after cup of the rich wutain herbal tea.
Rude hurriedly walked in the doorway, wearing a pair of brand new, wide legged white linen pants and a charcoal grey dress shirt. He had his white single-breasted jacket slung over his shoulder as he walked in.
"Hey. .." He looked up, gulping. "Ya look good."
"Thanks," Rude said, a little out of breath. "You too."
Reno got up, pulled out the chair for him. ..he already had a bottle of wine ordered and sitting on ice in the center of the table.
Rude raised an eyebrow, Rudespeak for 'You don't have to do that.' "Did you order already?" he asked.
"Yeah. .got two plates of'the drunken noodles comin'. ..I asked for the booth furthest away from mosta the traffic."
Rude smiled, taking his sunglasses off and putting them into his jacket pocket.
"Ya know, I'm sorry I didn't tell ya about. ..ya know. .I shoulda. .."
"I can understand why you didn't," Rude said, unbuttoning the top button of his shirt. "It would have been nice if you had, but I understand."
"I know. .parta is it you're afraida changin' your whole lifestyle. ..I pitched my box. "
If Rude had a hairline, his eyebrow would've shot into it.
"When I thoughta about. . .that Rennan might be stayin'. .. I thought about how bad it would be for him ta be around that. ..so I pitched it.
A tiny voice in the back of Rude's brain muttered something about the waste of however much money he could've made off what Reno had in there. He shook his head slightly to clear it before saying, "Probably for the
Reno shifts nervously. ."An'. ..I know. ..you're afraid.. .an' I understand, with what happened with Eric an' all. .."
"I've never been around children when I wasn't one myself," Rude said carefully. He wasn't sure he could trust his temper not to flare around a helpless child.
"I think. ..you'd be less likely ta flare around a kid. ..'slotta what yer afraid of. .."
"This... is good," he said carefully, slowly, gesturing between them. "I think maybe... maybe we can work this out..."
"Funny thing is. .I think we'd be good for him."
Rennan meanwhile hissed as he shifted an arm to throw a frisbee in the yard for Livewire. ..Reno had taught him to fetch, of all the crazy things.
Elena leaned against the open sliding glass door, noticing that the weather was getting steadily colder, and was nearing the point of almost too cold to keep the door open.
Rennan came inside, another hiss as he went to take his jacket off. "Elena. ..do you think Papa's boyfriend will make me go back to Mama?"
So, the child was smarter than she thought. Then again, weren't all children? "Your Papa's boyfriend just wasn't quite ready for kids just yet. Give him a little time, and he'll see just how cute you are." She closed the sliding glass door. "But honey, when did you hurt yourself?" she asked, wondering why the boy kept hissing when he did things with his arms.
"three days ago..." He looked away. ..Elena would be able to tell he wasn't being completely honest and with the question about going back to his mother and the way his breath hitched when he asked. ..
"Rennan," she said, kneeling down in front of the boy. Her voice had dropped into that motherly one that told you how if you didn't tell the truth, the whole truth, you weren't going to like the consequences. "Tell me what happened."
"I told Mama I wanted to go live with Papa. .." and his eyes filled as he shrugged off the jacket and lifted the shirt. .the left shoulder was swollen and appeared to be slightly out of joint.
"Oh, sweetie!" She said, wrapping her arms around the boy gently. "Did your Mama do this to you, or did she have someone else do it?"
"Mama did.. .then the man she made me go with made it worse. .."
"Your Mama... did this?" She gingerly touched the swollen shoulder.
Rennan hissed, and then nodded. "She yanked my arm really hard."
"Why did she do that?" Elena asked, finishing up her examination of the injury. She would have to pull it back into place herself, then take the boy to the doctor to make sure anything else wasn't out of place.
"She doesn't like Papa. ..she didn't want me to go."
Elena was confused, but that would have to wait. "I need to fix this before it swells up more, okay, sweetie? It's going to hurt for a minute, but I promise we'll go see the doctor right after I'm done, okay?" She hoped the boy trusted her; she didn't want to have to let the doctor do it and possibly scare the child even more.
Rennan nodded. "Momma was mad at papa. . ..she told me he was bad. ..said he killed a lotta people and didn't care."
"Honey, he cares. Your Papa cares more than anyone else I know," Elena said. She held Rennan's wrist gently. "Now, I'm going to fix that shoulder of yours, so when I say 'three', hold your breath, okay? It'll be at least a little better soon." At the boy's nod, she changed her grip, one hand going to hold his upper arm while the other braced against his torso. "One... two... Three." At three, she pulled forcefully, pulling the joint further out of socket before it slid back home where it would normally rest.
Rennan whimpered slightly when it popped back into place. "Papa says he wants me to stay...I hope I can."
"I'm sure your Papa will take care of you," Elena said, gingerly poking around the shoulder to make sure it went fully back into place. Luckily, it had. "Now, let's get you ready for a trip, okay? We're going to have a doctor take a look at you and make you feel better."
"Yes'm miss Elena. "
Elena opened her phone, dialing the nearest doctor's office she knew of. She held the phone between her ear and shoulder as she helped Rennan back into his jacket. By the time she'd gotten the boy ready to go, she had an appointment in 30 minutes with the pediatrician.
Rennan watched her. "Please. ..don't tell Papa. ..he'll get all mad and maybe hurt Mama. .."
"I'll make sure he doesn't hurt her, okay?" Elena said softly. "Now, let's get going." She opened the door, grabbing her purse and car keys as she did so.
Rennan nodded following her. She would have to call to have Reno's permission for the doctor to treat him. ..but he wouldn't realize that, being a child.
Elena was fully aware of that fact as well, and dialed Reno next on her phone. As it rang, she helped buckle Rennan into the middle back seat of her car.
"Yo, what's up, Laney?"
"You're going to be getting a call from a doctor soon about Rennan. DON'T FREAK OUT. I just saw a few bruises on him and want to make sure he's okay," Elena said as she pulled onto the road.
"You saw...bruises...on my kid?" His voice was immediatly lowered, dropping into the hiss of contained fury.
"Reno Tarshill, you do anything to that woman and I will have no problems castrating you. She is the mother of your child, and you WILL respect her," Elena's voice again dropped into that motherly tone.
"She beat my kid, Laney. ..she fuckin' beat my kid! an' you expect me ta sit by an' do nothin'? "
"I expect you to act like the adult, not the child," she said, her own voice getting lower. "Now, your son is sitting here in the car with me, scared out of his mind that you're going to do something to his mother."
The look he gave Rude was one of slight desperation, one that also said "We need to present a united front here." before he spoke into the phone again. "Laney. ..I'm filin' for full custody in the morning. ..I want you ta help me get all m'ducks in a row"
m
"You do this right, or you don't do it at all," Elena said carefully. "Do you understand me, Reno? If you're not serious..." The threat lay hanging in the air.
"I'm not gonna hurt her. ..but I'm sure as Hell not lettin' the authorities send him back ta her."
"We're here," Elena said. "Expect the doctor's call soon." With that, she hung up. She wanted to see the extent of the boy's injuries before she made any further judgements. There was always two sides to every story, after all.
Reno as he hung up took a deep breath. "Ya understand why I'm doin' this, right?"
"I do," Rude said carefully. "I just... I need to get used to it."
"Good..I can't let him go back ta someone who hits him. .." He was shaking with rage. ..as well as fear for his son.
Rude sighed, then smiled slightly at the waiter as their food was delivered.
Reno picked at his noodles, shortly after the food got there his phone rang.
"Mr. Reno Tarshill?" came a voice over the phone. "My name's Dr. O'Neill. I have a woman here with your son, Rennan. I need your permission before we take a look at him."
"Of course, sir. .."
"Thank you, Mr. Tarshill. We'll call you with the results before they leave." With that, the Doctor had hung up.
Reno was shivering a bit, just thinking about how someone could HIT their own kid. "'sgonna change things. ." he said quietly. "But. ...I think we can do this."
"At least he's not still in diapers," Rude offered. Hey, he was trying to come to grips with his sudden 'fatherhood'. Give him a break.
Reno chuckled, when as they were ordering dessert the phone rang again. "m'here."
"Mr. Tarshill?" Dr. O'Neill said over the line. "I have the results of the exam we did on your son."
"Yes sir?"
"He has multiple bruises on his arms and legs, a slight bruising on his right thigh bone, and his left shoulder has been dislocated more times that I can tell. You, sir, have an abused child on your hands and, as a doctor, I'm obligated to report it to the authorities."
"Yes, sir. .could you send a paper copy with Ms Marshall, please? I'm filing for custody in the morning."
"I understand, sir," the doctor said, then just as abruptly as before, hung up the phone.