Chapter 18: The Last Straw
The drive back to the apartment was quite besides the radio. Ezra knew not to try to sing to any song he knew, knowing that Kanan would just sneakily turn off the music again to make him sing alone.
Kanan glanced over at Ezra, "Everything alright, kid?"
"Yeah, why wouldn't it be?" Ezra responded.
"You haven't said much." Kanan said.
"Neither have you." Ezra pointed out.
"Touché" Kanan responded. The kid did have a point. "You haven't sung to any of the songs."
"Cause you would trick me into singing alone by turning off the radio again." Ezra accused.
"You sang alone before." Kanan pointed out.
"Touché," Ezra responded. "But that was different. That was trying to earn money so I wouldn't have to steal." He paused for a moment, before remembering something. "Are we by anywhere near the park?"
"Yes, why?" Kanan asked.
"I forgot something there." Ezra said.
"Alright." Kanan said, taking the turn to go down the street to the park. He pulled off to the side of the road and parked. "Go ahead, I'll wait right here."
Ezra exited the car and ran to the slide. He found that surprisingly his lunch box of money and box of crackers had not been touched. He grabbed them and headed back to the car.
"Wacca got there kid?" Kanan asked once Ezra crawled back into the car.
"My left over money from when I sang on the corner that one night, and some crackers I bought for lunch the day you found me." Ezra smiled.
"You still have money from then?" Kanan asked, pulling back onto the road.
"I got like forty-five dollars then, and I know how to spend it wisely." Ezra explained.
"Wow, I should have you manage my money." Kanan joked.
"You're joking right?" Ezra asked.
"Yeah, kid, I am." Kanan said, taking one hand off the wheel to ruffle Ezra's hair. Ezra pushed the hand away but was smiling all the same.
A few minutes later they reached the apartment complex and went upstairs to their own apartment.
"Well, we have a couple hours until a decent supper hour, what do you want to do?" Kanan asked.
"I don't know," Ezra shrugged.
Kanan sighed. "How about a movie?"
"Okay," Ezra agreed.
"What do you want to watch?" Kanan asked.
"How about you decide," Ezra said. "I don't really know any movies."
"Alright," Kanan said, he glanced through his movies. "You up for a super-hero movie? How about, 'Batman Begins'?"
Ezra never heard of it, but if Kanan suggested it, it probably has to be good. "Okay." He sat down on the couch while Kanan got the movie started.
Kanan thought all was going well, until it got to the point of the movie, of Bruce's flashback of when his parents died, that Ezra got up suddenly, without a word, and ran to the bathroom. Kanan, confused, paused the movie and went to see if something was wrong.
"Kid?" Kanan asked, knocking on the door.
Ezra didn't make a response, but Kanan could hear sobbing.
"Do you need to be alone?" Kanan asked.
Again, there was no response, but the sobbing got slightly louder.
"I'm coming in." Kanan said before opening the door, which luckily Ezra didn't lock.
Sure enough, Ezra was sitting on the ground, hugging his knees and sobbing shaking.
"Are you alright?" Kanan asked, taking a seat next to him.
The only response was Ezra sobbing, "Please don't go, I need you." But it didn't seem like the teen was talking to him.
After a few minutes Ezra calmed down slightly enough to acknowledge Kanan's presence. "Why did you make me watch that?"
That's when it hit Kanan like a crate of rocks. He had probably just forced Ezra to relive the murder of his parents in 3rd person, or something close enough. Ezra had probably seen his parents shot down in front of him, with nothing he could do to stop it.
"I'm sorry kid. I wasn't thinking." Kanan apologized. He pulled Ezra into a hug. The child was tense at first, being so unused to physical contact, before melting into the touch and sobbed into his guardian's chest.
"I was seven." Ezra said, voice slightly muffled by Kanan's chest but still understandable. "Well, technically six but close enough."
"They came into our house. My parents told me to hide under the bed." Ezra continued. "I heard the gun shots. I saw their bodies. They died in front of me."
Kanan rubbed Ezra's back in attempt to comfort him.
"They killed them. They killed them right in front of me. All because they were mad at them." Ezra sobbed.
"Who is 'they'?" Kanan asked.
"The Imperials." Ezra said anger evident in the saddened voice.
"Ezra," Kanan started. "I'll do everything in my power to catch the ones who did that to you. I promise."
Ezra looked up to see the sincerity in Kanan's face, before burrowing his face back into his chest. "Thank you."
"It's my job." Kanan said. "Both as a cop, and as you guardian."
Ezra pulled away from the hug and Kanan saw the boy's tear stained face. He used his thumbs to gently wipe away the tears.
"You are a lot stronger than you seem." Kanan said.
"Thanks," Ezra sniffed.
"How about we watch something else?" Kanan suggested.
"Alright." Ezra smiled. Kanan stood and helped Ezra up.
"How about," Kanan stopped his suggestion, remembering that the father died after six minutes or so. Kanan went through a quick check list in his mind, trying to think which kids films, mainly Disney, thinking Ezra needed to see the childhood classics, did not involve a parent's death. Lion King was an instant out, same thing with Frozen, not that Kanan wanted to watch that anyways. Big Hero 6 while the parent's started off dead, there was the death of the brother, who was the closest thing Hiro had to a father. Possibly Finding Nemo? No dead mom and baby fish. What about Aladdin? No Aladdin's story was probably to similar.
"What?" Ezra asked.
"I'm thinking." Kanan said.
Maybe that one Dreamworks film, 'Rise of the Guardians' could work.
"How about 'Rise of the Guardians'?" Kanan suggested. "It's pretty good."
"Alright," Ezra shrugged.
Luckily for Kanan, this movie went across without incident.
"You up for supper now?" Kanan asked as the movie finished.
"Sure." Ezra smiled.
Ezra and Kanan walked over to The Asteroid Belt.
Ezra bit his lip slightly to hold back the groan at the sight of the rude waitress.
The waitress of course gave Ezra a quick dirty look, before addressing Kanan, "Table for…two?" she asked, probably hoping that Kanan would deny it and say one.
"Indeed, thank you." Kanan said.
The waitress led them to a table and handed them the menus, leaving them to look them over.
"What are you thinking about getting?" Kanan inquired.
"I was think maybe the cheeseburger." Ezra said.
"That does sound good." Kanan agreed. "I think I'll get that too." He smiled, "So you ready to order?"
"Yeah." Ezra responded.
"Waitress." Kanan called.
The waitress came over, obviously displeased about having to deal with them again so soon. "Yes?"
"We are ready to order." Kanan said.
"What can I get you?" the waitress asked.
"We'll both have the cheeseburger," Kanan said.
"And to drink?" the waitress asked.
"Water." Kanan responded.
"Same," Ezra agreed.
The waitress left to go put in their order.
There was a silence between Kanan and Ezra, neither knowing what to say.
"I want to apologize again about earlier" Kanan started.
"The doctor?" Ezra asked, not sure what Kanan was talking about.
"The movie," Kanan clarified. "I really should have thought it through and realized that it could have triggered something."
"I should have told you about my parents sooner, so you wouldn't have to guess around with any sort of triggers." Ezra admitted.
"How about we just move pass this. Not forget about it, because it's important. But we shouldn't dwell on it." Kanan suggested.
"Yeah." Ezra agreed.
Kanan's cell phone started to ring, looking at the caller ID to see it be Hera.
"I got to take this," Kanan told Ezra.
"Alright." Ezra said.
"Hello," Kanan answered the phone.
"Hey Kanan," Hera said on the other side of the line. "What did you and Ezra do today?"
"We watched some movies, then had lunch, before going to the doctor's for his appointment. Then we went back home and watched another movie. Now we are at The Asteroid Belt for supper."
"Mind if I join you?" Hera asked.
Kanan glanced over at Ezra, remembering what he said earlier at the doctor's office. "Actually Hera, today is an Ezra day."
"I understand Kanan," Hera said, she didn't sound angry. "Another time okay?"
"Thanks," Kanan said.
The waitress came back over and set Kanan's water in front of him. But after she set Ezra's glass down, she knocked it over and the water spilt into Ezra's lap.
"Got to go Hera." Kanan said, and hung up before Hera response. He grabbed a bunch of napkins from the holder and handed them to Ezra.
"You okay kid?" Kanan asked.
"Yeah, it's just water." Ezra said, taking the napkins and tried to dry himself off the best he could.
The waitress did not apologize for the spill nor did she even acknowledge it and stick around to help.
"Why do I get the feeling she did that on purpose?" Kanan asked.
"It doesn't matter." Ezra said. "It's not the worst thing someone's done to me."
Kanan was to afraid to ask what the teen meant.
"What does she have against you?" Kanan asked.
"Well, I might have found her tip jar one day when I was hunkering down here for a bit here and, well." Ezra started.
"That explains it." Kanan sighed.
"I needed money for medicine. I had a very bad cold that was getting worst by the day." Ezra defended. "But of course she didn't take to kindly to it."
"Do you remember how much it was?" Kanan asked.
"$10." Ezra said.
Kanan pulled out his wallet and got out a ten dollar bill.
"Ma'am," Kanan called.
The waitress came over, and was still clearly upset that she had to deal with them more than she would have liked too. "Yes?"
"I understand you are upset at my charge because he took some money from you before." Kanan explained before handing her the ten dollar bill. "Please take this to pay it back."
"I'm sorry." Ezra thought best to apologize as well.
She took the bill before walking off without a word.
"Hopefully that clears things over with her." Kanan said.
"I doubt it." Ezra muttered.
The waitress came back over with only one cheeseburger, and set down in front of Kanan.
"Um, where's the other one?" Kanan asked. "For my charge?"
"You ordered two?" the waitress asked.
Kanan had enough of this waitress. Not only did Ezra apologize for something he did who knows how long ago, and not only did Kanan pay her back for it, she was still incredibly bitter about it.
"That's it!" Kanan yelled, slamming his hand down on the table, not caring if he was drawing attention from the other patrons.
"Kanan, what are you doing?" Ezra whispered.
"I demand to see the owner." Kanan shouted.
The waitress with some surprise in her eyes left to go fulfill his request. A few minutes later she came back with an older gentlemen, with gray hair and trimmed beard.
"My name is Okadiah," he introduced. "I'm the owner of this diner, is there a problem?"
"Yes, my name is Kanan Jarrus, and this is my charge, Ezra." Kanan started. "And we aren't the one with the problem."
"Kanan," Ezra whispered, trying to get him to stop.
"How old were you when you took the money Ezra?" Kanan asked.
"10." Ezra answered softly.
"When Ezra was ten, about five years ago, he was living on the streets. He had gotten sick and needed money for medicine. So he took some from this waitress. Now she has a right to be angry, but he did have a reason. Ezra just apologized for it, and I just gave her, her money back, yet she is still incredibly bitter about it." Kanan explained. "Now like I said, we apologized and she got her money back, and she can't see, to forgive something he did when he was a desperate ten year old, five years ago."
"This is Phantom?" Okadiah asked.
Ezra flinched slightly at the old name.
"Yes, he was known as Phantom." Kanan said.
"Alymir, I told you to leave that poor boy alone multiple times. To just treat him like any other customer." Okadiah said.
"But," Alymir started.
"No buts, Alymir, I gave you enough warnings." Okadiah said. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to let you go."
"But, but," Alymir said.
"You can't mistreat customers like that. And I won't have anyone who does working for me." Okadiah said.
Alymir gave Kanan and Ezra a short death glare before leaving.
"I'm sorry about that. Your meals are on the house." Okadiah said. "Are you missing anything?"
"Ezra didn't get his food, he was supposed to get a cheeseburger as well." Kanan said.
"I'll bring that right out." Okadiah said and left the table.
"Why did you do that?" Ezra asked.
"Someone has to defend you if you aren't going to do it." Kanan said.
Eight or so minutes later Okadiah brought out Ezra's burger.
"Please enjoy." Okadiah said.
"Thank you." Ezra said.
The rest of their meal went on without a hitch.
Okay listen up, because this is important. I am now work 40 hours a week, so the only times I can write are Wednesday and Thursday, and mornings on all the other days except Sundays, where I can only do evenings. But granted most of the time I am exhausted after work so I don't want to do it for a while after work on Sunday. And there is also other stuff I want to do before I go into work on my work days. The days I work minus Sunday I work from 2 in the afternoon till about 10:30, but this up in the air because it's the closing shift so we can't leave till everything is done, so occasionally we get out a little early, but most of the time we get out late.
This being said, updates may become less frequent, but I won't abandon this story, not after I put so much work into it already.
I also may attempt to write another story at the same time as this and I'll try to keep the updates between the two regular as possible. I may focus on one more than the other depending on how you guys feel. So yeah, thanks for hearing me out.