I don't. Stephenie does.
Cooper.
I had a real super time at the Halloween party! See when my Uncle Emmett dressed up as a girl, a little bit of pee came out I was laughing that much! And I had so much fun pretending to be Sweeney Todd; I really wanna watch that movie now. Padre said it was 'bout this man called Benjamin Barker who went to prison for no reason and cuts peoples hair - 'cause, y'know, he's a barber. I don't know why he's a demon barber, but he can't be that bad, right? I mean, see when I'm older and have hair on my face like Grandpa Chief, I might go to someone like Sweeney Todd and have him shave me. That'll be real fun, right?
I didn't like saying goodbye to everyone but I had to leave 'cause Madre and Padre had stupid work and I had stupid school (it's real stupid, y'know), but they told me I'd see them again for Thanksgiving - turkey time! I always eat loads-a-loads-a turkey and Nanny makes the best pumpkin pie. Ever. And I'm not even lying at that, 'cause, y'know, I never lie.
Well, okay, I did lie once… I told Padre I had cleaned my teeth when I hadn't (giggles), but he won't ever find out 'bout that, 'kay?
It was seven-twenty-nine at night when we got home, Madre was gonna put a pizza in the oven and Padre was gonna feed the Twins then they'd put them to bed. I was gonna go see my pets and make sure Paul and Gary hadn't pooped all over their beds - they do that a lot, it's kinda disgusting.
When I came downstairs for my pizza, I saw Padre was checking the voice machine; probably boring work stuff. But it wasn't boring work stuff, it was my real Dad, Garrett.
Madre gave me a hug, 'cause I didn't like hearing him talking 'bout me. She held Padre's hand when the message stopped. I didn't know what to say.
Madre was wearing a fleecy sweater and it felt real comfy against my cheek. I cuddled up close to her, but when Padre knelt down next to me, I cuddled him instead. 'Cause, y'know, he's my best friend.
He kissed the top of my head and rubbed my arms. "Remember what I told you, Coop? It is completely up to you; I'm not forcing you into anything, okay?"
"Mhmm…" He kissed my head again. I don't like it when people kiss me, but I didn't mind that. "D'ya 'fink he'd wanna fight 'dat custody 'fing if I say no?" I mumbled quietly.
I couldn't see Padre's reaction, but I felt his chest rise and fall heavily. "Whatever he does, Cooper, is nothing for you to get upset about. I'm here, Bella's here, and we'll be one step ahead of him through the whole thing."
Madre sat by me too.
"So… if I say yes… I'll get to stay with you?"
Madre squeezed my hand and answered instead of my Padre. "What was it he said, Edward? That he wanted a response? Well, surely if we say 'no', that'll be the response he's looking for, and he'll leave us alone… right?"
I looked at Dad; he didn't seem too happy. But neither am I, so… "I don't think that's what he means. Why would he bother ringing if he's only going to get a 'no' at the end of it? What he wants is to get to know Cooper, so if we refuse that, he'll… take matters into his own hands."
"Soooo… I do have to see him then?" I don't think I really wanna see him, 'cause, y'know, he's a stranger and Padre always told me 'bout stranger danger.
Bella kissed my head, "you can quite easily get to know someone over the phone - you don't have to meet him if you don't want to."
I chewed on my thumb nail, "can I 'fink 'bout it p'ease?" I spoke around my thumb.
"Of course you can, Bud." Padre stroked back my hair and then kissed my head again!
I dunno what's going on with him right now, but he sure is kissing me lots-a-lots.
0-0
I took Georgia out of her tank when I got to my room. Luckily she was awake, cause I wouldn't be able to play with her if she was sleeping, duh!
I sat on my bed and she was on my chest. Her black eyes were staring at me, and I stared back at her. We had a staring contest and I won! But I don't think she really knows how to play that game.
"What do you think I should do, Georgia?" The tip of my finger ran down her scaly back. "D'ya think I should meet Garrett?" She turned her head to the left and began to walk down my side, but I picked her up in my fingers and laid her back on my chest.
"I don't 'fink Padre would put me in any danger, so I don't 'fink I should be worried… I jus' dunno what he's gonna be like, y'know?"
"Maybe I should meet him… 'cause I don't remember meeting my mom, so it might be nice to meet my real Dad. What would you do, Georgia?" She didn't do anything, just continued to stare at my face. "I know it doesn't work the same with you, 'cause… you're a gecko, but that's not the point. I think I should meet him, 'cause then the stupid boys at my stupid school who bully me can't say I don't have a real family, 'cause Garrett is my real dad, and he wouldn't be a stranger no more!"
A knock was heard from the door, when I said they could come in, it was my Padre and he smiled, but his eyes were sad. Dad took Georgia from my tummy and held her curled up in the palm of his hand. Like me, he used the tip of his finger to stroke her and then put her back in the tank. She ran into her plastic rock cave.
"Daddy?" I might be nine and say 'Padre' a lot, but when I'm kinda sad I call him Daddy.
He sat at my feet. "Yeah?"
"See when you knew Garrett, was he a nice man?"
Dad took a deep breath; his chest rose and fell deeply. "He was a good friend, and he treated your mom very well. My only problem, Cooper, is that he could have changed since I last saw him."
"Would you be angry at me if I wanted to meet him?" I whispered.
Dad patted his lap, "c'mere." I scrambled onto it and he hugged my very tight. "If I told you not to do something and then you went ahead and did it, I would be disappointed - never angry. There is no reason for me to be angry about you wanting to meet your father."
"But you're my father…"
Dad hugged me and kissed my head, "I'm glad you know that, son."
"So… can I meet him?"
"If you're really sure then I will ring him back and sort something out. But only if you're sure."
I thought about everything that I spoke about with Georgia.
"…Yes, I'm sure."
0-0
It's been two weeks since Garrett rang and Padre told him that evening that I wanted to meet him. 'Cause he still lives in Chicago (I've never been there; might go there sometime), it took him quite a while to get here.
I knew it was him when the car stopped in my driveway. Madre and Padre went to answer the door and I hid in the kitchen with Flash - not only is he my best friend, but he's also the best dog ever - he'd look after me if Garrett did something that I don't like. Prob'ly bite him in the wiener!
I watched Madre squeeze Dad's arm and then kiss his cheek before the let Garrett inside. I hid back behind the wall a bit. Not 'cause I was scared - I'm never scared of anything.
I'd never seen a picture of Garrett, 'cause Dad didn't have one, so I didn't know what he would look like. He was different than I imagined; he had brown hair that was real long for a man and touched his shoulders! He was wearing dirty jeans, boots, a black shirt and a brown leather jacket. He looked like the rockstars that I like.
And y'know what was the coolest? He had a beard! I love people that have hair on their face, but it wasn't as cool as my Grandpa Chief's.
"It's good to see you again, my old friend." Garrett held out his hand for Dad to shake, which he did hesitantly. Garrett had a deep voice, and y'know how you talk when you're laughing or smiling? Yeah, he sounded like that.
"Garrett." Padre looked at him for a few seconds, until Madre held his hand. "Oh, um… Garrett, this is my fiancée, Bella. Bella, Garrett."
"Lovely to meet you, Bella."
From in the kitchen, I heard everything they were saying, I even heard when Madre said when she stepped up close to him.
"I'm sure you mean well, but if you hurt a single hair on his head I will come down on you so hard you won't even know what hit you. Do you understand?"
If Madre had said that to me I would have started crying, but Garrett just laughed!
He must have a pair of nuts to laugh in my Madre's face!
"Wow, Ed', you've gone for a feisty one. Now, as much as I love this whole catch-up, I didn't come here to be 'threatened', did I?"
I didn't like the way he spoke to my Madre and how he laughed at her. My Uncle Jasper said it's wrong to laugh at someone in a mean way, especially to a lady.
"Coop, sweetheart, do you want to come through here?"
Right then, I didn't want to meet him, but I did at the same time, 'cause then I could tell him that it's wrong to laugh at a lady.
I took tiny steps from the kitchen to the hallway with Flash by my side. I crossed my arms and held my head high; to show him that I meant business.
No-one messes with my Madre.
"Hi." I said.
Garrett was looking at me from head to toe with an odd smile on his face. He crouched down. His arms were flopped over his bent knees.
"You're kinda small, aren't ya?"
In the corner of my eye, I saw Padre holding Bella back, probably from saying or doing something. He knew I was able to respond by myself.
"My Dad said great things come in small sizes. And I might be small, but at least I'm not mean like you."
Garrett's eyes widened, he cracked a smile, and then laughed again. "I like your attitude, Little Coop."
"You can't call me Coop - only my friends call me that. You're a stranger, so you have to call me Cooper."
0-0
Interested to know your thoughts on Garrett? And damn, Coop can hold his own!
Thanks for reading, and I'll try to get another one up before Christmas :)
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