Chapter 4 - Expectations
George went over to the Matthews' to discuss Shawn's living arrangements with Amy. He sent Shawn inside to fold his laundry and unpack his things into the guest room, and he also gave him a brief writing assignment. This conversation with the Matthews would be a difficult one, and he wanted to spare the boy if possible. He suspected the decision to stay with his teacher hadn't been an easy one for Shawn, and he might like some time to process before answering questions about why he had made the choice he had.
He peeled into the house to find Amy laying out slices of bread on the counter, and he knocked. She smiled and came to open the door.
"Thanks for the note," she said. "I'm so sorry for the bother."
"No bother at all. In fact, Shawn and I had a good talk, and... well. I know you and Alan have your hands full, three kids of your own—"
"You didn't say that to Shawn, did you?"
"No, no. But he expressed a...frustration of feeling like a burden on you."
"Oh!" She frowned. "What did you tell him?"
"I offered to let him stay with me."
She laughed, then stopped abruptly when she saw the look on his face. "George! Did you really?"
"I did. What's more, he's taken me up on the offer. He's unpacking as we speak."
"He... I'm sorry, I don't follow."
"I'm as surprised as you are."
"We both know Shawn isn't . . . he wanted to move in with you?"
George tried not to take offense. "I offered him his own room and daily transportation to the hospital, and I told him he could spend as much time with Cory as he wishes."
"Oh. Well, that would do it."
"I suppose so." George didn't go into any more detail than that.
"George, have you ever . . . have you had teenagers in your home before? Or any kids?"
"I'm aware this will be an adjustment."
She nodded slowly. "Well. If you need anything . . ."
"Thank you, Amy. Now, I believe I've left him alone for long enough. I wish you a good day."
He was halfway out the door when she called, "George, about last night . . . you won't go too hard on him, will you?"
He frowned and turned back. "I'm sure I won't be any harsher than you would be if Cory did the same."
She winced, and he left the house, heading across the yard and back into his own kitchen, where Shawn sat at the table, writing on a piece of paper George had given him. As George approached the table, Shawn threw down his pencil and gave him a smug smile. "Done."
George held out his hand, and Shawn handed him the paper.
Rules and Expectations
1. If Mr. Feeny has a date at the house, I get lost. If I have a date, he clears out.
2. Parties must end by 3AM. No blaming Mr. Feeny if the cops get called.
3. I promise to clean up the snack wrappers and other garbage out of my room before I move out.
4. If I watch TV all night, I have to keep the volume down.
5. Basketball games in the living room are limited to 6 people. Cheerleaders don't count toward the limit, though.
6. I promise never to touch any of Mr. Feeny's books or plants.
George rolled his eyes. He shouldn't have expected anything different. "Nice try, Mr. Hunter." He tore the paper in half, tossed the pieces in the wastebasket, and picked up a new sheet of paper. "Try again."
"Hey!" Shawn gave him a disappointed look that George knew had to be fake. "I worked hard on that!"
"Yes, I noticed. Again." He set down the paper on the table and tapped his finger on it.
Shawn pouted and sank down at the table. "Fine. I'll do it the way you want to do it."
"Thank you." George picked up a book and sat down on his couch.
"Still stricter than the rules I had at the trailer park," Shawn mumbled.
George chose not to comment on that.
A chapter and a half of George's book later, Shawn brought over his paper. George took it and read.
Rules and Expectations
5AM breakfast
5:30 - 1:00 chores: yard work, gardening, cleaning bathrooms and kitchen, scrubbing floors
1:00 lunch
1:30 - 7:00 studying
7:00 dinner
8:00 bedtime
No girls, no parties, no smiling, no talking. Breaking the rules means getting whipped and/or locked in a cold room.
George lowered the paper slowly. He knew Shawn meant this as a mockery, but while first set of rules might have been similar to what Shawn had experienced at the trailer park, these were all too much like the rules George lived with at Shawn's age. George tended to think he had turned out well, but he also knew he would not have inflicted his own upbringing on a son, had he had one.
"What?" Shawn gave him a look. "Is that not strict enough?"
"Shawn..." George tossed this paper as well and placed a third on the table.
"Again?"
"Just write out the agreements you and Jonathan had set with each other."
"I dunno, give me a break! We never wrote them out!"
"You didn't have rules?"
Shawn's voice caught. "I mean..."
"Write them out, Mr. Hunter."
"Last summer rules or two summers ago?"
"There's a difference?"
"We were basically roommates that first summer. We didn't really have rules."
"Last summer, then."
Shawn sighed and sat down to write, and George went back to reading.
It took a little longer this time. Shawn came back with his paper, and this time there was no glint of mischief in his eyes. George accepted the paper.
Stuff Jon yells at me for
- doing stupid things
- getting picked up by cops (breaking the law, getting in fights, doing dangerous stuff)
- not telling him I'm not going to be home for dinner
- missing curfew (11PM) or lights out (midnight)
- arguing about chores (keeping room clean, dishes) and leaving garbage and wet towels on the floor
- being disrespectful
- sneaking girls into the apartment when he's not home
- running away
George held back a smirk at the title, then found himself growing more and more curious, as he read, about what their lives together had looked like. "You didn't sleep until midnight?"
"During the summer, yeah. I sleep best about midnight or one until, like, nine or ten. Any earlier and I just lay awake for hours. That's why I always fall asleep in class."
George wondered if there was anything he could do about that. "Very well."
"You're okay with these?"
"I may do some tweaking, as needed. But yes, this gives me an idea of what you're used to."
Shawn shifted his weight. "Can I go talk to Cory?"
"Yes. Be back in an hour."
"An hour? Seriously?"
"If you want to make it to the hospital for visiting hours."
"Oh. Right." He looked down toward the paper. "Are you going to make me study?"
"Mr. Hunter, I don't even enjoy the futile exercise of attempting to coerce you into completing your schoolwork when classes are in session. I have no intention of subjecting myself to such a task during my time off."
"So, no?"
"No. Though I would encourage you to read."
"Sure, I'll keep that in mind."
George didn't miss the dripping sarcasm in his voice. "Go," he said.
Shawn grinned and left the house, and even George would have had to admit that it was a little endearing.
Shawn never knocked on the door to Cory's room. He'd never felt the slightest bit of nervousness to talk to his best friend. When he had first moved in with Jon, it had just felt right to both of them.
Today was different. Shawn had no idea how to even begin to explain why he had made the choice he had. Feeny understood, and Shawn thought Jon would, too. Cory wouldn't, even if Shawn knew what to say.
Cory was sitting on his bed reading a magazine. "Hey," he said, setting it aside. "Where were you last night?"
"I kinda took off." Shawn wasn't usually embarrassed to tell Cory if he had a run-in with cops, but tonight he was already feeling uncomfortable.
"Oh. Everything okay?"
"Yeah, I just...came to grab the rest of my stuff."
"You're leaving again?"
Might as well just rip off the bandaid. "I'm going to stay with Feeny."
"Very funny, Shawn."
Shawn didn't know what to say to that.
Cory's eyes widened. "Wait. You're serious?"
"Yeah."
"No, no, we gotta talk to my dad."
"Cory—"
"What did you do that was that bad? No, that's not fair, my parents can't kick you out, no matter what you did—"
"Cory! This was my choice. I want to stay with Feeny."
Cory's jaw dropped, voice catching a few times. "Why?"
Shawn squirmed, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I mean, your family's great, and it's great living with my best friend, but . . . I don't want to be a burden on you guys, you know?"
Cory frowned. "You know we love having you here. I would think now more than ever, you'd want to be surrounded by friends."
"I'll be right next door. We can hang out every day."
"Like Feeny's gonna let you!"
"He said I could."
"He'll probably force you to do school work all summer."
"He said he wouldn't."
Cory shook his head. "I just don't get it, man. You and Feeny don't even get along."
Shawn swallowed hard. He didn't usually talk openly about his feelings, even to Cory. "I don't know, man. I don't really expect you to get it, but I'm kinda going through a lot right now, and Feeny's place is . . . quiet."
Cory stared at him for a long moment. "You're really hurting, aren't you?"
He shrugged. "Jon's the closest thing I've ever had to a real dad. I'm worried about him."
"I know."
"Feeny's going to take me to see Jon every day. And I can still hang out with you as much as I want, but Feeny's got empty guest rooms, so when I want to be alone . . ."
Cory nodded. "I get it."
"You do?"
"Yeah." Cory sighed. "Feeny's a good guy."
"That's what you're always saying."
"But just in case, I'll keep my window open."
Shawn smiled. "Thanks, Cor."