The Life of Buddy

chapter

Butch carried the last of the dinner dishes to the sink as Brian wiped them down and put them in the dishwasher.  Paula had made spaghetti with tiny
hotdogs and peach cobbler for desert.

"Thanks." Brian said as he Butch placed the dishes on the counter.

"What do you want to do tonight?" Butch asked. He grabbed a rag and theh wet it.

"I'm not sure."  Brian said. "I think Ben and Paula are planning to watch Texas sings."

Butch then cringed. "Pass." More like Texas has little to no talent he thought. "I can't believe that show is in its third season."

The door to the kitchen opened and Ben walked in. "Hey guys just wanted to let you know that daddy called and he said that Parker is okay."

"Glad he's okay." Brian said.

"Me too." Butch said.

"He's going to take him to dinner so he will be home later tonight." Ben told them.

Ben was about to walk out when Brian said "Hey Ben."

"Yeah Buddy." Ben said.

"May we go out for a couple of hours."

"That's a question for daddy." Ben said. "If he says yes I'm fine with it."

"Okay."

"If you want to join Paula and I feel free." Ben said and walked out.

Brian put a plate in the dishwasher as he said. "So where do you want to go?"

"I'm not sure." Butch said. "Honestly I just want to stay home and watch Netflix or something."

Brian rolled his eyes. "You know for someone who wanted to get off restriction so badly you sure want to spend a lot of time at home."

"I know." He said as he wiped the chairs down.

"But if you want to stay in that's fine."  Brian relented.  "I don't mind binging Netflix."  Brian then closed the dishwasher and hit the start button.

"Thanks."  Butch walked to the sink and washed off the rag.  "You know its funny never in a million years did I think I would hear the words Parker going to dinner with daddy."

"Same."  Brian said. "Parker is lucky he was able to get to him in time."

Butch walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out a coup of sodas. "Yes he is."  He then walked over to Brian and handed him a soda. "I can't believe how attentive dad has been to us the last couple of days."  He opened the soda took a drink.  "Picking you up from school to talk to you about your mom, confronting Mister Winters about how he treated me, racing off to Hallow Mercy to help Parker."

"Having dinner with Brooks, lunch with Brendan, having Byron spend the night."  Brian said. "What's next take Bright and Baxter to a baseball game?"

"Maybe."  Brian said as he took a drink of his soda.

"How long do you think it will last really?"  Butch asked. "How long before he is that cold, distant father who is too busy for us and breaks promise after promise again."

"I am hoping never."  Brian said.  "I am hoping that since he is no longer with my mom he now has the freedom to be the father to us that we have wanted him to be."

Butch leaned against the counter.  "But is it fair to pin all the blame on your mom?"  He asked. "I mean I know that she was crazy and she hated daddy spending time with us but doesn't he share some of the blame for neglecting us."

"He does."  Brian said. "I admit that a lot of the fault lays at his feet.  But I don't think that he is that person anymore.  I really do believe he wants to be a good father to us and that he will be."

"I hope so."  Butch said with uncertainty in his voice.

"I hope so too." Brian said.  I hope so too but he had to admit that he was not as confident as he was letting on.

Skylar and Jasper walked out across the parking lot laughing and playfully pushing each other. Jasper was one big smile as he successfully completed his first day of work without getting into any trouble. That he did not have to worry about getting a beating when he got home.

"I'm so proud of you little bro." Skylar said.

"You are?"

"Of course I am."  He said. "You worked hard, you handled yourself well with the whole Tommy situation. You did good today." They walked up to the car. "I know your mom will be proud of you."

His smile grew. A serious look crossed his face. "Do you think dad would be proud."

Skylar's mood soured at the mention of their father. "No." He said flatly and Jasper frowned. "But he's a jerk so who cares."

I do he thought as he got in the car. Unfortunately I care very much. And I don't think I will be able to change that anytime soon.

Unseen by the two of them Chris Collins sat in his car. His blood boiled as he watched his sons laughing and fooling around. He hated the fact that they were so happy while his life was in shambles.

The smile across Jasper's face was a like a punch in the gut. And he desperately wanted to remove it.

He does not deserve to be happy he thought.

Collins then picked up his phone and dialed a number as the car pulled from the parking lot.

"Yes Chris."  His wife said.

"Cassandra." Collins said as emotion welled up inside of him. "I want to come home." He then coughed. "Please let me come home."

"Do you promise to bullying and terrorizing Jasper and start treating him like your son instead of you personal punching bag." She said angrily.

"I have always treated him like a son." He replied. "And I have not done anything to him that he has not deserved."

"Stay away from us Chris." She said and then disconnected.

"Cassandra!" He yelled. He tried to call her back only to find the number blocked. Frustration filled him and he threw his cell phone into the passenger window. The phone then bounced off the window and smacked him in the face.

"Son of a..." He yelled as his face exploded in pain. He then looked at the thick cowboy belt that laid on the seat and thought Jasper is going to pay for this.

At Winter's lake Ron waited as a car pulled up.  A smile crossed his face as his body filled with anticipation. His heartrate increased as Frances and another team got out of the car, opened the trunk, and pulled out a bound person whose face was covered with a hood.

The person struggled and cussed as they dragged him towards him. This is going to be fun Randall thought. I should have done this a long time ago.

The person was then forced to his knees and the hood was pulled from his face. The teen glared at Ron who said "Hello Randall."  A predatory smiled crossed his face as he said "Welcome to hell."