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(tw: mention of drugs, drinking, and implied child neglect)
December 23, 2023
HENRY PACES THE ROOM, HANDS CLASPED BEHIND HIS BACK. Sarah was leaning against the wall while Jen watched both of them with concern. However, they weren't the only ones in the room. Cameron and Sammy were here too. And Sammy had brought Maverick with him, apparently.
Maverick sits quietly in one of the corners of the room, letting the four adults have their moment. Especially since the brothers hadn't seen either of their parents in forty fucking years. It wasn't any of their faults, really. William was to blame. He had killed Charlie after all. And Henry had gone off the grid. And for six years, the boys had been in California with Sarah. And Jen had been ignoring Henry for quite some time before all of this.
"Forty years," Henry sighs, stopping his pacing. "Forty damn years and none of us thought to try and find each other. What family does that?"
"An estranged family," Sammy mutters, looking at Henry. "An estranged family where the wife takes the sons after the daughter dies and leaves the state, where the husband drops everything and leaves, where the aunt ignores the husband for years and doesn't ever try contacting the sons or the wife."
"Sammy, shut up," Cameron says, glaring at his brother. "Are you out of you fucking mind?"
"I'm saying the truth!" Sammy gives him a look. "It's been forty years since we've seen Mom and Dad, and Aunt Jen hasn't been trying to contact us or Dad. The last time Jen saw me was when Gregory was still at the house. But look what happened."
"Gregory being taken by CPS and being out into foster care is both of your faults," Cameron replies, crossing his arms.
"Okay, now that—"
"You were abusing drugs and Jen was drinking while a child was in the house," Henry says, looking at Sammy. "So Cameron is right."
"Oh, so you agree with him?!"
"Sammy, listen to yourself, listen to us, and calm down, please," Henry replies, walking over to him. "I know you're upset."
"I've been upset for four decades. Nothing you're saying is going to change my mind."
"Sammy, we were supposed to be here to reunite with them and you're just going to be a bitch about it?" Cameron shakes his head.
