One Dysfunctional Mess part 5

Chapter 15 Going the wrong way

Twenty minutes later the three walked out of the cafe. Jack with gratitude in his eyes said "Thanks dad." He then smiled. "That was a nice surprise."

"You're welcome buddy." Jason said as he rubbed his son's back.

"I liked meeting them too." John said. "They were both really nice."

"That they are." Jason said. "Too bad Victor could not have come but he had work."

"Victor is cool." Jack said. He then noticed a blonde haired woman with a sour expression walking towards them.

John's eyes widened when he saw her. "Dad."

"We meet again." Jason said to the woman he had met in the park earlier.

"Are you stalking me?" She asked glaring at him with the intensity of a hundred burning suns.

"No." Jason answered. "Are you stalking me?"

"You wish." She said with a sneer.

"Not really." Jason replied.

"Drop dead." She said as she walked past him. "And stop following me you creep."

"I'm not..." Jason said but cut himself off with a sigh.

"She seemed pleasant."

"Yes she is." Jason said as he watched her walked down the sidewalk.

"Let me guess." Jack said. "Old girlfriend."

"No." He said cringing at the thought.
"She is just someone I ran into this morning at the park."

"Do you mean that literally?" Jack said.

"No, not literally." Jason gave him a look that said what is the matter with you. "I met her at the park this morning."

"And then again at the bakery where she gave him the middle finger." John said in amusement.

"What did you do?" Jack said.

"I didn't do anything." Jason said but could tell that his son did not believe him. "I was just minding my own business walking the dogs." He said. "Happy was pooping and she got mad at me for not picking up after him but there was nothing to pick up because he was in mid poop." Jason then looked back towards the woman only to find that she had disappeared into a store. "I don't know what her problem is she is probably just nuts."

And I hope this last time I run into her. "Let's go." He said and then started to walk to the car. He thought how he would take the boys back to the apartment have Jack go lay down for awhile and have John spend some time in his room.

They got in the car and then pulled out.

Jason was lost in thought thinking about the phone calls he needed to make when Jack said "Hey dad."

"Yeah buddy."

"You're heading to our old house."

"What?" Jason said confused.

"You're going to our old house." Jack said.

Jason looked around at the street they were heading down and realized he was right. "I'm sorry buddy." He said. He had been driving on auto pilot and was not paying attention to where he was heading. "Let me find a place to turn around." He wanted to get John as far away from the place as possible.

"Can we drive by?" Jack asked to his surprise. Jason blinked in surprise. He never thought he would hear those words come out of Jack's mouth. He saw John in the rear view mirror looking a bit perplexed by his request as well. "To show John where we use to live."

"Are you sure you want to do that?"

"Yeah." Jack said his voice filled with emotion. He looked at his son unsure if he wanted to do this. "Its okay dad." He said with confidence in his voice. "I can handle it."

Jason wanted to say no but found himself saying. "Okay." We will do a quick drive by and then head home.

A few minutes later they pulled up outside the house. "There it is."

Jason felt a rush of emotion hit him at the sight of it. He remembered the first day they moved in. When they brought the kids home from the hospital. The first time Elizabeth hit him.

"Nice house." John said breaking the silence.

"Yes it is." He then coughed.

"I see no one put the trash cans back." He said looking at the empty trash cans that were laying at the end of the driveway. He mused how they have been there since they left on Monday. It had been his job to put them out and put them away when he lived there. He guessed it was beneath his mom and sister to put them away. They might get their hands dirty.

"I'll do it." John said and then got out of the car.

"John." Jason said but then closed his mouth as John picked up the cans and carried them to side of the house.

"Not where they go." Jack said. The cans go around back. "But that's okay."

Jason rubbed his head.

As John walked back a car pulled into the driveway. "Oh crap." Jack then said as he saw who was in the car.

John watched as a teenage girl stepped out of the car and gave him a dirty look as she said "Who the hell are you?"

"I guess you are Elizabeth." John said with a smug look across his face.

"Yeah I'm Elizabeth." A muscular teen boy got out of the car.

"Hi Elizabeth I'm John." He said as the grin grew across his face. "I'm your brother."

Her eyes grew wide as she said "What!"