Cops' Kids

C12

"How are you feeling?" Ross asks quietly. It's close to nine pm, he and Colin's curfew. He doesn't mind. It's better to go to sleep early and try to ignore any possible fights so he often goes to his bedroom by eight at the latest, seven at the earliest. Elmer likes how much he studies and keeps his grades up but also doesn't want him hibernating as a safe haven.

"Like I could use a couple shots of whisky," Tyson mutters, collapsing onto Warren's bottom bunk. Benjamin looks out the bedroom door, closes it and runs to the secret cupboard in the floor.

"Be fast, bro," Benjamin tosses Tyson his bottle of whisky. Tyson catches it when it hits his bruised and swollen chest, soreness and surprise catching him off guard. Benjamin is being nice. Benjamin called him bro, the closets he's come to calling one of his stepbrothers a brother. A sharp look from Benjamin has him taking a few big swigs before Ross runs the bottle back to his older brother.

"How's Colin?" Tyson asks, still feeling the guilt for the nasty scar Colin will carry with him for the rest of his life.

"Praying more than ever," Benjamin sneers scornfully. Tyson shoots him two middle fingers.

"Shut up, Ben!" Ross hisses. Both Benjamin and Tyson look to the youngest out of the group of older boys in surprise. Ross is basically mute. He's too scared he'll set Elmer off with one wrong word that he prefers to say nothing instead. That also means he avoids confrontation as much as possible. It's why he is so conscientious. "At least he has love in his heart! He's the one that will probably make it out of here alive!"

"Because God's on his side?" Benjamin jeers, flopping on his double bed and fluffing up a pillow so he can rest against the headboard.

"No," it's Warren's voice that sounds out. He opens the door. He looks pointedly at Tyson, warmth and understanding behind his fatigued eyes. "Because he'd be busy trying to save us."

Tyson stares at Warren blankly, the emotions rising so hard and fast in his chest that it feels like he can't breath. After all the years of reaming him out and calling him down, Warren knows the long game he has been playing: better me than them.

"Elmer's coming up," Colin says next. He doesn't leave the doorway of the older three boys' bedroom. As his words trail into silence, they all hear Elmer clomping up the steps. Since supper he'd been drinking steady. He doesn't work tomorrow and isn't on call unless there is a citywide emergency. Ross follows Colin to their bedroom quietly. Tyson stands up with from bottom bunk with some effort. Warren sits in the desk chair. Their mother and Elmer's bedroom is downstairs so they know he's coming upstairs for any one of them. Tyson has been the major one on his shit list for the past week and one evening of a courteous attitude difference isn't changing it.

"I told the neighbour man you'll be fixing whatever damage you caused," Elmer sways on his feet. His bloodshot eyes meet Tyson's, picking for a fight from the boy that usually gives it. One hand is curled in a fist, the other around the neck of a glass beer bottle. He prefers cans but the store was out. Ross felt his fury for that indignation.

"Yes, sir." Tyson responds immediately. Benjamins's usually stoic face around his father shows his surprise in his raised eyebrows. Tyson stands straight, with military strictness, waiting for spit on his face or a fist striking his stomach. Sometimes Elmer throws a random haymaker just to keep them all on their feet.

"I'll be keeping your phone until the work is all finished." Elmer adds, waiting for Tyson's defiance. The boy usually scoffs or rolls his eyes, some little thing to get under his skin.

"Yes, sir," is all Tyson says. Elmer himself pauses in disbelief. Knocking the literal piss and vinegar out of the boy actually worked this time. Tyson is ready to accept responsibility for his actions.

"You'll also be paying for all the liquor used from that night," Elmer adds spur of the moment. He's going to stack the pressure on, see if the boy will cave.

"Yes, sir," Tyson says. A vein appears in his neck but he doesn't acknowledge the unfairness. Twenty or so classmates and neighbourhood kids were at the party drinking Leo's stepfathers booze.

"And you're grounded until further notice." Tyson's punishment keeps adding layers. The question appears in Tyson's eyes but Elmer smothers his hope. "No weight lifting practice or tournaments either."

"Yes, sir." Tyson seems stuck on repeat with his responses. Fire rises in his admiral blue eyes. If he misses another weight lifting practice he's off the team. He's had to cover Elmer's abuse and his bruise filled body by missing school and practices. Elmer chuckles as he walks away. Tyson tamps down the anger in his mind. He won't receive pity, not from Elmer or his brothers.

It's when he climbs on top bunk and closes his eyes he realizes he hasn't texted or called Georgia since he got wasted. She's going to be pissed.