Silent Witness

Chapter 6

Ethan

We made it back home, Ryder was happily playing with his toys in the living room while I tried to figure out dinner. I wasn't used to cooking I mostly just ordered in but I felt like this kid deserved more. I found some chicken and decided on chicken parmesan for dinner as I prepped the sauce my phone rang. "Shaw" I said, "honey a little bird told me you have a little boy living with you" my mom said. "I do but mom its not a good time, he is very scared and I don't want to push it" I said. "Nonsense he is my grandson and I want to meet him" my mom said, "awe mom he is not really and he has only been here 2 days lets not push your pep onto him" I said. "Please Ethan, I have been waiting a long time for this and when I heard what he has been through all I wanted was to squish him" my mom Gloria said. "I will talk to him see how he feels but mom please don't be too much he's fragile and I don't need him overwhelmed again" I said. "Alright I will be there in an hour" my mom said as she hung up. I sighed I didn't exactly say she could come over and now she was on her way here. I sent a few angry emojis to Riggs knowing he was the reason for my mother. Jax and I have been friends a long time and he was just as close to my mom as I was but sometimes I felt she liked him more.

I turned the stove off and went to sit beside Ryder in the living room he looked up at me, "hey bud, I have something to tell you" I said and he nodded as I spoke "my mom wants to meet you, she is on her way here. I want you to tell me if she is too much because she can be and I will be here to help you" I said. "Okay" Ryder said, "also if you don't want her to come I can tell her no" I said, "its okay" Ryder said. I sighed he was processing it for sure but how would he handle it, I knew how much he missed his mother. She might not have been the greatest mother to him but she was all he had in a sense and he didn't know any better. I wanted this to go okay but I just felt like my mom was going to send him over the edge. I went back to making dinner and Riggs sent me a few emojis back and I laughed, I guess he was coming over too. I mean it worried me how much he liked my mom. I was able to get the food into the oven just as the doorbell rang and Ryder jumped. I mean I never expected him to jump 3 feet in the air as he stood up and hid behind me. 

"Its going to be okay, remember if its too much I will get us out okay" I said and he nodded, as I opened the door. "Honey" my mom said kissing me on the cheek, "Hi mom" I said kneeling down to Ryder, "Ryder this is my mother, Gloria. Mom this is Ryder" I said and he stared at her and she knelt down. "Oh honey he is so sweet, I brought you a little something" Gloria said handing him a present. Ryder's eyes lit up and he looked to me and I nodded knowing it was most likely toys. Riggs came in behind her, "sorry she was worried about you" Riggs said, "sure she was" I said punching him in the arm. Ryder opened the box and there was a model train set inside and he looked at it with fascination but he still didn't speak. I mean I am pretty sure I was the only one he has officially talked too. "He says thanks" I said to my mom, "oh you poor dear, we will get you to open up eventually" Gloria said, "Mom leave him be" I said knowing he was trying to figure out how to get away from her. She was currently hugging him and I could tell he was uncomfortable. My mom backed away as I took food out of the oven and said "dinner is ready Ryder go wash your hands" I said and he jumped up and ran to the bathroom. 

"He really is so sweet, does he talk at all?" my mom asked, "sometimes but not much. Mom please just don't push it okay" I said, "Oh Ethan you worry to much, him and I are going to be great friends" Gloria said. "Or you are going to set him back again, mom just let him come to you. I don't need him having any more nightmares" I said. "My heart just goes out to him reminds me a lot of you Riggs" Gloria said. Ryder came back out and sat at the table as I gave him a plate of food. "My story is not nearly that dramatic and I am grateful to you Gloria but Ethan is right. Just let it be for now okay" Riggs said, and I silently thanked him. Ryder ate silently and my mom tried to engage us all in her own little world. She really didn't know when to give up.