Silent Witness

Chapter 38

Ethan

Watching Ryder with Lacey warmed my heart he was so attuned to everything about her. Hell he even woke up in the middle of the night when she cried, I hated to admit it but he was better than I was at this. Everything that he had been through himself I felt like he was trying to protect his sister from all of that, it was so heartwarming. She wasn't even his blood and he loved her more than anything else in this world. It made me care for and love him that much more, he really was such a gem in this world. If only I could get him to open up to me about school, I knew something was wrong I just didn't know what. He closed himself off from us and didn't want to talk about it. Even Clementine was having a hard time breaking that wall he put up, of course I didn't blame him. Hell if it wasn't for Joel I didn't think he would ever go to school, I knew the day I went I was going to do something. Then I saw how he relaxed around this kid and they became instant friends, I wanted to believe that would solve all his problems but boy was I wrong. I mean it might have made things worse, Ryder stopped talking about Joel and that worried me. After Lacey was born a month ago all he did was come home and spend time with her, he did homework and sat with Lacey until bedtime.

I watched as my son cuddled his sister to sleep, it was getting late and I knew he had school in the morning. As badly as he fought me about school he still had to go, and I was going to observe him tomorrow. I was of course going to do it in secret I needed to see how bad it really was. Then if I didn't like what I saw I was going to rip that Principal apart for letting anyone hurt him. "Ryder its time for bed" I said, "awe can she come with me" he said and I smiled, "not yet bud she still needs her mom, and you need your sleep" I said. "I don't need to go to school" Ryder said as he gave Lacey to Zoey. "I am sorry little man you do" I said, he groaned but said goodnight to his sister and his mother as I took him upstairs. He changed into his pj's and brushed his teeth as I tucked him in. "I wish I could make things at school easier for you" I said, "school is fine dad promise" he said, "right but the children aren't" I said. Ryder just looked at me and rolled over. I knew he wasn't going to tell me and damn everyone who would ever hurt this little boy. I wanted nothing more than to keep him from all of this but I couldn't exactly lock children up for bullying. As badly as I wanted to, I was going to do something that was for sure, I leaned in a kissed his head. "I love you bud, sweet dreams and try to sleep even if your sister cries. Your mom and I have her okay" I said knowing he wasn't getting enough sleep.

I went back downstairs and Zoey handed me my daughter, "she is fed burped and changed and I need a shower" she said. "Take a bath love, I will bring you some hot chocolate" I said kissing her as my daughter looked at me intently. "Well little miss how about we get you to sleep" I said rocking her in a chair. I gave her a soother and she watched me as I rocked her gently as her eyes started closing. She fell asleep but I stayed like this a little longer, then placed her in her bassinet. I made the hot chocolate I promised my wife, and took it to her just as she climbed into the bath. She kissed me as I left and checked on Ryder he was asleep with Axel at his feet, I went back down to Lacey. She was also asleep and I lay on the couch and closed my eyes just briefly, I heard a cry and I opened my eyes. Lacey was losing it in her bassinet and I scooped her up as I made a bottle for her. I turned around to see both Zoey and Ryder staring at me, "she is fine" I said. Zoey smiled as she took over, and I went over to Ryder, "come on bud you need to back to bed" I said to him. He glanced back at Lacey and even though he didn't want to he walked away from her. 

I knew how her cried impacted him but he needed to know that not everything meant she was hurt. "Lacey is going to be just fine, I know you love her, but you need to be the brother not the parent. Your mom and I will take of her and of you, Ryder you know we love you right?" I said to him, "yes" he said he had tears in his eyes. I hugged him I didn't know what I said that was making him cry. "What is making you sad?" I asked, "nothing I am fine" he said as he wiped the tears. I didn't believe him, "Ryder please talk to me" I said, "it's nothing dad" he said. How a child of 5 years old could hold onto so much emotion was a mystery to me. I felt like he was going to snap one day and I for one did not want to be on the receiving end of that. I tucked him back in and left his room, Zoey had come upstairs, and she had Lacey asleep beside her. I went down to make sure the house was locked up and the security alarm was set as I went up to bed myself.