Adopted

Blinky Lights. Grumpy People.

"I went potty," the curly haired boy sitting in front of Sam said.

The fast food workers eyes bug out and he desperately has to resist the urge to bang his head on the table. How stupid could he have been? He should've known when he saw Harry being carried out of McDonald's. Or even the fact that his "boyfriend" bought him a happy meal. But a lot of adults get happy meals...or at least young women trying to watch their figures do. Harry slurs his speech and holds hands when he walks. There is basically a sign hanging above the boy that says in bold lettering "I'M A LITTLE". Sam knew he acted funny, but he thought it was part of his charm or the result of an over controlling relationship. He still feels shocked, because the boy sitting in front of him looks nothing like any little he's ever seen before. He's not wearing a ridiculous outfit or sucking his thumb and picking his nose. He isn't crying or screaming.

Sam rubs his temples. "Harry you're a...are you a little," he asks as if it isn't obvious enough.

Harry shakes his head. "No little! Big boy! Bigger than Loulou!"

'Fuck,' Sam's mind screams out.

"Who exactly is Loulou?"

'Please don't be his caretaker! Please don't be his caretaker!'

"My bruder!"

"And the man who brought you to McDonald's... was that your," he pauses and chokes out the next word. "Daddy?"

"Nuh-uh," Harry says, playing with the fries in front of him. Sam is about to sigh in relief, thinking he'll never have to see that terrifying guy again. "That's Papa! Daddy is lots bigger!"

Sam feels his heart stop and his whole body pales. If the dark man from last week was scary, just how much worse would the bigger caretaker be?

"Harry, where is your Daddy right now?"

The boy shrugs and frowns.

"Did he bring you here," Sam asks.

"Uh-huh," Harry says. "Me 'nd Loulou."

"Did they leave you," he asks in a gentle tone.

Harry whips his head back and forth. "I went-ed to gets a drink 'nd you finded me."

Sam nods. "Where were you before that?"

"On the scary bwidge."

"The scary bridge," the boy repeats, not sure if he heard correctly.

"Wiff the scary girls. They were meanies," Harry says in a very serious tone as if he's answering thd meaning to life.

"Can you show me," Sam asks.

Harry bites his lip and holds his chin on sweater covered fists. "Don't 'member."

Shit. "Okay...um...Let's just go back to where I found you aaand...go from there?"

In Sam's mind, the cashier figures if he just takes the little back to where he found him and ditches him it will be like nothing happened at all. The only reason he's being so gentle and hasn't up and left him is because he's afraid to trigger crying. Sam will do anything to avoid causing a commotion.

He stands and clears the trash from the table, taking it over to the bin and dumping it. He returns and pulls Harry's chair back, helping the boy up. He takes his hand and they begin maneuvering through the maze of tables in the food court. Nobody pays them much attention despite the urgent look festering on Sam's face.

They manage to get past all of the people and tables to stand in the clearing. Sam continues to walk, pulling Harry along behind him. He hears a groan and suddenly he's pulled back. He looks back to see Harry standing stationary with a look of discomfort.