Love

It's ok

-11

After our bitter sweet moment in the kitchen I decided that they needed to stay home (despite my argument with them earlier). They needed a break and school is not that.

I pulled Shelby aside and talked to him quietly, "hey love after we all eat and talk I'm gonna go back and see if I can't deal with all this, I want you three to stay here. They don't need to go back to school right now, I'll talk to Patches and Fay and I can hold down clinic for a day. I just really think the-"

"I agree, you don't need to explain it to me Arice," he interrupted.

I nodded and started to walk away when he grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me into warm a kiss.

"Don't stress, it'll be ok."

"Never love never."

"Yah right, just try ok?"

"Ok promise."

He let my wrist fall to a natural position at my side. I flashed him a small smile and we walked into the kitchen and made the plaits and got us all drinks. I glanced through the opening in the wall to check on Willow and Jone. They were at the dining room table both sitting on the left side right next to each other. I focused back to the counter and grabbed there plaits and Shelby grabbed ours. I set the plaits down and went back for the cups as Shelby sat down.

When we all finally sitting down together, I mean it only took about an hour to get here. I knew I was going to be late back but who cares if I'm a little late after this?

The room was filled with silence, and apparently all of us had lost our appetite because all of us we're just playing with the food in front of us.

"It was a group of boys, three of them. They looked like they were in biker clothes or something," Willow said meekly but then her face grow angry, "and we don't care what they think or say!"

A tear slid down her cheek but she didn't make a sound. Her head was facing me but her eyes were towards her plait. Her face was serious and she clenched her jaw making it so she wouldn't frown as more tears slid.

"What did they say Willow?" Shelby asked in a caring tone.

Before Willow could answer Jone did, "They said that they knew we were unwanted abandoned trash that... that had just been adopted by a couple of no good fags. They said that all of us needed a good lesson and that it was a win win. They get to have a jolly fun time beating the hell outta us and hurt you two at the same time. And we knew it was true, that's why we didn't want to tell you. It's only our second day here and yet you two care so much. Care more than homes that we spent more than a year in, which is baffling to me. Then account for the way we ended up here I mean we barely even talked, Shelby looked like a ghost, you looked more nervous than a newbie to the orphanage. Then sister came and it's just, it's ok we'll take um with us. There isn't reasoning for any of this and it seems like it's a crazy man's idea, yet all of it is seems so closely weaved together like a genius making the perfect quilt. And that's what it is, this, you two, it's perfect in every way. Which makes all of that even harder to say to you, the way they talked about you just cuz your gay. You two are proof that gay isn't evil. If anything it's the most pure thing I've seen."

I wanted to get angry and speed over to the school and get these kids and give them the worst punishment I could think of, but I know I couldn't do that. I had two kids here in front of me that needed me first. Jone, like Willow, was looking down at his food and avoiding eye contact, tears spilled over his bottom eyelashes and rolled down his cheeks dripping off at his jawline. Part of me was relieved that he was finally letting himself cry even though it was taking every single ounce of me not to follow.

"They are idiots and cowards and cruel people! Who cares what they said?! It's not like we haven't taken a beat down before just leave it alone!" Willow yelled angrily.

She pushed herself away from the table and stood up marched herself up the stairs, the chair crashing behind her. I could hear her bedroom door slamming behind her. Shelby grabbed my hand before I could even get up.

"Love just let her be, she's hurt and upset. We can't do anything. I got it here, you go and get these kids that did this to our son and daughter," he said, his voice low and bitter.

"I will love, promise."

Before I left I gave Jone a hug, minding his arm. And I whispered in his ear, "It's ok. Don't be ashamed of feelings son, it's ok."

Then I kissed the top of his head and left.