Chapter 12 Roan #3
“This is where you grew up?” Marcus asked as they pulled into the driveway.
“Yep,” Roan said. “Our mother was Walter Hayes’s sister. This was one of the original farmhouses on the property. My Uncle Walter remodeled it for a rental a few years back. But once their lease was up, Uncle Walter said it was all mine.”
“That’s pretty lucky,” Cody said.
“I know,” Roan said. “Being part of the Hayes clan is a blessing.”
“A family farm is so cool,” Marcus said softly, his voice full of wonder.
Cody didn’t say anything, but Roan saw him taking it all in—the porch, the big oak tree in the yard, the Christmas lights making everything glow. Roan said a silent thank you to Jason for insisting they get the lights up.
Inside, the tree in the corner sparkled with ornaments. Their mother’s snow globe collection was displayed on the mantel, with the stockings hung below.
“Whoa,” Marcus breathed, stopping just inside the door. “It’s like a Christmas movie house.”
“My aunt saved all my mom’s Christmas decorations,” Roan said. “We just put them all up.”
“Was it hard to see all the old ornaments?” Cody asked. “Like all the memories and stuff?”
“It was, actually,” Roan said. “But nice at the same time. We have a lot of wonderful memories of our time with our mom.”
“Yeah, me too.” Cody looked up at him, a moment of vulnerability flickering across his face before he looked away.
“Come on upstairs. I’ll show you your room,” Roan said.
As they made their way to the second floor, Roan explained that the bedroom they would be staying in used to be the one he and his brother shared as kids. “Bunk beds and everything.”
“Which do you want?” Marcus asked Cody. “Top or bottom?”
“You choose,” Cody said.
“I’ll take the bottom,” Marcus said. “I’ve never been in one of these. I’m kind of afraid I’ll fall off the top.”
“Works for me,” Cody said.
“I always took the top too,” Roan said, leaning against the doorframe. “Jason’s a restless sleeper, so it was better for me to be above him. The beds are made up already, so you should be all set.”
The boys both mumbled thanks.
“Okay, you guys want to take showers?” Roan asked. “There are clean towels in the bathroom across the hall.”
“Yeah, that’d be good,” Marcus said.
“One of you can shower in that bathroom. One of you can use the one in my room,” Roan said. “I’ll find you something to sleep in and some spare toothbrushes.”
Marcus offered to take the smaller bathroom, so Roan took Cody across the hall to his room, showing him the bathroom and leaving to give him privacy.
He grabbed several pairs of sweatpants and T-shirts from his closet.
They’d be too big on Marcus but they would have to do for now.
He left a set for Cody on the chair outside of the bathroom and took the other over to the boys’ room, leaving them on the bed.
Downstairs, Roan pulled a frozen lasagna from the freezer and slid it into the oven.
Although the boys had scarfed down a few pieces of pizza each, Roan had the feeling they were still hungry.
He stood in his kitchen, looking around at the quiet house that was suddenly filled with life.
Two teenagers upstairs, showering in his bathrooms, about to sleep in his guest room.
Was he in over his head? Probably. But he wasn’t about to let Marcus sleep outside tonight. Tomorrow he’d take them shopping. Get them some clothes. New jackets. Hats and gloves for sure.
Marcus appeared downstairs first. He’d rolled up the legs of the sweats and the T-shirt was like a dress on his small frame, but he didn’t seem to mind.
“You want some milk?” Roan asked.
“Water’s fine,” Marcus said.
“Lasagna should be ready soon. Should we watch a movie?”
“Sure,” Marcus said, a happy smile crossing his face.
Cody came down a few minutes later, and they settled into the living room. Roan put on The Grinch, and the boys seemed to forget their troubles for a moment. By the time the movie ended and they’d eaten the lasagna, it was almost ten.
“All right, bed time for you two,” Roan said.
Both boys groaned but got up without argument. They trudged upstairs, and Roan followed a few minutes later with two glasses of water.
He found them in their room, already in the beds. Marcus was curled up on his side under the blanket, and Cody was on his back, staring at the ceiling.
“Brought you some water,” Roan said, setting the glasses on the dresser next to the bunk beds.
“Thanks,” Marcus mumbled.
Roan sat cross-legged on the floor near the edge of the beds. “You guys doing okay?”
“Yeah,” Cody said.
“It’s weird sleeping in a real bed,” Marcus said. “Like, a good weird.”
“What do you mean?” Roan asked. “How long has it been since you slept in a bed?”
Marcus was quiet for a long moment. “The place I was staying—they had me in this room in the attic. Not really a room, actually. More like a space in between a bunch of junk and a sleeping bag. But then they told me to leave and I had no place to go. Last night I slept in the alley behind your gym.”
Roan’s blood went cold. “What?”
“Yeah, I couldn’t think what else to do.” He pulled the blanket tighter. “The alley seemed safe. There’s that dumpster that blocks the wind, and I had my backpack to put under my head.”
“Marcus.” Roan’s voice came out rough. “It was below freezing last night.”
“I know. I was really cold. But I kept thinking at least I was close to the gym. That you’d be there in the morning and I could come in and get warm.”
Roan felt like he’d been punched in the chest. This kid—this sweet, quiet kid—had spent last night sleeping in an alley in December, freezing, alone, because he had nowhere else to go.
“You never have to do that again,” Roan said. “You hear me? Never.”
Marcus’s eyes filled with tears. “Okay.”
Roan turned to Cody. “What’s going on at your house? Did something happen?”
Cody was quiet for so long Roan thought he wasn’t going to answer. “The Pattersons have a real kid. Their son. Devon. He’s sixteen. And …”
“And?” Roan asked.
“He … he hates having foster kids in the house. Says we take up his space, his parents’ time, that we’re only there so his parents can get checks from the state.
” Cody’s hands twisted in the blanket. “He’s stronger than me.
A lot stronger. And when Mr. and Mrs. Patterson aren’t around, he pushes me.
Hits me sometimes. Pins me against the wall.
Tells me he’s going to make me sorry I’m there.
That’s why I thought maybe if I could get stronger, maybe I could fight back. ”
Roan felt rage building in his chest, hot and dangerous. “How badly has he hurt you?”
“He shoved me in the yard and I fell on a rock. My head bled a little.” Cody touched the back of his head. “It’s mostly gone now.”
Bled a little. Good God. “Did you tell the Pattersons?”
“Yeah. Mrs. Patterson said Devon was just playing around. That boys are rough with each other. That I need to toughen up and not be so sensitive.” Cody’s voice dropped. “She’s his mom. She’s never going to believe me over him.”
The biological son versus the foster kid. Of course Mrs. Patterson dismissed it. She was protecting her own child.
“That’s not all right,” Roan said, his voice tight. “That’s not playing around. That’s bullying. That’s assault.”
“I know. But what am I supposed to do? If I make a big deal about it, they’ll just say I’m causing problems. That I’m ungrateful. And they’ll move me somewhere else. At least, at the Pattersons, I know what to expect. The next place could be worse.”
The logic was heartbreaking. A sixteen-year-old kid, calculating which bad situation was the least bad. Staying in a house where he was threatened daily because at least he knew the danger.
“What happened tonight?” Roan asked. “Before you walked to town.”
“Devon cornered me in the bathroom. Told me he was tired of me being there. That I better watch my back. Then he shoved my face into a sink full of cold water. I thought I was going to drown.” Cody’s voice was barely a whisper.
“Mr. and Mrs. Patterson were shouting at each other in the other room. When Devon finally let me go, I decided to get out of there. I know how nights like those go. The Pattersons throwing things at each other. Devon taking it out on me. So I left. Walked to town. Found Marcus.”
“Did they know where you went?” Roan asked.
“They don’t care,” Cody said. “When I texted them earlier that I was staying with a friend, I didn’t get a response.”
His foster mother didn’t even ask who the friend was. Didn’t verify where he’d be. Meanwhile, her biological son was terrorizing the other children in the home.
Roan looked between both boys—Marcus, who’d slept in an alley last night, and Cody, who was being terrorized by his foster parents’ own son.
“Cody, I can’t promise anything, but I’m going to try and get you out of there,” Roan said.
“There’s nowhere better. Trust me,” Cody said.
Yes, there was certainly someplace better. Right here in his mother’s home where love was tattooed into every space.
“Marcus, you’re staying here until we figure out something,” Roan said. “I don’t want you sleeping outside ever again. You could have frozen to death.”
“But what if I’m reported, and they send me somewhere terrible?” Marcus asked, fresh tears spilling over.
“My cousin’s a family law attorney. Logan. He’s good—really good. I’m calling him first thing tomorrow morning.” Roan reached over, squeezed Marcus’s shoulder. “I’m not sure exactly how this will all play out, but I won’t give up until you’re both in safe places.”
“Where will we go?” Cody asked.
“For now, you’re staying here.” Roan paused. “I’ll look into what it would take for you to stay here longer. Or indefinitely.”
“Like permanent?” Cody asked.
“Yeah, like permanent,” Roan said.
“You’d let us stay with you?” Marcus asked. “In this house?”
“Would you want to stay here if you could?” Roan asked.
Both boys answered at the same time. “Totally,” Marcus said.
“Heck, yes,” Cody said. “But is it possible?”
“My mother used to say ‘if there’s a will, there’s a way.
’ And she taught me never to back down from a fight worth fighting.
I don’t know much about how the application process works, but my cousin’s a family law attorney.
I’m going to call him first thing tomorrow and get things rolling.
” Roan stood. “For now, get some sleep. Tomorrow we’re going shopping—get you both clothes that actually fit. Maybe haircuts.”
“Thank you,” Marcus said, his voice breaking.
“Yeah,” Cody added. “Thanks, Roan.”
“Get some rest. Everything’s easier after a good night’s sleep.”
Roan pulled the door mostly closed and stood in the hallway for a moment, his hands trembling. Marcus had slept in an alley last night. In December. In Vermont. He could have frozen to death.
And Cody—Devon had held his face underwater. Tried to drown him while his parents fought in another room.
He went downstairs to find Jason home and loading the dishwasher.
“Hey, you okay?” Jason asked, looking up.
Roan sat heavily at the kitchen table. “Marcus slept in an alley last night. Behind the gym. Below freezing.”
Jason’s hands stilled. “What?”
Roan told him about the attic space filled with junk, Marcus having nowhere to go, the freezing night in the alley. Then Cody’s situation—Devon, the Pattersons’ biological son, terrorizing him. The head wound. Tonight’s bathroom incident with the sink full of water.
“Lord have mercy,” Jason said when he finished. “That kid tried to drown him.”
“And the foster parents don’t care. Or won’t believe it. Either way, Cody’s not safe there.”
“So what do we do?”
“I don’t know yet. I need to call Logan tomorrow.
Figure out what’s legally possible.” Roan rubbed his face.
“They need to stay here. I feel it deep in my bones that this is the right thing. For all of us.” Roan’s voice cracked.
“No kid should feel like no one decent wants them. That they’re worthless.
So far, that’s what this life’s taught them. I have to do something.”
Jason sat down across from him, a pensive expression on his face. “We can’t save them all, but maybe we can save two. I have ridiculous amounts of money. I’ll help you financially.”
“You’d do that?”
“In a heartbeat.” Jason played with the wrapper on the beer bottle, lifting a corner. “It’s what Mom would want me to do.” He stood and walked over to the recycle bin, tossing his empty bottle inside. “You and Reese could make a good team for these boys.”
“Yeah. I think so too.” Roan looked over at his brother. “How was tonight with Mauve?”
“She’s something else. Like mind-blowingly special.”
“That complicates things for you, huh?” Roan asked.
“We’ll see.” Jason smiled, a dreamy look in his eyes. “But I think I’m going to marry her.”
Before Roan could say anything, Jason strolled out of the kitchen, a goofy smile on his face. Was that what he looked like when he was thinking about Reese? If so, he really needed to keep himself in check in front of the boys.
Roan pulled out his phone and texted Reese.
Roan
Boys are fed and asleep. Safe for now. But their situations are worse than we thought. Cody’s being abused by the Pattersons’ bio son. Marcus slept in the alley outside my gym last night.
Reese
OMG.
Roan
I know. I’m going to talk to my cousin tomorrow. See what my options are. And I’m going to take them shopping in the morning. This jacket situation is ridiculous.
Reese
Let me know if you need anything from me.
Roan
Will you go with me to see Logan?
Reese
Absolutely.
Roan
In other news, I love you. Never stopped.
Three dots appeared, then disappeared, then appeared again.
Reese
I never did either. Also, I think you’re the finest man around.
Roan
I’m trying to be the man my mom thought I was.
Reese
You are. Night.
Roan
Sleep tight.
He turned off the lights, and climbed the stairs. Outside Marcus and Cody’s room, he paused, listening. He could hear their steady breathing. Full stomachs and a good night’s sleep. That was all he could do right now.
He went to his own room and got ready for bed. But sleep didn’t come easy. His mind wouldn’t turn off, circling and circling with no answers. When he finally fell asleep, he dreamt of a cold alley and an unloved boy freezing to death.