Chapter Teaghan
Teaghan
“So kid, what do you want to do first? I got movies, coloring books, nerf guns, chocolate, pizza, and ice cream.” Today would not be boring with me and Malone.
I was still trying to loosen his father up.
Malone was smart but his head didn’t need to be in a book all day every day.
Before he blinked his childhood would be a distant memory.
Houston was making him a target without knowing.
“Can we color first, eat pizza next and then watch movies?” “Today you make the rules.”
“Really?” he asked joyfully. I nodded my head and grabbed the coloring books and materials.
I didn’t know how long I would be on pre-step mom duty, but I wanted to make the best of it.
Malone had become like a little sidekick to me and seeing him operate as a normal child and not some prodigy would always be my goal.
I wasn’t a prodigy, but my childhood mirrored his. Always
prim and proper. Our family portraits weren’t fun.
I always had a book in hand as a kid, riding a bike was too dangerous.
It could mess up my pretty face and perfect legs.
I didn’t play board games. If it wasn’t chess I couldn’t play.
My school had uniforms, there was no individuality.
My room never held posters of my favorite musical acts.
I listened to Mozart in the womb, according to my mom.
That shit ruined my level of normalcy until I went off to college and heard Gucci Mane, Jodeci, Ledisi and aunt Jill.
I didn’t fit in at first. I had nothing in common with my classmates.
I stood out awkwardly because I didn’t know how to dance.
8 count dance routines were all I knew before college.
It took me so long to get adjusted that I just started to try any and everything with any and everyone.
I didn’t want that for Malone. My parents thought it was a privilege to be so cultured and me, I only viewed as a punishment I never wanted to experience again.
“Yep, we can do all of this until your dad gets back. Then it’s time to zip lips. Deal?”
“I love deals and secrets,” he screamed.
I rolled my eyes because maybe it was a bad idea to keep secrets from Houston.
Malone was his entire life and the idea of going against his rules felt awkward.
He would never trust me again if I went against the grain and held something from him on top of that. I was at a crossroad.
“Well, just this one time. But we have to be very careful.” Houston treated Malone like a porcelain doll. He was cute enough to be one but a boy his age needed sports, playing in dirt and messy clothes. I was determined to make that happen.
I turned on some dreadful Kids Bop and we started the coloring contest. Malone was coloring outside of the lines
because he wanted to , and I enjoyed seeing him let go and be a kid. I swear it was the best feeling ever living vicariously through Malone. He screamed as I colored on his picture. He held it up and glared at it.
“It’s perfect,” he exclaimed.
“I agree. It deserves a sticker. Let me see if I have some.” Standing to my feet I ran to my office and found some of my stickers from the office. I grabbed the nerf guns as the doorbell rang. It was the pizza and it was right on time. I never did get that breakfast this morning.
Back in the front I sat the guns down and answered the door. The pizza and wings made my stomach growl. Malone shot me in the back with the sponge bullet and that meant war.
“That means war young man. But first, we feast.”
At the table, we gathered and said grace.
I knew Houston wasn’t in church, but Malone still knew how to pray over his food.
“Amen,” he said as I smiled at him. I said it back and we dug into the greasy pizza and messy buffalo wings.
My heart was overflowing with love for a little boy that may not have crossed my path had it not been for destiny.
“I’m having fun already. Daddy would have fun, but he doesn’t know what fun is.”
“Of course he does but he has to be a parent first. You’ll understand once you get older and have kids,” I explained.
Malone had his dad all wrong much like I did at first. Houston came off as a stick but once he was comfortable and able to remove his dad hat he was such a good time.
Full of inappropriate jokes and good vibes.
I wanted him to show that side to Malone, but it wasn’t my place just yet.
“Do you have kids or am I enough?”
“You are more than enough and one day yes I would love to have kids of my own.”
“Would they be my brothers and sisters? I know my mom is dead, so I don’t understand that concept.
I miss her and now that I know about her I feel like it’s unfair that she’s with Jesus and not with me.
I think that’s why we don’t go to church.
Jesus is there and we might run into momma,” he rambled taking me by surprise and making my head spin.
I dropped my wing on to the plate as the conversation started to get a little heavy.
Houston and I hadn’t discussed this coming up and what I should and shouldn’t say.
This was the uncomfortable part. I didn’t understand what my boundaries were.
I wouldn’t dare cross them if I knew what they were.
Right now Malone was looking for honesty and I wanted to be the voice to give it but shit how would Houston feel?
Malone was so smart and familiar with far more than I was at his age, but he wasn’t my child.
“Ugh, if me and your dad married yes they would be your brother and sister. And Mal, your mom didn’t plan to leave you.
Things happen and sometimes they happen without notice.
That’s just a part of life but you will always have her in your heart.
That has to be enough for now,” I explained.
I could see the wheels turning in his head right in front of me.
I forgot Houston warned me about allowing Malone to take me down the rabbit hole with his series of questions.
“Ms. Tea you are smart like me. What are going to do next?”
“I was thinking we turn on a movie to let our food settle and then we battle for the ‘bestest nerf player’ of the century. How about that?” I asked as my cell started to ring. Without looking at the ID I grabbed and answered figuring it was Houston to check in.
“Hey you,” I sang into the phone.
“I see you were expecting my call or wait was that for someone else?” This wasn’t Houston and that left me frozen.
It was Bobby and for a moment I almost forgot that I owed him a date of some sort.
Since the brunch, I worked hard to sweep that situation under the rug.
At least until I could figure out what me and Houston had going on.
It was clear now more than ever that I either needed to explain to Bobby that I was seeing someone or tell Houston what I got roped into.
“Bobby, how are you?”
“I could be better, a lot better if you would just pick out a day and time for me to pick you up and take you somewhere extremely nice. You dress up and I dress up.”
He was smooth and a politician in the making. I expected nothing less from him. Like most politicians, they were good with words and could talk your socks off. Had it not been for Houston my socks would be knocked off right now. But unfortunately, that wasn’t the situation.
“I can’t right now. I’ve got something going on and honestly, I didn’t really appreciate the surprise. I only stepped up because I’m tired of being a disappointment,” I answered as I walked to the back to grab my charger and throw blanket.
“Well, I know you have time. Your father told me your practice didn’t work out.
I can ease that for you with good wine, carbs, and conversation.
” I moved the phone from my ear because that wasn’t how I remembered it.
Such a liar when it was easier to just be honest. But being honest would mean he would have to admit that he was a fucked up father and a manipulator.
He would never admit that to his protégé.
“I don’t thin-” before I could finish my sentence I heard a big crash come from the front.
Running to the sound glass crunched under my feet.
Malone was crying on the ground with deep wounds on his arms. Beside him was the Nerf gun, and my glass end table was all in pieces.
Hanging up the phone, I hurriedly dialed Houston.
“Houston, meet us at Centennial. There’s been an emergency.”