many thanks to jacob for
the use of eric brooks and this
awesome concept!

“Look, I wouldn’t call you if it wasn’t important, so I need you to listen, okay?”

Casey can hear Jennifer in the kitchen while he sits in the bathroom, his head against the door, knees pulled to his chest. She’s still crying and he’s still bleeding from the mouth. Allan’s somewhere across town, answering to an officer who somehow didn’t care that Jennifer let the fight happen in the first place.

“I really need you to take Casey for a little while.”

“What’s ‘ awhile ?” Eric’s voice comes through on speaker. He doesn’t usually agree to more than a few days, emergencies or not, but Jennifer’s trying for months — years, maybe, considering how fed up she said she was.

“I don’t know, Eric, he just —.”

“What happened now, he get in trouble?”

“No. Look it doesn’t matter, he just can’t stay here right no —.”

“How long, Jenn?”

Jennifer huffs. “A few weeks. That’s all I’m asking is a few weeks.”

“Noooo, no, no, no, look… last time you tried to pawn that damn kid off on me, he terrorized David for three days, destroyed my neighbor’s fence, and taught Jacob about smoking cigarettes. I don’t want him here in the first place, let alone for weeks.”

“He’s your son, Eric.”

“No ma’am, he’s your son, and you raised him to be a little heathen. I’m not gonna let ‘im ruin my kids because you apparently can’t manage parenting. He can stay one night, that’s —.”

“No. You know what, forget it,” Jennifer cuts him off. “Forget it, Eric. I’ll just… call my mom or something. You’re a real big f***ing help, thank you.”

Casey hears her slam her phone down on the kitchen table, then she starts crying all over again. There’s a sudden pang in his chest, a realization that knocks the wind out of him when it finally hits, then stings as it settles in deep within him. Neither of his parents can stand to be around him, not even for a few weeks; they’re fighting over who has to deal with him, and Jennifer couldn’t care less if he hears it.

They don’t want him.

A knock at the door drags him out of his head and he contemplates ignoring it, but there it sounds again, more aggressively. “Casey, come on,” Jennifer groans behind the door.

Casey hauls himself to his feet, takes one more second, one more deep breath to compose himself, then opens the door. Don’t you dare start crying— the mantra plays over and over in his head when he comes face-to-face with Jennifer.

“You should be sleeping,” she whispers, her arms folded, shoulder against the door frame like she’s trying to prevent him from shutting the door in her face.

“Okay, and?” She’s not there to send him to bed and they both know it.

“And I think… I think you’re gonna have to stay with your grandparents for awhile, okay?” There’s still tears in her eyes, but Casey doesn’t buy them. “It’s what’s best for both of us right now.”

He can’t help but roll his eyes, head suddenly turned from her, hiding. He doesn’t buy her tears, but seeing them brings his own out on instinct. “You sure they actually want me there?”