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Part 20 The Royal House
When Guy had left the school today his temper continued to rise. Why the hell did Mr. Sanchez think he had the right to threaten HIM with child services and home visits. What happened in his home was none of the schools business. The kid went to school everyday, he was even provided with money that he didn’t earn just so he didn’t have to listen to that other busy body, Mr. Jackson, call and complain because the kid didn’t have lunch that day. Big deal a lot of kids went without lunch each day, like it was such a crime. The kid has his schoolwork done each day. At least this is what Guy assumed because he hadn’t received a call from the kid’s teacher, it’s not like Guy has time to check on the bastard every night. Now this threat was something else he had to deal with all because that bitch couldn’t take care of her own mistake and dumped it off on him.
Today was not one of the better days he has had recently and they seem to have gotten worse since the arrival of the little whelp in the back seat. Guy was completely frustrated and had no outlet for that frustration at the moment. When Mr. Sanchez had called today he was in a meeting with the manager of the bank that he ran all of his investments through. This was the same manager that let the Well’s Ranch pass through his fingers those many years ago and the current topic was just as heated. Then to top off his already stressful morning he finds out that dear, poor, little and sweet Ezra was in trouble at school, obviously not in as much trouble as he would be when he got home, he had thought. Either way he had to spend an obscene amount of time just to run after the kid today and his anger rose knowing that once he got home he couldn’t even punish the boy.
After his discussion with Josiah, he knew he had to get an appointment made for the kid to be seen by a pediatrician. After having his assistant call around for a doctor with the closest available appointment he was disappointed to learn that the only doctor available anytime soon for a checkup was Dr. Raine Jackson. That appointment wasn’t for another week, which meant that no unnecessary bruising or suspicious wounds could be found or then more of his time would have to be wasted on nosy people wanting to know how they happened.
“Damn” he cursed silently to himself as he drove towards home. He was furious about having to go to the school. He had no time to constantly be running after the little brat; ‘I should be able to go up to his room tonight and teach the little bastard the value of MY time’ he fumed to himself. Unfortunately that outlet was not an option so he took his anger out through his aggressive driving all the way back to the house. Once there he exploded out of the car and yelled at the boy to get out of his sight the rest of the night.
Now he stood here in his study thinking about all of this and his anger once again grew. The only thing that calmed him down somewhat was remembering the look on his old nemesis’ face as he came out of the office.
‘Larabee.’ He smirked as he brought his third whiskey of the night to his lips.
It has been quite some time since he saw or even heard about that shit-load of a family, especially Chris. His smile grew as he remembered the small bit of satisfaction he got in seeing the hate flare to life in those hazel eyes. That smile disappeared as his thoughts turned to the disrespect Larabee showed by not backing down as he approached him.
“That insolent asshole. How dare he think that I would bow to his superiority complex.” Guy snarled quietly to himself as he poured his fourth drink of the night. He would not admit to himself that he had actually done just that when he slithered his way past Chris in order to leave.
Chris’s family has been a thorn in his side for a long time. About five years out of high school Guy’s father and only relative passed away, leaving his 600- acre land with house to Guy. Being raised to horde all that he could, Guy soon turned his sights to the neighboring and still working ranch/farm, the Well’s place.
The Wells and the Royals have been in constant feud from the early days. Both families have seen their properties grow as the land passed from generation to generation. The current Wells family was never blessed with children of their own so they took in two orphaned children Christopher Adam Larabee and John Daniel Dunne. For this reason alone, besides their slightly poorer economic standing compared to that of the Royals, they were deemed trash in the eyes of Guy’s father, Dempsey.
The Royals, for generation after generation, have produced a single male heir to inherit the land. They never had to rely on second hand goods as Dempsey used to refer to Nettie and her late husband Patrick Well’s children. As a result each generation was brought up to be more self-centered and less compassionate. Thus when Guy’s informant at the bank let slip that the Well’s place was behind on their mortgage payments, Guy jumped at the chance to buy the property and pushed for the impending foreclosure to hurry through.
What he never counted on was Chris coming back and using the land to build a Veterinary Hospital, a successful one at that and working ranch and personal farm. To this day, even after the whole Sarah incident, he has cursed Chris and the entire Well’s clan.
Strolling back to the bar for a fifth shot, Guys thoughts once again jumped and he sneered with disgust as he thought about the scene he had come across when he went to pick up Ezra at school, so be it an hour late. He was furious at seeing the little brat playing, not only that but playing with Larabee’s and Dunne’s kids.
“Of all the fucking little bastards in the world that he could of picked to know, he had to choose the son’s of some cheap whores and all around lowly, waste of life runts!” Downing the fifth shot and quickly pouring a sixth, he couldn’t help but get angry at the joy he saw on the kids face as he was running around like a lunatic. Here he had wasted his day away running all over God’s creation because of his behavior in school and then he pulls up in the drive and sees the boy running around like Guys time and money hadn’t been wasted that day. His anger grew even higher, one week, one week he would not be able to take his anger out on the one person who deserved it, the one person that was the cause of all that was wrong in his world. “Maude’s bastard!” With this realization he threw the tumbler across the room causing it to shatter against the stone of the fireplace, the flames crackled and briefly inflamed as small bits of whiskey tainted glass landed in its firebox.
Cursing himself a fool for making such a mess, he crossed the floor and began to pick up the larger pieces of glass with his hands. “Fuck!” he cursed as he cut his hand on one of the shards. Deciding he could clean up the rest tomorrow Guy threw away what was collected and made his way up the stairs. His anger still seething from him in his heavy footfalls and mumbling curses as he climbed each step to the restroom that sat just to the right at the beginning of the hallway.
He paused when he reached the door looking down the hall to the other closed door at the end of the dark hallway. His hands clenched with suppressed rage as he thought of how easy it would be to go there and take his rage out on the sole occupant of the room. Turning slightly in that direction, he stopped himself when Mr. Sanchez’s words about social services and physical examinations rolled through his head. He reached for the bathroom door and turned the knob. Opening the door he stopped and cursed as he looked down.
“This is just not your day!’ He growled with anger. Stalking further into the tiny restroom he raised his fist high above his head as a disbelieving chuckle escaped his lips.
Part 21
Ezra’s Bedroom
His little heart was still pounding and he still could not stop the tears that leaked from his still wide eyes as he sat curled up in the small rocking chair holding a small old teddy bear that he had managed to keep since he was one. The bear, Teddy he had ingeniously called him, was only about ten inches high and more flat than he was round.
Teddy was bestowed upon him when he was staying with his Grandma Viola. She had told him of how the dear bear was first his uncles then his mothers before finding a home in the arms of the small child. At the time he received him, Teddy was made of a light brown body and two round almost circular ears that stuck out from his head like small mouse ears, a yellow snout and belly. He had soft peach fuzz fur, orange colored eyes, a black nose that was sewn on and a happy little smile made from yellow string.
Over the years as Ezra moved from place to place, Teddy has always found a way to hide in his suitcase. His mother had once discovered Teddy and attempted to throw him away but Ezra was able to rescue him. Since then he has only taken the bear out during great times of stress. As a result of the stress was a nervous habit that Ezra had of picking at Teddy’s fur. Because of this habit, teddy is now bald. Only small bits of the once soft peach fuzz fur can be found in small locations like behind the ears and a little on the paws and derriere. He is now light brown woven cloth that is still soft to the touch with yellow cloth on the belly and snout.
Without any fur Teddy has developed some holes in his body. Some small ones on his paws and several around his neck, each hole dutifully stitched closed by small little hands too young for the task to be done properly but never-the-less accomplishing their goal. The stitching may not be perfect but the love in which it was done out weighs the final product.
Teddy is now clutched tightly in little Ezra’s loving arms. He draws strength from the small plush bear, the bear that knows all of his secrets, fears, hopes and dreams. The Rocking chair gently rocks back and forth as he cuddles the bear to his chest. Teddy’s fur is damp with the tears that one frighten boy cries as he thinks of the close call he had that night.
Ezra reached for the door handle to leave when it started to turn.
‘Oh no, too late!’ His panicked mind thought as his body suddenly refused to move.
‘Hide, HIDE!’ His mind screamed to him as he heard his father on the other side of the door cursing and bemoaning his life and his luck. In a matter of seconds Ezra’s body obeyed his mind and he hid in the one place he hoped his father would not look, below the sink.
Surrounding the small white porcelain sink that was attached to the wall was a curtain type of cloth that hid the plumbing from the users of the facilities. Before the door opened, Ezra quickly scooted under the sink and fitted himself around the plumbing and against the wall as best as possible. He breathed as slowly as possible so that he would not make any noise.
His fear almost got the best of him when he heard his father ““This is just not your day!’ and could see his fathers sock covered toes peek under the curtain and rest just three inches from his own feet. It was then that the overhead light in the small bathroom illuminated the small space. He sat trembling under the sink on the cold floor, fearful that he was seen. It was only after a little bit of time as he heard Guy running water and retrieving something out of the mirrored cupboard that he realized that Guy was talking to himself. That fear was nothing compared to the moment he thought he was going to be discovered as Guy got on hands and knees and proceed to wipe up what Ezra could see were droplets of blood off the floor. Thankfully he was facing out of the room instead of into the bathroom or he would have seen his dear little son cowering under the porcelain hide-away.
Even after Guy had finally left the room Ezra remained stuffed in his hiding spot for an hour, too scared to move. When he heard the deep snores of his fathers sleep he then cautiously made his way out from under the sink, out of the room, down the hall and back to his own relatively safe room with all of the same caution he had used to leave it earlier that evening.
He rushed to the closet as quietly as he could go and pulled out his bag that he had hidden in the small corner. There he pulled out his best friend Teddy and ran to the rocking chair to cuddle with the only thing that had ever given him unconditional love.
Ezra had been sitting in the chair for about two hours and was starting to nod off. It was only when he almost tipped the chair over that he decided to crawl into bed to sleep for the rest of the night. He climbed out of the chair and walked back to the closet, as much as he would love to sleep with Teddy he did not want to take the chance that his father would come into the room. He did not want to risk Teddy getting into the hands of that man. So with a final hug and a gentle kiss upon his head, Ezra put Teddy back into the closet and hid him once more.
Only once teddy was safely put away did Ezra allow himself to go to bed. His sleep was restless until his mind took him back to playing with Vin and Buck today. A sweet and dreamy smile crossed his lips and he slept peacefully the rest of the night.
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