“I am not! I just think it’s weird! I mean he’s only what twenty-six! He can’t have a sixteen year old for a son. It’s weird!” Jill might have denied it, but the dark blush on her cheeks gave her away.
Chris didn’t correct her and tell her he was really 206 years old that was beside the point. Instead he shrugged a shoulder. “If it doesn’t bother me then why does it bother you?”
She looked around his room pointedly. “Of course it doesn’t bother you. He spoils you rotten.”
Chris followed her gaze around his room. Ephraim bought him a flat screen television, video games, DVD player, posters, clothes, computer and all the other stuff he never had before. When he lived with his mother he slept on old blankets on the floor of the trailer in a corner of the living room. He’d never even slept on a mattress before Madison and Ephraim took him in.
He kept his eyes on her face as he pointed lazily around the room. “If memory serves me correctly your room looks very similar to this one.”
She averted his eyes. “That’s not the point.”
“Oh, then pray tell what is? Are you pissed because I knew about the baby first or because Ephraim is my Dad?”
“Shhh!” Jill hissed, pointing to Joshua.
“It’s going to be a boy,” Joshua said offhandedly.
“What? How did you know?” Jill demanded.
“When Ephraim and Chris aren’t at work or training he takes me with him to run errands. Chris was with us and he complained that Madison keeps hitting him upside the head for stealing her ‘pregnancy food’.” He shrugged unconcerned. “It was really me, but I didn’t say anything.”
“You little punk,” Chris said, chuckling. He was impressed. The kid was coming along nicely.
“Hey, junk food is junk food, brother.”
“You knew and you didn’t tell me?” Disapproval heavily coated her words.
“Why would I? You have a big mouth and you throw tantrums like Candy. I also didn’t tell you that Ephraim wants to marry her and I don’t care what you think about that!”
“So, what is it, Jill? What’s your problem?” Chris asked. This spoiled brat act was getting old. Actually it was old months ago.
“I think she’s just jealous. I’m going to ask Ephraim to adopt me, too. Then Chris and I can be brothers and Ephraim will be my Dad for real.”
“He can’t adopt you!” Jill shrieked.
“Yes, he can! He likes me too! He introduces me to everyone as his youngest son.”
Jill rolled her eyes. “You’re such an idiot. Don’t you see what he’s doing? Remember when you were little and all of those guys bought us things or took us places?”
“Yes,” Joshua answered slowly. Chris didn’t like where this was going.
“He’s just using us to get to Madison. As soon as he gets bored with her or finds someone else he’ll stop being nice to us.”
“Liar!” Joshua yelled, but his lower lip trembled. “He bought this house so we could stay here.”
“No, he bought this house so he could stay here. As soon as he’s done with her we’re out.”
“That’s not true! He loves me! He even told me so!” Joshua dropped the game controller and started wiping frantically at his face.
“You can be a real bitch, you know that?” Chris told Jill as he pulled Joshua onto his lap.
“I’m just warning him. It’s best he finds out now instead of when we’re given the boot.”
“Save your warnings. They’re not necessary.” He put his arm around Joshua. He hated this bullshit that Candy did to them. His mother did her fair share of bullshit throughout the years, but at least he could tell when someone genuinely cared about him.
“H-h-he lied?” Joshua looked up at him through a rim of tears. Chris swore inwardly. Jill was lucky that he didn’t hit girls.
“No, he didn’t lie to you. If you want to ask Dad to adopt you I’ll go with you. If for some reason he can’t like maybe Grandma is going to do it or something you and I are brothers no matter what, okay?”
Joshua smiled weakly and stopped crying. “Really? You’ll be my brother?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t want Grandma to adopt me. I want her to be my Grandma and Ephraim to be my Dad.”
“What about Madison? Did you think about that? If he actually marries her, which I doubt he’ll go through with it, she’ll be your step-mother.” Jill really could be a bitch. So much like Candy sometimes it was scary. He hoped she didn’t follow other traits.
That didn’t seem to disturb Joshua at all. “So what? I already see her as my mom. She’s not really my sister so it won’t bother me.” His eyes shot to Chris. “Can we ask tonight?”
“Sure.”
“Kids, I think your food is here. Go answer the door,” Grandma said as she walked down the hall. They heard her busily talking on the phone as she passed.
Chris placed Joshua on his feet. “Food, let’s go.” He grabbed his wallet and knelt down. “Alright, climb up.” Joshua didn’t need to be told twice. He jumped on Chris’s back with a choke hold around the neck.
He threw an annoyed look at Jill. “Let’s go, you can carry the pizza.” With that he took off running, making Joshua laugh and screech the whole way.
“Alright team work. I’ll bend and you open the door.”
Okay!” Joshua said excitedly.
Chris bent over and heard Joshua open the door followed by Jill’s scream and felt Joshua tighten his grip around his neck. Chris looked up to see the barrel of a gun aimed at him.
“Stand up and move back, now,” the man said in a crisp military tone.
Chris stood up slowly, keeping his eye on the man in front of him. “Slide down Josh and stay behind me.” Josh did as he was asked. His little hands gripped Chris’s back pants pocket tightly.
“Move back,” the man said, again. Chris slowly backed up, giving Joshua time to move.
“Is anyone else in the house?” the man asked as six armed men flanked him into the house.
Before Chris could lie, Grandma walked down the stairs and Candy walked out of the parlor. He hadn’t known she was there.
"You two women, come here and join them” He used his gun to gesture his request.
Candy's eyes took in the men and guns and began to sob. “I’m not with them! I don’t live here. Just let me leave and I won’t say anything.”