Relentless-BoyxBoy ✔

Chapter 18: Custody

Thank you for reading and enjoy the chapter.

Jason's Pov:
It felt like a scene out of a movie. I stared down at the freshly dug grave and felt absolutely numb. I watched the people around me sob, I watched them place flowers all around the site, I even watched as my father fell to his knees in anguish. Still, I felt nothing and yet I felt everything.

It felt as if my emotions were completely detached. I felt so much pain, I felt like someone had taken part of me away. I felt robbed of a fulfilling future with my family. No matter how much I wanted to cry and scream for my mother to come back, I just stood there. Numb, staring down at the casket as it was lowered into the ground.

I felt Ace put his hand on the small of my back and I had never felt so grateful for his presence. He never left my side, he supported me and comforted me, even when I didn't know I needed it.

I vaguely recalled the people around me dispersing. "The service is over." Ace's gentle voice soothed my irritation. "We can stay for as long as you want."

I quickly shook my head. "No, I want to go." Even I was shocked by the lack of emotion in my voice.

He nodded in understanding, he hooked his arm in mine and we walked towards the truck. Damon was nice enough to allow us to keep it for as long as we were here.

Now that my mother was in a casket, I didn't feel a need to stay here. Until I heard a small voice across the lawn. I looked over and saw my father attempting to place Tyler in his truck. He struggled against him, but my father wouldn't let him go.

Part of my actually pitied my father, my mother was actually the only person I had ever seen him show true love towards. I watched him cry and physically diminish through the service.

Even as he attempted to calm down my crying brother, he looked broken. I abandoned Ace and ran towards them. Tyler immediately brightened a little but still looked extremely sad. My father finally placed him on the ground and he ran to me.

He hugged my legs and I looked up into my father's hateful, empty eyes. "I know you hate me, but I can see how much you are hurting. I can take care of Tyler, if you need me to."

He looked weary but ultimately he just looked dead. "You can come to the house and get whatever you need for him, I won't be there."

"Going to the Star?" I smiled ruefully.

He nodded. "The Star" was an extremely popular bar in the town. My father wasn't much of a drinker, but when the occasion called for it, he could become quite a nasty drunk. I knew I couldn't leave Tyler in his care when he was emotionally unstable. Chances were he was going to go out and get drunk. In the process pushing his responsibility for his youngest son further into the back of his mind with every shot he downed. There was no way I was letting Tyler be raised by my father alone. Who knew who he would become?

I put my hand the back of Tyler's head. "Any specific time you want him back home?"

He looked at me with a blank look in his eyes. He looked down at Tyler and his eyes seemed to soften a little but otherwise remained unreadable. "No, he's yours."

He reached into his truck and got Tyler's booster seat, he pushed it into my hands. He looked down at Tyler for a moment but it didn't last long. He didn't say anything else, he got in his truck and drove away from the cemetery as quickly as he could.

I stood there in shock for a moment before I remembered Tyler clinging to my legs. "C'mon buddy, let's go and get some lunch." My father decided not to arrange a wake, my mother claimed she didn't want one. She just wanted a memorable service, I would say she got it.