The Bad Boy's Brothers

Chapter 14

When Ivy comes back into the room, Luca picks up the now empty tray and leaves, leaving me alone with her again.

"So, I just talked to Vincent and we think your best plan for recovery is to just rest and recuperate for a couple of days, okay? That means just laying here and letting your brothers take care of you, even if you don't trust them," she explains, setting a glass of water down on the bedside table, "and drinking a lot of water."

"Fine," I say, sinking into the pillows.

"I'll check up on you in a couple of weeks, and I'll be able to tell if you haven't followed my instructions, plus your dad and brothers will help enforce your bed rest."

I roll my eyes. To start with this whole bed rest thing is stupid and I certainly don't want to see how 5 big, strong men might "enforce" it. Secondly, I'm perfectly fine I just needed to lie down for a few seconds to feel better.

Vincent and the boys come in as Ivy packs her stuff and leaves.

Finally.

"Why don't you boys leave Will and me alone for a few minutes?" Vincent suggests, not as a suggestion. The brothers and Luca leave, so I'm alone with Vincent.

"So, Will, we need to have a chat," Vincent starts.

Well, shit. I certainly don't want to have a "chat" with Vincent, but I don't really see an obvious way out of this situation.

"What about?" I ask, innocently.

"Really, Will?" Vincent raises his eyebrows, "We both know that we need to talk about you and behavior so far."

"What behavior?" I ask, keeping up the clueless act.

"I've tried to be generous with you, Will, I really have, but you're making it very hard. You know I talked to Becky and she talked to me about your past, but you have to understand that everyone in your life now is here to help you, and if you just let us in it'll be so much easier for everyone. Ever since you arrived, you've been nothing but hostile not only to your family, but to your probation officer, a man who could put you in jail. Jail, Will! It's like you don't understand the severity of the situation here," Vincent says, exasperated.

Of course I understand the severity of the situation here, I've literally been in juvie before and I was fine. So, I'm not particulary concerned and neither have my other foster fathers been. But of course, Vincent has to butt his head in and make my whole life his problem.

"Vincent, I know you're one of those people that thinks that they can "fix" me. Spoiler alert, it won't work, it'll just end in failure and disappointment so don't even try. I don't want to be here and I'm not going to ever want to be here. You're not my father and I'm not your son. If you were my real father, you wouldn't have let me be given up and tossed around like a piece of shit for 14 years, okay?" I stop when I see the look on Vincent's face. I've been around enough adults to know that's the face they make when they're majorly pissed. Like, throw you to the ground and beat you within an inch of your life, pissed.

"Do you want to know why you were in the foster care system Will?" Vincent asks, "Do you really? Because I can tell you, and once I do, you're going to regret ever asking."

"I want to know," I reply. I'm sure his little sob story about why he's a terrible father is not going to faze me. I've heard plenty of stories from kids who remember being put into foster care and most of them were not for those faint of heart.

"Well, when you were born, we were traveling, and your mother had to give birth in a foreign hospital. It was very remote and they didn't have any translaters, so we weren't able to communicate with the doctors and nurses. The situation was very chaotic and stressful, especially for your mother, who was panicking because you weren't supposed to be due for another month." Vincent sighs and looks off into the distance, clearly steeling himself for the story to come. "I guess the doctors mistook her panic for pain, and they pumped her full of drugs she didn't need. You were born without a hitch, completely healthy, but the drugs had taken a hold of her. When we got home, she found a dealer and started taking different opioids. After I found out, she went to rehab for a couple months. The day after she came back, she left in the middle of the night with you.

"Ever since that day, we have been looking for you, Will. But she changed your last name and her full name. We never stopped looking, and we finally found you, so please let us help you." Vincent finishes, lowering his gaze to look at me again.

"That's your story?" I aks, disbelieving. This man really thought that story was going to bother me, "You know, I already knew she died of a drug overdose. Becky told me when I was, like, 5. I don't care, I didn't even know her, and I don't know any of you."

"I just thought you might want to know why," Vincent pauses, getting a hold of himself, hopefully.

"I did, I just thought you might have a reason better then 'your mom ran away with you because she was high'," I say, rolling my eyes.

"Seriously, Will? This was a very traumatic experience for your brothers and me. I know your foster parents may have let you walk all over them because of your past, but that's not going to happen here. No matter how terrible your life was, we still have rules and behavior expectations for you. I am your father, and no matter how many times you try to deny it, you're finally with us for life. You cannot and will not continue treating me and your brothers like this. You may think Leo's behavior is outrageous, but you are the one with a criminal record and the reason we all had to take special training before you came. I know you don't trust us but that isn't an excuse for trying to run away twice in an introductory meeting with your probation officer, twice, Will! I think it's time you try a little harder."

Vincent has really worked himself up getting pissed at me. His little monologue didn't strike any change of heart within me, unfortunately for him. I've been here for less than half a week and he's already upset with me which does not particularly bode well for me. In just a couple of weeks he'll probably be taking back all his "lifelong family" promises.