After school, Robert, Lacy, and Bryan were hanging with Max and Craig. James had gone over a friend’s place to work on homework. “Let’s go to an arcade and get pizza.” Max suggested.
“Does that sound okay?” Robert asked Bryan and Lacy. Lacy just nods.
“I want to play games and eat pizza!” Bryan smiles. Robert smiles a little back as his younger brother.
“Okay, we all want to go.” Robert replies to Max.
“You got money still from having that party? Didn’t spend all your allowance?” Craig asked Max.
“Yeah!” Max answers as they entered the arcade.
“I want to play this!” Bryan pointed to a arcade game system. Robert was helping Bryan put coins into the slot to play the game.
“I can’t play anything.” Craig said looking down. Lacy stares at him.
“Don’t got any money like I don’t?” Lacy asks him.
“You don’t either?” Craig was surprised. “I don’t usually get allowance. Why? Because my dad has to spend a lot of money on therapy.” Craig explains to Lacy.
“Therapy? For what?” Lacy asks confused.
“He has an anger problem and drinks a lot. He’s trying to get help.” Craig answers.
“I miss my dad.” Lacy thinks to herself.
Brice was in his bedroom sitting on his bed. “All I can think about is divorce. I can’t take being with Peggy anymore. It’s too hard.” Brice thought to himself. He gets up from the bed and puts his bathrobe on. He then left his bedroom and went to take a shower.
At the arcade, Lacy wasn’t playing any games and was watching Bryan, Max, and Robert play some. Lacy and Craig were both the only ones not playing any game, instead just watching.
“You’re good. But not as good as me.” Max said full of himself. Robert didn’t respond.
They all stayed there for an hour until they went to a pizza shack nearby to eat. “This pizza is good!” Bryan happily smiled. “I can’t believe I got a higher score than you, Max!”
“Don’t rub it in.” Max mumbles feeling bad.
“Hey, there’s this antique shop nearby. It’s just three blocks down. They have a lot of neat stuff.” Craig brings up.
“I been there before. It’s neat.” Max adds. “They got watches and all sorts of stuff.”
“Do you all want to go one day?” Craig asked.
“I guess.” Was all Robert responded as and took a sip of his drink.
“Do they have teddy bears?” Bryan asked.
“Why would you want a ted-“ Craig uses his elbow to hit Max and interrupted him from talking.
“Of course they do.” He smiles at Bryan. Bryan was a big fan of collecting teddy bears. He had already a lot in his collection. Ever since he was a toddler, he’s been attached to teddy bears.
His favorite is the one he first received as a toddler. He keeps that one on his bed close to him at night.
“Do they have tarot cards in that antique shop?” Lacy asked Craig.
“I am pretty sure they might. Why? Like playing with them?” Craig asked her.
“I just would like to tell fortunes with them.” Lacy replies a little nervous and looks down. After they all ate pizza, they were walking home.
“Hey Craig, want to come over my place and play my PS2 with me?” Max asked his best friend.
“Sure!” Craig answered. It was time they all part ways. “This is our turn.” Craig said to Robert, Lacy, and Bryan.
“Does she live near you two?” Max asked. He was curious where Lacy lived.
“Actually, she’s been living with us. It’s kind of a long story. Just until her mom saves enough money to get her own place.” Robert explains to Max.
“No fair! A babe living in your home! I want that to happen to me!” Max said feeling jealous.
“Come on. Let’s go.” Craig said dragging Max away.
“But it’s not fair!”
“Lacy, you aren’t mad that I told him that, are you?” Robert asked Lacy. She shook her head.
“No. Just don’t… don’t tell him everything.” Lacy answered nervously.
“Robert, why did Lacy’s family move in with us? I don’t understand.” Bryan asked looking at his elder brother.
“It’s because her mom doesn’t have a place because she broke up with her boyfriend. Now let’s go home.” Robert said and was walking away. Bryan and Lacy followed him. When they got home, Brice was sitting on the sofa in the living room with Ronnie.
“Feeling any better?” He asked his son.
“Just a little.” Ronnie answers. Brice saw Bryan, Robert, and Lacy walk into the living room.
“Robert and Bryan can you sit down I need to talk to you both.” Brice said in a serious tone.
“Okay.” Robert was a little confused but sat down. Bryan also did.
“You can let us have a private talk right?” Brice asked Lacy. She left the living room. Brice stared at all his sons and sighed. “Your mother was here today.”
“Don’t tell me your going to let that bitch come back living in here.” Robert felt angry just hearing about his mother coming into the house.
“Calm down. I just decided. Your mother and I… were getting a divorce.” Brice tells his sons. Robert felt relief.
“Really?” Robert asked.
“Yeah, we can’t get along. We might as well get a divorce.” Brice answers.
“A divorce?” Bryan asked.
“It means dad and mom won’t be together anymore.” Ronnie explains it to Bryan.
“What’s going to happen to us?” Bryan asked.
“Well, you all are going to stay with me. Peggy didn’t want no sons, so I’m going to take custody of you all.” Brice explains.
“Will we continue living here?” Bryan asked.
“Yes.” Brice answers. Bryan felt a little relief, he wasn’t sure about his parents separating but he did know that he and his mother never did got along before. He did felt fine just living with his brothers and father. But now another family lives with them and he feels alright so far living with them.
Robert left the living room. He went to find Lacy, which was she was in the attic. “What are you doing?” Robert asked her. She was standing there looking at the floor.
“Your father isn’t mad at my mother or any of us is he?” Lacy asked. “He doesn’t want to throw us out?”
“No. My dad wasn’t talking about that with us. He just was talking about my mother.” Robert tells the truth.
“Are you sure?” Lacy asks.
“Yes. He was telling us that he and my mom were getting a divorce.”
“They are? Why? Is it our fault?” Lacy sounded like she was going to cry.
“No. my dad and mom have been fighting on and on for years. I was guessing divorce wasn’t really far away from them two.” Robert explains. Lacy turned around and looked at Robert.
“Do you think my mother will be able to save money and move into a new place?” Lacy asks.
“I’m sure of it.” Robert tries to give confidence to Lacy. Ronnie came into the room.
“What are you two doing?” He asks.
“Just talking.” Robert answers.
“Lacy, are you okay?” Ronnie asked and looked at Lacy. She blushes a little staring at him.
“I’m…fine.”
“You haven’t been having any nightmares of your mom’s ex boyfriend, have you?” Ronnie asks her. Lacy wasn’t sure how to respond to that. Truth was, she has been having nightmares.
“I…I…no.” Lacy lies.
“Are you sure?” Ronnie asked. Robert was staring at Lacy as well. Lacy wasn’t sure how to respond to such a question.
“I…I haven’t been having nightmares!” Lacy lies again and didn’t stare at Ronnie and Robert. They both could tell it was a lie, by her actions. They didn’t say another word to her about it.
“Alright, if you need anything, tell me.” Ronnie said to Lacy and left the attic.
“Me too.” Robert says looking at her and then left. Lacy place one hand on her heart. It was beating fast as her face was red.
“Why do I feel… this way?” She asks herself.
At dinner, everyone was eating and home. “Work today was hard. I had to restock things on the shelf. It was annoying.” Abbilynn said as she put some salt on her food.
“Mother, why don’t you get a better job? One where it makes more money?” James asks his mother.
“James, I would’ve done that a long time ago, but I didn’t exactly go to college.”
“Gasp! No college! How are you supposed to live into this world without going to college to get a good paying job?”
“James, I am glad that you won’t be like me. Graduate high school and go to college.” Abbilynn tells her son.
“I didn’t graduate high school. I started working at a young age because I had Robert.” Brice tells Abbilynn.
“How can you afford this house?” Abbilynn asked surprised.
“This house? My parents bought it for me. They live nearby in their own little house down the street.” Brice smiles. “I just have to pay taxes on it and the utility bills.”
“Lucky you.” Abbilynn said feeling a little jealous. “My dad died when I was young and I lived with my mother in an apartment for years. I finished high school but didn’t go to college. Kept getting sucky jobs though.”
“Where’s your mother now?” Brice asked.
“She’s gone. She passed away last year.” Abbilynn said looking down. “I was living with her along with the kids. Then I started dating Steven and then we moved into his house.” Abbilynn looked upset.
“I’m sorry.” Brice says and took a sip of his drink.
“Lacy’s family seems like they had it rough.” Robert thought to himself. “I would like to take care of Lacy.” He blushes a little thinking about it.
“Lacy looks cute, I wish I can make her mine.” Ronnie thought to himself as he ate his food and was glancing a little at Lacy.