Reconnecting

Chapter 27

Cody's POV

It was fucking raining, and I could barely see anything. Thankfully the sun wasn't down or I wouldn't be in this shit at all. I had taken Abigail's dogs to their vet appointment because she couldn't get a substitute to take over for the day. I did it because I was a nice boyfriend and she babies them worse than I do my kids. They needed to get their shots updated and the vet she loved taking them too was booked for months. I had taken my dad's van to ensure I had space for the giant fur balls. He told me I needed to get it detailed afterwards though which was fine. Minnie was in the backseat while Lacy was sitting in the passenger seat, both hating me for their vet visit. It's possible Abigail couldn't stomach her babies hating her so she wanted me to be the bad guy. 

As I was driving I saw three guys with a little girl that I recognized. Tray, Kortney, Dalton, and Zeke were out in this shit storm. Kortney had an umbrella, rainboots, and raincoat, but the others were like drowned rats. I knew they didn't have a car so I knew they were walking but damn it, they could've called me. I pulled up to the side and rolled down the passenger window, "Get your asses in this fucking car!" They snapped their heads to look in my direction. I gestured for them to get in. Luckily the kids booster seats were in the car from when he took them to the store yesterday. They scrambled into the car, making the dogs move to the far back where the storage for groceries were. 

"What were you doing in this shit storm," I asked as they settled into the car. I then looked at them closer. They were all beaten. "What the fuck happened to you boys?" "We were walking from school to pick Kortney up from day care," Tray explained. "We had just picked her up when those fucking football jerks jumped us. I fucking told them, not in front of my fucking kid, but they didn't give a shit. One shoved me while I was holding her, nearly making me drop her." 

"Daddy, hand hurts," Kortney said with a sniffle. 

"I had to put her down, before I dropped her and she ended up getting knocked down, scraping her hand up," he muttered. "Who the fuck attacks someone when they're with their fucking kid?" 

"We should go file a police report," I told them. Tray scoffed, "Tried but they don't believe us and claim we need a parent with us. None of our parents care enough." 

"Plus they all have parents with money," Zeke threw in. "They are entitled asshats who get away with everything because their daddies pay their bail. I can't wait for life to knock their teeth in." 

"It's gonna come back and bite us on the ass though," Dalton sighed. "We messed them up pretty good and their parents will come for us. It'll be our word against theirs with no way to prove it was in self defense." 

"Since Kortney got involved, I could end up losing her to CPS," Tray said softly, as he looked out of the window. 

"That's not going to happen," I promised him. I knew right now, dad was having poker night at the house with Spark and a few others. I took them to the house and got them inside. "What the hell happened to you three," my mom said as she looked at the boys. It was loud enough to pull my dad and the others from their game. 

They explained what happened to them while Olivia grabbed a stack of towels for them before helping Kortney dry off. "We'll look into your defense," Spark told them. "How old are you kids?" 

"Sixteen," Zeke answered. "Don't worry about day care anymore," my mom told Tray. "She'll be perfectly okay here. In the end it'll save you money that can go towards things you need." As she said that, she eyed his clothes. His clothes were in need of replacing. They all were in need of new clothes. I took their backpacks, "I'll get your stuff aired out and see what can be aired out. I'm sure my mom still has some clothes from when I was your size in a closet somewhere. Go get cleaned up." They did as I said and I picked Kortney up and took her upstairs. Wilson had some clothes that fit her so I got her changed into something warm. I then let her play with the other kids before going back downstairs to go through their backpacks to try and save their stuff. 

"If it came down to it, would you sign for guardianship over those three," Spark asked me. I nodded without hesitating, "I would." Those boys be able to make it on their own and they deserve the chance to still be kids while they still can. He nodded, "Okay." 

Soon Zeke was coming, hair hanging in his eyes. "Would it be easier for you to sleep downstairs or upstairs," I asked him, not knowing just what his physical limitations were with his knee. "Stairs are only a problem if it's cold," he told me as he grabbed a drink from the fridge. "Kind of like arthritis." 

Zeke then grabbed his sketchbook, "Well there goes my art." He flipped through the soaked pages. He sighed and tossed it into the trash. Dalton came in, "Having hot water is so nice." 

"Your parents still haven't gotten the hot water heater replaced," Zeke asked him. Dalton scoffed, "No. Dad owns some loan shark and is trying to pay them back. Of course I only know this cause they showed up at the house the other day." "What's their name," I asked him. "Salvatore I think," he answered. I nodded slowly and made a mental note to make an important phone call. 

When Tray came in, he had Kortney following him. "Thanks for pulling over," Tray said to me. I nodded with a small smile, "No thanks needed. Next time, just call me." "We didn't want to bother you," Tray told me. "You guys are never a bother. Especially if you have her with you," I said as she came over to me holding up a sippy cup that my mom must have given her. I took the cup from her and got her some juice. 

"So what's gonna happen," Dalton asked me. I sighed softly, "I'm not sure. Spark asked me, if it came down to it would I sign as your legal guardian and I said yes." "Why would you do that for us," Tray asked me. "I take it Olivia hasn't said anything," I said with a nod. "When I was in high school I got mixed up with the wrong crowd and got into drugs. My parents tried to get me help but I was stubborn. After getting arrested for the third time, my dad kicked me out. At the time Zatch and Olivia were four so it could have lead to CPS taking them, but at the time I didn't give a shit. I was seventeen and on the streets. I bounced around from place to place, falling deeper into the rabbit hole. I even got into street fighting to try and make money since my drug deals weren't getting me much. Mostly since I used my supply instead of selling. It wasn't until I had a bad experience with shrooms that I finally realized I needed to turn my life around and went to rehab. Which is where I met Edgar. Once he and I got out we still hit a lot of hard times, and often struggled, both before and after we had kids. I didn't come home sooner because I wanted to prove to my parents that I wasn't that same punk ass kid they kicked out. I want to help you guys because I know what it's like. You three are still kids, with your whole lives a head of you, to find out what you want to do. You can't do that if you're too busy worrying about surviving."

The three of them shared a look before looking back at me. Zeke then smiled, "If you do become our dad, that makes you Kortney's grandpa." "Hey, I'm only twelve years older than you three," I said.

"Whatever you say gramps," Dalton said as they began laughing. I shook my head at them. "Keep calling me gramps and watch what happens," I told them before leaving the kitchen. I'll show them gramps.