Wood's Family

Chapter 5

"Y/N! We're going out!" Jeff calls.

"Be back by seven or else dinner will be cold!" She calls from the kitchen, the smell of sweet pastries filling the home. "Oh! Come take a turnover!"

"But Y/N! We wanna go!" Liu whines as he enters the kitchen.

"Hey! I made these from scratch. Trust me, you'll love them," Y/N tells him with a smile.

"Just humor the poor woman," Jeff teases, grabbing one of the turnovers.

"Okay we got them. Bye!" Liu smiles, bolting out of the kitchen.

"Enjoy," Y/N tells them with a laugh.

Jeff smiles and follows his brother out of the house the two munching on the food as they ride their bikes down to the small shopping center. Y/N continues her baking and makes a casserole for dinner, humming away as she cooks.

"Unbelievable!" Matt snarls as he slams open the door, throwing his briefcase on the table and loosening his tie.

"We've only been here a few weeks and they're already starting fights?! Think of what the neighbors will think!" Shelia cries as she follows him inside.

"What happened?" Y/N asks, her eyes widening in surprise when two police officers follow them inside.

"Jeff assaulted three boys!" Matt barks in anger. "One of them was the son of my boss!"

"I'm sure there's an explanation," Y/N tells them gently.

"Who's this?" One of the officers asks.

"Our nanny. She takes care of the boys," Matt explains.

"When did the boys leave?" The officer asks, pulling out a notepad.

"About three hours ago," Y/N tells them.

The brothers entered the living room, to see their parents sitting on the couch, the two cops standing up, leaning on the wall, writing in their notebooks. Y/N gives them a gentle smile as she motions them over to her, the two standing in front of her.

"What did you two do?" Shelia practically screeches as the two boys entered the house.

"Some kids tried to jump us down by that video store, they were messing with our bikes, and when we went outside, they got in our faces!" Liu explains.

"That's not the way we heard it!" Matt interjects, his voice firm and ripe with anger and dissatisfaction.

"No dad, that's what happened," Jeff began to explain. "We were down at Friendly Video, looking around the store, when these three kids started riding around on our bikes. All we did was walk outside, and the kids started talking trash to us, trying to provoke a fight. When we tried to leave, one of them punched Liu."

"Boys, we have some serious complaints about the two of you. From what eye witnesses at the shopping center say, you two started the confrontation with Randy and his friends," The officer with the name tag Williamson says.

"No sir," Jeff replied, "we didn't start it, they did. We just wanted our bikes, we just wanted to leave. They blocked us."

"Several witnesses, including the video store clerk, say that you swung first. They say that the boys were riding your bikes, but let me ask you this, did you chain your bikes to anything, or did you just leave them outside the store?" The officer says.

"What's that matter?" Liu demanded.

"Well son, if you just left your bikes lying around in the street, you can't exactly blame Randy and his friends for riding them, now can you? It'd be different had you secured them somehow, but you just left them there," He tells them.

"Mom, dad, you're not buying this crap are you? You know me and Liu don't start fights, when have we ever? These three punks messed with us, and if you can't tell that these cops are taking their sides, then you need to open your eyes!" Jeff knew he was skating on thin ice, but that rage, it demanded some sort of satisfaction.

"Jeffrey, do not speak about these officers in that tone of voice, and do not speak to us that way either. Now, it's pretty obvious that you two aren't happy here, that you miss your old home, but starting fights in the street isn't going to change anything!" Jeff's mother snapped back.

"But Jeff's right! These two would never start fights," Y/N protests. "I think we should at least hear them out first."

"You stay out of this," Matt barks at Y/N.

The two boys grow angry at their father's words, their hands clenching into fists.

"Listen boys, you're lucky. None of the parents want to press charges. This will be reported as a simple scuffle between teenagers. But be advised, you're both on notice. This is a quiet town, not like New Orleans. We don't tolerate this sort of behavior over here. If you see Randy, Keith or Troy, I highly suggest you tell them you're sorry. We'll be keeping an eye on both of you, so don't let this happen again. You don't want to have an arrest record, do you?" The other officer by the name of Ray says.

Jeff felt his anger bubble over, and he could not hold his tongue. "Who is he to you Officer Williamson? Is Randy your nephew? Is he a friend's son? Or maybe you go over and screw his mom while you're on duty? Which one is it Officer?"

"That's it, both of you go to your rooms!" Matt snarls, pointing up the stairs.

Neither of their parents spoke to them for the rest of that day. Jeff and Liu stayed upstairs, venting their shared frustration to each other. They'd been screwed over, even at their young ages, they knew that. They took some solace in the fact that they at least hadn't been arrested or cited, but still, they saw what was really going on here. Y/N sighs softly as she prepares plates for the boys and takes them upstairs, smiling gently as she enters Liu's room.

"I brought you dinner," She says, handing each of the boys their plates. "Tell me what happened."