Wood's Family

Chapter 6

"They were riding our bikes and then jumped us! We were only defending ourselves!" Jeff is quick to tell Y/N.

Liu is a bit calmer and explains the story in more detail, a soft sigh leaving Y/N's lips as she nods her head.

"Talk about a mess," She sighs with a shake of her head.

"Tch, all our parents care about is their stupid image. Liu has a busted lip for Christ's sake!" Jeff snarls.

"I know. I know. I'll try talking to them okay? See if I can't smooth things over," Y/N tells them gently.

"It shouldn't even be an issue! Not to mention the way dad talked to you!" Jeff hisses in anger.

"It's nothing I haven't dealt with before. People have talked behind my back but I'm not going to roll over and let them hurt you two for no reason," Y/N assures them gently. "Finish up an get to bed okay?"

"I'm just so angry! I don't think I can sleep," Jeff growls out.

"Want me to read you a story?" Y/N asks.

Both boys part their lips to argue they aren't kids but the soft smile that comes to Y/N's lips makes them unable to say no. They finish their dinner and Y/N gets them tucked into bed, selecting a random novel from Liu's bookshelf as the boys huddle in Liu's bed. Y/N settling on the edge and opening up the novel. To her surprise the boys are quick to fall asleep from her reading. Y/N smiles softly and gives each of them a kiss on the forehead before collecting their plates and going downstairs. She gets the dishes washed and then knocks on Matt and Shelia's door.

"It's me," She calls out gently.

"Come in," Matt's voice growls out. "What do you want?"

"Look, I know today wasn't the best but don't fault the boys. They're encroaching on unfamiliar territory and they're just trying to learn their place," Y/N explains gently.

"What they did is unspeakable. We're sending Liu to stay with his aunt for the summer and Jeff is going to work off what he did," Matt declares.

"Please don't separate the boys! Look, I get they got out of hand but let me work with them," She pleads, not backing down even when Matt gets out of bed.

"You're not their parents. We are Y/N, and what we say goes. If you don't like it then you can leave," Matt hisses, standing in front of her.

"From the beginning everyone has been against them. Someone needs to be on their side," Y/N fires back, her fists balling into anger. "Please, I'm not trying to challenge your parenting but think of what's best for the boys."

Y/N has barely any time to blink before a fist cracks across her face and she's sent reeling backwards. She catches herself and stares up at Matt with wide eyes. He walks forward and grabs her by the front of her shirt, lifting her into the air.

"Matt!" Shelia cries, her eyes wide as she trembles in bed.

"Do you want to stay here?" Matt hisses out.

She should say no. Y/N knew that. She knew she should say no and leave. Get out while she still could, but that's not the kind of person she is. Y/N didn't uproot her entire life to abandon the boys that needed her most, and right now, they truly needed her.

"Yes, I want to stay," She tells him, her voice level and firm.

"Then you will let us parent. Liu is going to his aunt's and Jeff is paying off what he did. You will continue serving this family as you do but will not interfere with our parenting. Are we clear?" Matt asks her.

"Understood," She says, stumbling back when he drops her.

She holds her head high as she leaves the room, going to her own before she breaks down. Her eye throbs as she muffles her cries in her pillow. How was she going to save these boys? In the morning she rises with her alarm clock and goes to prepare breakfast but Matt stops her. The boys would not be needing breakfast this morning. The three adults settle at the dining room table and wait for the boys to wake up. Y/N sighs softly as she rests her hands in her lap, keeping her head lowered so she didn't shock the boys when they came downstairs.

"Sit down," Matt stated flatly.

"What's going on?" Liu asked.

"Sit....down!" Matt stated again, anger dancing on the words.

The boys complied without further question.

Matt Woods began his diatribe, "Whatever that was yesterday, beating up some kids for touching your bikes, mouthing off at the police, disrespecting both me and your mother, that stops today!"

"We didn't beat anyone up for touching our bikes!" Jeff blurted.

"Shut up Jeff, this is a one way conversation!" his father barked. "That kid, Randy Hayden, his father is a partner at my firm, did you know that? Did you even think about that when you were assaulting him over your godforsaken bike?"

"You just didn't think, did you Jeff?" Shelia added.

"How could I have known that?!" Jeff protests.

Matt continued, "Well, I've spent the entire morning talking to his father on the phone. His dad is willing to let it all go, but shit son, I have to deal with that at work now. Do you have any idea how much damage this could have done to me, to our family?"

"Mom, look at Liu's face, they split his lip, can't you see, it's still swollen!" Jeff protests.

Liu turned his head to better showcase the injury, Y/N glancing up and smirking slightly at this.

"My god Jeff, so some kid played a little rough with your brother, is that any reason to fight them? I wanted to make friends with some of the other families in this neighborhood but thanks to you... I just don't know...," Their mother sighs.

"So, your mother and I have talked this through. Since there are only a couple weeks of summer vacation left, we've decided that Liu should spend the rest of the summer at Aunt Marcy's place. We've already spoken to her, and she is willing to let him come out there and stay," Matt declares.