This is Not My Obituary

Her Little Boy

"Is that your boy?" A small, slender woman of 56 pointed a knuckles finger towards the panic stricken man shoving piles of belongings into the bed of his truck. Mr. Ren stood still for a minute and eyed the young man, a small smile coming to his face as he recognized his son. "He must've cut his hair. No wonder it took a minute." The woman laughed a bit, laying a gentle hand on Mr. Ren's arm and taking her leave.

"Shuyang!" The older man called out, looking both ways before crossing the street to meet his son, a frantic look in his eyes as he stared at his father. A sickening sinking feeling attacked his stomach while eyeing the man. He knew something about him now. Something he hadn't known before. "Dad," he said aloud as he dropped GouGou's last necessity into the truck.

"Where're you going? Looks like you're skipping town." Mr. Ren stepped closer to his youngest.

For all Shuyang knew, he was Mr. Ren's one and only son. But, his earlier life activities brought forth yet another two sons, just a few years or so older than Shuyang himself. He would've never told Shuyang that and would have tried to keep his "perfect father" image.

"Just going away for a few days, that's all." He lied through grit teeth, not exactly in the mood to be having this conversation. "Really? You didn't mention it to your mother or I. Where are you going?"

Shuyang scowled as his father's toned turned sweet and practically dripped from his lips slowly like molasses. He thought for a moment. What lie could he pull out of his ass right then and there.

"He Xinlong. I'm gonna go see him and his wife up in the city."Shuyang spewed.

Mr. Ren nodded but tensed his muscles. He had seen both Xinlong and Kara just yesterday morning, with the impression they'd be staying a few more days for moral support.
"You are Huh? When do you leave?" The older bit his bottom lip in a surge of disappointment. He had known Shuyang to lie to him on more than one occasion, but it never failed to bother him when he did.

"Now." Shuyang huffed, swinging open the driver door and slamming the old metal trap closed. "Come by the house and say bye ti your mother before you leave." Mr. Ren insisted, hand curling over the open window.

Shuyang huffed largely, but nodded so the old man would leave him be. "I'll be right over."
Mr.Ren nodded and waved a small 'goodbye' to his son and stood back as the engine fired up and roared with age. The sputter faded away as he drove away towards his parents humble abode and waited for his mother to greet him at the door.

"Hi Yangyang baby." She gushed, walking carefully up to her son and taking his face into her palms. Shuyang hated this action, but let it slide since he had a deep adoration for his mother. She had been the sweetest pillar of feminine divinity in his life. She had loved, protected, and supported the boy through all of his stages in his life, only occasionally giving him a good scolding for his own benefit.

"I'm leaving momma." He said softly, a small kiss being left of her plump cheek. "Oh? Where are you going?" She asked, still hugging her little boy. She unlatched from their embrace and tugged him further inside the house, sitting him down comfortably on their sofa.
"Just to the city-" he cringed as he said this, hating to lie to his mother. Fuck his dad he couldn't care less. That man was a blatant liar who had cheated on his sweet mother for years. There was no respect left for him.

"Okay..." she said with a tint of concern in her voice. It wasn't like him to just up and leave. Shuyang was a very dependable person, always being available and able to be found.
"Well, have fun." She hummed. If he wasn't already a 23-year-old man, she would've tried finding out his motivation. She thought it was likely due to his friend's passing, but she couldn't be sure. She would wait for her baby to talk and then she'd respond. She knew how her husband worked and now how her son worked. They would tell you when they were ready and anything before their confession would be counted against the questioner. Often, they wouldn't tell anyone at all, and simply work out their own feelings and then keep it to themselves for the rest of their lives.

She had grown used to it, but found it easier to love once she noticed the habits in her son. The woman adored Shuyang.

"Get up!" A voice boomed as his father strutted through the door, slamming it behind him. Shuyang sighed but stayed in his place.
"I said get up boy." The older seethed.
"I'm not moving." Shuyang spat. The woman besides him looked downward and let her mind wander. She hated fighting of any kind in her home.

"Xinlong and his bitch of a wife ain't leaving for days. So where're you really fucking going?"

"I really fucking don't have to tell you." The son grimaced, standing up from the couch and stepping in front of his mother as if to protect her in a way. She stood up but stayed behind her son. She knew out of anyone in this situation, he wouldn't let her get hurt.

  His father swiftly landed a hand against his cheek as a sting of surprise went through the man. His father had hit him before, but never out of a disciplinary action. This was out of pure anger. "Don't talk to me that way!" The older demanded. Shuyang wouldn't have ever dreamed of hurting his father, though he disliked him, but he let himself push the older over, body hitting the floor against Shuyang's force. "You don't talk to me that way." He growled.

"You son of a bitch." The older spat menacingly, scrambling back to his feet and stepping to his son, eyes but a few inches apart.

Shuyang stared deep into those damn eyes, reminiscent of his own. He slowly shook his head with a fumbling sigh. "Why?" He whispered.
"What're you talking about boy?" His father rumbled as he bore holes through the younger's skull with his intense gaze.

Shuyang stayed quiet for another minute and contemplated weather or not he should tell them that he knew.

"What are you? Fucking handicapped? You a mute or something?"

"Gou MingRui! Why him? Why not me you motherfucker? All that generational sexual cleansing shit? Why not me?" He shouted, pushing the older's shoulders a bit. Mr. Ren stared up at his son with wide eyes.

  "You better believe I would've if I could." He shot, the words burning the back of Shuyang's eyes. He knew his father had nothing in his heart for him, but wishing death upon him was a whole different feeling.

   "When I heard about you sleeping around with all those girls I was so proud of you. You were really turning out the way you were supposed to be. But then, then I was told about you and the Gou's boy and I knew one of you had to be disposed of." The elder man sliced through Shuyang's facade, an unwelcome tear rolling down his cheek. Disposed? Like trash?

   "Really thought you'd turn out like me, and follow this tradition. Populate this town over." He whispered. Shuyang felt his jaw drop as a breathy gasp left it. Populate this town?

    "What?" He sputtered.