bitchin'

Chapter 31

"How long has this been going on?"

"Since school ended," Lindsay states. She sits in a chair next to Steve in the Chief's office. He writes down the information on his notepad.

"Which kids again?"

"Joel, Allison, Daniel, Kimberly, Anthony, and Julia," she answers. He nods, "are you going to arrest them again?"

"We will, but the problem is, these kids just don't care. Their parents don't care and I can't hold them forever," Chief Hopper sighs, rubbing his forehead. Steve sits up.

"What? Why not?" the boy questions.

"Because there's no attack," the chief answers.

"So I need to get attacked?" Lindsay asks confused.

"No, that's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is, we need more protection for her," he answers, directing the last statement at Steve.

"Well, what? What kind of protection?" Steve asks.

"A restraining order, against them," the chief suggests. He seems more concerned than Steve does.

"Okay, well, let's do it. H-how do we get one?" Steve stutters. He wants to protect Lindsay at all costs, no matter what.

"It's not that simple. First, we have to file for one. Second, the court has to approve. Third, it costs money," the last sentence makes both of the Harrington siblings frown. Specifically, the word 'money'. Money has been tight since Lindsay was born and it's only gotten worse over the years.

"How much money?" he asks.

"I'm not sure, you'd need representation to get started," the chief explains.

"Representation?" he questions.

"A lawyer, Steve," Lindsay sighs. He turns to his smarter, younger sister.

"Lawyer?! What do we need a lawyer for? You didn't do anything wrong?" he rambles.

"Steve!" she shouts, "it's okay. I'll just be more careful out in public."

He looks into his sister's eyes, nodding his head 'no'.

"Linds, we can get the freaking lawyer," he says, "we just need help. You can guide us, right Hopper? You can help us with all the paperwork and the lawyer?"

"I can, but it's not going to come in a day," he informs the teen, "could take months."

"Months?"

***

"I could get a job," Lindsay suggests in the back room of Scoops Ahoy! Steve paces back and forth.

"No, no that's not a good idea," he turns down the idea.

"I think it's a perfect idea. We would both be making money for the lawyer... and for the house," she replies, whispering the last part. The siblings don't talk about it, but their living situation is slowly going down the drain. Their mom doesn't have a job and their dad barely works. Half of the time they don't know if their parents come home at night.

"No, Linds, what if they show up where you work?" Steve imagines.

"I'd just... make my boss send them away," she shrugs, "ooo! Like if I worked here! I could work here and you would make them go away."

He sighs, "I don't know, Linds, I'll think about it."

She frowns, "Come on, Steve, this could be really good for us. If not for the lawyer, for us? To keep our house?"

"I'll think about it."

"Is he here?" a voice says from out in the parlor.

"Is who here?" Robin's voice asks. Steve cocks his head to the side.

"Is that who I think it is?" he says before bursting through the door, "Henderson!"

Lindsay stands up and follows her older brother through the swinging door. The curly-haired boy stands in the parlor, laughing and smiling.

"Henderson! He's back!" he cheers as Robin flashes a look to Lindsay. She nods in disappointment, acknowledging the strangeness of her brother, "He's back!"

"I'm back!" Dustin shouts, "You got the job!"

"I got the job!" Steve shouts. He makes a weird trumpet noise with his mouth before walking up to the younger boy, "hey! Oh!"

The boys shake hands before starting their secret handshake. Holding pretend light sabers they fight one another, including sound effects. It ends with Dustin fake-impaling Steve, the older boy pretending his guts are spilling out.

"How many children are you friends with?" Robin asks. Lindsay chuckles.

"Hey, Lindsay," Dustin greets.

"Hey!" she smiles.

"Do you wanna sit and chat? You've got to tell me all about camp!" Steve says.

"Yeah! Can I get a banana split too?" he asks. Steve nods.

"Yeah, of course! On the house! I'll make it real quick. Go find a seat," he instructs. He goes behind the counter, pushing past Lindsay. She walks out in front of the counter and joins Dustin.

"What are you doing here?" he asks her.

"I come to work with Steve so I can hang out at the mall and get free ice cream of course," she answers, "you didn't tell me you wanted to see Steve yesterday. We could've picked you up on the way."

"Well, I wasn't planning on it," he starts as Steve comes over, "but something happened."

"What happened?" he asks, sitting down with the banana split. He pushes it over to Dustin who begins to chow down.

"Last might, when I was trying to get in contact with Suzie..."

"Who's Suzie?" Steve interrupts.

"Dustin's girlfriend," Lindsay answers.

"Woah, girlfriend?! Wait, you gotta tell me about her!" he exclaims.

"Later! Just listen, so, I'm trying to get in contact with Suzie, on my radio and, uh......." Dustin leans in real close, covering his mouth, ".... I intercepted a secret Russian communication."

Lindsay squints, "what?"

"Uh..." he says slightly louder, "I intercepted a secret Russian communication."

"Just speak louder," Steve says.

"I intercepted a secret Russian communication!" he practically shouts. Heads turn in the parlor to the curly-haired boy.

"Jeez, shhhh," Steve hushes.

"That's what I thought you said," Lindsay sighs nervously, "wait, what does that mean?"

"It means, we could be heroes," he states, "true, American heroes."

"How?" she questions.

"Well, that's where I need your guys' help," he sighs.

"What do you mean?" Steve asks.

"Translation."