Safari Rain (boyXboy)

Chapter one

"Delta!"

I rushed down the stairs nearly tripping over my shoe laces my hands still searching desperately for my wallet in the jacket pocket I was positive I had left it in.

"I'm coming! I'm coming" in  frustration I ground my teeth together My father is always telling me I shouldn't do that but I usually don't even notice I do, he called my name again.

"Delta" dragging out the "dell" part of it, sometimes I wonder, okay all lot of the time I wonder what ever possessed him to name me that, I mean come on, I know he worked with head cases but did he have to try and make one out of me, It should be considered child abuse to name your son after a water formation.

"Breakfast is ready," he said nonchalantly waving his hand toward the table set for two I sat down eying the muffins he made suspiciously since his wife was no longer here the food quality seriously diminished but he tries I told myself; while trying to decide if the brown objects were raisins or chocolate chips, I know he tries.

"So", he  finished another poor excuse for a muffin and faced me "you ready for school?" I noticed his expression and laughed lightly "chill man you look more nervous then I feel"

"yah" his face relaxed but remain serious

"Is there something wrong?"

"No its just, I have to work overtime for a few days and another kid is going to stay with us a while".

I frowned he usually gave me a weeks warning in advance he would tell me what their behavior was like so I had time to hide my valuables or rearrange the furniture or put all the clocks out of reach, it never hurts to be prepared. "When are they coming"

"Wednesday"

It was Monday that only gave me two days, "could you not have told me I dunno a week ago"

"well you see we weren't exactly..."

I interrupted "You thought you could just bring another crazy kid hear I wouldn't mind if they turned my life upside down?"

"Delta I just didn't know if...." 

I cut him off again "you didn't know if it bothered me at all that I wouldn't be able to invite anyone over or stay up past ten or do.."

for a lack of examples I just waved my hands around for effect,

"or do anything?" I finished with flourish;  I knew I was over reacting but I was so patient and tolerate with him and the people he brought home sometimes,  the least he could do was warn me.

"No, Delta I just wasn't sure if," he broke of as if there was some opinion he didn't want to voice,

"you weren't sure if what?"

"We weren't sure if he was going to live"  I looked down, studied the wood flooring swallowed my muffin that tasted like petrified couch stuffing, and stood up 

"I thought we agreed no secrets"

"Oh Delta he sighed you were six years old what else was I supposed to tell you? be realistic there are things about my job that I could never tell you" His tone was firm but gentle, "I'm sorry ,okay now hurry or you'll be late for school. I slung my back pack over my shoulder and started toward the door.

"Have a good time and keep your nose clean" I scoffed at that dumb old fashioned expression that always made me want to rub the end of my nose.

"I will" I replied he had more important things to worry about than whether or not I had a "nice day". I closed the door behind me it had been another agreement of ours to never leave the house angry at each other, the other agreement was broken and I wanted to hold on to that one. I guess I had always known there were things he didn't tell me and stuff I withheld from him it was his way of protecting from the ugly truth of the world, by painting over it with white lies. The bright yellow bus rolled along the gray and green background of Washington state. I guess I had always know that when kids left our house they probably ended up in a straight jacket that they were caged that they never had real families that adopted them, sometimes the ugliness of the world cracks the paint and seeps through.