Not Us: Cash & Devin

Chapter 24

Devin POV

What the fuck had I just witnessed? She's crazy! Worse than Becky! She actually hurt her own child. What the fuck? How do you do that as a mother? Cash was on the phone with 9-1-1 as I took Calen into the apartment with me. I went to my room, grabbed a pair of pajama pants, and put them on so I was less exposed. This is not the kind of drama we were expecting first thing this morning. I came out to see Calen standing in the kitchen. His head was down, and he wiped his nose on his sleeve. He looked around like he wasn't sure if he could trust anything. I knew he was more comfortable in Cash's apartment because he'd been there before. He'd never been to mine.

"You okay?" I asked, hopeful that he'd actually want to talk to me, "That was a lot out there." He just nodded, not looking at me. I started going around the kitchen, pulling out mixing bowls, eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, spinach, shredded cheese, ham chunks, mushrooms, chopped green pepper, and chopped green onion. I also pulled out pancake mix and chocolate chips. Because who doesn't love chocolate chip pancakes?

"How does breakfast sound?" He just nodded. Hmm...this kid was proving to be a tough nut to crack today. Given the circumstances, I couldn't blame him in the slightest. "How do you like your eggs? Scrambled or omelet?" I asked. He just looked at the counter, so I kept talking, "I've got everything for an omelet. Ham, shredded cheese, onion, peppers and mushroom, spinach, the works," nothing. He was giving me nothing. My countertop must have been incredibly interesting, "I'm going to fire up the griddle for the pancakes and bacon."

"I also have juice, water, milk, and...oh! Chocolate sauce if you want to make your own chocolate milk. It's something I've been craving lately. There is also Nutella and peanut butter if you want to put it on your pancakes. Hmm...I don't have much fresh fruit though. I've still got to hit the grocery store this weekend."

A knock at the door pulled me out of my ramblings. I started cooking as the door opened and Cash poked his head in. He looked around and saw us in the kitchen. Calen hadn't moved from the spot he stopped in.

"Officers will be here soon to talk to you Cal. And they want to see the video, babe." I nodded at him as I picked out my omelet stuff. He walked in, leaving the door slightly ajar, and came over, looking at all the food I'd pulled out of the fridge.

"Devin, could you make me an everything omelet, please, love?" He kissed my head before he went back to the door, waiting for the officers. I smiled as I watched him walk away from me. He's so wonderful. He's such a good guy. How did I get so lucky with him?

"Could I try an omelet?" I heard Calen say, quietly. I looked up at him as his eyes darted from me to the hem of his shirt. I was contemplating making it for him or teaching him how. He's fourteen, almost fifteen. He needs to learn if he wants to be able to live on his own.

"Want me to show you how to make it?" He nodded his head. It was subtle, but I think he had his lips turned up. Barely. I was hoping it wasn't just something I had pictured in my head and he was smiling for real.

I was showing him how to mix up the eggs and add everything to the pan and how to cook his omelet all the way through when officers showed up. He went to sit on the couch to answer their questions and tell them everything that's been going on. I plated it for him as he sat on the couch answering the questions. I set a glass of water there because I didn't know what he'd want to drink.

Walking back to the kitchen, I started thinking of the last few months. I felt so bad for him. Ba that I hadn't noticed anything different. How did I not notice he was getting quieter over at Cash's apartment? I could hear everything through these fucking walls. How did I miss that? How did I miss the smaller ways he smiled or how he'd stay just out of reach of everyone? How did I not see it? Did I have rose-colored glasses on? I could feel the tears coming, so I turned my back on the guys sitting in the living room with the officers.

I was having a pity party for myself. I hated that I'd missed all the signs. I was too wrapped up in me and my shit to notice anything.

Damn.

Cash's POV

I had decided to wait outside of her apartment for the officers to get there. I wanted to talk with them outside of Calen's earshot about what I said about his mom. I didn't want him to take on any guilt about her actions. He did nothing wrong. It's all on her. Talking with the officers, I give them his mom's information. I let them know she's been harassing me for months, but I made it clear I want nothing to do with her. I also told them how I'm a Big Brother with the program for her son and have been for years. They asked to go inside Devin's apartment to see the video and to talk to her and Calen.

I peeked my head in to see them cooking together. She was standing a little further away from him so he'd be comfortable, as she told him how to make his omelet. She's so sweet. She even offered orange juice and an omelet to the officers when we all came inside. Both declined but gave thanks for the offer, as they sat on the couch to talk to Calen. Devin and I finished cooking the food and she took Calen's to him so he could eat while he talked to the officers.

I sat on one of the chairs in the living room talking with them to see what needed to be done next. I looked up, my eyes searching for Devin. She had her back to us, but I could see the slight tremors of her body. Was she crying? I excused myself and went to comfort her. She promised she was fine, but I knew better. We'd be talking about this after we got this situation handled.

She was just about done with washing the dishes, about the same time the officers were done talking to Calen when a knock on the apartment door came. One of the officers stood up as Devin answered the door. A woman stood outside and presented her credentials as a CPS caseworker.

She came in and Devin offered her something to drink, which she declined, and sat down with the officers in the living room. Everyone talked about 'the next steps', and what Calen wanted. Calen told them about his mom's abuse, how it started over the last six months, and how it was becoming worse, but was always the worst whenever she saw Devin and me together. This time, she woke him up and dragged him to my apartment under the guise that he needed me for something or I needed to help with practice or homework or something.

"She kept mumbling about how all the others were 'just there' and 'temporary' but she knew you'd 'come back to her'. But when she saw you with Devin, something changed. And today, she just wanted to get in the apartment. She was convinced that if you talked to her, something she'd done over the last four years would suddenly make you realize that you were in love with her," he was sniffling, a few tears coming down his face, having cried a lot this morning already.

"I really like that you're my big brother, and I don't want that to change, but I get it if I can't stay your little brother because of my mom. I know something's wrong with her."

My heart fucking broke at that. Devin looked at me with tears in her eyes and I knew we'd be talking about what we could do to help him.

"Well, we're going to have to investigate this," the CPS worker mirrored what the officers had told him earlier, "We need to get you to the hospital though. These officers will take you to get a physical done by one of the doctors," he stiffened at that.

"Can Cash and Devin be at the hospital with me? Where am I going to stay after this?"

"All things we can answer, after the medical exam. And, yes, they can come if you want them to be there." He nodded and looked at me. I nodded my head. I'd be there for my little brother. He was family.

"They're who I feel most comfortable with." The officers and CPS worker let us know where they'd be taking him, and we promised to meet him at the hospital as soon as we could after we got dressed and ready. He nodded and left with them. I made sure he had his phone so he could call if he needed us for anything.

"I have to contact my lawyer and the Big Brother Big Sister program to let the director know about this."

"Here's the report numbers for you," one of the officers handed me a piece of paper. I nodded and went back into Devin's room to start making calls while she showed everyone out. I heard her tell Calen it would all be okay, and we'd get this figured out.

Closing the door, the only thought I had was, 'What a shit show.'