Boy Interrupted

➵11

Jade

          "Don't do that again." Chris said to me as he sat down on my porch swing with me. I had no clue what he was talking about.

"Huh?"

"Pop up at my house like that. My mom is strict."

Instead of sparking up a whole argument with him, I just let it go. "I'm sorry."

He shrugged his shoulders.

"So.. Are you gonna tell me what you found in the safe?"

"There were pictures and a letter. I didn't get to grab the letter though, we'll save that for another time." He smirked at me.

"What were the pictures of?"

"The first photo was of my mom was holding a baby in the hospital bed, and on the back of the picture it said Luis Brown, July 23rd, 1983. The second picture was of the same boy, except he was a little older and he was sitting at my dining room table. On the back of that photo it said my son Luis Brown 1988. And the last photo was a recent picture of him."

"Wait, wait. I'm so confused." I said, sitting up on the porch swing.

"Who you tellin'?"

"So, you have a brother?"

"Yup. He just turned 32."

"What the hell? How could she have not told you something like that?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "She's hiding something, obviously. I didn't find anything about my father in that safe." He said.

"But you said there's a letter in there right?"

He nodded.

"Well maybe it's from your father.. You never know."

We sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, until my mom came outside with the house phone in her hand.

"Your dad wants to talk to you Jade." She said. Well, speaking of sperm donors. "And hello Chris."

"Hello Ms. Kathy." He smiled.

She handed me the phone and went back inside. I looked at Chris before putting the phone up to my ear.

"Hey daddy!" I said, probably more excited then I should have been.

"Hey baby girl what are you up to?"

"Nothing much, what about you?"

"At the office. Um, baby girl. I have some bad news."

My heart skipped two beats, and Chris leaned in closer to me when he realized the discomfort that was spread across my face.

"What is it?"

"Your birthday... I'm not gonna be able to make it." He said.

I expected this. He does this shit every year. I wasn't even disappointed at this moment.

"Oh... It's okay, I understand." I managed to force out a smile.

"You do? Great. I'll send you some money. I love you baby girl."

And with that, he hung up.

"No you don't." I whispered, looking down at the phone.

"What happened?" Chris asked. His eyes were full of concern. I just wanted to break down right then and there.

"My father.. He can't make it for my birthday. Again." I sighed, then began laughing.

"Come on, you wanna go for a walk?"

I nodded and followed him off the porch. He grabbed my hand and held it securely in his as we began down the street.

I hadn't said anything for the past 5 minutes. The only sound was the birds chirping and the tree branches rocking back and forth in the wind.

"Are you alright?" Chris asked suddenly. I looked up at him and tried to put on a fake smile. But he looked right through me. "Jade, you can let it out. You don't have to keep a wall up with up me, just let it all out. I'm listening to you baby girl."

I began crying as soon as he said that. "I fucking hate him! He can't make it for my fucking birthday but he has two other kids and he's there for them. He's not there for me! He never was! Fuck him I hate him so much! A father is supposed to be a girl's first true love, well not fucking me. All I wanted was for him to love me Chris! That's all I've ever asked for, and he doesn't love me."

Chris stopped walking completely and held both of my cheeks in his hands. "I love you Jade. I do. That man is a fool, just look at you. You're beautiful and smart, and rude." He chuckled. "No, but really. He's missing out on something wonderful, if he doesn't want to watch his first daughter grow up then that's on him. Just succeed in life Jade, and make him regret not wanting to be involved in your life."

The words flowed out of his mouth so smoothly, he just knew all the right things to say. I was mesmerized. I couldn't help myself, I kissed him.

He wrapped his arms around my waist as our lips moved in sync.

"I love you Jade, more then life.. More then myself."

"I love you too Christopher. More then anything in this world."