Living Silently

Interact

"Austin"

My hands hurt from placing my pen on the paper writing down notes for my boss who was just going to skim over them. I was tired from my mid-day work out I decided to go on wishing I would have gone home and taken a nap instead.

"Austin, it's four thirty go home," my boss Mr.Brinx said as he passed my desk his briefcase in hand. I looked over at my clock and saw that I had gone over thirty minutes. I quickly finished up the paper in front of me then got up grabbing my things and leaving the building to my car to drive the short distance home. The moment I hit the door it was like all my stress left my body. The boys were watching television and Noel was doing homework on the couch his face locked on the screen. I walked over and kissed him causing Amar and Ian to both say ewww. Ian was opening up a little bit but a week was still a short amount of time for him to get comfortable with us.

"Don't get comfortable the boys need haircuts. Ian just needs a lineup and the back faded while Amar wants a trim and a lining. Plus you could use a touch-up baby," he said running his pinky finger along my hairline.

"Boys, shoes on and at the door please," I said turning the tv off which made them give me sounds of protest. I walked into the bedroom and stripped off my work clothes and traded them in for joggers and a t-shirt. Leaving my room I saw both of the boys standing at the door waiting for me.

"I'll see you later baby," I told Noel who had a pretty graphic image of the cardiovascular system pulled up. I turned my head and walked to the door opening it watching Ian follow Amar who was moving quickly down to the elevator. He hit the button and stepped back waiting for the ding and held it open until we were all inside. I hit the garage button then waited patiently until we got to the bottom I instinctively grabbed Amar by his shirt collar knowing he was going to run and Ian just stood there occasionally looking up at me. I was sure it was our first outing without Noel and I was nervous.

"Shotgun," Amar shouted when we walked up to my Jeep.

"You're going to sit in the back secured in your booster seat shorty," I said to him turning to Noel's car which was always unlocked despite my protest and grabbed the booster seats and installed them in my Jeep then I had to help Ian into the car since he wasn't tall enough to get there in his own. When they were secure I walked over to the driver seat and got in then took off deciding if I wanted to go to the Dominicans that push my hairline back sometimes or the guys down on MLK in the middle of the hood. Even though there wasn't much to worry about I decided on going to the Dominicans since it was safer and closer. The ten-minute ride consisted of Amar mumbling his way through the rap songs on the radio, so he wasn't off by much and Ian was biting his nails. When I parked I jumped out and got them into the building hoping we wouldn't have to wait for long.
Luckily there were two seats open the only problem was that one of them was a woman and Ian steered clear of her and the lady waiting for her son in the waiting area.

"Amar go get in the chair with Peter."

"Ayo Peter trim him up a little and line him up no pushing his line back," I said then looked at Ian. I could have let Peter do his hair but I wanted to see if he was willing to let Gloria do it for him.

"Hey Ian you want Gloria to cut your hair she's really good and super nice. She gives all the little boys candy if they don't move too much," I asked him and he shook his head adamantly. I wanted to give up but I thought that he should be challenged to be around women. Not throwing him into it but easing him back into trusting women for the most basic of things first. He couldn't walk around scared of more than half the population.

"How about this. I'll sit with you in the chair while you get cut then if you let her do the whole thing I'll buy you a star wars toy," I said and that got his attention.

"You won't leave," he asked me. I dropped down to his level and looked him in the eyes.

"Not as long as I'm breathing," I told him. He nodded at me before wrapping his arms around my neck allowing me to lift him up and get in the chair with him sitting him on my lap while Gloria began moving his dreads back to get to his hairline. He flinched a little and was shaking but he allowed her to cut his hair. Amar finished just as she was cleaning him up a little and sat down watching the ESPN that was on the tv. I was going to have to get him into a sport and put all that energy he had into something constructive before he started getting into trouble at school. She finally finished Ian's hair and moved onto my line while I made sure she didn't push it back. When we were done I stood up and dolled out the cash then we went back to the car.

"You did good Ian," I said driving to Target getting them both out of the Jeep and walking them inside to the toy area.

"You got kids, bro," I heard a deep voice come up from behind me as Amar and Ian looked at the toys in front of them. I turned around and saw Shawn standing there wearing a wife beater and cargo shorts.

"Yeah I got kids, what are you doing here," I asked really wanting to swing on him for pushing me.

"Asking you to come home and speak to your father," he said as if it was the most reasonable thing to do.

"That's not happening so you can leave. Amar and Ian pick out your toys so we can go," I told them.

"Hey Amar and Ian I'm your uncle Shawn," My brother spoke to them as Amar was walking over with a Nerf gun and Ian with a robot.

"Oh like Auntie Chloe and Uncle JoJo," Amar asked.

"Yeah like them niggas, who is your mommy," he asked them.

"First off don't use that kind of language around then and second you and I both know I'm not straight. Third, you're going to need to move out the way so we can go," I said to them.

"Alright fine then who's the guy your with," he said rolling his eyes at me.

"None of you're business," I said pushing past him with the boys right on my tail," Go home," I said as we walked to the register but I knew he was following me. The boys put their toys on the conveyor belt and watched attentively as I paid for them then handed the toys back to them telling the lady I didn't need a bag. We walked all the way to my Jeep and I got the boys into the car before turning to Shawn who was just watching me.

"Look, bro, I'm not coming back to that place. He didn't let me come to mom's funeral and nobody said anything against him. I'm done with you guys now leave me and my family alone," I told him and I could see a flash of anger on his face.

"Bro just drop your kids off tell that nigga you're going to be back in a day or two and come with me. Dad wants you there," he told me.

"That nigga is my fiance who is in school so he can't raise the boys alone. I have a real professional job and can't just up and leave because I have responsibilities. Just go I'm done repeating myself," I said getting into my car.

"What are you gonna do if I tell you to come with me again," Shawn asked as if daring me. I wasn't his little scrawny brother anymore I had no problem whipping his ass, just not in front of my kids. I just chuckled to myself and got in my car and drove off almost clipping Shawn. I could see him still pissed in my rearview but his happiness meant nothing to me only ones that mattered we're Noel and the two boys trying to rip off the packaging of their new toys in my back seat.