Homebound

Chapter 4

        Robert wakes up from his alarm at 5:30 am. He quietly moves around the room and dresses for his morning jog. He kisses Laura lightly on the forehead. He tiptoes his way out of the house to not wake everyone up.

       He feels his heart rate pick up, and his legs burn as he jogs. He feels sweat drip down his forehead. He mentally sings along to The Beatles. The morning air is cool, and the street is quiet. Robert finishes his exercise and heads home to get ready for work.

      He enjoys the water as he cleans himself. He enjoys putting on his uniform and the badge that reads 'Sheriff'. He enjoys hearing Laura getting ready for the day. He enjoys that he comes down to find breakfast ready. He enjoys the passionate kiss goodbye he gets from Laura. He enjoys hearing his son Joshua yelling at him to wait so he could give him a bone-crushing hug.

      After Delilah's death, Robert never really thought he could ever be happy. He spent months drinking and wallowing in self-pity and sorrow. His apartment was a wreck. Dishes were piled over the sink, and the mail was left unopened. He smelled from lack of showering and changing clothes.

     He refused to see anyone at the time. There were knocks on the door from family and friends, but they couldn't bring Delilah back. Slowly, the frequent knocks disappeared. Except for Laura's.

    "Robert, you open this door right now!" Bang. Bang. Bang. "I know you're in there. Stop hiding from me." Robert groaned. Laura was always persistent when it came to something she wants. The constant banging was giving him a bigger headache. Robert gave up and opened the door.

     "Good. I knew you were alive." Laura welcomed herself in.

     "Only physically." He whispered. Laura frowned and motioned for him to sit on the couch. He had no fight in him, so he listened to her. Maybe she'd leave faster. He waited patiently as she rummaged through her purse.

       "Here. I found this in our yearbook." It was a picture of Robert and below the caption read 'Most likely to succeed'.

      "What does this have to do with me?"

      "This is you, Robert. Out of everyone in the entire high school you are most likely to succeed. Delilah reveled in that fact. She was so happy when she saw that in the yearbook. She gloated about it," Laura blushed, "I was proud of you, Robert. I hate seeing you like this. I promised Delilah I would take care of you if anything happened. I need your help. I need you to pick yourself up and get through this. You're going to succeed, Robert. You only need to try."

      Robert stared at Laura like she had two heads.

      "I can't get through this." He shook his head. "I'm all alone."

      Slap. Robert cupped his stinging cheek in shock.

     "You are not alone. I was always here for you. I am here for you. You are just too busy being a coward. Only cowards run from their problems and resort to the bottle. Do you honestly think drinking will change anything? Nothing can bring back Delilah. It's the reality you're too scared to accept. You are going to get up," She pulled at Robert up, "and you are going to face your life."

     He is glad he did. They didn't want to, but Robert and Laura fell in love. Laura saved him as she held him as he cried, cleaned whatever mess he made as he threw objects in frustration, and made him comfort food. She read books to him, so he can escape to a different reality. She sang to him softly to lull him to sleep when he woke up from a nightmare. She was there for him like no one else was. Instead of pitying him she supported him. She showed him the beauty of living again. She dragged him safely out drowning waters.

      Slowly but surely, Laura picked up all the pieces of Robert's broken heart. She mended it and made him a different person. She made him capable of being a father to two beautiful children, Delilah and Joshua. She made him capable to protect people as sheriff of the town. She made him capable of waking up in the morning with a smile on his face. She made him capable of being able to look himself in the mirror without hating himself. She made him capable of being sane. She made him capable of being human again. She made him capable to be loving and kind. She made him capable of being the most successful version of Robert Barker.

   "Good morning, Sheriff Robert." The secretary at the front desk greets him.

   "Good morning to you. Any trouble last night?"

   "The usual, sir. Officers busted a drug deal. There was a shooting, but luckily the victim is in stable conditions. One car accident and not so shocking, the driver was drunk. A boy was caught stealing. He's in the holding cell right now. We're contacting his foster home and social worker. We're waiting for Mr. Mosby to come down. He asked to see the boy."

    "I'll be in my office. Call if there's anything." He whistles as he passes desks and ringing phones. He delves himself into paperwork upon paperwork.

     Around noon time there is loud yelling that break his eardrums. He opens his door and runs to the scene where an angry woman is screaming insults after insult at the boy in the cell. Another woman is trying to calm her down but is obviously failing. Officers are keeping the madwoman from getting her hands between the cells' bars and snatching the boy.

     "Ma'am, you need to relax, please." He asks calmly.

     "HOW CAN I RELAX WHEN I GOT THE DEVIL'S SPAWN IN MY CARE? THAT BASTARD ONLY CAUSES ME EXTRA STRESS, AND I'M DONE. IN ALL MY YEARS IN THE SYSTEM I NEVER MET A BOY WHO IS AS MUCH TROUBLE AS HE IS. MRS. KATZ BETTER FIND HIM ANOTHER PLACE TO STAY, OR HE'LL LIVE ON THE STREET BECAUSE NO WAY AM I LETTING HELL BACK AT MY HOUSE."

     "I'd rather live in a hell where I belong than spend a another second at your dumpster, b*tch." The boy snaps. The woman screeches and tries with all her might to get away from her restraint. Robert motions for the officers holding her to take her away. The other woman follows silently.

     At that exact moment, Mr. Mosby comes in. Robert notices that the boy recognizes him as he nods his head in acknowledgment.

    "Is this a bad time?" Mr. Mosby asks with a soft voice.

    "Mr. Mosby, everything is being taken care of. You want to speak with the thief?" Robert shakes hands with Mr. Mosby. He smiles at the boy behind bars, not answering Robert right away.

     "He's not a thief. He is an alternative shopper.  Call me John; no need to be formal. "

    "Alright, John. I think it'll be best if we come into my office." John nods and smiles softly. Robert unlocks the boy's cell and places handcuffs around his wrists.

   "Do we have to do that? He's not a felon." John argues with the gentle tone he always has.

   "It's protocol." Robert grabs the boy by his shoulder.

    "What the hell is with the police and grabbing?" The boy grumbles. Robert loosens his grip but doesn't let go. "Let me guess? It's protocol."

     Robert tries to remain serious, but this boy and his comments. He raises an amused eyebrow and leads the boy into his office with John behind them. Let's see what becomes of him.

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             Hello! It is way passed my bed time, but I've decided to update as I listen to 5sos and hang with friends. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Stay awesome. 

                                                                                                 Liz