Praying Under Pressure

12 - Sheep In Wolf's Clothing in a Zoo

"Okay, who's my favorite brat?" 

"Ward!"

Ward swooped in to pick Sindy up before the two turned towards her mother with innocent smiles. It's not like Sindy truly knew what he was saying. Ward was constantly talking so as long as Ward was smiling she would smile too. Thus shoving his aunt -and her mother- Kathy into her own corner.

"She likes it when I call her that, huh brat?" He shook her in his arms and she giggled in mindless agreeance.

"But you're encouraging bad behavior. She's not an idiot, she's learning from everything," Kathy shook her head from the couch where she was packing for their trip to the zoo. 

"Did I hear Ward?" Another voice came barging into the living room, Ward's Uncle with his other cousin busting onto the scene with hesitancy. Ward nodded at Greg in greeting.

"Hey, look! My other favorite brat!" Ward didn't get up, just set Sindy down so she could wobble around on unsteady, chubby legs. He grinned and opened his arms for Laken to shyly hug him back. Of course, Ward squeezed the tiny little boy with all his fake strength, making his victim squirm, "Squeeze me tight, little brother or I might not let you go."

"No! No! I can't breath," The ten-year-old fought against Ward with everything. But Ward was resilient and Kathy gave him a look of 'get it over with' so he tried his might to squeeze back. It wasn't much, Laken has always been smaller than average but it was enough for Ward to feel.

"Oh don't be so dramatic. It isn't a good look on your mother so it can't be you, bud," He ruffled Laken's hair and the little boy fought back with a pout. Ward loved how much of a drama queen this kid is. 

Kathy sighed, zipping the big bag shut, "I didn't invite you to chastise my children."

"Oh, pish posh," Ward shook his head and stood up from the chair with his hands in the hair and a yawn.

Kathy decided they had to go to the zoo at the butt crack of dawn. Usually, Ward could do it easily seeing how he wakes up most mornings to either open the store or work out. However, in this situation, Ward risked the wind and went out to a party the night before going to the zoo with his cousins. 

So he wasn't there to encourage positive behavior. Just have fun. 

Laken was five when Ward moved in. Kathy wouldn't have let it happen if she hadn't known what the boy went through at school, had known who Ward actually shifted into, and knew she couldn't control him. He felt bad a lot of it. The parts where his brain and his terrors and his panics allowed normal, logical thoughts in. 

He felt bad after his aunt caught person after person in his bedroom. He felt bad when teachers would call and the principal invited them in to inform him he had flunked out. He felt bad when he would wake Laken up by screaming in the middle of the night because he could feel the hands dragging him down in his sleep.

It's why he agreed to rehab. Why he agreed to HIV treatment and not just dying of AIDs like his mind wanted him to. Why he went into the GED program and signed up for community college. Why he tries his hardest to come help out with the kids and tries to convince Laken that he's not a monster anymore.

"Alright, does everyone have shoes on?"

"Yes."

giggle.

"Yes, mummy, coming mummy."

If she could, Kathy would flip her nephew off. He scooped up Sindy while Kathy got the stroller and bag. Laken, the ever so mature, just picked up his hat and followed his mom out the door.