Suzie’s House 101: Serious Matters

“I know! I know! Mom, just leave me alone.” Ben grabbed his papers and books off the kitchen table in a huff.

Whatever happened to her care free boy? Suzie hesitated for several seconds while she processed this latest shock. Ever since he came back from his father’s house, Ben had been different, and not in a good way. When he lost his temper, she didn’t know how to handle him. It was like giving up an angel and getting back a changeling.

She had assumed everything would straighten out over time now that he was where he belonged, but if anything his outbursts had become more frequent, violent, and easily triggered. Something had to be done.

With a twitch of her shirt, she girded her loins and took a step in the direction he’d taken. Before she could get further than the hall, Drew caught her.

“Suzie,” he said uncomfortably. “There’s something I need to talk to you about.”

“Can we talk later? I need to talk to Ben.”

“I don’t think you’re going to get anywhere with him right now.” Drew looked at the stairs with a speculative air. Obviously he must have seen Ben going up to his room.

“Well I have to try. Lately I haven’t been able to talk to him about anything. He’s so short tempered! He never used to be like that.”

“Didn’t he? Maybe he was afraid to show you before, and now he isn’t.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Consider it a mark of maturity.” Drew took her by the arm and guided her back into the kitchen. “I always got the feeling he was a little too sweet and too polite. He’s a teenager now, isn’t he?”

“He turned thirteen right before we meet you.”

“I’ll bet there was a lot he kept bottled up inside.”

Could it be? Thinking that Ben might not have trusted her entirely even before she’d sent him off to his father made her hurt inside. “You don’t really think that, do you? That he felt he needed to be careful around me?”

“I’m sure he loves you. Consider it a mark of his trust in you that he’s willing to say what’s on his mind to you even though you could send him back.”

“I will never!!!”

“Exactly. You know it, and I think he knows it, even if he hasn’t really thought it through. Just give him a few minutes, then go talk to him. Once he’s calmed down I’m sure he’ll be reasonable. Ben is a good kid.”

Suzie nodded. Drew held out a chair for her at the kitchen table. She took it automatically.

In the meanwhile there’s something I need to tell you.

“Is it about one of the O’Connors?”

“No, although that is going well. Sean is in custody with more than enough evidence to put him away, thanks to Christina. Joseph disappeared, but I talked to someone yesterday who says he’s planning on trying to get Sean out through a prison break.” Drew smiled indulgently at the absurdity of that plan.

Suzie smiled too, though the news didn’t really comfort her. “Is there anything I can do to help out?”

“Maybe.” Drew nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll let you know. In the meanwhile, I have to tell you something.”

“Yes?” Suzie tried to be patient, but her eyes went toward the doorway, and her mind kept turning to Ben.

“I know I promised to be with you for the court date in a couple of days.”

She raised an eyebrow, trying to figure out which court date he was referring to.

“The hearing over custody of Ben.”

“Yes?” He wasn’t really going to back out, was he?”

“I’m not sure I’ll be able to be there for the whole thing. I’ll be in court as a witness down the hall for a local matter involving Sean O’Connor. It should be over in plenty of time, but in case it isn’t…”

Suzie sighed in resignation, then nodded. She understood. A part of her regretted his absence, but another rejoiced that he was following through with the man who tried to kidnap Ben. She got up from the table. When she reached him, she paused long enough to put her hand on Drew’s shoulder.

“It’s all right. You do what you have to. Right now, I have to talk to Ben.”

He stayed in the kitchen as she made her way down the hall then up the stairs to Ben’s room.

If you enjoy Suzie’s House and would like to see more, please leave a comment. Suzie’s House is powered by its readers.