Lion
Outside the Window
“Scarlet…” I whispered her name to get her attention. Sure, it wasn’t great to see that my son was following my footsteps and getting tattoos, but there was nothing that we could do to change that. I was covered in tattoos. She couldn’t really get too mad.
“Matthew, I will not stand to let my son become a deviant!” she spoke sternly to me.
“Neither do I. Tattoos do not make you a deviant. I am covered in tattoos!” I held out my arms.
“No, but you were never out all night, ignoring your family, acting like you are ashamed of your family!” she insisted. “This is not okay!”
“Your mother has a point, Junior.” I shrugged a little. She was right. He was wrong to be out all night, and he was steering off the wrong track. I wasn’t sure why, or what was causing his actions.
“I can do what I want, dad. If you want me to get ready for school, I need privacy.” He pointed toward the door. I took Scarlet’s arm gently, pulling her with me out of his room. Genevieve was making her way down the stairs.
“I will make you fresh toast.” Scarlet called to her softly, though stayed tucked under my arm as we made our way downstairs together.
“There has to be something going on with him…” I mumbled quietly. “He is acting so weird…”
“I know, but I don’t know what. And he doesn’t seem to be opening up any more than he has before.” She made her way to the toaster and made Genevieve toast. I poured myself another glass of orange juice, but didn’t dare sit across from Genevieve. Not after the mornings towel episode. It wasn’t long before Jr. came into the kitchen, sitting and making a bowl of cereal that he wasted no time in inhaling. We all started to say our daily goodbyes for the day to make our way to work and school. I walked outside with the kids.
“I’ll pick you up right afterschool, Matthew.” I turned to him as he walked towards the bus stop on the corner.
“Whatever, dad.” He shook his head and shoved his hands into his pockets. I got into my car and started it, watching the bus appear down the road. I watched Matt Junior quickly duck into the bushes, waiting for the bus to turn the corner before he looked back at the house to make sure no one was looking and ran across the street. That little bastard! Got out of my car as quickly and quietly as possible and kept myself a good distance way as I followed him. I sent a quick text message to Scarlet, telling her I was following Matt and asking her to call my work and tell them I wouldn’t be in.
We walked through four neighborhoods before he got to his destination. I shook my head as he walked right into the house he approached, instead of knocking as I had taught I'm to do, no matter what anyone else told him to do. When I was sure it was safe, I went up to the side of the house and peeked quickly into the window. I couldn’t see anyone, the room looked empty. I moved to the next window, and this room also looked empty. I went around to the back, and looked in the glass sliding door. There was still no one in my vision. My eyes followed a trellis up the side of the house to a second floor window. There looked like a path had been used more than just a few times. I couldn’t believe that I actually considered climbing it. But this didn’t cross my mind as crazy until I was grabbing onto the window sill and looking into the room. On the bed was my son in lion form with a cub between his arms. He was cleaning it as if it were his. I was pissed!
There were so many things going through my mind, I couldn’t concentrate on any of them. He had already had a baby! That’s why he got so mad when we told him our news! Or he was babysitting! Why wouldn’t he tell us? Wouldn’t it be obvious? But then something bigger dawned on me. He wasn’t acting like this was his cub, but his…. I almost fell off the trellis as I realized this was his mate.
“Matthew, I will not stand to let my son become a deviant!” she spoke sternly to me.
“Neither do I. Tattoos do not make you a deviant. I am covered in tattoos!” I held out my arms.
“No, but you were never out all night, ignoring your family, acting like you are ashamed of your family!” she insisted. “This is not okay!”
“Your mother has a point, Junior.” I shrugged a little. She was right. He was wrong to be out all night, and he was steering off the wrong track. I wasn’t sure why, or what was causing his actions.
“I can do what I want, dad. If you want me to get ready for school, I need privacy.” He pointed toward the door. I took Scarlet’s arm gently, pulling her with me out of his room. Genevieve was making her way down the stairs.
“I will make you fresh toast.” Scarlet called to her softly, though stayed tucked under my arm as we made our way downstairs together.
“There has to be something going on with him…” I mumbled quietly. “He is acting so weird…”
“I know, but I don’t know what. And he doesn’t seem to be opening up any more than he has before.” She made her way to the toaster and made Genevieve toast. I poured myself another glass of orange juice, but didn’t dare sit across from Genevieve. Not after the mornings towel episode. It wasn’t long before Jr. came into the kitchen, sitting and making a bowl of cereal that he wasted no time in inhaling. We all started to say our daily goodbyes for the day to make our way to work and school. I walked outside with the kids.
“I’ll pick you up right afterschool, Matthew.” I turned to him as he walked towards the bus stop on the corner.
“Whatever, dad.” He shook his head and shoved his hands into his pockets. I got into my car and started it, watching the bus appear down the road. I watched Matt Junior quickly duck into the bushes, waiting for the bus to turn the corner before he looked back at the house to make sure no one was looking and ran across the street. That little bastard! Got out of my car as quickly and quietly as possible and kept myself a good distance way as I followed him. I sent a quick text message to Scarlet, telling her I was following Matt and asking her to call my work and tell them I wouldn’t be in.
We walked through four neighborhoods before he got to his destination. I shook my head as he walked right into the house he approached, instead of knocking as I had taught I'm to do, no matter what anyone else told him to do. When I was sure it was safe, I went up to the side of the house and peeked quickly into the window. I couldn’t see anyone, the room looked empty. I moved to the next window, and this room also looked empty. I went around to the back, and looked in the glass sliding door. There was still no one in my vision. My eyes followed a trellis up the side of the house to a second floor window. There looked like a path had been used more than just a few times. I couldn’t believe that I actually considered climbing it. But this didn’t cross my mind as crazy until I was grabbing onto the window sill and looking into the room. On the bed was my son in lion form with a cub between his arms. He was cleaning it as if it were his. I was pissed!
There were so many things going through my mind, I couldn’t concentrate on any of them. He had already had a baby! That’s why he got so mad when we told him our news! Or he was babysitting! Why wouldn’t he tell us? Wouldn’t it be obvious? But then something bigger dawned on me. He wasn’t acting like this was his cub, but his…. I almost fell off the trellis as I realized this was his mate.
Notes
Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you guys are awesome! thanks for the 10.0 rating! Just for that, there will be a second update tonight that I am going to work on right now!thank you for all of my comments, you guys rock! spread the word about my story! :)
Thank you again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2/12/13