AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Billy also adapts well to his pseudo-paternal role, not wanting to break Chase’s spirit, since he seems to look up to him. He listens attentively, to all of Chase’s stories, and Chase is determined to tell him everything that’s happened in his life for the past nine years. At the same time, Billy’s also generous with stories of his own. He tells Chase almost fantastical stories of his time in the marines, and Chase hangs on to his every word, like he's God.
I don’t know how I feel about the stories, because I don’t necessarily want my son to be exposed to such violence, so young.
‘"Do you know for sure that he actually served in the military?” Luke asks me one night, as we’re lying together. “The stories Billy tells are too outlandish. He might as well have read it from a book.”
“How would you know?”
Luke glances at me. “I know a bunch of people who served. None of them describe it like that.”
"Hmm," is all I say. I’m still not convinced, and I tell Billy to tone down the stories, in the meantime, or not tell them at all. He agrees, but it doesn’t stop Chase from putting him on a pedestal, cutting into his hockey time with Luke.
“Don’t you want to go play with Luke,” I ask him once, as he and Chase chill on the couch, watching Star Trek. That used to be Billy’s favorite TV show. Chase shakes his head a little.
"I have school tomorrow,” he says.
“But the championship is coming up,” I remind him. “And you want to be ready.” Though we’ve won the last game, the next one determines whether we’re going to the finals.
“It’ll be fine Mom. Hockey isn’t everything. Right, Da-I mean Billy?” He glances at Billy.
I sigh. It’s not the first time Chase almost slipped up calling Billy ‘Dad’, and I got tired of correcting him.
Billy looks at me, bewildered.
I shoot him a wide-eyed, head-jutting out look back, silently urging him to do the responsible thing.
He looks back to Chase. “Hey Buddy, I want you to remember that I’m not your Dad, ok? But I can be your friend.”
“Yeah, ok,” Chase says passively, staring at the TV.
“And also, it’s a good thing to honor prior commitments."
“But you’re only in town for a couple of weeks,” Chase tells Billy, and it's my turn to be surprised. I didn’t know that Billy was going to be in town for a few weeks. He only said a few days and he hasn't even told me what he's here for.
All his details so far, have been kinda vague and nonspecific. I’m trying not to pry too much into it. Mostly because I'm concerned. He has trauma from the military, and I don't want to unlock it.
Although he seems comfortable enough talking about his military escapades with my son.
“Alright.” I cave. "You can hang out for tonight, but tomorrow, you’re gonna train for an hour with Luke. Deal?"
“Deal,” he says grinning. I shake my head and start towards the kitchen, which also happens to be in the direction of the front door. Billy instantly asks. "Where are you going?”
I turn back to him. “To the kitchen. Why?”
He shakes his head. “No reason.”
I frown. It’s not the first time he’s asked me that question. He seems to like to tag along with me even when it's just going to pick up mail or something. And the fact that he's here with us, even after I told him he could stay at my house...
“I’ll move back, when you move," he said, and that was that. It was odd. Maybe he had something about staying in a house by himself. I've heard that sometimes traumatized soldiers do have those types of hang-ups.
But that doesn’t explain why he insists on escorting me everywhere. Except when Luke is with me. Then he backs off.
I shake my head, as I head to the kitchen to get some water. It’s strange. I know that Billy isn’t in love with me, or anything like that. We broke up mutually and parted amicably. We knew we were together more out of habit, than any real passion for each other. We were more friends than anything else, by the end.
So why is he back now, staying with me? What does he want and why does he want to follow me everywhere?
When I come back, Billy and Chase are still engrossed in the movie, so I head upstairs. I first check on Mikey, who’s taking a pre-dinner nap, after finishing his homework. Then I head to Luke’s office. He’s on the phone when I get there but he beckons me in, anyway.
“That’s not a good idea," he says, to whoever is on the phone. “It messes up our entire strategy.”
