Through The Eyes of a Child

� Katrina99 Ch 4

Rated G

Linda sat nervously on the sofa, she hated to call Jordan and ask him to do this again but she really couldn't go. Evan ran around the house playing with his toys yelling at the top of his lungs.

"Evan will you shut your mouth goddamnit! Ever since you got home you've been a constant bother. Now go into your room and get out my damn face."

Evan stopped and stared at his mom. Memories of nights before flashed in front of him and he stood there for a second before running to his room crying. Linda felt bad about yelling at him but she also knew she couldn't take another moment of the yelling and she was afraid she would do something that she regretted. She dialed Jordan's cell and prayed that he answered.

Jordan hung up his phone annoyed. Once again Linda was asking him to step up in the parental roll and take Evan to his appointment. No more! Jordan was going to have a serious talk with Linda, tonight.

Rodelyn came out to meet Evan again and was surprised to see Jordan sitting in the lobby. "Hey." She said, she was getting used to seeing him now.

"Hey. Linda couldn't make it so, I'm the surrogate." Rodelyn rolled her eyes.

"Something better come along...than her son." Rodelyn couldn't help it, just listening to Evan and reading his chart she had immediate disgust for the woman.

"Not fair you know. She's trying. Do you think he would be this unhappy if she was still in that life?"

Rodelyn just sighed and called Evan over. "Unfortunately Jordan, the damage is already done." She walked inside with Evan leaving Jordan standing there staring at the closed door.

An hour later Evan emerged with more candy and a gigantic smile on his face "Roddy said I'm her favorite kid. Oh but I'm not supposed to tell anybody." He looked shyly around at the receptionist, the only other person within earshot.

"Hey that's great little buddy, did you tell her you think she's something special too, since you're always talking about her?" Jordan swung him up.

"Nah, never let a girl know you like them, it's the kiss of death."

Jordan fought hard to keep from laughing "I guess there's more to life I've got to teach you."

The receptionist gave Jordan Evan's next appointment date "Please tell Linda to make sure she makes it." Jordan nodded and walked out just as Rodelyn was walking out.

"Deja vu" Jordan called.

"Yeah exactly." She laughed and tightened her coat.

"We can give you a ride Rodelyn, I know the way." He winked at her and held open the door.

"Well, okay I suppose." Once again she found herself sitting in Jordan's plush seats.

"I'm hungry Jordan, can we stop and get something to eat before I get home? There's probably not anything at home to eat."

Rodelyn looked at Jordan.

"You mean mom won't have anything cooked right?" Jordan tried to correct him.

"Uh Hun."

"Well I'll just see what I can do for you. What do you say Rodelyn, want to join us for a cheap, fast dinner? My treat." Jordan proceeded to get off the expressway.

"Looks like I don't have a choice do I?" She laughed as Jordan pulled off and started driving down streets.

"Apparently not." He pulled over at Bickfords.

"Um, please, no, anything but that." Rodelyn from experience knew that you did NOT eat there.

"Why?" Evan jumped up and down. "Bickfords, Bickfords. I want an omelet."

"I just don't feel like food poisoning, that's all."

Jordan rolled his eyes, "I don't even want to know, but okay." They drove back upon the expressway.

"Hey that's not fair I wanted Bickfords why do we have to go where she wants to go?"

"Because she's a lady and apparently all their needs come before ours. Let that be your first boy girl lesson."

"Oh boy, that should be interesting." Rodelyn laughed and checked out the sites. Finally Jordan pulled into a Denny's "More to your liking madam?"

"Okay, I haven't died off them yet." They all got out and Evan went straight out into the parking lot.

"Evan! You do not run out like that." Rodelyn caught his hand "Cars can hit you because they don't see you. Do you know how fast you are?" Evan stared at Rodelyn. "Aww sweetie I'm not angry at you, don't look at me like that. I just don't want you to get hurt, that's all." She smoothed his hair back.

Jordan watched her and sighed. He loved the way she acted towards him. She'd make a great mother one day. Jordan shook the thought out of his head and they walked in. They stayed for longer than they thought. It was an interesting and enjoyable dinner and Rodelyn found herself opening up to Jordan more than she wanted. She couldn't help it, he was turning out to be a great friend. Evan was a handful but she loved it. She looked around and noticed a few people nearby looking at them and smiling. Why? She wondered but then it hit her, they probably looked like a family on their nightly outing. She had to admit, they could have been. All with their dark hair and dark features. Evan even resembled Jordan in a way. Evan got up to go to the bathroom, which prompted her.

"So who's Evan's father?"

"Some guy I suppose. Linda won't say she just wants to forget it happened, so I'm thinking it wasn't in the best of circumstances."

Jordan's eyes got dark as he thought about what could have happened. "Oh, chalk it up to the drugs and stuff right?"

"No I don't think she was on drugs or anything back them. I've known her for a long time and she wasn't this way. That's why I believe that what she says she'll do, she will. I've seen her completely sober and completely straight and I know how she was before all of this happened. She had goals and dreams just like the rest of us Rodelyn."

"But she chose to drown them all in what we call 'nuisance substances'? We all have choices, its what we choose that carries us in life." Again Rodelyn felt the anger welling up. Just looking at this boy and the life he could have had for the first 6 years made her want to tear that woman to shreds and protect Evan from any more hurt.

"Calm down Rodelyn, you don't even know her. Don't you believe in second chances?"

"Don't you believe in firsts? She hasn't given him a first chance to do anything Jordan. Evan lost 6 years of his life to hers. He can never have that back. He's already on his second chance." They both noticed her voice was rising and as Evan came back to the table she shut up.

"Okay ready to go now, and see, my hands are all clean." He put his hands up for inspection.

"And wet, you ever heard of towels." Jordan took a napkin and started wiping his hands.

Rodelyn looked at him. He'd make a great father one day.

Once again Jordan found himself outside of her apartment. "Hey can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead, I'll try to answer."

"Well I was just wondering if you would like to go with me and Evan tomorrow to New York?"

Rodelyn turned to him in surprise "What?"

"Calm down I was just wondering, I mean I know it's your weekend and all but I think it would be fun. We could stay for a day or two if you want. Just hang out and show the kid around." He smiled at Evan.

"Oh yeah Rodelyn you'd have fun, we'd make sure we go to all the places you want to go." Evan was quickly learning.

"I've been there done that Jordan. I'd just be in the way of the male bonding ritual."

"See, we're going to need someone to take us back to our senses. I'm only going to ask once, okay twice. But then I don't want to see you break a dudes heart." He turned to Evan and on cue Evan got the sad puppy dog eyes.

"Oh man, DON'T do that. Oh gawd, okay okay, I can't say no to that." She turned to Jordan. "sneak."

Jordan just smiled that smile of his. Wow she could just imagine herself back in the day. She probably couldn't even get this far without hyperventilating at least once a day. Her and Jordan were becoming almost friends.

"Well since that is settled, what's your number? I'll call you when we're ready to go. You want to go one day or two?"

"One's fine, I have things to do on Sunday, if you two don't mind. WAIT!" She closed her eyes "If you two don't mind." Jordan busted out laughing. Evan didn't get it.

"One day is fine, I'm sure by Sunday I'll be grumpy anyway." Rodelyn jotted down her number and said goodnight to the two guys.

Jordan drove Evan home. When he got there he noticed the door was not locked. "Stay out here Evan" Jordan said cautiously and walked in. Nothing looked out of place, or stolen. He walked through the house and brought Evan in. As Jordan passed her bedroom he saw Linda laying down across the bed.

"I can't believe she sleeps with the door open in Dorchester." He made a mental note to yell at her tomorrow. That's when he noticed the empty bottle of vodka on the nightstand. "Oh shit" He walked in and closed the door so that Evan wouldn't come in. Sure enough the stench of alcohol permeated the room. He walked over and saw that she'd vomited on the floor directly under where her head was laying. Disgusted he opened a window and rolled her onto the bed. He wasn't cleaning up that mess. Let her clean up the mess known as her life when she wakes up in the morning.

He wrote a little note and left it on the bed by her and closed her door. Then he went into Evan's room and took out some clothes. Evan came out "What ya doing?"

"Your mom said it's okay if you stay with me tonight since we're going tomorrow."

"Yippee, I love staying at your house, it's so great. Can we play video games or watch a movie or watch people or..."

"Nah little man, it's way past your bed time and we're going to be up all day tomorrow anyway, you've got to get your rest."

Jordan packed some stuff up for him and walked through the door, he turned around and looked at the house, all the drab and weariness tearing at his eyes. This was the life that this little boy was to grow up in? He walked out and locked the door.

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