by JR Thompson
“Fine. Whatever,” the teen grumbled.
3
Scattered papers and mounds of folders on Philip’s desk served as evidence that it had been a hectic Monday — three court hearings, a new client intake, four check-ins, a petition to revoke a client’s probation, and too many phone calls to count. Glancing at his watch, he wondered if Billy was going to show up after school.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, he heard footsteps coming down the hall. Cassie marched in without bothering to knock. “Good afternoon, Philip,” she said in a very business-like manner.
Philip’s face turned a slight shade of red. He secretly hoped she had decided to give him another chance. “Good afternoon to you,” he said while attempting to look deep into her soul. Sometimes Cassie could be a hard person to read.
“How are things going with Alden?” she asked.
Philip smirked. This conversation was starting off a lot better than the ones where she was on one side of a closed door, and he was on the other. Perhaps she had finally come to her senses. “He’s a work in progress. I’m just thankful I have the—”
Cassie cleared her throat, “I wasn’t looking for a long explanation. I was simply being polite,” she sneered before whipping a necklace out of her purse and tossing it on his desk. “I just came by to return this.”
“I bought that for you, Cassie. It’s not mine anymore.”
“I don’t want the cheap thing!”
Philip stood to his feet, “Cheap? I paid over $300 for that necklace!”
“Whoever sold it to you saw you coming,” Cassie laughed. “Oh, well. I don’t feel right holding onto it — especially now that I’m seeing Nathan.”
Philip shook his head. “I’m sorry... What was that?”
“You heard me, Philip! I’m seeing a man who worships the ground I walk on. He doesn’t keep me hidden in the shadows. He doesn’t consider me the least of his priorities. He values our relationship.”
The office phone rang. “Hold on just a second, Cassie.”
“No problem,” she said. “I’m used to hanging out on the back burner.”
It was obvious Cassie hadn’t reconsidered. She was still far too immature to understand the call on Philip’s life. He only wished there was a way he could get her to open her eyes. Jealousy was an ugly thing. The girl wanted one-hundred percent of his undivided attention; that was too much to expect of anyone.
“Philip Bones speaking...,” He should have checked the caller id. Of all people to call, why did it have to be him? “Hi Alden, I was just talking about you, man… Of course, I was saying good things. I’m proud of you, bud… Unfortunately, I can’t swing by today… I have… uh…,” Philip looked up at Cassie for a moment, “I have another obligation… Is everything okay?... Alright, bud. In that case, I’ll give you a call later tonight. Will that work?... Alright. Talk to you later.” Philip hung up. “Sorry about that, Cassie… So, you’re seeing someone else? It’s a little soon. Don’t you think?”
“I believe that’s for me to decide. But apparently, I’m not the only one seeing someone else.”
Philip shook his head. “I’m still single, Cassie. To be honest, I’ve been hoping we could get back together.”
His former girlfriend took a seat. “Do you really expect me to believe that, Philip? I just heard you tell Alden you couldn’t swing by his place tonight due to another commitment. Do you doubt my intelligence? You’re crazy about that kid. There’s no way you would blow him off unless you have a hot date.”
Philip chuckled.
“What’s funny?” Cassie asked.
Philip shook his head while continuing to smile.
“What, Philip?”
“Cassie… I’m not seeing anyone else. I can assure you of that.”
“Really? I’d love to hear about an obligation that’s more important than your thirteen-year-old heathen.”
Philip sat back down. He knew he didn’t owe Cassie an explanation. They may have worked in the same building, but he had his clients, and she had hers. At the same time, if there was to be even the remotest possibility of a rekindled flame, he was going to have to communicate. “One of my clients got himself thrown out of his house,” he said.
“Oh… I’m sorry to hear that. What do you have to do? Give him a ride to a shelter?”
“He’s staying with me for a while.”
“You’re allowing a client to move in with you? Are you nuts?”
“Cassie, we’ve been through all of this before.”
“Yes, we have. And I still don’t understand your way of thinking. You’re asking for a lawsuit. You can’t let juvenile delinquents stay at your place. That’s a conflict of interest if nothing else.”
Philip smiled, “This decision is not up for debate. God has called me to help these young men any way that I can, and that’s what I plan to do.”
Cassie stood. Raising her voice, she said, “Well, I have to thank you, Philip, for confirming that I made the right choice! The whole time we were dating, your mentoring took first place to our relationship. Now that this new client becomes a part of your life… you’re willing to push Alden away for him. I’ll never understand you!” Cassie spun around and bolted out the door.
Philip followed behind her. “Cassie, wait!... Please... Can we talk about this?”
At the end of the hall, Philip was stunned to see Billy sitting in the waiting room and even more so to see the teen grin and flirtatiously wink at Cassie as she stormed past him.
“Be right back,” Philip said, following her into the hall. “Cassie!... Can we be adults about this?”
“Looks like you have someone waiting! Better tend to him!”
Giving up, Philip turned and walked back to the lobby. “Somebody got burned,” Billy said. “Can’t believe you let your women talk to you like that, Mr. B.”
Mr. Bones was ready to explode. It took concentrated effort not to snap. Those foolish words came from a kid who didn’t know better. Mr. Bones only had to remind himself of that about a dozen times a day. “It’s Mr. Bones, Billy.”
“Right. That’s what I said.”
“Billy!” Mr. Bones nearly shouted.
“Sorry, sir.”
“That’s more like it.” Mr. Bones tried to regain his composure. “How was school?”
“How would I know? I’ve been hanging out at the mall all day.”
Mr. Bones was boiling. How was he supposed to stay cool, calm, and collected when the client he was bending over backward to help was making a mockery of the whole situation? “To my office, now!... And get those jeans up!”
Once they were both in the office, Mr. Bones slammed his door and stood nose to nose with Billy. “You violated your probation and the rules of my house. You cannot, under any circumstances, cut class. That is completely out of line!”
“Yes, sir.”
“What I want to know is why, Billy. I drove you to school. I dropped you off at the front door. How hard would it have been just to go inside?”
“Nobody said it was hard, sir.”
Oh, that boy! He had better count his lucky stars that he was a client and not the man’s son. Mr. Bones had to stay within semi-professional boundaries, no matter what was going through his mind. “So, you didn’t even go to one class?”
“No, sir… I went to all of them.”
“Why would you… wait!... You what?”
“I went to all of them. I was just pulling your leg, Mr. Bones… You should learn to control that temper.”
The probation officer shook his head. “Have a seat, Billy.”
“Yes, sir.”
Mr. Bones walked around to the other side of his desk, sat down, and stared intently at Billy for a second. As angry as he had been, he couldn’t stay that way for long. Grinning, he said, “You got me, kid.”
“Thanks, Mr. B… I mean, Mr. Bones.”
“You know I’m gonna have to pay you back, right?”
“For having a littl
e fun?”
“Oh, you’re not the only one with a sense of humor. Just wait, man. You’ll get yours.”
4
Tamara didn’t know what she wanted. Ever since Mr. Bones said they were coming over, she hadn’t been able to do anything. Her heart was full of love for her son, but his endless drama was dragging her down. The time for their meeting had finally arrived.
“Thanks for agreeing to speak with us,” the probation officer told her.
“No problem,” Tamara replied. “Let’s go in here and sit at the dining table.” She turned her attention to Billy, “I’m assuming you have something to say to me?”
Billy answered in a whisper, “I’m sorry, Momma.”
Tamara detested that word. It sounded good but coming from her son, it didn’t mean a thing; it never did. As they all took their seats, she demanded an explanation, “You’re sorry for what?”
“For everything, Momma. I understand why you kicked me out. I’ve learned my lesson. Can I come back home?”
That’s what she thought — Billy’s apology was a sham. Just a manipulation tactic to get what he wanted. Did the boy forget they had lived under the same roof for the past fourteen years? “You ain’t gonna be sleeping in this house again ‘til you figure out how to obey me.”
“I will, Momma.”
“Let’s find out if you will… Tell me who you sold it to, son.”
“Momma!... I done told you — I don’t know the man’s name!”
Tamara cocked her head and wagged her finger under Billy’s nose. “You are using that tongue for deceit, boy! You didn’t sell it to no stranger! Not something that belonged to your daddy! I know you better than that now!”
“Momma, how many times we gonna have this talk? Can’t you just let it go?”
Tamara started to reply, but Mr. Bones interjected, “Billy, you better try that again. You don’t speak to any adult that way and especially not your mother.”
Tamara mouthed a silent, “Thank you” to the probation officer for standing up for her. She was tired of her son’s rudeness. Even though it happened practically every day, she never got used to it.
“So, what?” Billy shouted. “Now ya’ll think you’re gonna double-team me?”
“Nobody’s double-teaming anybody, Billy. But you will respect your mother.”
Billy laid his head on the table. “Raise that head up,” Mr. Bones ordered. “You look at your mother and tell her who you sold it to.”
Billy looked up. “I already told her... I know it was a stupid thing to do, but I sold it to a complete stranger because I needed the money.”
Tamara smacked the table with an open palm. “You needed money? You didn’t need nothing. You wanted. You lusted after. You couldn’t be man enough to resist temptation. You sold something of sentimental value just to get a temporary high!”
“I’m sorry, Momma!... Really, I am.”
“Not as sorry as I am, son. If you’d just tell me who you sold it to, I could try to buy it back.” Tamara didn’t know where her son got his stubbornness from. When he was determined to hold back information, he could do it like nobody else. Time and time again she had witnessed him lie for days or weeks at a time before she finally discovered the truth on her own. He could say he was sorry a thousand times, beg for forgiveness, insist he knew nothing more — and none of it would mean anything.
“Momma, I done spent the money I got for it. You ain’t got another $150 laying around here.”
“$150?” Tamara shook her head in disgust. “That’s all you got out of your daddy’s pocket watch?” She wanted to stretch her hands around Billy’s throat and choke the life out of him. Where did that boy come up with such foolish ideas?
“$150 was a lot of money, Momma… That thing was old; it wasn’t even ticking no more.”
The prideful expression on her son’s face made Tamara want to hurl. His ignorance was astounding. “Your daddy inherited that watch from your granddaddy who inherited it from your great-granddaddy. The last time I looked it up, it was worth $800. It’s probably worth more than that by now.”
Billy pushed himself away from the table. “Whoa, whoa, whoa! You mean to tell me that guy crooked me?... Oh, man! He better hope I ain’t never run into him on the street somewhere.”
Tamara’s eyes nearly bulged out of her head. “Billy, you’re getting mad at the wrong person. The buyer ain’t the one to blame here — you are! Your daddy handed you that watch when he was laid up in that hospital bed. Right when he was speaking his last words. How could—”
“Momma, please don’t remind me,” Billy said. “I know I was wrong. I feel bad enough as it is.”
“That man loved you, Billy. He loved me. He was the best husband and father—”
“Stop it, Momma! Please, stop it!”
Tamara’s eyes swam in tears. “You couldn’t think of nothing but the drugs! Ain’t your daddy worth more than that to you?”
“Yes, Momma! But I don’t need that ole watch to remind me of him. I think about Daddy every day.”
Tamara shook her head. “I don’t know what to do, Billy. I’m at a loss here. You disrespect me. You don’t care nothing about your deceased father. And it’s not just this one incident either. I directly asked if you had any weed in this house and what did you tell me?”
“I don’t have any, Momma!... You can search my stuff.”
Tamara felt her heart tearing to pieces. It was getting to the point that she didn’t even know her own son anymore. She hated to respond to his last statement because she knew an explosion would certainly ensue. But if it were going to happen, she’d prefer it take place in front of the probation officer. “I already searched your room, Billy,” she told him.
Billy stood up. “You did what?”
“I went through everything with a fine-toothed comb, son.”
Billy slowly turned himself in a complete circle while covering his face. “Oh no you didn’t!... Momma! Why would you go and do somethin’ like that?”
“Would you like to tell Mr. Bones what I found in your room or would you rather I show it to him?”
The probation officer gave Billy an angry stare, “I suggest you tell me, boy. Did you bring illegal substances into this house?”
Billy walked into the living room for a minute before slowly returning to his seat, “Mr. Bones, I wasn’t honest with her... I had some marijuana under my bed.”
“And that’s not all, Billy,” Tamara scolded. “Is it?”
“No, ma’am… Momma, I know this looks really bad. But I’m sorry... I really am.”
Mr. Bones interjected, “What else did she find, Billy?”
Billy glared at his momma. “How long were you in my room?”
“Long enough to find it all, son.”
“Fine,” Billy grumbled. “Had some chewing tobacco, a couple of bottles of beer, a crack pipe, a pair of brass knuckles… That’s all I remember.”
“Pretty much sums it up.”
Mr. Bones and Tamara looked at each other for a moment. “Do you have anything on you now, Billy?” Mr. Bones asked.
“No, sir. Nothing.”
“So you have no objections to letting me search you?”
Billy shook his head, “Do what you gotta do, man! I ain’t got nothin’ to hide.”
“You better not be lying to me.”
“I ain’t, man. Here, look!” Billy flipped his pockets inside out. With the exception of a gum wrapper, they were empty.
Mr. Bones turned his attention to Tamara, “Where do you want to go from here?”
“I keep asking myself the same question,” Tamara replied. “But right now, I think my boy needs a man in his life. A man who will lay down the law. Mr. Bones, how long can he stay with you?”
Mr. Bones glanced at Billy and then back at Tamara, “He can stay as long as it takes — but Tamara, he’s your son. He needs his mother.”
“I know that.” It wasn’t that Tamara didn’t want him. She feared Bi
lly. She never knew what he might take or who he might take it from. Every time somebody knocked on the door, she expected to see her son standing there in handcuffs. Never having a moment’s rest was taking a toll on her mental stability.
“We need to work on getting him back here with you,” the probation officer told her.
“I agree,” Tamara said. Her heart was so heavy it hurt. She now understood the old adage about parenting not being for sissies. “Billy and I need some time away from each other.”
“But Momma!” Billy interrupted. “This man’s makin’ me go to bed at 10:30! He won’t let me hang out with my friends after school. He won’t even let me dress the way I want to.”
For the first time in their meeting, Tamara smiled, “I’m glad to hear that, Billy... Mr. Bones, keep up the good work.”
“Keep up the good work?... Momma!”
“Hey, I ain’t got no problem with somebody makin’ you keep your boxers covered up.”
Billy could tell he wasn’t going to win this battle. He changed the subject, “Momma, can I at least get some of my clothes while I’m here?”
Mr. Bones answered for her, “Absolutely not! I already told you no on that one. You’re not going to play your mother and me against one another.”
“Momma! Do you hear this man?... He be wantin’ me to wear the same clothes every day and to wash ‘em every night!”
Mr. Bones spoke in Tamara’s place again. “Not only is that the way I want things, but that’s the way things are going to be until you get your act together. You want your clothes? Straighten up so you can move back into your own house!”
5
Sporting a white bath towel, Billy folded the futon couch into a bed while grumbling, “Mr. Bones think he all high and mighty. Be gettin’ kicks outta rulin’ over teenagers. He’ll regret it one of these days.”
The dryer buzzed for several seconds. Billy headed down the hall, mumbling, “My momma would yell ‘til my eardrums ruptured if I ran the washer and dryer for one outfit — especially one that ain’t even dirty. What a waste of electric! Ole dude must have a bigger stack of papers than he has brains.”