Page 44 of Seamus: Unconventional
She laughs putting her arm out. I look where she is and smile.
“You’re done reading to Judge?” I make sure to use Judge.
“Katie said he’s Sam.” Vinny is a bit of a stickler as he sits on Katie getting a hug for being that stickler I bet. He sides with her more than me I’ve noticed, mostly because my partners point it out…regularly.
I shrug looking at Judge. “Pick a name already.” Katie left his name up to him.
He noses his watch and hits two of his recents. I laugh at his new name, ‘Judge Sam.’
Katie shakes her head. Her face says she was hoping for Sam.
Vinny looks at it then at Judge. “Judge Sam. I like it. I got two names, Leon Kristos, for my middle now.”
Judge chuffs. Fairy looks from Judge Sam to me, then walks away like she just got paid a dollar for the fake art she bought. Or what really happened and the art she picked for her room isn’t the exact color blue she saw on Nike’s hologram board. She ignored me and her picture when it wasn’t the ‘azul’she picked. Her new picture is actually teal but I’m not pointing that one out. She’d be the one to bite me for my cheekiness.
“Judge Sam it is.” It’s a name he picked. It works because I can still call him Judge like always. I see the partners throwing names around the chip and realize this is going to cause more shit.
“How many pages did you read?” Katie draws me away from the partner shenanigans.
Vinny’s eyes and smile shine proud. “We finished the book. Shadow showed me how to put the reader control up so Judge Sam can read his part.”
I replay that. “You’re using accessibility options so he can read to you?”
“Yeah. Shadow used to read me stories when Leon was tired. He showed me how to do it so Judge Sam can learn to read. I know how to read but the reader control highlights the words for him and he uses English like me. Shadow sounds like Simon Cowell people.” Simon Cowell?
I look at Judge. Is that how the K-9s learn to read? I don’t ask. I don’t ask about Simon either. I block out the name game from the chip and focus on Vinny. “Where’s Mark?”
“Right here. I was waiting for you to finish. Izzy was showing me the mess in the chip. It’s more chaotic than the Bit chats.”
I push down, turn and adjust me so I can see Mark and Izzy behind us. I make a note to never join Bit chats. Asa and Laran talk to me separately. I can see Anton hosting chaotic chats. “Did you get the class you wanted from Nash?” Falcon said I can ask Alexia for the IT programming Mark was asking about. I’d rather him not bother Nash while he’s away.
“No.” His sulky word causes blank to slide down my face.
“Alexia does IT classes on virtual. I sent an email to her for the classes. Laran said you need test scores to move to the next level.”
He nods. “I have them but the teacher said I’m too young.”
I nod. “He’s rethinking that. Kristos said he’d talk to him tonight. Tomorrow I’ll hear from Alexia and your teacher will have a new outlook.”
Happy jumps into his eyes. “Yeah?”
I nod. “Yeah. Nash does IT but he’s a VP like Mase and Light. If you need help, I know where to get it or who would know where to get it from.”
He looks down then back at me quickly. “You’re busy all day. I didn’t want to bother you with school stuff when you stop. You got your own problems with all of us and the Club.”
“That’s exactly what I’m here for, Brother. Our lives work best together. I’m not looking to Lord over you, but I’m here when you need me, advice, help, or just to be. I get that back from you and someone thinks I’m fit enough to sign parental shit so I can do that too.”
He laughs at me. “Light signs what I need.”
He’s right but he doesn’t have to point it out. “Don’t be a shithead. Ask when you need help. Nash is in Massachusetts with the Protectors. They’ll be back next week.”
He nods looking like sulky doesn’t exist and he’s older than me. “He’s in Rhode Island but you’re right. I think I bounce from happy to feeling bad that Leon isn’t here without seeing it’s what I’m doing.”
The boy is perceptive and probably older than me in every way but age. “It’s expected and I’m just letting you know if you’re reaching for a connection, my hand is out. You don’t have to reach across a country for it.”
He leans over with a smile and pat to my shoulder. I pull his arm and kiss his head. “Go laugh at me over there.” I point away from me. General area is all I give and smile getting shit for where exactly I mean. I love having boys now.
He goes with Izzy giving me her goofy smile as she follows. I nod knowing I’m immature before she throws pictures at me.
