Page 13 of His Virgin Angel

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“I’m sick of being called an orphan,” Brian said.

Jack sat at the dining room table listening as Brian told him everything that led up to the fight. For an eight year old boy, he was really something.

“You can’t start fights.”

“Why not? I’m not really starting them. They’re being mean to me.”

“How do you think your sister will feel? She does a lot to keep you safe and well.”

Brian sat back, looking every part the victim.

He liked this kid. Brian had come a long way from the beaten kid he used to be. He wasn’t as frail either. From what he was told, he had quite the healthy appetite.

“She won’t do anything. She can’t. She’s just my sister.”

“Do you really want your mom and father back?”

Brian shook his head.

“I didn’t think so. You didn’t even know who your father was. Whatever the kids say at school, ignore them. They don’t know what you’ve been through.”

His door opened.

“Brian,” Piper said, calling out his name.

“We’re in here.”

She came around the corner, a bag on her shoulder. “Drake told me. Fighting again, seriously?”

“This has happened more than once?” Jack asked.

“Yeah, try every single week.” She dropped her bag and folded her arms.

Jack stared from Piper to Brian then back again. Both had their arms folded, and both looked mightily pissed.

“They started it,” Brian said.

“Really? The principal told me that if your behavior continued he was going to have no choice but to contact social services!”

That was news to Jack. “Excuse me?”

She turned toward him, her brown eyes flashing with concern. She was such an easy person to read. “He pulled me into the office. Brian’s refusing to listen to his teachers, back chatting, bad language, and being an all-around pain. What he doesn’t seem to understand is that me caring for him apparently comes with conditions. Some of those are me being able to cope with your mood changes, Brian. I told you this, and you promised.”

“You don’t know what it’s like! They call me an orphan. They tell me I’m not loved, and that I only have a sister.”

“At least you have a sister, Bri. God, ugh, I get it, okay? You don’t think I dealt with that myself?”

“No.”

“Yes, I did. I was called the daughter of a whore. I was trash, from the gutter. All the bad names you can think about, I was called it because of our mother. I don’t even know who my father is, okay? There were that many men.” Piper stamped her foot. “You’re only eight and you’re fighting. Do you want to live with someone else, is that it?”

He was advanced for his years, which surprised Jack.

Brian looked toward Jack. “Can they really take me away?”

Not on his watch they couldn’t, and he’d be paying a special visit to the principal after this conversation was over.

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