Copyright © 2026 by Julien Gregg
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The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.
TWELVE
Classes started that Monday and I was faced with Professor Thiphet once again. This time my eyes were open when I spoke to him. He didn't take any points from anyone that first day. I told Kevin that he was a very hard professor and would start taking points soon. Kevin said he'd take my word for it. Professor Grant's history class was fun. He talked to us about points in history that he would cover. He told us that we were advanced students and he would teach us things about the history of our country that we might not know.
I had French first hour, History second hour, Trigonometry third hour, Introduction to Computers fourth hour, Chemistry fifth hour, and Drafting and Electronics sixth hour. Then we were released for the day. I got along with all of my professors. I was sure that Thiphet would show his ass sooner or later. That happened the next day. He took five points from me for stumbling on a verb in French. Five points wasn't so bad. I continued to read the passage and he took no more points. He did lecture us in French that we had better have a firm grasp on the language or he would take points. He told us he wouldn't coddle us like other professors, and he wouldn't tolerate stupidity.
The change in this timeline was that Dustin was in all of my classes. I hadn't talked to him yet, but he smiled at me when I looked at him. I smiled back at him every single time. Then one day at lunch he came to talk to me. He sat down, and I had to resist the urge to take his hand under the table. That would just confuse him and probably scare him. I wasn't about to do anything to cause him any discomfort. I loved him completely, and sooner or later I'd be able to let him know.
"Thiphet seems like he's going to be a hard professor," he said to me. "I'm Dustin Flox. I'm living in the room next to yours. You and your brother are the youngest boys to go to Maxwell Academy."
"Yeah," I said. "I'm Killian Flynn. Kevin and I are just too smart for our own good."
"Nothing wrong with a little intelligence," he said, smiling. "So, what brought you to Maxwell?"
"Social Services," I said evenly.
"You're gonna have to explain that to me," he said, smiling.
"Well, our stepfather was an abusive prick," I said. "I was struck by lightning on my twelfth birthday. I survived it, so I didn't want to go back to that house and let him pound on me anymore. I told the doctor. He called Social Services and they arrested my mother and stepfather and placed us with my grandparents. They decided that Kevin and I would go to Maxwell Academy. They tried to give us scholarships, but we paid our tuition instead. Our baby sister, April is attending Worthington Prep."
"Okay then," he said. "You would make an interesting friend."
"Well then consider us friends, Mr. Flox," I said with a grin.
"You don't talk?" Dustin asked, looking at Kevin.
"Oh, I talk," he said. "You just weren't talking to me. You were talking to my twin."
"Well, I'm talking to you now," he said, smiling. "What's your name?"
"Kevin Flynn," he said. "I agree that Thiphet is going to be an ass. I've heard stories."
"So have I," Dustin said. "They say that boys quit this place because of him. One had to go to therapy."
"Why doesn't the dean do something?" Kevin asked.
"I don't know," he said. "No one has said anything about that. Not this year or last year. I was in his French class last year, too. He was mean to a lot of kids, taking a bunch of points from them."
"He took five from Killian on our first day," Kevin pointed out.
"Yeah, but that's the most they ever take from us," he said. "We can't complain about five points."
"Well, if he starts to take more I'll complain," I said. "He can't be allowed to do that to the students."
"I wonder what the Honor Code would have to say about his taking so many points," Dustin said, putting the idea firmly in my head this time.
It started the next Monday. I stumbled over a phrase, and he took fifty points from me. I glared at him. He glared right back at me. Then Kevin deliberately stumbled on a word. He took fifty points from him, too. He said that we were supposed to have a firm grasp on the language before classes began. He told us that if we continued to stumble, he'd kick us out. We looked at each other. We didn't stumble over anything after that.
Then a strange thing started to happen. I noticed boys coming from my room all of the time when I would come back from what I was doing. Kevin would have a goofy grin on his face when I encountered him after the boys left. It was happening again. I didn't say anything to him this time either. I just did my homework and went to dinner. The trend started to happen quickly, too. Thiphet took fifty points from five boys. Those five started to sit together at lunch. Robby, Pug, Dustin, and I were reunited. This time Kevin was among us instead of Alex Porter.
"So, we're on Thiphet's shit list," Robby said that first day that we sat together.
"So it seems," Kevin said.
"He took a hundred from me total last week," Pug said. We'd already introduced ourselves.
"If this keeps up someone is going to complain," Dustin said, looking at me.
"I'll take him before the Honor Code," I said, shocking them.
"Students don't take professors before the Honor Code," Robby said. "At least, it's never been done."
"There's a first time for everything," I said.
As Thiphet started to take fifty points from each of us, the other professors started to give us outrageous amounts of points to compensate. Then when we reached the cafeteria the table we'd been sitting at had a new label. It was a plaque that was hanging from the ceiling just above the table. It said, "The Five". There were papers on the table for each of us. We read them. We were now called The Five and we didn't have to clean the mansion or give tours, we got more food, and could cut the line any time we wanted. We were given more time in the gym, and a lot of other things. Kevin looked at me. I looked at him, too. Then we went to get our food. Robby and Pug cut the line, and made people mad. Kevin, Dustin, and I waited in the back of the line. When we reached the serving table they gave us double serve of the food. We even got two juices from the fridge.
"Man we pissed people off when we cut the line," Robby said.
"We saw that, so we waited," I said.
"We'll wait next time, too," he said. "So tell me about yourselves."
"What do you want to know?" I asked.
"I heard that you were struck by lightning," he said.
I told him all about the lightning and telling the doctor about Hank. He sat there with his mouth open as I told him what Hank had done to all of us. Then he told me that he and Kevin were now his little brothers. He had adopted us. He told me that his father had beat the shit out of him and threw him out when he was fifteen. He now lived with his uncle who paid his tuition to the school. He was a junior and so was Pug. Pug told me that his parents wanted nothing to do with him. They paid his tuition to get him out of their house for the school year. He spent his summers with Robby.
Dustin told us that he lived with his mother. His father was dead. His uncle paid his tuition and had been here himself when he was in school. He said his uncle was gay and he didn't care a bit about it. Robby and Pug smiled at this. I knew they were together. I just didn't say anything. Kevin smiled at them. We had a good dinner. When it was over I was stuffed. Kevin was, too. We went back to our room and he asked me why I told Robby everything. I told him that I didn't mean to. It just tumbled out of my mouth.
"Are these the friends you had the last time?" he asked.
"Yes," I said. "When Robby found out about us he adopted me as his little brother. You weren't part of The Five. Alex Porter was."
"Alex Porter?" he asked. "Does he even go to this school?"
"He does, but he's not an athlete," I said. "He's in Durant House."
"What was he to me?" he asked.
"For a while, he was your boyfriend," I said. "Then you broke up and got a girlfriend. She broke up with you and you went back to Alex. When I came back in time this time you were engaged to Alex."
"Do I have to go find him?" he asked.
"No," I said. "If it's fate then he'll find you."
"I don't want it to be fate," he said. "I'm blowing every guy I can right now, and I'm doing fine. You're gay, and I think I might be too."
"You're probably bisexual," I said. "You were in the last timeline."
"Well, this time I don't like girls much," he said. "I like boys."
"That might be because you are surrounded by nothing but boys," I said.
"Maybe," he said. "But I think I'm gay, too."
"Whatever you are, you are the other half of me," I said. "That means a lot more to me than your sexuality."
"Ditto," he said, smiling. "Now was Dustin your guy in the other timeline?"
"Yes, he was," I said. "I'm hoping he'll be my guy in this timeline, too."
"Well, go get him," he said.
"I can't," I said. "I don't want to scare the shit out of him. He came on to me last time, so I'm going to let him do it this time, too."
"Okay," he said. "Robby and Pug. They're together aren't they?"
"Yes," I said. "What Robby and Pug left out of their stories is that Robby's dad kicked his ass and threw him out because he was gay. Pug's family wants nothing to do with him because he's gay."
"That really sucks," he said.
"It's not a unheard story," I said. "A lot of parents throw their child out because he or she is gay."
"That's awful," he said. "I'm glad that we have each other. Are you going to tell Richard that you're gay?"
"I'll tell him when the time is right," I said. "Last time he didn't react well."
"Damn," he said.
"He came around though," I said. "Most of what he said was because he joined a church that took him down the wrong path to God."
"Well, what if he joins that church again?" he asked.
"He might," I said. "We just have to be ready for it. He'll be a nasty little prick if he joins that church."
"Damn," he said. "That really sucks."
I had decided I was done with Thiphet, though. I went to the Dean and asked to be let out of French. I told him that Thiphet was down right hostile toward me. I wanted to take Spanish anyway. I was much better with Spanish. He told me I had to take a test to get into the Spanish class. I told him I could pass it. He set it up and told me to just take a free hour tomorrow. I did that, but Thiphet found me and asked me why I wasn't in class. I told him I was dropping his class and going to Spanish instead. He took one hundred points from me and told me he didn't like quitters. I went straight to the Honor Code and grabbed a grievance sheet and witness statements. I had Kevin sign one and fill it out. Then I took one to Dustin and three other sophomores in that class. They filled them out and got them back to us. I took them to the Honor Code.
Reggie White, the boy who took the grievance from me looked at me hard. He said that no one had ever brought a professor before the Honor Code. I told him it said in the hand book that all grievances were handled by the Honor Code. He said that they'd take it and get back to me when the trial was set. I went back to my room. It didn't take long for Professor Pritchard to call me to his office. He asked me why I'd gone to the Honor Code with this instead of coming to him. I read him the section of the hand book that said that he wasn't to be bothered with grievances and that they were to be taken to the Honor Code. He laughed. He said that because the book said that he had to let this go. He told me to go back to my room.
The trial was set fast. It was the next day after classes. We filed into the cafeteria for the trial. Only the plaintiff, the accused, and the witnesses were allowed in the trial. Reggie, the six foot tall blond haired blue eyed president of the Honor Code brought the room to order. He asked Professor Thiphet if he had in fact taken one hundred points from Killian Flynn. Professor Thiphet said he had. When asked why, he said it was because I dropped his class. The students whispered back and forth about this. Professor Pritchard told them to be quiet.
"Killian, what was the last thing that Professor Thiphet took points from you for?" Reggie asked me.
"Yesterday, he took fifty points from me because I was the last to sit in my seat when the bell rang," I said.
"Fifty points?" Reggie asked. "Is that normal for him?"
"He takes at least fifty from me every day," I said. "He likes to take points. He told me so."
"Professor Thiphet, the most a professor ever takes from a student is five points," Reggie said. "How do you explain taking fifty points from a student?"
"Killian Flynn is the most disruptive student I've ever had in my class," he said.
"I have witness statements that say otherwise, Professor Thiphet," Reggie said, holding them up.
"Well, they're all in Athens House," he said, dismissively.
"Are you trying to say that an entire house of sophomores would lie to protect one of their own?" Reggie asked.
"I was merely giving you an explanation," he said.
"Let's not impugn the integrity of a group of students to satisfy your need to punish Killian for alleged slights," Reggie said. "Is it true that since the term began you have taken over three hundred points from Killian before you took another hundred for him dropping your class?"
"I don't know if that's true or not," he said.
"I have the point record for Killian Flynn," Reggie said. "You have taken more than three hundred points from him. Professor some of the reasons for point taking that you listed don't make sense. Since when is a student reprimanded for being the last to sit in his seat?"
"I told you that Killian is disruptive," he snapped.
"Watch your tone when you're talking to the honor code," Professor Pritchard said.
"Professor Thiphet, all of this makes me think that you dislike Killian Flynn," Reggie said.
"Of course I dislike him," Thiphet said. "He's a blatant homosexual who brags about his conquests all over campus."
"Killian Flynn, do you brag about your conquests?" Reggie asked.
"It would be pointless for me to brag about something I've never done," I said. "I am a virgin. I have never said what my sexuality is to anyone who would tell Thiphet anything. I'd like to add to my grievance the charge of bullying."
That got the students to talk. Everyone was talking as Reggie stared at me. He'd either accept the addition or he wouldn't. I was well aware of what was about to happen. It had happened in the other timeline, too. I just had done this a lot sooner in this timeline. Professor Pritchard yelled at the students to shut up. Reggie conferred with the other members of the Honor Code. Then he turned back to us. "We will accept this addition," he said. "Professor Thiphet, the code finds you guilty of extreme bullying of a student. You are effectively removed from your role as head of Pascal House, and you are relieved of your status of Professor. You are fired."
"Mr. Thiphet, you have exactly six hours to vacate your apartment and leave the grounds," Pritchard said. "Don't talk to a single student or I'll call the authorities."
Word spread. Thiphet was fired. I had done it. People started talking as we left the cafeteria. I went to my room with Kevin. He just looked at me. I took my uniform off and put on jeans and a t-shirt. We went to dinner. The Five was already there. We got our food and joined them. Robby looked at me with a smile. "You got him fired," he said.
"I did," I said. "He said he hated me. He called me a blatant homosexual and said I'd been telling everyone about my conquests all over campus. I added bullying to my grievance. They accepted and fired him."
"You brag about your conquests?" Pug asked with a smile. "Why have I never heard any of them?"
"Because I don't have conquests," I said. "I'm a virgin."
"Well, that explains that," Robby said. "You're a virgin and he called you a blatant homosexual."
"Well, I'm a homosexual but not blatant," I said.
"You are?" Dustin asked, looking at me with hope in his eyes.
"Yes," I said. "I'm sorry if I upset all of you. It slipped out. But now you know."
"Well, aren't we a bunch of queers," Robby laughed. "You know that I'm gay, right?"
"I figured but wouldn't comment on it," I said.
"Well, the cat's out of the bag," Pug said. "We're together, Killian."
"I figured that, too," I said. "Again not something for me to comment on."
"Well, Kevin, what do you think?" Robby asked.
"I'm in good company," he said. "I'm gay, too. The one Thiphet was talking about was me."
"We know that, my good man," Robby said with a smile. "You do get around."
"Not anymore," he said. "I've settled down."
"Good," Robby said. "It was becoming a chore defending you."
"Why did you do that?" Kevin asked.
"I can't let people talk about my little brother like that," he said matter of factly. Then he looked at Dustin. "What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing is wrong," he said. "I just learned that the boy I want is gay. I have a chance."
"Oh, Dustin," I said. "You've got more than a chance. I may be young, but I know what I want. What I want is you."
"Well, that settles that," Robby said, grinning at Pug. "You owe me a dollar."
"What's this?" I asked.
"I bet Robby a dollar that you wouldn't tell Dustin that you like him as much as he likes you," Pug said. "You did it though, so I owe Robby a dollar."
"Ha!" laughed Kevin. "You guys are too much."
"So The Five is gay," Robby said.
"As a goose," I said.
"What did you mean I have more than a chance?" Dustin asked me.
"I meant that I'm yours if you want me," I said.
"Oh, I want you," he said. "I can't believe this is happening."
"Well, if we were in private I'd kiss you so you'd know it's happening," I said. "As it stands I can't wait to get you some place private so I can do just that."
"Okay then," Pug said. "Kevin, you said you're settling down. Any idea who you're settling with?"
"No one," Kevin said. "I'm waiting for Mr. Right."
"Good idea," Robby said. "He might not even be at Maxwell Academy."
"Oh, I'm sure he's here somewhere," he said.
This conversation was odd for me. It hadn't happened this way in the other timeline. I was happy that it was happening, but I was only thirteen and Dustin was fourteen. They'd say we were too young. They'd say a lot of things. I knew that we had what it took to go all the way though. We'd done it in the other timeline. Well, at least until I was twenty and had to come back in time again. I had to do it right this time so that Dustin and I could grow old together.
After dinner we went back to our rooms. Kevin left to talk to someone and Dustin came in. He said we were in private. I took him into my arms and laid a kiss on him that made his knees weak. He looked at me and said that was better than his fantasy. I laughed. He asked if I would be his boyfriend. I said I would. He asked me what I'd say when they said we were too young. I told him that I wouldn't listen to such bullshit. He laughed.
Kevin came back and told me that he'd met Alex Porter. I nodded. He said that Alex wasn't allowed in Athens House unless he played a sport. He was going to try out for baseball. I nodded at this. Alex had been a baseball player in the other timeline. He asked if me and Dustin were a thing now. I said we were. He told Dustin that he was welcome in our room whenever he wanted to be. I thanked him for that. And time moved on. I spent a lot of time with Dustin after that. We had mine and Kevin's room to ourselves one afternoon, and after that I wasn't a virgin anymore. We didn't make a big deal about what we'd done. He did tell me that he was interested in anal sex. I told him we'd get to that when he was ready. He smiled at that.
Kevin and Alex were talking a lot. I talked to Alex at the Phoenix Club. He said he really liked Kevin. I gave him a warning about not just being Kevin's boyfriend. I told him Kevin would get tired of that really quickly. He said he understood. Then I sat with Dustin, Thalia, Lisa, and April. April asked about Dustin, and I told them then and there that Dustin was my boyfriend. Thalia congratulated us. Lisa just looked at us. I didn't know if she was going to have a hard time with it or not. We hadn't been friends in the other timeline.
"Aren't you guys a little young to be doing this?" Lisa asked.
"We may be young, but we know what we want," I told her. "If you have a problem with our sexuality, I'm sorry. You're my friend, and I wanted to share the news with my friends."
"I don't have a problem with it," she said. "I have two moms. If I were going to have a problem with anyone it would be them, but I love them both."
"Good," I said. "It's obvious that they love you, too. You're well cared for, and you seem happy enough."
"You talk like an adult," she said.
"One of the pitfalls of being so intelligent," I said with a smile.
"You're an interesting person," she said.
"And this is why you weren't looking for a girlfriend," Thalia said with a smile. "Killian, I'll go to every dance with you."
"Thank you," I said. "I wanted you and I to be really good friends. I'm hoping we will be."
"Oh, we will be," she said, turning to April. "What do you think of your brother's sexuality?"
"I don't care one way or the other," she said. "Killian saved us. That's all that matters to me. He can love whoever he wants."
"Well said," Lisa said. "So, what do your other friends have to say about this?"
"They're all fine with it," I said. I didn't tell them anything about my friends. They're secrets weren't mine to tell.
"That's good," she said. "Are you going to tell the rest of your family?"
"When the time is right," I said. "What they don't know won't hurt them."
"I won't tell anyone," April said. "But thank you for trusting me with this, Kills."
"Why do you call him Kills?" Lisa asked.
"I've always called him that," she said. "He calls me Locks sometimes because he says I have pretty blond locks of hair."
"That's cute," Lisa said. "You guys are pretty close?"
"We are," April said. "We're not as close with our older brother, but he has his own life."
"Yeah," Lisa said. "Older siblings can be difficult at times."
"He's not difficult," I said. "He's just sixteen."
"Yeah," she said.
Robby and Pug came into the Phoenix room after that. They came and joined us. Robby asked me how I was fairing since the trial. I told him no one had said much about it so far. He said to give it time. I laughed. Thalia asked what trial we were referring to. I told her that I had taken Professor Thiphet before the Honor Code when he took one hundred points from me for dropping his class. She asked what happened. I said he got fired. I left it at that.
"Good," she said. "I've heard stories about how nasty he was."
"Well, he's gone now," said Robby. "Professor Pritchard has been teaching the French class since Thiphet got fired. He's hiring someone to replace him, but he isn't here yet."
"Wasn't he the head of a house?" Lisa asked.
"Pascal House," Robby said. "The art kids. This new guy will be the head of that house when he gets here."
"Cool," she said. "Who exactly are you?"
"I'm Robby," he said with a smile. "Killian and Kevin are my adopted little brothers."
"Is that so?" she asked with a smile.
"Yeah, after hearing about their lives, I kind of felt like we were kindred spirits," he said. "They were abused, and my father beat the crap out of me and threw me out when I was fifteen. I live with my uncle now. He pays my tuition and keeps me in money to buy things when we go out."
"That's awful," Lisa said. "What about you?" She was looking at Pug.
"I'm Pug," he said. "My name is actually Terrance, but my grandfather's last name was Pugsworth. He called me his little Pug and it stuck. My parents want nothing to do with me, so they send me here to keep me out of their sight. I spend my summers and breaks with Robby."
"Wow," she said. "That's really awful that your parents are that way."
"They're stuck up my sister's ass," he said as if it was nothing.
"Your sister?" Thalia asked.
"She's in college," he said. "She's been the golden child all our lives. I was just sort of the spare."
"Well, you aren't here," Lisa said. "You're the guy on the baseball team that steals bases."
"That's me," he laughed.
"Kevin, are you going to play baseball?" Lisa asked.
"Yes," he said. "I play second base."
"What about you?" Lisa asked me.
"Short stop," I said, smiling.
"So, you guys are on the JV team?" Lisa asked.
"That's what Coach told us," I said. "He hasn't ever seen us play though."
"Yeah, they did the same thing at Worthington for softball," Thalia said. "They weed out the kids who just don't have it."
"Well, that's going to suck," I said. "Athens House is full at the moment, but if they weed out the kids who can't play the game, we'll be pretty empty."
"It is weird that they're doing it this way," she said. "They're still holding tryouts, though."
"Yeah, Coach told us that when we moved in," I said. "Our place in Athens House depends on how we do at tryouts. They should have put us in another house until we make the team or not."
"That's what would have been the right thing," Thalia said. "They're just getting hopes up to dash them."
"It's a character building thing," Robby said. "Coach goes on and on about character."
We made it to mid term and our grades were given to us. Kevin and I were near the top of our class. I was happy. He was happy. Coach was thrilled. He asked us about baseball. He wanted to know how good we were. I told him that we had been playing baseball in the vacant lot at home for the last two summers, and we were good. He smiled at this. He said we'd see at baseball tryouts. I watched him walk away from us.
"We'll make the team," Kevin said.
"I know we will," I said. "But there are thirty kids on our floor. More than half of them will be gone after tryouts. Some of them have become friends."
"That's going to suck," he said. "Why are they doing it this way?"
"I don't know," I said.
I was doing really well in Spanish. Professor Rivera was happy with my work. I was happy with it, too. I was happy with all of my classes. We geared up for the Halloween Dance. Thalia told me that her dress was green and black. I went with the others to rent tuxes. I told the guy that I needed a green bow tie and a black cummerbund. Kevin got an orange tie and black cummerbund. We went for ice cream after that. Coach asked us about the dance. I told him that I would be with Thalia Dwyer. Kevin told him he'd be with Lisa Davis. Coach nodded.
The night of the dance I met Thalia at the entrance to the gym. She complimented my tux. I told her she was beautiful. We posed for pictures and I bought two sets. I told her to put her information down for the second set. She thanked me. Then we found a table. Kevin and Lisa joined us a few minutes later. Then so did Dustin and Rachel, a girl I'd never met. She'd been going to every dance with Dustin since his Freshman year. She was a pretty girl with red hair and green eyes. She seemed happy enough. Thalia and Lisa knew her. The girls sat and talked while we went to get them punch and snacks. Then Thalia and I danced. She told me that she was so happy that I could dance. I laughed.
The night was good. No one brought up Thiphet or my sexuality. I had a good night. I kissed Thalia's cheek at the end of the night and bid her farewell. Then I went to get out of the monkey suit and put it back in the garment bag. Coach was taking us to return them tomorrow. Kevin did the same, and then Dustin was in our room in shorts and a t-shirt. He said we'd be going home for winter break soon. I told him it was still a little more than a month away.
We settled into my bunk and went to sleep. The next day Coach saw him coming out of my room. Coach asked me about it. I said we had got to talking and just fell asleep. He nodded, but he gave me an odd look. I ignored it and went to breakfast. The Five were there and we talked about the dance. I kept thinking about the odd look from Coach. It was Saturday and half our house was at the mansion to clean and give tours. We went to the gym and worked out. Robby showed us the proper way to work out and I let him. Then we stated to lift. I told Kevin to lift just a little more than he was comfortable with and the burn would go away the longer we worked out.
That started a pattern. On Saturdays The Five worked out. On Sundays we went to church at the chapel not far from campus. We were taken there each Sunday by Coach who continued to watch me and Dustin together. He didn't say anything, but I was sure he would eventually. When winter break arrived, Dustin didn't want to go back to Nebraska. I told him we'd see each other in three weeks. He nodded. Then I packed a bag and headed for Coach's van. He was taking us to the train station.
"You and Dustin," he said to me. "You two seem cozy."
"Coach, I don't want to say anything that will upset you," I said. "Dustin and I are close."
"You haven't upset me," he said. "I was young once. I get it. Just don't let too many people know he spends the nights in your room."
"Sure thing, Coach," I said.
We reconnected with April at the train station. She was happy to be going home. She said she couldn't wait to see Jesse. I told her that he'd be at school with us next year. She laughed at that. We got on the train and hit the club car to get lunch. Then we were in our seats. April asked about Dustin. I told her that he was upset because I was going to Janus and he was going to Nebraska. She laughed. She asked if I was going to tell Grandma. I told her that I would keep it to myself until the time was right. She nodded. Kevin hadn't even told her about him and Alex. In fact, he hadn't told me about it either. Maybe they weren't together. He was in a different house after all.
Grandma picked us up at the train station. She told us that Richard's pregnant girlfriend had moved in. I looked at her. She said her name was Cheryl and she was something. Richard was going to be a father. It was the same as it had been in the last timeline. He'd just been eighteen when it happened. Now he was sixteen going on seventeen. We got home and hugged Grandpa. We met Cheryl when she came out of Richard's room to get one of her juices from the fridge.
"You're Killian and Kevin," she said, smiling. "Richard has talked about you."
"It's nice to meet you, Cheryl," I said. "I'm Killian."
"It's nice to meet you," Kevin said. "I'm Kevin."
"And I'm April," April said. "How far along are you?"
"Six months," she said. "Richard is finally excited."
"Cheryl why are you out of bed?" Grandma asked. "You're supposed to be on bed rest."
"I came out to get one of my juices," she said.
"Mary could have gotten that for you," Grandma said. "Hurry now. Get back in bed before Richard gets back. Where is he, anyway?"
"He went to get me more juice," she said. "He'll be back any time."
"Then get to bed," Grandma said.
She shook her head as Cheryl made her way back to the bedroom. She wasn't thrilled with what was happening. I gave her pictures from the two dances. She commented on Thalia. I told her that was Thalia Dwyer, and she would go to every dance with me. Kevin told her that the girl in his pictures was Lisa Davis, and she'd go to every dance with him. Grandma gave us knowing looks. I just shook my head. Then April gave her pictures from the dances. She told her that the boy was Mike Bunch, but after this year he wouldn't be in the pictures anymore. Grandma cackled at that.
We went into the kitchen and Mary gave us ice cream sundaes. We ate them in silence. Jinx came to sit next to my chair. When I was done with my sundae I took him outside. It was cold but it hadn't snowed. Jinx did his business and I picked it up and put it in the trash. I took him inside and gave him a treat. Then I went to the basement with my siblings. Jinx followed me. I sat in the recliner, and Jinx jumped up there with me. I rubbed his belly.
I heard Richard upstairs. He was asking about us. Grandma told him we were in the basement. She told him to go see about Cheryl. We watched movies and played a game. Then we went upstairs to go to bed. Richard stopped us and hugged each of us. He told us he'd missed us. We told him we'd missed him, too. Then we went to bed. The next morning, after breakfast, I had Grandma take me to the Yarn Barn to get yarn. She didn't ask why. She just took me. I asked to go to the hobby store afterward. She drove me over there, too. I found the pieces I was looking for and the paint and varnish. Then we went home. I put the wood in my room. I came back with the yarn. I started working on a blanket. Grandma watched me and finally asked me how I knew how to do that. I told her I had learned at school. She went and got her yarn and started to work on the blanket she'd already started.
I got six rows done before I had to put it away and go eat lunch. Richard came and got plates for him and Cheryl. I ate my food, took the dog outside, and then went back to my blanket. It was blue and white, and I was doing a ripple just like I had the last time. I got a lot done before Richard asked me to go to the basement and talk to him. I put it away and went downstairs. Kevin and April were already there. He asked us about school. I told him that I'd had a good semester. I liked it just fine and had made a handful of friends. He smiled at that. Kevin told him basically the same thing. We both talked about baseball tryouts in March. He nodded. April told him that school was school. She liked it at Worthington, but she missed everyone here.
"Did you guys meet Cheryl?" he asked.
"Yes," I said. "She's pretty." She was. She was a blond with blue eyes. Her belly was a bit big, but she looked petite.
"Thank you," he said. "I wasn't planning to be a father at seventeen, but it sort of happened anyway."
"Yes," I said. "But a new baby is exciting. I'm making that blanket for the baby."
"You chose blue and white," he said. "What if it's a girl?"
"Then I'll make another one in pink and white," I said.
"Ha!" he laughed. "I'm having a baby."
"I know," I said. "I'm making a blanket for that baby."
He walked away after that. I continued to work on the blanket. Kevin came and sat beside me. He didn't ask how I knew how to crochet. He just watched me. When I got up to go to dinner, he picked it up and looked at the stitches. Then he put it back down. We went into the dining room. Mary put food on the table and then left to be with her husband for the night. I ate and talked with Grandma and Grandpa about what had been going on here while I was at school. Grandma talked about Cheryl getting thrown out of her house and her decision to move her in here. I asked about that. She said that it had been Richard's idea. I nodded. After dinner I went back to working on the blanket.
Kevin sat beside me and watched evening television with Grandpa. Grandma was doing dishes. I got the blanket done just before I went to bed. Kevin asked me what I really thought about Richard having a baby. I told him it was going to happen no matter what anyone thought. We could either be on board or we could alienate Richard completely. We decided to be on board. I put the blanket in the washing machine with fabric softener. Then I put in the dryer with a dryer sheet. When it was done it was soft and fluffy. I took it to Cheryl. She squealed when she saw it. She thanked me up and down. She didn't ask about what if it's a girl. She was just happy that someone had done something so nice.
I went downstairs, located Richard's old crib and took the sides off. I took the rotted mattress out of it and used wood glue to glue the new pieces on. I painted it blue and varnished it when it was dry. Then I went and got a mattress for it and handed it to them. Cheryl when on and on about this one, too. She thanked me and cried. I hugged her and welcomed her to the family. Richard smiled at me. They went to the doctor and the sonogram told them it was a boy. Richard laughed and said he was having a son.
I sat with Cheryl while Richard was out doing whatever Richard did. She talked to me about how much she missed school and her friends. I told her I thought I understood. She said Richard was still in school, but he'd graduate this year. She didn't seem to know anything about the trust fund I'd set up for him. I didn't mention it. I just sat with her and watched television. I knew what was going to happen to her, but I didn't think there was anything I could do about it.
It happened a lot quicker this time, too. She kept saying she was cold, and I told Grandma she needed to go to the hospital. Grandma said she just had to get her warm. Finally she agreed and took her to the hospital. She called home to tell me that Cheryl had died from sepsis and the baby had been born. He was very tiny and would have to stay in the hospital for a while. Richard was beside himself. He signed the birth certificate and called Cheryl's parents. They were devastated having lost their daughter but wanted nothing to do with their grandson or Richard.
"I named his Killian Kevin Flynn," Richard told me. I hugged him.
The baby came home when he was five pounds. He was so tiny. I loved to hold him, and I thought it was cute that he wore Cabbage Patch diapers for the fist two months of his life. Then it was preemie diapers. He was so tiny. He grew though. He was seven pounds by Christmas, which was somber with Richard so distraught. Grandma had bought me and Kevin clothes and handheld games. She bought me software for my computer. I got April a necklace and earrings. They were tiny chips of diamonds. She loved them.
That night I sat with Richard and the baby. Richard was crying. He told me that he never really loved Cheryl, but he was sad that she had died having his baby. I told him that there was nothing anyone could have done about it. He said he knew that. He was a single father now. He told me he didn't know the first thing about babies. I told him he'd learn. I was against leaving him at home, but Kevin, April, and I went to the Family Fun Center on New Year's Eve for their lock in celebration. We had a good time, and had donuts and ice cream at breakfast. Then we were home sleeping until lunch when Grandma got us up. I sat with Richard and the baby again. He wasn't crying now. He told me that he could put Killian in daycare at school and finish his senior year. Then there was finding a babysitter while he was in classes at college. I reminded him that as soon as he graduated his trust fund would open. He looked at me funny for a moment and then smiled.
"I'd forgotten all about that," he said.
"Didn't you get an allowance from it every month?" I asked.
"No," he said. "Grandma didn't set that up for me."
"I wonder why not," I said.
"You'd have to ask her," he said. "Do Kevin and April get an allowance?"
"Yes," I said. "Two thousand a month."
"I'll be damned," he said.
"I'll have Grandma set that up for you until you graduate," I said. "You need it for the baby."
I did talk to Grandma about it. She told me that Richard had never asked for an allowance. He'd had a part-time job that ended and he probably needed it now more than ever. I told her that was what I was thinking. She went to the bank and set up the allowance and came home with a thousand dollar check for Richard. I nodded at him, and he smiled. He came and hugged me. He told me that I was doing his job, taking care of my siblings. I told him he had a baby to take care of.
On the train back to school, April asked me about the allowance and why Richard hadn't been getting it. I told her that grandma said that Richard hadn't asked for the allowance. He'd forgotten all about the trust, and that was why he hadn't asked. I got her to set it up for him now that he has little Killian. April was satisfied. Kevin slept for most of the trip. April and I went to the club car to get lunch. We talked about the trusts and why I had done it. I told her that I wanted to share the money with them. She asked why I hadn't given Grandma any. I told her that Grandma had said that she didn't want a cent of that money, that it was mine to do with as I wished. I got her to take two million.
"That's good," she said. "Grandma and Grandpa need easier lives."
"Yes, they do," I said. "Grandpa has already had a few scares. I'm reminded all of the time that they're not young. I'm worried about them, and I don't know what to do about it."
"I'm worried, too," she said. "With us gone most of the year anything could happen when we're not there."
"That's a worry that I don't need," I said. "To change the subject, what are we doing for your birthday?"
"We'll be at school," she said.
"That doesn't mean that we can't do anything about it," I said. "We could have a cake and ice cream at the Phoenix Club. We could go somewhere to celebrate. I could get Jason on it."
"Let's do the cake and ice cream at the Phoenix Club," she said. "That's all I need."
"If you're sure," I said. "I want you to be happy."
"I am happy," she said. "We're away from Mom and Hank. There's nothing to be unhappy about. I'm going to a great school, and I have great friends. My life is pretty good."
"I'm happy to hear that," I said. "Mine is going pretty good, too. I don't know about Kevin. He rarely talks about this stuff."
"Well, he should," she said. "We need to know if there is something wrong and we can fix it."
"My thoughts exactly," I said with a smile.
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