Page 96 of Sean's Sunshine
The sweatshirt was a little tight on Billy’s amazing chest, but it was loose in the waist and generally looked really magnificent. That, however, was not why Sean was speechless.
Sean spoke shared-wardrobe too, and that was a very big way of saying, “Mine.”
He smiled. “You have no idea,” he murmured before taking a bite of donut while looking Billy in the eye.
Billy blushed, and Andres snorted. “You know, my wife wears my shirts too—I think that’s a universal language there. But come sit down, son. Have a donut.”
“I’m having a frittata, no cheese,” Billy said, “and I’m making one for each of you, too, so you have some protein to balance that out because….” He shuddered. “Bwah. No. Bad cops. No donuts. Shame.”
Andres raised his eyebrows at Sean, who smirked and took another bite, and then Andres surreptitiously reached for his second, sticking his tongue out at Billy’s back like one of his children.
Sean chuckled and then gestured with the rest of his donut, talking through a full mouth.
“So we’re here. Billy’s made his entrance. Now speak.”
Andres sighed and took another bite before setting the rest of his down. “Okay, so the DA went for the deal, and Billy’s dad signed off on it, without a lawyer. I have to tell you, though, the only real loophole in this deal is that without mentioning Roberto’s name, Billy’s father can still try to contact his wife and kids. Did you talk to their mother?”
Billy grunted, and Sean winced.
“It was rough,” Billy said. “She was so hurt—and so mad. But I think she’ll forgive Roberto eventually. Why?”
“Because you two may need to help her get a permanent restraining order, something that keeps him from calling her up from jail. Also help her change her numbers. You can get a notification telling you when he’s getting out, but hopefully by then your mother will have a chance to move, to update the restraining order, and maybe he’ll leave her alone.”
“With luck he’ll get killed in jail,” Billy said, sounding truly optimistic about the whole thing for the first time.
“We can always cross our fingers,” Andres said soberly. “Because if he vows he’s reformed—”
“He’s lying,” Billy finished, turning toward them both. “I think my family knows that now.”
“Good,” Andres said. “Now, the reason I came here with donuts as an offering is because I wanted to talk about Berto. You need to think about how you’re going to mentor the kid. He’s lost his one male influence, and you guys, he’s going to need some attention. I’ve seen kids like this. If someone doesn’t step in—”
“I was thinking about Jackson’s duplex, with the young ex-cons,” Sean said, because he’d thought of nothing else since the night before. “They have work parties, and Jackson and Henry organize community service parties for them to help them sign off with their parole officers.”
“That’s a good idea,” Billy said, sounding surprised. “Berto, you know, he was a squid—but he also wanted someone to tell him he was a good boy.” His voice got sad, and he paused for a bit in the act of chopping chives. “Probably why he was such an easy target for our dad, right?”
“Exactly,” Andres said gently. “So get him involved with the ex-cons—who will also talk about how much prison sucks and what they’re doing to try to quit their old lives—and maybe get him a job doing something he loves. Nothing official. I understand his grades have gotten really bad in the last year—”
“That’s what mamisaid,” Billy muttered. “He’s smart. He can fix it. But you’re right—no official job until he’s going to graduate high school. But what can he do?”
Sean grinned. “He can help Randy watch our dogs,” he said happily.
“What dogs?” Andres asked, glancing around the mostly tidy house looking baffled.
“The ones Billy and I are getting next Sunday,” Sean told him. “I’ve been haunting websites. I’ve got some ideas.”
Billy expertly flipped a frittata and then turned to graze Sean’s temple with his lips. “You really mean that?” he asked, his voice low and quaky like it had been after sex. “You’d do that? Open your duplex to my thieving little brother?”
“He needs to be trusted, Billy,” Sean said softly. “And he loves dogs. Watching your father shoot Sweaty was a big deal for him. I think being able to care for a couple of dogs—really be the dog walker like he wanted to do at first—that would mean a lot to him.”
Billy nodded. “And, you know, I’m going to be working at the pet store until I’m out of school, probably. Maybe when he’s out of high school, I can get him a job.”
Sean nodded. “Exactly. We can give him options. Let him see that not all adults are douchebags. Not every path leads to something that feels awful.”
Billy cleared his throat and went back to cooking, and Sean and Andres watched him for a moment. Sean didn’t know about Andres, but he knew that a lot of thinking was going on with all that industry, but they were both wise enough not to say anything until Billy turned back around with their plated frittatas.
Andres and Sean ate gratefully—the donuts really had sent them on a sugar spiral—and then Andres left to get back to work.
Billy had started the dishes against Sean’s protest, and now Sean stood up behind him and wrapped his arms around Billy’s waist.