Professor Hot Pants by Ember-Raine Winters

Author:Ember-Raine Winters [Winters, Ember-Raine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-06-18T18:30:00+00:00

PHILIP

Having Abby around was an adjustment. A huge adjustment. I was a single gay man, living on my own, teaching and working. She’d been beyond upset when we told her that she couldn’t go live with Ryan. She begged and pleaded with Daniel but he couldn’t budge on the matter, but no child wanted to hear the state’s laws. After storming out of the room, he’d come back in an hour and a half later. He managed to pacify her somewhat, but I could tell he was still just as angry about the situation as she was.

After Abby’s meltdown, she went quiet. I’d taken her home from the hospital later that day, and it had taken three days, and only when Ryan came by to see her that she uttered a word. It killed me to see him and not be able to touch him, but he made himself clear. We couldn’t see each other anymore. Abby’s happiness and safety was all that mattered to him. It was the worst pain, worse than anything from my past. I knew this one was going to be unrecoverable. All three of us were becoming unrecognizable in our pain, and I needed to fucking fix it.

“Abby?” I called knocking on her bedroom door. I’d tried desperately to recreate the room she’d had living with Martha, but nothing seemed to work. I was desperate. She opened the door looking up at me with sad eyes. “Let’s go get pizza.”

She shrugged, walking over to put on her shoes. “Abby, honey, I know this isn’t exactly what you wanted, but Ryan still comes over as much as he can, and I’m trying really hard to learn how to adjust to this new life too. You think you can you help an old guy out?”

“Okay,” Abby said softly. “I’m sorry, Mr. Philip. I miss Martha a lot.”

“Sweetheart, remember, you can just call me Philip now. I miss Martha too, but she’d would want you to be happy, right?” She nodded her head, clutching the stuffed dog Ryan had given her. The thing was butt ugly, pink and purple with some type of crown on its little Dachshund head. After storming out of the hospital room, when he’d returned he was holding the little stuffed toy. Abby lit up like it was Christmas.

“Can we invite Ryan to dinner?”

“Sure thing, jelly bean.” She ran to the closet to pick out the new sneakers I bought her. “Okay, get your shoes on and I’ll call Ryan and see if he can meet us at the Fun House.”

She looked happier than she’d been since the fire and I sighed with relief. Maybe, this whole thing could work out after all.

“Hey,” Ryan said answering my call. I hadn’t talked or texted with him other than arranging to see Abby. The case study we now worked on separately, me giving him research and data work, while I did the visitations and analysis. Every time he came to my house Abby had his full attention, which was what we agreed upon.

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