Fred met Jennifer at her apartment. There were a few boxes and suitcases packed when he arrived. After helping her pack up a few more things the two began hauling it all downstairs. It wasn't much, all of it would fit inside the trunk of his car and the back of Jennifer's Jeep. The two siblings quickly got everything loaded, silence wrapping around them the whole time like a wet blanket.
"I'll see you at Ma's," Fred muttered as Jennifer locked the apartment door.
"Alright," she replied. She looked like she would say something else, but then she just sighed. Fred watched as her face shuttered against whatever was brewing in her mind. He shook his head as he walked to his car.
He wished he could have brought Aaron with him, but neither of them wanted to leave Ben alone quite yet. Fred also didn't want Aaron to have to see how his mother would inevitably react to his presence.
He wasn't even sure how she would react to seeing him again and he was her fucking son. He was grateful that Jennifer hadn't tried to pack too much, so hopefully he wouldn't have to be around the women for long as they unloaded everything.
Jennifer was just getting out of her Jeep as Fred pulled up behind her, parking his car behind her like they had the night Aaron and he had come over. He pushed down the feelings of dread and anxiety that bubbled up as he remembered that night.
Jennifer glanced at the house and stood next to her car door, arms crossed over her chest. Fred switched off the car and sucked in a deep breath, closing his eyes for a second trying to get control of all he was feeling. He got out of his car and Jennifer stepped toward him.
"Hey," she began. "You don't have to come in. You can just leave all that shit in the driveway. I can make Ma and the boys help me." Fred studied her face.
He expected to see disdain there, suspecting she made the offer so he wouldn't get the chance to see the boys. But he didn't see scorn etched on his sister's face. He saw something protective that he hadn't seen from her since they were much smaller.
It was the same look he'd seen on his sister's face when he was very young, and his mother would get a little too aggressive with him. The memory of his big sister stepping between the two of them, defending him, shoving him away from the rage of their mother, made his eyes sting.
"I can handle it Jenn," he muttered. She reached out tentatively and brushed a hand down his shoulder. Fred glanced down at her hand as it brushed against his shirt sleeve. He tried to catch her eye.
"I..." She dragged her gaze away from him and let her hand fall. "Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you." She glanced at her brother again, and he saw her eyes were shuttered against him once more.
By now Wanda was standing on the porch, hands on her hips, glaring out at her two children. A small head of blond hair popped out from behind her.
"Uncle Fwed!!" Jeffy screamed happily.
Before Wanda could react, he went flashing past her towards his uncle. Fred couldn't help but smile at that scream and turned toward it. He took one step then braced himself for the impact of the kid. Jeffy giggled happily as his uncle caught him from his leap and squeezed him in his arms.
"Heeeyy, kid!" Fred's voice cracked and he felt tears leaking down his cheeks. Jeffy pulled back and held Fred's face in both of his small hands.
"What's wwong Uncle Fwed?" Jeffy asked wiping at the wetness of his tears.
"Ah, nothing kid, I'm just happy to see you!" Fred cleared his throat. "I missed you."
"I missed you too," Jeffy said. He wrapped his little arms around his uncle's neck and Fred sighed happily at the small weight of him.
Jennifer watched the exchange with her brother and youngest son. Her arms hung loosely at her sides, and as she regarded the tears on Fred's cheeks, she expected the usual feelings of disdain and disgust to simmer inside her. Instead, her heart warmed at the raw display of relief and love that poured down Fred's cheeks.
She wondered what kind of monster she had become, when it had started. She did remember a time when she would hold Fred and comfort him after their mother had knocked him around. When did those feelings of protection turn into feelings of disgust at his weakness. She couldn't remember when the shift occurred. Tears pricked her eyes at the heavy weight of her mistakes; of the awful things she'd said and done.
An irritated huff and a throat clearing pulled her attention from the sweet display in front of her, of Jeffy and Fred seriously discussing the games Jeffy had been playing since he'd last seen his uncle. She finally noticed Taylor and Chris who were at the door now, clearly itching to get past their grandma who held them back with an outstretched arm.
"Boys, come down here and help us with this stuff," she ordered. Wanda huffed again and put her hands back on her hips as the two boys pushed past her, towards their Uncle Fred.
After he put Jeffy down, Taylor and Chris each hugged him tightly. Taylor inquired about why he hadn't been at his birthday party, and Chris demanded to know if he was coming to his. The three boys peppered him with questions and explanations on what he'd missed these past months. It seemed like both a lifetime had passed and hardly any time at all.
"Alright guys, enough, leave Uncle Fred alone, we need to move some boxes and suitcases. It'll go really fast if we all take some," Jennifer said.
"What's happening mommy?" Jeffy asked.
"I...I'll tell you inside sweetie, come on and help mommy with this stuff," Jennifer said.
Fred ruffled Jeffy's hair as he tried to pull a huge suitcase from the back of the Jeep. Fred pushed it back into place and gave Jeffy a light duffel bag to take in. Wanda came wandering down the driveway as the three boys went inside with various bags and boxes.
"What are you doing here?" Wanda demanded as Fred pulled boxes from his trunk.
"I'm helping my sister Ma," Fred said simply. Wanda huffed out an irritated breath.
"I told you not to come home until you were done with your sinful ways," Wanda said slowly.
Jennifer looked over at Fred, her eyebrows raised, she went to lower the bags she held. Fred shook his head and waved her on. She hesitated but started for the house.
"I know that's what you said. Jennifer didn't know what to do. Russell's been abusing her and the boys," Fred said. Wanda huffed yet again and crossed her arms.
"The boys are fine," Wanda spat. Fred raised his eyebrows noting that she didn't say Jennifer was fine. He wondered if his mother had known what was happening and had just ignored it.
"They're not," Fred said. "You should see Ben, Ma. His face is all fucked up. Russell threw him against a wall." Wanda didn't say anything, her face remained stony.
"Why would he do that?" Wanda asked.
"I can't explain it to you Ma. It's not mine to tell." Wanda rolled her eyes.
"Everyone is so sensitive these days," she muttered.
She stalked back up the driveway and into the house. Fred scraped his hands through his hair and down his face, balling them into tight fists. He closed his eyes, and he took some deep breaths. He jumped at the touch of a hand on his shoulder. When he opened his eyes, Jennifer stood there, looking up at him worriedly.
"What did she say?" she asked. Fred shook his head.
"Nothing," he said. Jennifer stared at his face and saw he wouldn't tell her anything more. It was fine, she knew she hadn't done anything to earn his confidence.
With everyone, except Wanda, helping to bring in bags and boxes they finished unloading everything in just a few minutes. Wanda had slunk off to her bedroom when Fred began bringing things into the house and refused to leave while he remained there. He did his best to ignore the invisible hurt her actions raked across his heart. He'd have a lot to talk to his therapist about this week. It still bothered him that her jabs and abuses continued to hurt him so much.
After everything had been brought in, Jennifer grabbed a couple of beers and the siblings sat outside in the backyard sipping at them. The three boys played together in the yard while Fred and Jennifer sat together. They didn't talk about much, just the logistics of her finding a job, a place to live. He hadn't even gotten halfway through his beer before he stood and said he needed to get going.
Fred hugged each boy, planting kisses on their heads before Jennifer walked him out to his car. She stood awkwardly for a moment before speaking. She didn't want him to leave, had hoped he would stay and help her figure things out. She knew she did not deserve it, didn't deserve any of the kindnesses he was extending right now, after the way she had been behaving these past months.
