"Johnny!" a familiar voice said behind him. He turned to find his Dad being walked in by the guards.
"Dad!" Johnny tried to run to his Dad, but Rosita stopped him with an apologetic smile. He turned back seeing the guards watching him wearily. It probably wasn't a good idea to rush towards prison guards. He waited while the guards removed the cuffs and locked the door. Then he ran into the first hug he'd had with his Dad since the arrest.
"My Johnny, it is so good to hug you," Oscar said as he held his son.
"I am so happy to see you, especially without glass between us. Rosita, thank you for this, but I thought I was meeting your friend," Johnny said when he finally let go of his Dad. Not that he wanted to let go, but conversations were kind of hard to have while hugging.
"Has Rosie been takin' good care of ya?" Oscar asked, ignoring the first question. Johnny didn't get to answer, Rosita quickly replied.
"You still haven't regained the right to call me that," Rosita snapped. Johnny looked back and forth between the adults.
"Aw, come on, how long are you going to be mad at me?" Oscar whined. Johnny's jaw dropped. He had never heard his dad whine like that. His dad also looked years younger.
"Hmm, let's see. I've been mad for the past twelve years so…forever," Rosita said haughtily. She sounded kind of like a teenager. Which was weird coming from her.
"Wait, do you two know each other?" Johnny asked. They looked at him as if just realizing that Johnny was still there.
"Ya' most of our lives," Oscar replied while at the same time Rosita said "Sort of,"
"How did I not know this?" Johnny asked, looking for one of them to explain.
"I didn't make the connection between you and your Dad," Rosita wrung her hands together.
"I had no idea she was one of the performers at Moon Theater," his Dad shrugged.
"So, my Dad is the friend you ran off to see here. But that means you knew each other before," Johnny reasoned.
"We met in high school. Rosita was your Mum's best friend," Oscar explained, moving to place a hand on Rosita's shoulder but pulling his hand back at the last moment.
"You knew my Mum?" Johnny turned to her.
"And you,"
"Me?"
"You were really young, I'm not surprised you don't remember me," Rosita said.
"I am, you were over at our house so much we should have charged rent," Oscar teased. Rosita glared at him. Johnny stared. He never saw his Dad act like this. It was weirding him out.
"I watched you when your Mom got sick. I taught you how to play piano," Rosita recalled.
"Aunt Ro?" Johnny stared at her. He could never forget Aunt Ro. True the memory of what she looked and sounded like had faded, but he would never forget the pig who had practically raised him for a year. The woman who was like a second Mum to him. The person who had promised to stay with him no matter what. Only to disappear the day his Mum died.
"Johnny, Rosita is going to be your legal guardian. She will be looking after you until I get out of here," Oscar said, smiling like he expected Johnny to be happy about this. Rosita wore a more hopeful smile. Well she could keep on hoping.
"No! Wha-how-She abandoned us!" Johnny pointed at the pig. Oscar's smile dropped clean of his face to shatter on the floor. Rosita looked hurt at his words. He hated that he put that look on the faces of two people he cared about. He felt torn. Hating Aunt Ro. Loving Rosita. Hurting over the happy memories. Scared that he'd be abandoned again.
"You left us. The day Mum died you left and never came back!" Johnny addressed Rosita.
"Johnny, there's something-" Oscar started only to be cut off by his son.
"And you, how can you even think of letting her be my legal guardian? What if she abandons me again? If I had known who she was I never would have staid at her house," Johnny interrupted whatever excuse his Dad was going to come up with.
"Now hold on a minute," Oscar started again.
"I hate you!" Johnny shouted at Rosita. Rosita didn't say anything, tears welled in her eyes. Johnny didn't want her to cry. He couldn't take back what he said though. He felt so angry. Hurt. Not knowing what else to do he turned an ran out of the room. His dad calling for him to come back. Rosita's tears filled his head.
Once outside the prison gates he threw down his board and jumped on. He couldn't go back to Rosita's, to Aunt Ro's. He didn't want to go back to the empty garage, a shadow of what a home should be. Besides CPS could still be watching his place. So Johnny went to the one place that still felt like a home, Moon Theater.
Once at the building he ran to the back stage.
"Johnny? What's wrong?" Ash asked. He had forgotten that he had practice and that other people would be at the theater. The whole group was looking at him.
"I-I…" How was he supposed to explain any of this?
"Guys give us a minute," Ash said, pulling Johnny into one of the rehearsal rooms. She made him sit and pulled out a tissue. He hadn't realized he was crying. Great she must think he was weak.
"It's okay Johnny, everyone cries," she reassured as if reading his mind. He took the tissue to blow his nose.
"Sorry,"
"You don't have to apologize. I was an absolute mess after Lance cheated on me. What happened?"
"I don't-"
"A burden shared is a burden halved," Ash said the same words that Rosita had the day she asked him to stay with her family. Just like that the whole story tumbled out of his mouth. His Mum's death. Aunt Ro being Rosita. Dad making Rosita his guardian. The whole thing.
"And I am so angry at her, them, this whole situation. But I care about Rosita and I know I hurt her. I don't know how to feel right now. Want to hit something, but at the same time I want to sing. None of this makes any sense!" Johnny threw his hands up before burying his face in his hands. He had stopped crying after the first few minutes. He wasn't even sure why he had cried in the first place.
"Hey, you are dealing with a lot," at his 'you think' stare she added, "more than a lot. It sounds like you weren't ever able to talk about how you felt when Rosita, Aunt Ro, left when you were a kid," Ash sat next to him. Letting Johnny lean on her a little.
"One day she was there and the next I never saw her again. Dad took down all the pictures of her. Never talked about her. For a while I thought she had died too. Only Dad didn't take down all the pictures of Mum. Anytime I brought Aunt Ro up he'd take me for ice-cream. Didn't matter where we were, what we were doing. We could be Christmas shopping and I'd say 'can we get a present for Aunt Ro' and the next thing I'd know, we were getting ice-cream," Johnny recalled one of the odder memories.
"Could there have been another reason she left?"
"I don't know, I was so young. I can't be sure of anything," Johnny admitted. It was possible that other things had kept Rosita away all these years.
"I think you need to talk to your dad and Rosita about all of this. Tell them everything you've just told me. There's probably more going on than you know," Ash gave his hand a squeeze. Johnny didn't want to admit it, but the rocker was probably right.
"How am I supposed to do that? I told Rosita that I hate her. I wasn't exactly nice to my dad either," he ran a hand threw his hair.
"Then apologize. What is it with guys and apologizing?"
"Ignoring the fact that Dad is hard to get along with on a good day. I told Rosita that I hate her. Why would she forgive me for saying something like that after she let me into her home?" Johnny asked.
"You're an idiot," Ash shook her head.
"Oh, thanks. That's very helpful," Johnny wasn't normally one for sarcasm but it had been a long day. So much for Fridays being the best.
"What I mean, is that Rosita loves you. She was definitely hurt by what you said, but she will forgive you," Ash assured
"How can you know that?" he asked. She chuckled, shaking her head.
"Because I've told my mom that I hate her a couple of times. My dad too. I always feel terrible afterwards cause it's not true. Then I suck up my pride and apologize. They are usually just glad that we are talking to each other," Ash said.
"I should probably go talk to them then. They're probably worried," Johnny rubbed the back of his neck.
"Them and the rest of the theater," Ash pointed out.
"I can't believe I stormed in here crying like that," Johnny groaned. She chuckled, patting his shoulder. They left the rehearsal room. Johnny was resolved to apologize for his behavior and then find Rosita and his Dad and get everything straitened out.
"Sorry about-"
"There you are," a woman said. Johnny turned to find the llama from Child Protective Services storming words the stage.
"Where have you been?" the llama demanded as she continued toward him. Only to be stopped by Mr. Moon.
"Excuse me, I'm Buster Moon, Manager of Moon Theater. Who are you and what do you want?" Buster asked as he got in between the angry woman and Johnny. Johnny was tempted to make a break for it.
"I am Iris Shwarts, with Child Protective Services. And I have been after this boy for a week,"
"Is Johnny in some sort of trouble?" Moon asked.
"That has yet to be determined. Johnny was supposed to be placed with a foster family as his current family has been deemed unsuitable," Shwarts tried to move around the koala.
"Really? Why is that?" Buster asked as he blocked her path again.
"That is really none of your concern sir," she said through gritted teeth.
"Well I'd say it's our concern. You see Johnny is a valued member of our theater group and-"
"Out of my way Mr. Moon. I am behind with this case as it is and the sooner Johnny is placed the better," she said finally getting past Mr. Moon.
"Better for who? I'm just fine on my own," Johnny protested, stepping back. Ash staid at his side, her quills bristling.
"I highly doubt that you have been on your own. And when I find out who has been harboring you-"
"You make it sound like he's a criminal!" Ash protested.
"He's our friend," Mena added. The rest of the theater group crowded around Johnny to keep the llama from him.
"Mr. Moon, advise your theater group to stand down unless they want to face criminal charges,"
"That's ridiculous!" Johnny shouted.
"That, Mr. Hall, is the law. Now lets go. Or do I need to call the police?" Shwarts arched an unimpressed eyebrow. Johnny's shoulders slumped. He couldn't let his friends get in trouble because of him. He gave Ash's hand a squeeze before pulling away.
Johnny started following the llama off the stage when the back door burst open. He turned to see Rosita panting.
"Wait!" Rosita called out.
"Now what?" Shwarts turned around.
"I am Johnny's legal guardian. Oscar Hall, his dad, gave me temporary custody. I have the paper work all right here," Rosita handed her the paper work. She gave Johnny a reassuring smile. He felt a weight lift off his shoulders.
"Everything seems to be in order. I will be making a home visit, but Johnny is clearly in your custody. I wish you luck," Shwarts tucked the paper work under her arm before leaving. When she had gone Johnny turned to Rosita.
"I'm s-"
"Oh thank goodness you are alright. Do you have any idea how worried I was when I couldn't find you?"
"I'm sorry Aunt Ro. I didn't mean what I said," Johnny said. He was surprised by the hug she pulled him into, but didn't protest.
"I know, I knew the moment you said it that you didn't mean it. That doesn't mean it didn't hurt,"
"I know and I'm sorry,"
"I'll forgive you on one condition," Rosita pulled back. She brushed the fur that had flopped into his eyes back.
"What's that?" Johnny asked.
"Don't you ever run off like that again. Do you have any idea how worried your father and I were?" she asked.
"I promise," Johnny agreed.
"Good," she turned to Buster, "thank you for sending me that text. And for stalling that CPS woman,"
"That's what family is for," Buster brushed it off. Everyone relaxed, talk turned to what they would be practicing today. Johnny still had questions though.
"Rosita, why did you leave back then?" he asked when the others left to prepare for rehearsal.
"I didn't have a lot of choice," Rosita winced.
"Ash said something probably happened, but I can't think of anything that would have kept you away,"
"Something happened alright" she grumbled under her breath.
"What happened?" he pressed.
"You have to understand, Oscar was hurting a lot when your Mom died,"
"I know that, but what does it have to do with why you didn't come back?"
"Because your dad demanded that I leave and never come back," Rosita explained.
"What? Why would he do that? You were, are, family," Johnny hadn't even considered his dad's involvement. Figures that he would do something to..to what? What reason could Dad have had to make Rosita leave?
"Greif makes people do strange things,"
"But why did you let him do that?"
"I have never let Oscar do anything. The man will walk all over you if you don't put your foot down," Rosita shook her head.
"I kept coming by, but he kept chasing me off or having one of your Uncles drive me home. I sent cards and letters for years. I hoped he would let you have those but-"
"Dad kept me away from you, all these years?" Johnny asked.
"Please don't be mad at him," Rosita pleaded.
"I think that I'm past mad at this point," Johnny started pacing the floor.
"You need to talk to your father about this. You need to ask him for his side of things,"
"Fine, doesn't mean I can't be mad at him tho'" Johnny stopped pacing.
"How does pizza sound tonight?" Rosita asked as they went to join the others.
"Actually I was wondering if I could go over to Ash's house?" Johnny asked, scratching at the back of his neck. Of course his going over there depended on what Ash would say when he asked her.
"Sure," Rosita agreed before adding, "I guess that means you will get to meet Ash's parents."
"Ash's parents are on a business trip," Johnny told her. He was looking forward to meeting Ash's parents though. They had to be pretty cool to raise someone as awesome as-Johnny's rambling thoughts were cut short by Rosita's hand shooting out to stop him.
"What's the matter?" Johnny asked. Rosita opened and closed her mouth.
"You, like Ash right?"
"Course I do,"
"No, I mean do you like-like her?" Rosita asked.
"Well, s-sort of,"
"And her parents aren't going to be home? When you two will be there, alone," Rosita said, not making much sense.
"I already said they'll be out of town,"
Rosita looked to the ceiling and muttered, "Dam it Oscar" Before turning back to him with a tight smile.
"I just don't know how I feel about that. You two alone, together,"
"We won't be alone if we're together," Johnny was starting to think she didn't want him to go over to Ash's. Which made no sense. Rosita liked Ash. Why wouldn't she want them hanging out?
"Why don't you invite Ash over to watch a movie at our house?" Rosita suggested instead.
"As much as I love your kids, I would like to spend some time with someone my age. Preferably without little kids around making a bunch of noise,"
Rosita said something like "the two of you will be making plenty of noise" that he didn't quite catch. She rubbed her temples, clearly frustrated with something. What that could be was escaping Johnny. Finally she sighed.
"Johnny has Oscar, has your dad given you…the talk?" Rosita asked, looking him in the eye.
"What talk?" Johnny asked. He let out a startled laughed when she face palmed.
"Sex, Johnny, has your Dad-"
"What, no! Why would you ask something like that?" Johnny felt his face flush in mortification. She couldn't seriously be asking this right now. In the middle of Moon Theater. Where anyone could hear them talking!
"Please tell me that you and Ash aren't planning to-"
"No! We aren't even dating yet," he waved his hands wildly. Okay he could admit that he was attracted to Ash. The thought of having sex with her was appealing. Oh gosh, now he wouldn't be able to look at Ash without blushing.
"Okay, but these things happen. She's pretty, you like her, her parents aren't going to be home," Rosita pointed out. Johnny felt like an idiot for not getting what she had been trying to say earlier.
"Rosita!" he protested.
"What? I'm your legal guardian, I am supposed to keep you from screwing your life up until your dad gets out of prison!" Rosita reasoned.
"I swear me and Ash won't do anything," Johnny held up one hand while placing the other over his heart.
"You're a teenager, I kind of doubt you can keep that promise," Rosita winced.
"Dad never did this to me!" Johnny said frustrated. Of course his Dad had never really asked where he was going. Just telling him to be back for dinner. He also hadn't ever had a girlfriend, so his dad might not have felt inclined to interrogate him like Rosita was now. Not that Ash was his girlfriend.
"Yea, well guess what, he will be after I talk to him. And you are getting that talk," she was using her mom tone again. Great, because that was exactly what he wanted to talk to his dad about right after asking why Rosita had been pushed from their lives.
"Rosita," he whined, not wanting people to overhear this incredibly embarrassing conversation. He should have just gotten emancipated. Then he wouldn't have to deal with adults and their embarrassing conversations.
"I just don't like the idea of the two of you alone at her house. I care about the both of you and I-"
"What if we went to a movie at a theater instead? That way we won't be at her house alone," Johnny just wanted this conversation over.
"Alright, but you will be home by nine,"
"I don't wan't Ash walking home alone. Especially with Lance still being a creeper," Johnny protested.
"Fine nine thirty then. But you are still going to get that talk,"
"Fine! Can we please be done with this conversation?" Johnny pleaded.
"Absolutely," Rosita agreed, sounding just as happy to be done with this topic.
"Great, now all I have to do is convince Ash to go to the movies with me," at Rosita's knowing smirk he added, "as friends."
This just caused Rosita to laugh at him. Well if this was the start of Rosita being his legal guardian then Johnny was dreading the next few years. At least he had people who cared about him. And a Home.
AN: So I'm thinking that instead of a really long story, I want to divide it up into parts. Each one a continuous story from the one previous. Though I have a feeling that it would be fine to read them as a standalone. I'm going to warn my wonderful readers that I am back at school, so I won't be posting as often as I have been.
What did ya'll think of this chapter? The next story will focus on Johnny and Ash's developing relationship. And we will get to see what Lance has been up to.