FSE

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Chapter Five

By

Furry Sith Lord

“Shion, can I see you in my office?” My manager asked as he called out to me. I had just arrived at work and he called me as I finished punching in. I knew all too well what was about to happen. It’s something that happened over a million times to me.

I entered his office and he gestured for me to sit down. I could feel rivets of sweat streaking down from my arms but not because it was too hot in here. It was my nervous nature as I waited for him to tell me that I was laid off. I tried to be as positive as possible just in case I was wrong.

“The reason why I called you in here is that first of all I want to tell you that you are a fantastic worker. Any company would be proud to have you on,” he said and I made myself smile but I knew what was coming. I just wanted to leave on friendly terms because I would need this company as a reference for my next job.

“However, things are tight right now and the company has decided to make several cut backs. This, unfortunately, means we need to eliminate your job. I’m really sorry,`` he continued. I nodded solemnly but knew the usual shtick and was not really interested in him blowing smoke up my ass to make me feel better. I kept wondering if Fen Ju had something to do with it. I kept thinking about her saying this would happen and knowing the influence she has, I wouldn't put it past her.

“You OK?” I was asked as my now former boss snapped me out of my day dreaming.

“Yeah, just a little surprised. I thought everything was going so well.” I said numbly hoping he would find it convincing.

“Well, I’m sorry the whole thing is out of my hands.” He replied and I nodded as I rose.

“What about today?” I asked, waiting for confirmation I would be p;aid for today.

“You’ll be paid for today. Do you need to gather your things?” He asked.

“I have everything I need.” I said and he smiled at me and led me to the entrance so I could leave. The door lightly closed behind me but it felt as if it was slammed and locked with a heavy bolt. I was used to this but this time it felt more personal than it ever had.

I went to a local McDonald’s and grabbed a breakfast sandwich while I used my phone to find help wanted ads. I was determined to find a job so that I’d have an excuse not to become a teacher for Shinto. It really was not anything personal against him but I did not want to be part of the whims of Fen Ju.

It was easy to see that her plan was for me to teach the boy then she would take all the credit for something she never did. I’ve seen her do something like that before and I would not fall victim to it again.

The other problem was the fact that I did not want the boy becoming attached to me. I was too old to play brother to someone I don't even know. He seemed to already be attached to me and I blamed myself for letting Jennifer talk me into seeing him. She had stirred up my curiosity and it got the better of me. Now I’m in the situation I’m in because of that. I really wish I had never gone over there to begin with.

Nothing seemed to catch my eye and desperation started setting in as my choices narrowed between working fast food, which I hate, and being Fen Ju’s puppet. I had to also consider that if she had gotten me laid off from my last job, then who’s to say she won’t do it again. I’d have to keep my job a secret which meant even Jennifer would need to be kept out of the loop. Fen Ju called her regularly to keep an eye on me. They liked talking to each other so it made Jennifer share my secrets more accessible to Fen Ju.

I saw an ad for a temp agency and worse comes to worse. I could use that to help hide my new job. So even if it got back to her that I was working at one place, she would not know every place that the temp agency sent me to. The only problem was that it was hit or miss with them. I may get 40 hours this week and 0 hours the next 2 weeks. Hard to live on that.

“I thought I’d find you here.” Fen Ju said as she sat down opposite me with a coffee she bought here. I groaned within myself and knew that she was involved! This had to confirm it or otherwise she was watching me to try and get me alone to get me to work for her and her ‘new’ son.

“How would you know that?” I asked.

“Well, everytime you’ve been laid off you sulk and find something to eat.” She remarked.

“Funny how you KNEW I was going to be laid off today.” I replied and she smiled slightly as she took a sip from her cup.

“Have you given my proposal any more thought?”

“Yeah, I’m not interested.” I replied sternly and she watched me patiently.

“You know you mean the world to him,”

“That’s a bit of a stretch.” I said doubtfully.

“He sees a kindred spirit in you, that’s why he’s so attached. You did more in two hours with him than weeks at the orphanage did.”

“So?” I said skeptically and wished that she would take the hint and leave me alone.

“So how about if you tutor him as you search for a new job. Once you find one then you are free and clear to move on.” She replied slyly.

“And how do I know you won’t use your influence to try and block me from getting a new job?”

“I promise I will use my influence to find you a job in the meantime.” She said, I still knew that I could not trust her but maybe I could turn this to my advantage. If she thought I was doing her bidding she might ignore how I’d be working in the background to get hired and free of her treachery.

“Fine,” I groaned. “But you better not make me regret this.” I replied as she smiled at me wickedly. I was smirking back at her on the inside only because she couldn’t see it.

The next morning I arrived at her house and she led me to where Shinto was. He was looking out a large glass screen door at the landscape. His head rested against a table as he looked out.

“Shinto,” I said firmly and he jumped and looked at me. His expression changed from one of sadness to excitement.

“Shion!” He exclaimed and he ran over to me and rubbed his face against me the way a dog would. I sighed and extended my hand to pet his head. I had no idea of what to do or how to begin his teaching.

“Wanna go outside?” I said then I took his hand and led him to the door. I opened it and we stepped outside and I repeated the word several times until he said it. I took him back inside and said the word a few times until he understood the difference between inside and outside. I knew I had to go slow with him and keep things simple until he could say more than a word or two.

It took me a month to get him speaking fluently and even then it was just simple easy words but I was able to begin teaching in more of a classroom setting. He was too old to send to kindergarten and the other elementary classes. This was why Fen Ju didn’t just send him to a school. It would make it appear as if he was stupid if we did that. By working with him it proved otherwise that he was very intelligent and the more he learned the faster his progress became.

I hate to admit I was beginning to enjoy it but the better he became the more I realized he would no longer need me and be able to go to school like a regular kid. This also meant that finding a decent job was nearing. I had applied to numerous places but had yet to receive any callbacks.

I knew Fen Ju was behind it even though she claimed she was helping me. If she actually reached out to her contacts I would have had a job within hours but so far not a single company had any interest in me. It could not be a coincidence!

“Can we go for walk now?” Shinto asked me and I looked at my watch to check the time. I gave him a recess period, like a real school would, and we would go for a half hour walk together. He was still very much attached to me but I hardly noticed anymore. At least he was acting more like a boy and not a dog now that his speaking had improved.

“Sure,” I replied and rose from my desk as he got up from his and he took my hand as I led him to walk around the neighborhood. Fen Ju had bought some desks to make the living room feel like a regular classroom. I had been trying to find a way to convince him that our walks were what babies did and now that he was growing up he needed to stop having recess.

I was just too weak to mention it because they made him so happy. Plus it was a break for me too even if it meant taking him for a walk. He really was making tremendous progress and it was nice to reward him with a simple thing that brought him joy. The truth was I also liked that he favored me more than Fen Ju.

He had learned to shower and dress himself and he learned the prayers we say before and after eating. He no longer had accidents now that he understood how the bathroom works. He was even developing his own styles when it came to clothing and books. The one thing I regret was that Fen Ju was still reading bedtime stories to him in order to get him used to reading.

Jennifer was bugging me to have him come over for a sleepover because she wanted to meet him. I didn’t think it would be too much of a problem except how would we entertain him? He was not a big fan of television and I doubted he knew what a video game was. We could try simple board games but that would get old pretty quick.

The other problem was he was never around kids his own age. I worried about how he would react with his peers because he only spent time with us adults. He needed to be among kids if he was to ever enter a regular school. He would at least need a friend or two because he can’t hang on to me for the rest of his life.

It occured to me that maybe I should use some class time to teach him about video games. That way I could do the sleep over as a way to reinforce their play and it would be a step closer to helping him find a friend.

“Kid.” Shinto said and he pointed to a boy that was well known to me. A boy about Shinto’s age stood at a street corner smoking a cigarette. He was Asain, like us, and his dark hair was long and flowing back into a tail while the sides and lower back were shaved.

He called himself Baron and he was known as a local street punk that like to rob and steal from local small businesses. He had been arrested a couple of times but nothing too serious. He was probably expelled from school for fighting again.

“You wanna go meet him?” I asked and Shinto nodded. I guess this was to be his first taste of what kids his age were like.

To Be Continued…