The three remaining Hales sat in contemplation as the setting sun filtered into the dining room. The giggles coming from Sandi and Ciara as Joey helped with their dessert were the only sounds breaking the heavy silence. Mr. and Mrs. Hale absorbed all they had heard about Joey’s dire situation and Roni’s desperate plan to save him from the fate awaiting him. The gravity of adopting Joey and covering not only his registration but also Roni’s guardian classes weighed heavily on them. They knew this would be a major financial burden, regardless of any potential support Joey might provide if the Calhouns agreed.
Roni’s argument was compelling, but the risks loomed large. The Calhouns could fight the accusations of abuse and neglect, and there was residual fear that Generitech might not be able to intervene. Joey had seemed so sure, but it would still be a gamble. Even if the charges were not contested, retaliation was a real threat. Mr. Hale understood that the Calhouns’ extensive social connections could jeopardize his career and the children’s social life, potentially forcing them to leave Sacramento.
Mrs. Hale, her hands clasped tightly in her lap, worried about a different kind of toll—an emotional one. She feared for Roni, but also for Sandi and Ciara. A prolonged legal battle could wear them all down, especially if they didn’t win. The idea of losing, of watching their daughter’s heart break after fighting so hard for Joey, gnawed at her, leaving an unsettled feeling deep in her chest.
Roni, maintaining a calm exterior, felt a storm of anxiety within. She desperately wanted to believe her parents would agree, but she knew better than to let hope cloud reality. Past disappointments, like her Checker’s failed surgery and missing out on a lead role in “Wicked,” had taught her that hope alone doesn’t guarantee outcomes.
Breaking the silence, Mr. Hale finally spoke, his voice heavy with concern. “Roni… just so I’m certain, you completely understand the commitment you’re making, right? This isn’t like another pet. An underbred would be a lifelong commitment. Hell, Joey could outlive Ciara if what I’ve heard about their biology is true.”
Sighing at the term “underbred” again, Roni looked at her father with determination. “Yes, Dad, I understand. Joey is my best friend, and he doesn’t deserve to go from one awful situation to another. I can give him the life he needs. Being your son–however temporary–would be the most positive thing to happen to him in years, ” Tears welled in her eyes as she spoke, her words raw and heartfelt.
Mr. and Mrs. Hale exchanged looks, then leaned in to whisper, their voices too low for Roni to hear. She watched them, her heart thudding painfully in her chest, hands now clasped so tightly her knuckles had turned white.
“Jeff, I think this plan could work,” she said softly, though her voice was tinged with uncertainty. “Roni’s thought it through.”
“I think so too…I just worry about Roni. She’s really idealistic, Kat. I…I don’t know, I just worry about this becoming more about Joey’s life than her own” said Mr. Hale. He had been running through what Roni’s future would be like, and the idea of her making all her decisions just based around Joey didn’t sit right with him.
“Oh Jeff….you know Joey wouldn’t want her to do things like that. I’m sure if—when—he’s a little, he’d defer to her judgment on things” argued Mrs. Hale, though there was a slight hint of uncertainty in her voice. “He’d support her, just like she’s supporting him now.”
Mr. Hale’s brows furrow as he thought about it a bit more. “Maybe…Amelia had said something about bonding…though who knows how much of her bullshit was factual at this point” he muttered.
“Jeff,” Mrs. Hale interrupted softly, reaching for his hand. She squeezed it gently, her eyes locking onto his. “You know how close these two are. Joey wouldn’t let Roni make his needs to center of her life. He’s always put her first. He’s a good boy.”
“I guess, Kat…” relented Mr. Hale, “I just…there needs to be a way to keep her grounded to reality. To help her see that not everyone is going to see Joey in the same way she does, at least not at first”
“Well…what do you suggest, Jeff? That we just…treat Joey as less to teach them a life lesson?”
“No…well, maybe, I don’t know.” Mr. Hale sighed as he glanced back at Roni before continuing, “Look, we still need to care for Joey if we do this—not that we don’t care now, I—” Mr. Hale paused as he looked for the right words, “I want to be his father…and I know you’d want to be his mother, but once he’s Roni’s, we do need to be more authoritative on things…I really just worry about her is all”
“I know Jeff, I know” Mrs. Hale said as she contemplated the situation, “I think there’s a few things we can come up with to put our minds at ease though…”
Mr. Hale looked at her and began to listen to some of the ideas she had, finding them firm, but fair.
Roni, meanwhile, sat at the other end of the table as she watched her parents silently whisper. Her heart was thumping in her chest and she couldn’t help clench her hands in her lap as she wondered what it was they were whispering. “This has to work,” she thought, “It just has to, Joey needs me, needs us, I need him…”
Finally, her parents separated and looked at her with unreadable expressions. “Roni,” Mrs. Hale began, her tone firm, “your father and I want to ensure you understand our views. Joey will be, for lack of a better term, a pet after everything is done. Whether or not we take him in, he is, in legal terms, an animal. If we agree, you’ll need to take full responsibility for him, ensuring he understands our expectations and not letting him distract you from school or let his presence dictate the course of your life. This is a good thing you want to do, but you have your own life to live and that needs to take precedence. Do you see where we’re coming from?”
Roni paused, a sad expression on her face as she contemplated the dynamic briefly before shaking it off, then nodded. “Yes, Mom.”
“We’re serious, Veronica.” added Mr. Hale, “We know how you feel about littles, but you’re belief is in the minority. Most people you and Joey meet are going to look down on him. Your mother and I…well…we would do our best to make sure he’s safe in our own way and that he knows we care but…ultimately he’ll be a little. As much as it pains me to say it, he isn’t a human. We love the boy, and we will care for him as deeply as we can but…well…you are our main priority. Always.”
Again, Roni nodded in compliance.
Mr. Hale sighed. “In that case, as long as you give your word on this, we think it’s worth the risk. You’re correct, Joey needs a good home life before everything happens, and we want to be the parents he’s needed. As you said, it’s not fair for him to go from one horrible situation to another. Even when he is in his actual form, we think he deserves someone like you to watch out for him.”
Roni’s lips quivered as tears flowed, a smile breaking through. “Thank you… thank you so much.” She got up and hugged them. “I love you both. I’ll do whatever it takes to make this work, I swear.”
As they pulled away, Mr. Hale took a deep breath. “There’s one more thing, Roni…”
1) “regardless of any potential support Joey might provide” I don’t know, he may have shitloads stashed away.
2) “The idea of losing, of watching their daughter’s heartbreak after fighting so hard for Joey, gnawed at her” That would be a hard thing to see, but abandoning Joey would lead to similar heartbreak this time directed at her.
3) Looks like the Hales are starting to come around
4.1) “I just worry about this becoming more about Joey’s life than her own” which is a valid concern on multiple levels, she’d have to arrange her finances around him, her diet, her social life, romantic life, and even her homemaking would have him factored in
4.2) “you know Joey wouldn’t want her to do things like that” Right, because we all know guardians never ignore their littles wants in order to do as they please.
5) A bit of tough love from the parents seems like a plan that could prove invaluable, or backfire horribly.
6) Roni agrees to accept that they’ll only see him and allow her to see him as a pet came a bit too quick, I’d have thought she’d fight back more.
7) “Even when he is in his actual form” his biggle form is just as much his true form as his little one.
1) the number does eventually come up lol I don’t think Roni will know until a bit after though
2) True, but I think that she’d only really have to deal with it coming from Roni. Joey wouldn’t tell Ciara or Sandi if this fell through. similar to most of the smallara victims, he likes the remember me how I was type of situation, just with Roni, he couldn’t just disappear. she’d probably poke around and try to figure out what happened to him.
3) very much so
4.1, 4.2) yeah. their big worry with it’s balance. taking time to care for herself and taking care of Joey. Like the past few years really haven’t been too great in the compassion and love department for Joey, so she’d probably overcorrect and do all things that he would want to do without really making time for herself.
5) I agree. I think being distant, trying to make sure joey understands his place is a bad deal and I think the alternatives they’ve come up with for now will work out
6) at this point, everyones emotionally exhausted. I don’t think roni could really go through more than she already has over the last 30-45 minutes, and same with her parents. On top of that, Mr. Hales got a lot to process now that he knows what his sisters going through isn’t a natural process but a decision that his younger sister made and lied about, which we’ll see a little bit of in the future, just figuring out how I want to do it and how many chapters i want to make it. Easier to just take the win for now.
That being said, I can say just because of the prologue, that she still is going to see him as Joey, and sees this as a temporary thing. On top of that, Mr. and Mrs. Hale are under the same impression as every other average person is about littles in the sense that they aren’t aware of the fact that they are human in personality. to them this makes sense and they think that Roni and Joey’s views aren’t really how they are just based on the surface level information that is available to the average person. We as readers\writers know that’s not the case because of all the extra info we’re given and the pov the stories are told from, and I’d say Joey and Roni know from their own internet searches and research. I’ll even go as far as to say that the only reason Roni knows about the chips from Preema Tech is because Joey found it in his research and told her. Probably a big reason why she’s more interested in littles than anything else. From a story telling perspective I think it helps out with leaving room for development and is going to help me make sure I don’t leave them out too often when I’m writing.
7) agreed. that’s another thing I just don’t think the average person and most guardians really consider about smallara victims.
You’re good. good ! :p
Thank you! I really Appreciate it!