Chapter 62: Chapter 62

: Orphanage

Clair entered the Ryder's villa two days later. She walked in and went directly toward the living room.

"Hey," she said to Chris who sat in the chair, with a gloomy depressed look on his features.

"hi," he said trying to smile

"Any News?" she asked.

He shook his head sadly, "you?"

"I've been trying, it's like he's disappeared," she replied sighing, "I should have never left."

"We all have our regrets," Chris replied.

"Yeah, but this is all my fault, we were family first, I should have had his back, "

Chris said nothing as he kept staring at the space above him. He still found u, t hard to believe Justin went through all that without him having the slightest clue.

He couldn't help the feeling of worthlessness and guilt that clouded his mind.

"Where could he be? Maybe he followed Bree?" Clair suggested.

Chris shook his head, "we could have heard the news of her death if he did," Chris replied, shivering as he said this, "I can't take that picture out of my head," he said looking up at Clair.

"what picture?"

"Justin, when he lost it. I've never seen him like that. I've never seen him so angry I could see a killer in his eyes, I was afraid to touch him," Chris confessed, " he looked so hurt and betrayed, I just..I couldn't believe it."

"I've seen him like that once," Clair responded.

"Really? When?" Chris asked surprised, focusing on Clair.

"Well,  he wasn't as mad as he is now but it was pretty close. It was after he had raped that girl, he threw himself over his brother beat the hell out him. He was so angry and so upset. Justin's a good person but once he is pushed I mean really pushed it just doesn't work anymore."

Chris watched her attentively as she spoke, "there was really nothing we could have done. Maybe we shouldn't have told him Bree was his mother. He's been missing for two days, enough to file a missing persons report."

"It was the right thing to tell him," Clair replied, massaging the bridge of her nose.

"I know, I just wish it didn't hurt as much," he said calmly.

"By the way, where's Mr Ryder?" Clair asked.

"oh, he's still calling his friends, asking them for help but the police haven't yet seen Justin anywhere. Dad's just losing it over Justin, he blames himself."

"Why don't you track Justin using his phone?"

"that's the first thing we did, we traced it to his room, where he left it, "

"oh," Clair replied

Robin came down stairs, "Put on your jackets and shoes people!" he called out smiling, widely.

"Why? Have you've found him?" Chris asked standing up frantically as he and Clair looked at him hopefully.

"yeah, he's in Chicago, Miss Janice called me," Robin said as his smile drifted.

"I should have known, chicagos the only place where he felt he had a home it's logical he should be there," Chris said.

"What are we still doing here, let's go," Clair replied heading out.

"I like that girl," Robin said to Chris with a chuckle,

"I like her too," he replied.

*********

After Justin had stormed out, he had driven all over LA in search of Bree. he had just really wanted to hurt her as much as he hurt him and how she ruined his life.

It wasn't enough to see her beg, he wanted her to pay and he wanted it so bad.

After being unsuccessful he spent the day alone and depressed. It was then when he realised all he ever really had wanted was true family, a mother, a real one.

He could only think of one place where he could find that mother.

Miss Janice was in her office back at Jenny's orphanage. It was doing pretty well after the upgrades done to it, much bigger now and more boys as well as more staff all thanks to the Ryder's donations every three months since there departure. She heard a knock on her door.

"Come in," she said looking up, "yes?"she asked the boy who came in. He looked all excited, "there's someone here to see you," he said knowing Justin's face from television.

She looked up at him, standing up. she followed him down the hall way. There she saw a hooded figure bent over hands shivering rapidly.

She knew it was Justin when she saw him.

"Justin," she said softly.

Justin looked up at her when she said this.

She gasped a little as she saw the grief and pain in his eyes. They were red and cracked like he had been crying all night.

He stood up and she saw his bloody fists as if he had been punching the wall hard so many times.

"oh good lord, what have they done to you?" she said quietly as she hugged him.

She patted him, rubbing his back as he he held on to her tightly.

"what did they do to you?" she repeated, worried still hugging her precious child.

Justin shook his head as he clutched her tightly a tear escaping from his cheek. He put his other arm around her

"Let it all out baby, you're home now, " she said as he broke down right there, in front of a woman he could truly call a mother.

*********

After he was ready to let go, Miss Janice personally dressed his wounds putting fresh bandages.

She told him to shower as she asked the chefs to prepare some hot soup and washed his clothes bringing him fresh clean ones.

she knocked on his door and he opened it, smiling as she walked in. A looked around.

"you like  it?" she asked eying the way he looked around the room.

Justin nodded smiling a little, "it hasn't changed one bit," he said as he stood in the room he and Chris once shared.

"I made sure it remained like this so whenever one of you wanted to come back to visit, it would still feel like home,

"

"home," Justin repeated, "this has always been my home, my only one," he said sitting down on the bed.

"You also have home in LA," Miss Janice replied, sitting down beside him.

Justin shook his head, "this is the only place I've been truly happy."

Miss Janice smiled, "do you wanna talk about it?" she asked rubbing his hand

he looked at her, "no, " he said shaking his head, "I just want to forget," he replied sniffing.

"Look at me," she said pulling his chin to face her, she sighed as she saw him.

"when I fist saw you, when officer Rick, god rest his soul brought you in, I could see a scared angry boy, just like the one I'm seeing now," she began, patting his knee.

"I was pretty angry," he replied remembering the day.

"yes, but I also saw something else, a boy with potential and dreams. A boy who would do anything to change his destiny, that's the boy I brought to my orphanage."

"What if that boy is no longer there?" Justin asked, slowly gulping.

"That's impossible, people never change. They just adapt, but they remain who they really are."

Justin looked away, "I just don't get why all these bad things keep happening to me, what did I do so wrong to deserve a life like this?" he asked.

"There is a saying, the stronger you are the harder it gets. If all these bad stuff are happening to you it's because you are stronger than you think. It's always darkest before dawn," she smiled taking his hands into her old ones, "you are so special, I can feel it. When the world gives you crap, burry it and grow a tree over it."

Justin chuckled at this.

"It maybe funny but it's true, you might be going through hard times right now, whatever they are, I know for a fact that the boy I see in you, that giant slayer will overcome it, like you always do. Life always sucks, I've had my fair share if bad times, but look at me now. I'm happy and surrounded by wonderful people, blessed ones, and I know one day you'll see it too."

Justin smiled, "thank you," he said.

She grinned in reply, "now you get some rest, boy, I can see you need it."

He nodded, "Miss Janice," Justin called out.

"Yes?"

"Can I call you mom?" he asked softly.

she smiled, releasing a gentle laugh"why would you ask that?"

"because your the closest thing I've ever had to that," he replied, staring at her in truth.

"of course, son," she replied, "now get some sleep boy," she said closing the door behind her.

Justin closed his eyes and breathed out. he really felt a lot better.

********

The Ryder's arrived at the orphanage early the next morning after Miss Janice called them.

When they arrived Justin had just finished playing soccer with the other boys and was happy just laughing genuinely.

They seemed to block out all the sadness from his life.

Mr Ryder walked in the orphanage he was greeted by the stern look of  Miss Janice, "Robin, I need to talk to you, " she ordered.

"Yes Ma'am," he replied following her to the office as Chris and Clair searched for Justin. They found him in his room.

"hey bro," Chris said as they walked in.

Justin had just finished pumping the ball for the little boy beside him. He looked up at Chris and then handed the ball over the boy who said thank you then left.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, glancing between the both of them.

"We came to take you home Justin, "

Justin nodded, sitting on the bed, twirling another soccer ball in his hands,"I'm already home," he replied.

"We were so worried about you, why didn't you call me?" Clair asked sitting next to him.

"I just wanted to be alone, plus I left my phone," he added.

"You have to come back with us Justin," Chris put in with a deep sigh as he leaned against his bed.

"Why? I feel way happier here," Justin replied, "Sorry, but I'm not leaving, "

"What are you talking about? Justin you need to come back with us," Clair responded.

"I don't want to be anywhere near Bree," he suddenly fired back. He closed his eyes trying to suck the pain back in before opening them again.

"Your mother isn't comming back, "

"She isn't my mother," Justin blurted out,  raising his voice at Chris.

"Sorry, I meant Bree isn't comming back."

Justin shook his head, "she'll come back sooner or later, and when she does, I do not want to join Chad in jail because I murdered someone," he responded standing up.

Clair looked at him. She saw the anger and frustration in his eyes, all because of Bree.

"I don't want to see her, and I'm not comming back because of her."

*********

.

Meanwhile

Robin was busy explaining to miss Janice all he knew.

Miss Janice sat down, "my god," she said, holding on to the desk for support,

"I told you to take care of him!" she fired at him, her eyes scorching with pain when she thought if everything Justin had gone through.  She also felt like she was partly to blame. She allowed him to be adopted by a woman like her.

"and I feel like a failure," Robin replied.

"I love Justin and Chris like they were my own sons, do you know how it made me feel when I saw him in that condition?" she asked.

"I love them too, believe me. I made a mistake, but I love my sons. They are wonderful and I promise you this time around I will focus on them."

"and Bree?"

"I've petitioned for divorce, I will not let her near my sons."

"I'm going to trust you one more time," Miss Janice replied, though she doubted she would ever trust him again. No, she would make it a point to visit her two boys once in a while to make sure they were safe.

"And I will not disappoint. They're  the only things that I really have left," he said.

She nodded at this, " alright, I just need to alone for a moment and process it all, " she replied, "go and talk to him, try all you can," she said putting her speckles back on.

"Thank you," he said as he walked out.

*****

Clair's phone rang.

"hello- you found it? Alright, I'll be there in a jiffy," she said.

She looked at Chris, "I have some business here in Chicago, I'll deal with it then I'll be right back."

She knelt before Justin, "I won't let anyone hurt you, just come home," she said before standing up and walking away.

******

Justin left for the backyard as he and Chris watched the match the kids where playing.

They found themselves enjoying it. Chris even caught Justin smiling as his eyes trailed over the field.

Robin watched them and figured maybe he should let Justin be happy here for a little bit.

It was evening when he finally had the chance to talk to Chris and Justin. he found them in there old room.

"Hey buddy," he said to Justin.

Justin looked up and smiled, "hey dad," he responded.

Robin walked to them

"I hope you're comming back home with me," he said softly to Justin who was spinning a ball in his hand. He stopped when he heard this.

"you still have me, Chris, Clair and your career back in LA, " Robin persuaded.

Justin looked back up at him,

" I know I have you, " he said twirling the ball,"but I can't go back, I just can't see Bree," he replied, clenching his jaw as he focused on the ball.

Tossing it over to Chris as Robin phone rang. He sighed and answered it as Clair came in.

She sat beside him glancing over at Chris, who shook his head slowly.

"you can't let Bree bring you down forever," she eased.

Mr Ryder hang up the phone, "he doesn't have to, that was the police,  Bree's dead. She committed suicide."