Foster Father

[WP] You kidnapped the child of a rich family to get a big ransom, but you soon realize that his family doesn't care about him at all. So you do your best to be a good parental figure for him.

*****

"Cory! get your ass down here, now!" I screeched sounding rather like the banshee that had attended Mother's funeral almost a decade ago.

Ever since I'd made the mistake of kidnapping the brat, that at this moment of time was most likely glued to the Xbox, I'd been regretting the life decisions that had lead me to becoming a single dad. Now don't get me wrong, the brat upstairs sure knew how to play me like a fiddle but I couldn't really blame him could I? He'd obviously inherited his manipulative traits from his creepy parents.Creepy was a good way to describe them.

I was the new guy. The new inexperienced father of a child I'd never even wanted in the first place. Yet despite all that even me, a 29 year old ex-convict knew how to take care of a kid. Feed em, give em a haircut every once in awhile, and most importantly don't frickin hit them.. You'd think an ex convict like myself wouldn't be the best dad material. Well you'd be wrong about that, in fact the reason I was in jail in the first place was because I beat a pedophile into a coma. Luckily for me I'd hit him just hard enough for him to be left a vegetable for the rest of his short miserable life. I've never done drugs, assaulted anyone or broke the law.. Well other than that one time , however due to me being an ex convict finding a job was far harder than I'd thought it would be.

You'd think beating a POS into oblivion would make me seem like a good worker in job interviews. However none of the interviewers seemed that impressed when I gave them a detailed account about how much effort it had taken to bat the garden spade around that glorious morning.

Heavy lifting I'd told them was my expertise ooh and pest control. I had a lot of experience in that field. However they'd all told me the same thing. They'd get back to me if I'd gotten the job. Surprisingly I never heard a peep back from any of them. However a neighbor of mine, Nancy's her name, took pity on me and paid me to help do up her house which was in need of some serious renovations. I of course knew this wasn't gonna be a long-term solution and soon enough the job was done and I was practically broke again.

That's how I'd ended up becoming so strapped for cash that I'd recklessly decided to kidnap the son of the rich snobs, who lived just up the hill from the local gym I went to. I went to the gym regularly to remind the local creeps that I'd wield a garden spade again if the situation arised.

Now the gym I went to wasn't as spacious as the rich couple's garage, I'd noticed this the day I'd broken in. You see, thanks to being imprisoned for 10 years I'd picked up a lot of tricks from my fellow inmates. Like how to pick a lock, how to disable security cameras and the handiest one of all, how to get access to a gun. You'd think the laws here would be a tad bit stricter regarding who can get a gun. But with the right amount of money (a years savings *sobs ) and the right connections, you'd be handed a gun in less than an hour here.

Like a true Texan I went in guns ablazing on a random Wednesday night at 2am. I was surprised I'd managed to even get inside without being spotted. You'd expect rich folks to have better security wouldn't you? Not these two twats. Nooo, in fact they barely blinked an eyelid when I'd (gently) dragged their 9 year old son downstairs while waving my a gun around. Careful not to disturb the sleeping child.

Instead they were annoyed I'd worn my shoes inside the house. Dirtying their white "Saxony" carpet. It hadn't been my fault they'd obnoxiously chosen the whitest of white carpets to cover every square inch of the damn place.

"You can't even imagine how much this will cost to clean" the woman had cried out in horror as she felt to the ground over dramatically.

"A lot? I'm not here to discuss how expensive it's gonna be to get those stains outta the rug, if you don't pay me a ransom of 10 million dollars I'm taking your son" I'd stated feeling quite confident that I was getting my message across.

"10 million?! How much do you think the boy's worth? 1 million would be bloody generous wouldn't you think? " the man had started to laugh, clearly finding the very idea too absurd to fathom.

"How about you just take him off our hands? Hmm?" The woman suddenly asked causing me to drop my gun in surprise. I quickly picked it up again my eyes darting from the sleepy boy to the snobs in the corner.

"Just take him? " I whispered feeling a shiver run down my spine. Could this boy's parents care so little for him.

"Yes.. In fact" the woman said perking up as if she'd thought of something amazing.

"You can have him, I'm sick of the sight of him, he reminds me of all the years I've wasted" she declared as she looked vainly into one of the many mirrors that hung on the wall.

"Yes, yes he's positively useless, always creating havoc at school, damaging our very reputation.. You know that girl's are far more easier to look after, I'd always wanted a little girl, look what we got instead" the man said looking disgustedly down at his own flesh and blood. Feeling increasingly uncomfortable by the situation I'd found myself in I stood there dithering like an idiot.

"But.. I'm here to kidnap him? " I said wearily making it sound more like a question than a statement.

Scoffing the woman looked to me again. "No need to be dramatic let's negotiate shall we? You take him off our hands and we'll pay you monthly to look after him.. We can tell the neighbors we shipped him off to boarding school in England" she said turning to her husband who nodded calmly.

"But-but he's your son? How? why? What about his education? " I blurted out randomly. Wanting to kick myself for even thinking about the proposal.

"Ah well we'll arrange a tutor to visit the house, you'll have to move far away mind.. Perhaps a nice cottage in the countryside?" The lady asked making me question my sanity.. Was this actually happening or was I high?? Wtf was wrong with these two?

"How much will you pay me? Monthly? " I asked finally, clearing my throat.

"Is... $5,000 enough? I'd think so? No? " the lady asked her husband who seemed deep in thought for moment before speaking.

"That should do the trick" he said nodding his head in approval. The two discussed it calmly as if they we're buying a painting at an auction. They both now looked to me, waiting for my answer.

"Just until he's 21, by then he'll be educated and brought up nicely and can go to college and after all that return home from "England" ready to inherit all of this" the woman said emphasizing the England bit.

"Maybe he'll become more obedient while he's gone? " she continued her delusional rant.

"What a fine idea, good thing you let yourself in isn't it? However you could have been polite and left your shoes by the door" the man said eyeing the precious carpet once more. I'd offended them by dirtying the carpet? But not by threatening to hold their son at ransom??

Why was I agreeing to this? I had asked myself repeatedly, but the snoring of the little boy I struggled to carry, made my thoughts quieten in that moment.

"Alright you have yourself a deal" I said eyeing the couple cautiously. What a bunch of nut heads.

"Wasn't this exciting?" The lady exclaimed to her husband.

"I feel like I'm an actress in a soap opera".

Unsurprised at this point by what the two let spew out of their mouths. Their beady little eyes watched me as I packed some of the boy's things. The father had refused to hold the boy for me so I had left him asleep on his bed while I packed his suitcase.

As I managed to carry both the still asleep boy and the heavy suitcase down the flight of stairs, I headed for the door where the two parents stood. Coldly. With huge grins on their faces. If I hadn't known any better I'd have thought they had expected me to break in. But that was impossible.

Handing me a business card with his number on it the father told me to contact him to make an appointment with him and his lawyers. An NDA they told me I would have to sign. Just so this would be kept between us three. Four I had wanted to tell them, but I bit my lip and walked out of the house.

"Oh yes I almost forgot" the lady called out as I reached the opened gate that I had scaled earlier that night.

"His name is Cory".

"What dad? " demanded the annoyed 13 year old who stared down the stairs at me.

"Get off that bloody Xbox and come down for dinner would you?"

*****

THE END