Chocolate Eyes

The day after EJ’s birthday, Brian got an email from Victoria Rochotte that told him EJ’s name change was official as of the end of last week. When the little boy climbed down from the top bunk in the morning, Brian let his wife sleep in and carted his son from the room, both of them still in their pajamas.

They headed down the hall to the elevator as EJ rambled excitedly. Despite how early it was, he was too excited to be tired, and he held Brian hand as they stepped into the elevator and headed down to the small dining room on the first floor. The hotel provided two buffet meals a day and offered room service for all the other times. It wasn’t quite seven yet, so most of the other guests in the room were families with children like Bri and Evander.

Brian let go of his son’s hand and grabbed two plates instead. EJ dictated what he wanted and Brian grabbed food for both of them. EJ practically hopped between the tables as they headed to sit down. Brian got a couple tired smiles from other parents as they little boy bumped into one of the wicker chairs just a little too hard.

“E, calm down,” Bri said from two tables back.

EJ got his footing back and grinned at his father. He climbed up into one of the tall chairs the best he could and managed to get seated when Brian came around and set their plates down. Brian eyes the chair warily and then directed the same pointed stare towards his son. “Stop wiggling around so much,” he said, pulling EJ’s foot out so that the boy was sitting on his butt rather than his ankles, “What do you want to drink?”

EJ puckered his mouth and glanced back towards the table. “Chocolate milk,” he answered definitely, turning his complete attention to the plate of blueberry waffles and sausage.

Brian gave him a look, but turned around to get their drinks anyway. Brian, like EJ, was still in his pajamas.He wore black sweatpants and a plain t’shirt that he’d thrown on when he got up this morning. He’d slipped into his shoes, thrown a beanie over his matted hair, and led his son out of the room.

He wasn’t sure if it was his face or tattoos that was getting the attention, but a couple parents and children definitely noticed him as he slipped between the tables. So far, no one had recognized him out in public, and if they had, they hadn’t come up to him. He was grateful that the vacation was also a break from the band and everything that came with it. He’d spent the last two months touring and being Synyster Gates every night. Evander was never far from his mind, but it was easier not to think about him while they were separated.

Brian made his way back to EJ and dropped into the chair next to him. He set the cups down near their plates and smiled at his boy. EJ was almost halfway through his waffle and the syrup was already a problem. EJ reached for his milk and his sticky fingers grasped it.

“Slow down, man,” Bri chuckled, reaching for his own chocolate milk, “There’s plenty of food. You don’t have to horde it in your cheeks for later.”

EJ missed the joke, but nodded with his mouth full. When he swallowed, he looked at Brian, the starkness surprising the older man, and said, “I don’t want to go home tomorrow.”

Brian’s fingers tightened around his fork and he stopped moving momentarily. “I don’t want you to go either, buddy,” Bri answered honestly, “But sometimes we have to do things that we don’t want to do.”

EJ sat back against his chair, his foot forgotten. “But I want to be with you, Daddy.”

Brian pulled the hat off his head and pushed his fingers through his thick hair. “I want to be with you too,” he said, reaching out to tuck his son’s hair back, “and it won’t be that much longer now. You just have to keep going to school and playing soccer, and I’ll be home soon.”

“Why can’t I stay here?” EJ was completely serious, his brown eyes dark and focused on his father. “I want to go with you on the bus. I’ll fit.”

Bri cupped the back of his son’s head and shook his head, leaning closer. “You have school, E. You’re not allowed to quit school and join the band. You have to be a regular kid.”

Brian knew those words were stupid the minute he said them. EJ wasn’t normal. His life had never been normal. He came into the world in such a way that his birth separated his mother from her own parents. And four years later, she died, leaving him with no legal guardians and two groups of people who never met him fighting over him.

And now he had Brian, but Brian still couldn’t do this on his own. There was an entire state behind him, watching his every move. And the Kents, who were hoping so hard that he would fail with Evander.

Bri wasn’t sure how long the supervision would last, and he knew that they’d never be free from EJ’s maternal grandparents. He had wished them away a hundred times and still they were there, doing the exact same thing to him. All he wanted was his son and their freedom from restraints. He was tired of every decision being questioned by people who had more power than him. The state of California could take his son at any moment and he couldn’t understand how laws had more pull than blood.

Brian stood up from his chair and stood impossibly close to his son. “Listen to me, EJ,” he spoke solemnly, “We’re going to get everything figured out and someday you can come with me, alright? Someday when you’re older it’ll be you, me, and the guys on the bus and I’ll show you exactly what it is I do. But for now, you’ve got to stay with Michelle, and go to school, and keep pulling through, okay?”

“Okay,” E answered, “But I really don’t want to go home tomorrow.”

Brian chuckled and nodded, wrapping his arms around him. “I know, it sucks,” he agreed, “But I’ll come visit in a couple weeks, alright? I should be able to fly out between shows. When’s your next game?”

EJ grinned at the possibility of his dad coming to one of his soccer games. “I don’t know, but Michelle does,” he said quickly, trying to slide out of his chair, “Lets go ask her.”

Bri pushed the boy back into his seat. “Hold on, man,” he said playfully, “I haven’t even eaten yet. Finish your food and then we’ll see if she’s up, alright?”

EJ nodded quickly. “Then can we go play with the giraffe?”

Brian laughed loudly, unable to help himself. “We can definitely try,” he answered the boy, “But I don’t know how well that’ll work. I mean, I don’t think they’re trained to fetch or anything, E.”

Evander grinned. “But I can ride it,” he said, eyebrows raised hopefully, “And maybe it’ll like me and want to be my pet.”

“I don’t think he’ll fit on the plane, bud,” Brian reminded.

EJ frowned. “Can’t you take him on the bus and bring him when you come home for my game?”

Bri chuckled. “We’ll have to ask the Disney people. I don’t know if they’ll be willing to just give us their giraffe.”

EJ shrugged quickly. “But you’re famous, Daddy,” he answered simply, “Just tell them that.”

Brian and EJ headed back upstairs after that. Everyone was getting up and getting ready and they planned to stop and grab something to eat while Bri and EJ headed over to find out about the animals and what they could do. EJ wanted to pet them, but Bri was unsure if that was possible. When they were roaming outside on their own, they looked wild, and Bri wasn’t letting EJ get close enough to pet them unless he was told that they were at least partially trained.

“Dad, come on,,” Evander complained when Brian told him that he wouldn’t be able to get close enough to the giraffes to pet them.

Brian looked at his son increduously. “It wasn’t my fault, E,” he answered, “The people said that the giraffes are a no go. I have nothing to do with it.”

Evander sighed loudly and dramatically as Brian led him across the extravagant lobby.

“But we can go to their petting zoo section and check out those animals,” Brian added, watching the boy smile, “I mean, I don’t think they have giraffes, but I’m sure they have something equally as cool.”

The group spent the rest of the morning with the animals. They were there longer than anyone thought they’d be because EJ was totally in love with the majority of the animals. He thought the goats were hilarious and raced around as they chased him, trying to get to the food that he clutched in his palm. And he was thrilled when he found out there was a section where they could view giraffes. He stood on the railing and watched them for a good fifteen minutes.

The questions he asked his dad and grandpa were hilarious. He wanted to know everything about them and when Bri didn’t have the answers for him, he ran over to the sign and made Zacky read the whole thing to him. Zack was the closest, so it was only practical that he was the one stuck doing it.

They left around lunch time and hit one of the local restaurants. The group was enormous and loud and rowdy. They spoke so much that it sounded as they they speaking right over one another. After lunch, they headed back to the pool and the horde of them mixed in among the other guests.

“E, show me how you swim,” Brian demanded, leaving the boy on the edge. There was a ridge that ran along the wall and was about two feet tall. It was supposed to be a seat, but EJ stood on it by himself, looking at his dad skeptically.

“I can’t swim yet,” he answered, reaching his arms out for Brian to come back, “I’ve been practicing, but it’s hard, dad.”

“You can do it,” Brian answered, only a couple feet away, “Crouch down in the water and push off the wall with your feet. I’ll catch you before you go under.”

“But what if you don’t,” E said, eying Brian, “I don’t want to go under water all the way.”

“I’ll catch you,” Brian reassured, taking another slight step back without the boy noticing, “And if you ever do go under, stretch out until your feet touch the bottom, and push up.”

EJ’s eyes widened. “But you said you’d catch me.”

“I will catch you,” he promised, “But that’s in case you go under in the future.”

EJ crouched down on the ledge so that he was in the water up to his shoulders. He gripped the edge of the ledge by his feet with his hands and looked at Brian like he was completely unsure of this, but was going to trust him anyway. E leaned forward and pushed his feet against the textured wall, and then he pushed off completely and closed his eyes as he floated out into the water.

Just as he felt himself dipping under, Brian grabbed him under his arms and hauled him up. EJ quickly wrapped his arms around his dad’s neck and legs around his waist and breathed out all the air he was holding in. Brian wiped the water off Evander’s face and waited for the boy to open his eyes.

“I can’t swim,” EJ said first thing, frowning at his dad in annoyance, “I can’t do it.”

Brian grinned in response. “Lets do it again,” he said, moving to set Evander back on the step, “This time, move your arms like this-“ Brian leaned down into the water and demonstrated, “- and when you get it right, you won’t go under.”

“Why?”

“Because you’ll propel yourself forward,” Bri answered matter-of-factly, “That’s what happens when you swim. Try it.”

EJ gave Bri the same unsure look and situated himself down in the water again. This time he pushed off the wall and did what his dad showed him. It wasn’t a perfect action, but it was close, and he floated a little bit longer before he dunked under. Water and chlorine went up his nose as he breathed in out of surprised and he sputtered quickly.

Brian reached out and grabbed him quickly, pulling him from the water. EJ’s shorts soaked Brian’s skin and the little boy coughed and sputtered.

“I told you that wouldn’t work, Daddy!” EJ shouted, catching the attention of the people around them. “I almost drowned!”

Brian pushed the boy’s thick hair back. “You did not,” he argued, trying to calm down the little boy, “But you can’t breathe in when you’re under water or else you’ll get it up your nose.”

“But I wasn’t supposed to be under water!” He frowned deeply and crossed his arms across his bare chest. “I hate swimming!”

Brian looked his eyes. “You do not,” Bri denied, “You’ll get better at it, but you just need to practice. Stuff like that won’t happen as much when you keep trying.”

EJ reached out for Matt as the man came over to check on the duo and provide support for Brian. Brian let the boy go to his best friend and turned around to face them both. EJ was incredibly stubborn, but Bri knew that they could wear him down together.

The spent the rest of the late afternoon coaxing EJ into trying again. He did eventually, but he demanded that multiple people be there to grab him in case he went under. And after awhile, they managed to get him to be okay with his face going under. A bunch of them can competitions to see who could hold their breath the longest. EJ found it hilarious whenever someone couldn’t beat him.

They all separated after swimming to shower and met back up for dinner. They were going out tonight. EJ was dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a button up shirt and despite the fact that he found the sleeves too long and too tight, he actually liked dressing up with everyone else.

Brian did his hair as Michelle finished her makeup. Ej was laying in their bed watching TV as he waited. Mckenna had decided to get ready across the hall in her parents’ room and that left EJ to his own devices. Which, thankfully, were pretty basic.

“Lets go!” the little boy shouted. He’d been dressed and ready to leave for about a half an hour. He watched an entire episode of the Ninja Turtles and his dad and Michelle were still in the bathroom. He could hear them talking to each other. “Daddy!” he shouted again, annoyed that they were ignoring him.

“We’re coming, E!” Bri answered, popping his head out of the bathroom to reassure his son, “We don’t have to leave until six.”

Evander turned his attention back to the TV. A couple minutes later Brian left the bathroom and joined him. It was too much longer that Michelle finished up and the three of them headed out. Brian texted everyone that they would wait downstairs.

Dinner was quieter than lunch. It was mostly due to the fact that they were in an upscale restaurant rather than a family dinner. That, and the fact that EJ was a lot more exhausted now. Brian’s goal had been to do so many things through out the day that the boy was asleep before he even got in bed, and it was working.

EJ was silent at the end of dinner. He ate ‘fancy ice cream’ while the adults finished their wine and waited for the credit card to be brought back before they could leave. He was asleep before they made it into the taxi and even though Brian was glad the boy had such an exciting day, he knew that tomorrow would be a completely different type of exhausting.