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All Chapters of A Stranger to My Parents: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

My father, Harrison Hayes, stopped smiling the moment he recognized me.My mother, Tessa Hayes, instinctively pulled the little boy behind her.I'd spent six hours sitting in a little diner across from a row of hardware stores on Hardware Row. One grilled cheese sandwich. Seven dollars.At one point, the owner asked if I wanted a refill of water. I declined. I was afraid that if I stepped away, they might arrive and miss me.Dad walked over, lowering his voice. "Scott? What are you doing here by yourself?"I was wearing my old backpack, and my palms were slick with sweat. "Exams are over. I wanted to come see you."The little boy peeked out from behind Mom. "Mom, who's he?"Mom opened her mouth but didn't answer.After a few seconds, Dad said, "This is your older brother, Scott Hayes."The boy's eyes lit up. "I have a brother?"Mom immediately ushered him toward the car. "Carter, go home first. Your friends are waiting."Carter Hayes.Ten years old.That was the first time

Chapter 2

Dad came out to collect the food delivery. The moment he saw me, his expression darkened. "How did you find this place?"I held out the glass jar. "The stockroom is damp. The figs would've gone moldy."He took it and placed it at the far end of the entryway cabinet.Mom heard the commotion and came over too. She stood in the doorway without stepping aside.The projector in the living room cast its light across the wall. Four or five little boys sat on floor cushions, surrounded by fried chicken, pizza, and imported soft drinks.Two inflatable mattresses had been set up beside the sofa. They'd prepared everything in advance.One of the children asked, "Mrs. Hayes, is this other boy staying to play with us?"Mom's smile was strained. "No, he's from our hometown. He just came by to drop something off for the shop."Carter ran over, clutching a game controller. "Hey, bro! Do you know how to play racing games? I can teach you."Dad cut him off. "Scott has to help out at the shop to

Chapter 3

On the third day, my parents finally took me to Willowville Apartments.Before we went inside, Mom gave me a warning. "Don't go into Carter's room. His things are expensive. If you break anything, it'll be difficult to replace."There was one compartment in the shoe cabinet for Dad and another for Mom.Carter occupied two entire shelves. Sneakers, dress shoes, and athletic shoes filled the space. At the very bottom sat a pair of green plastic slippers.Mom took them out and handed them to me. "These are for guests. They'll have to do for now."They were too small. My heels hung over the back, touching the floor.The floor cushions in the living room hadn't been put away yet. There were soda stains and greasy pizza marks on them.Mom handed me a cleaning cloth. "Since you're here, wipe these down. Carter has sensitive skin. We can't risk attracting bugs."I crouched down and wiped the mat. They were thick and soft.In Scott's Creek, the roof of the little side room leaked cold

Chapter 4

The next morning, Dad placed several college brochures on the dining table.South City Community College.South City Business College.South City Institute of Technology."Staying local is the safest option," he said. "Don't even think about schools far away. There won't be anyone to bail you out."Mom was packing Carter's schoolbag and casually chimed in, "You've had a hard life since you were little, and you're good with your hands. You can help your dad at the shop while you're studying. It'll be a good way to learn a trade."Carter looked up. "Will Scott still sleep in the stockroom when he goes to college?"Mom immediately replied, "Scott will be living on campus when he's in college."Dad looked at me. "Listen to us when it comes to choosing a college. You haven't seen much of the world. You don't know how things work out there.""What if my scores are good enough?"He frowned. "Even if they're good, you need to be realistic. A man's future depends on his skills, not th

Chapter 5

The note was brief."Harrison Hayes, Tessa Hayes, you acknowledge only one son in front of others. You don't need to change that."My old number has been disconnected. Don't look for me. You don't need to concern yourselves with my school, where I live, or my finances."I'll take care of Grandpa's medical expenses. You owe Grandpa for the old house and for all those years. I'm not settling that debt for you."Scott Hayes."Mom's hands trembled as she finished reading. "He doesn't even call us Mom and Dad anymore?"Dad's expression darkened. "He thinks he's grown up and can do whatever he wants."He immediately called my old number, but the number was no longer in service.Then he called Grandpa.Grandpa only said, "He's safe."Dad struggled to contain his anger. "Dad, where is he?"Grandpa asked in return, "Are you looking for him so you can make him go to vocational college in South City, or so he can earn money to pay for his little brother's tuition?"The call ended.Mo

Chapter 6

In early July, my parents drove back to Scott's Creek. Their pickup truck stopped at the village entrance, and quite a few people came out to see them."Harrison's really made something of himself.""Scott scored over 1500. Why aren't you throwing him a celebration?""All those years of teaching weren't wasted. Edward's grandson has turned out so well."Dad kept his head down the entire way while Mom carried several large bags into the courtyard.There was a computer, a phone, a pair of athletic shoes, and nutritional supplements. There were also several bags of the imported snacks Carter liked.Grandpa Edward was sitting under the eaves, repairing an old fountain pen. When he saw them, he asked only one question: "Did you bring the money for my medication?"Dad immediately nodded. "Yes, Dad. I'll transfer $7,500 first.""Transfer it into my account and mark it as medical expenses. From now on, reimburse me every month once you've seen the receipts."Mom carried the bags into

Chapter 7

After returning to South City, Dad cleared out half of the game room. He moved in a bed, a desk, and a wardrobe.A piece of paper was taped to the door: Scott's Room.Mom took dozens of pictures and asked relatives to send them to me.One relative tried to persuade me. "Your parents really do know they were wrong this time. They've even prepared a room for you. Why don't you go back and take a look?"I replied, "When I needed somewhere to sleep, they gave me the stockroom. This room only proves that they're starting to get scared."The relative didn't respond again.Carter stood in the doorway of the room and asked Mom, "Mom, why couldn't Scott sleep here that night?"Mom's hands stopped as she made the bed.He asked another question, "All my classmates could sleep in the living room that night. Scott traveled even farther than they did. Why couldn't he stay?"Dad had just walked through the front door. He heard the question and froze in the entryway.Carter looked at both of

Chapter 8

On the day I left for college, Grandpa accompanied me to the county bus station. His legs weren't in good shape, but he still leaned on his cane and walked all the way to the ticket gate with me.He fastened an old wristwatch around my wrist. It was the watch the school had given him when he retired. The face was scratched, but it still kept perfect time.Then he slipped a cloth bag into my hands. Inside were dried figs and $100. "Don't skip meals just to save money."I nodded. "I won't."Northbridge University was enormous. It took me almost half an hour to find my dorm while dragging my suitcase.My room was on the fifth floor.When I walked in, my three roommates were dividing up a food delivery.A young man named Peter Carter looked up. "Do you eat spicy food? We ordered chili con carne. I wasn't sure what you liked, so I asked for mild."I froze for a moment. "Anything's fine."He shook his head. "That doesn't help me. Try some first. If you don't like it, we'll order fro

Chapter 9

Before winter break, Grandpa's kidney disease worsened, and he was admitted to the county hospital.I requested leave and went home.My parents came too. This time, they didn't bring any flashy gifts.Dad stood outside the hospital room holding his ID, bank card, and payment slips. He held out the card to me. "From now on, I'll pay for your grandfather's medical treatment."I didn't take it. "Transfer the money into Grandpa's account. Make sure you label every payment."Dad's hand stopped in midair. "We're family. Do we really have to keep track of everything so carefully?"I looked at him. "If we don't, it'll end up being my responsibility again."He slowly withdrew the card.Mom stood at the other end of the hallway, her eyes swollen. She called out, "Scott."I nodded. "Ms. Hayes."Her face went white. "You won't even call me Mom anymore?"I picked up the examination report and walked toward the nurses' station.She followed behind me, her voice trembling. "I've kept your

Chapter 10

On New Year's Eve, my parents returned to Scott's Creek again.The roof of the little side room had been repaired. The courtyard had been paved with concrete. The windows had been replaced too.I didn't thank them when I saw it.This wasn't a kindness. It was something they should have done years ago.Dinner was laid out in the main room.Mom had prepared an entire table of dishes and bought a cake.The words on it read: "Happy Birthday, Scott!"Beside it sat a bankbook and a draft equity agreement.Dad spoke quietly, "There's $15,000 in the account. I'll give you a thirty percent stake in the shop."Mom quickly added, "We were wrong before. But we can still make things right."I looked at the cake. "When's my birthday?"Mom froze. Dad went rigid too.The fire in the stove was burning brightly, but the room suddenly felt cold.Mom's lips trembled for a long time. "Is it... sometime in March?"My birthday was the seventh of November. Every year, Grandpa made me birthday pa

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