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Summary: Jeri finally meets Eddie's half brother. He starts wheels spinning to get the guy a normal life.
Date: April 24, 2009
New Meeting, New Life
Rating: G
Westchester - Parker-Mayfair Home - Living Room
While it's not an excessively decorated living room, it does have all the necessities. There is a large comfy-looking blue sofa with a matching loveseat and chair next to it. The three are all angled around a nice large-screen TV with all the accoutrements. The excess decorating has not been done… for a reason. The owner apparently knows someone else will want to do that.
Finally, Jeri has some time to come back home. For the past few weeks, he's had so many students coming to him that he's actually been spending quite a few nights there. That's one reason he keeps his rooms there, even though he doesn't have to, with his own home. Sitting on the couch, he crosses his legs, reading over a paper. He… has a pair of glasses on while he reads.
After moving his tent to the backyard, Wes has been pretty scarese around the house, mainly keeping to himself, or with Eddie. Wesley Cordova enters in from the kitchen, with the back door in there. He was going to see if his brother was in his room, but stops in his tracks when he sees Dr. PM sitting looking over a paper. He doesn't say anything, only the halt of his footsteps would alert anyone that he stopped. A silverish metal collar around his neck, with one red LED light indicating it's working is on his neck. Partially cause he doesn't want his electric body to bust any electronics in the house.
The stop of footsteps causes Jeri to look up. He pauses for a second, looking over at the kid. It takes him a second to register. "Ah. You must be Wesley? Or is it Oliver? I've heard a lot of names. Too much in my head right now. Sorry if I got the wrong one." He says politely, lowering the paper. "Everything ok?"
Wesley stands there, not saying a thing. Jericho's bulk and height is a bit intimidating, even when sitting down. He breaks eye contact with Jericho after a couple of seconds, looking uneasy. He told his brother his real name, but Eddie still calls him Olly. The teenager who just turned eighteen breathes through his nose, quite possibly heard in the silence. He's not meaning any disrespect with not answering, he's just uneasy talking.
"You're more than welcome to have a seat. Get a bite to eat, whatever you want." Jeri says, with a bit of a shrug. "I know, I'm big, but I'm a teddy bear. Just ask Eddie." He offers, tossing a wink. The unease in the kids body language is only too obvious to someone with his career.
Even though his body language shows that he's nervous, Wesley does take a seat when offered. He likes to keep to himself in the tent, even when Nova manages to make his way outside, he seems to like that puppy. He's dressed in just a plain white t-shirt and a somewhat tattered hoodie, with a pair of jeans that have rips in the knees. The electrokinetic doesn't really know what to say other than: "M-my name is b-b-both." He's got a stutter, that's for sure, the main reason he doesn't like to talk.
"Take your time. There's no need to rush." Jeri says with a smile. "Which do you prefer?" He asks. After all, most people like one name or the other better for themselves. Jericho prefers just Jeri. Though, it gets confusing sometimes, considering some people call his son Jari."
He's used to being called Olly by other's his age, given that it was his name with the other slaves. With older people, it was always Wesley, or 'dirtbag', 'useless', or 'you'. He was lucky to even have a name in the silver mine overseers. He looks up to Jeri and says slowly. "Y-y-you can call m-me W-Wesley." The teen isn't as scarred in the face as his younger brother, but underneath his shirt tells a different story.
"Well, welcome to the house. Eddie says you're powered, like we are. Come to think of it, I think Ricky said he has an aspect of your power. Course, I rarely see that kid." Jeri laughs a bit, standing up to head towards the kitchen and fix himself a glass of cranberry juice. There's an… overabundance of all things cranberry in this house.
Wesley noticed the amount of cranberry stuff in the kitchen. Just by looking in the fridge, and seeing the color red in there. "T-thanks." He says as Jericho gets up and moves to the kitchen, a little bit amazed at his height, Wes is a tall guy, but Jeri is really tall. He's not sure what a cranberry is though, never had seen one up close. He gives a nod to the powered statement, though he doesn't say his power. He just prefers to use his collar indoors so not to mess up Eddie's family's electronics.
"Would you like some juice or anything?" Jeri asks, grabbing a large glass. In his professional opinion, the easiest way to get kids talking or acting normal… is TO act normal. It worked on Eddie at first.
Seems his brother and Wesley have much in common. The former slave nods his head, he could have some juice. "O-okay." He tells Jericho. Wesley has been in this room before, feeling as if he shouldn't have intruded on their house. But Eddie was so damn persistent on knowing just who Wesley was.
Jeri pulls another glass out of the cabinet. He pours it almost full but not quite. "Feel free to help yourself to food. As small as you are, you probably barely eat what Eddie does." Jeri chuckles. "My biological son has my metabolism. He can eat for days and not gain a pound." He offers the glass to Wesley before crossing back to the couch.
Reaching out for the glass, the electro kinetic takes a drink of the cranberry juice, he squints as it's tart on his tongue. "T-thank you." He says after he recovers from the tartness. He really doesn't eat much, not having food for a day can do that to you, getting used to not eating. "Ev-everyone's b-b-been n-nice. J-j-jared f-f-fixed m-my st-stitches." And by fixing his stitches, he means completely got rid of his infection due to the alley-doctor.
"That's good. It's part of his power. He has the most useful gift of all of us, in my opinion. Me, I'm just big and can split my powers right down the middle with someone else." Jeri says with a nod as he looks the kid over briefly. "So, how old are ya? Eddie wasn't sure, when I asked him."
Wesley looks unsure, looking to Jericho. "I don't kn-know. W-what is the d-d-date?" He asks, he remembers his birthday, but no one really told him the date in the camp, nor would he ask a stranger on the street.
"April 25, 2009" Jeri says, tilting his head. Well, worse things have happened. He lost track of time in the Genoshan Mutate camps. And, Eddie did tell him about that one aspect of Wesley's life.
Oh, he turned eighteen not too long ago. Didn't even realize it was his birthday. "I'm eighteen n-now. H-had a birth d-day t-t-twenty d-days ago." He says, his birthday came and went just like any other day it seems.
"Oh. Well, hmm. We'll see if we can't help you get some necessities for your birthday then." Jeri says with a firm nod. And, he'll see, since the kid is 18, if maybe Christopher can help him get a job. Christopher DOES have his workplace afterall.
The electric mutant looks to Jericho, he's not sure what to say, Wesley hasn't had a birthday for six years. To him his birthday was just another day in the year. He gives an inquisitive look to Jericho, seems the overabundance of kindness is a foreign concept to him.
"So, since you're now legally an adult… but you have no actual standard education, do you have any plans to work with that? GED courses? Maybe a day job until then?" Jeri asks, considering things. Those things he'd definitely be willing to assist with helping with. He can't really bring another person into the house, but he CAN help set someone up. Especially if he invests in another home somewhere and charges lowered rent for it. Maybe a duplex… hmm.
He blinks a couple of times, looking down to the ground. He went to school until the Canadian equivalent of sixth grade. "GED?" He doesn't even know what that is. And as far as a day job goes, Wesley had been doing what he can to get by, an odd job or two here, meant that he could eat that night. "I-I I got p-paid 'un-under the t-t-able'." That's what that one guy had called it. The electrokinetic seems to be at ease somewhat around this man now.
"Ah, the guy didn't want to report you, so he could pay you less than what you were worth, and not report your taxes." Jeri grins, impishly. "The GED is a highschool equivalency exam. It gives you something that's much like but not quite the same as a high school diploma." He says with a nod as he considers a few things. He'll have to talk to Christopher about some of them.
Wesley looks to Jericho still. Not understanding the taxes part, but does understand paying less than he's worth. Just a little problem, he himself had been sold more than once. So he is not quite understanding that when he starts to think about it. "H-He didn't buy me…" He says, still trying to figure that out. When push comes to shove, he thinks quite literally.
Jeri winces slightly. "I didn't mean it that way. What I mean is, there is a minimum amount to pay people. You cannot pay people less than that. However, some people get around it by hiring people and not letting the government know that they're working there. It's illegal." He explains, running a hand through his hair. "What kind of jobs have you done?"
Wesley's demeanor goes back to relaxed after it's explained a bit more to him. "Oh, I get it." Seems the boy does get moments where he doesn't stutter. "I mined… a lot. A-a-and cleaned. M-m-moved boxes a-a-and helped build a h-house."
Jeri flips the papers he was holding and pulls out a blank sheet. He begins to write on it. "Experienced in maintenance and construction." He says, looking up with a wink. "Well, if you'd like, I'd be more than happy to help you find an actual position somewhere, and slash or a place to live." Jeri actually SAYS and slash or.
Wes takes a deep breath, he figured he wouldn't be able to live in his tent for long. He actually prefers it to a bed, being that it's been eight years since he's had a bed to sleep on. "Yes. That would be f-fine." It's still weird to him that people would be so nice, after the years of crap he'd gone through.
The bed thing can be fixed actually, there are firm beds that are much more appropriate for people that need it. "Alright then. It'll take a few days, but I'll see what I can help you set up." Jeri offers, writing a few more things on the paper as he considers things.
Wesley gives a nod to the tall man. "Okay." He says, not knowing what else to say. Oh, well one thing does come to mind. "Thank you." The electrokinetic takes a drink of the juice again, squinting at the tartness again.
"You're welcome. But we'll work on all that later. I still have some more work to do for the school." Jeri says with a grin. He has his own ideas going already. "I'll think on resume things and get with Christopher on helping find potential jobs and such."
