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insomniacwriter17 · 6 months

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Saved from the Flames - Chapter Twenty-Six

"When you’re born in a burning house, you think the whole world is on fire. But it’s not.” –Richard Kadrey

Billy Hargrove is 9 years old. He tries his best to be the son his father wants him to be - quiet, respectful, and obedient. But Neil just pushes harder and harder, all in the name of raising a “strong man”. When Billy is removed from his father’s custody and placed in foster care, it takes some time for him to realize his world is no longer burning around him. New experiences, new people, new opportunities all make Billy realize there’s a whole lot more to life than respect and responsibility.

AKA: The story of how Bob Newby became a real life superhero for one little boy who needed saving.

Inspired by this post I saw from @connordax

read on ao3

While Billy had gotten used to coming to see Dr. Marcus every week, this time it felt different. Bob had said Ms. Gabby was coming, and she’d never come to any of his other meetings! He’d been so nervous that his tummy was all twisted up, so much so that he’d turned down the snack Bob had brought him after school.

Now, Billy sat in the waiting room beside Bob, his cheek squished against the man’s arm as he rested quietly, Winslow clutched to his chest. Bob had initially been trying to reassure him, but after a while seemed to realize that what Billy needed was quiet support.

“When is Ms. Gabby going to be here?” Billy asked after a few minutes. Usually, they didn’t sit in the waiting room very long – Dr. Marcus was always ready for them when they got there.

“I don’t know, kiddo,” Bob replied apologetically. “But I’m sure we’ll get started as soon as she’s here.” Billy sighed and slumped further in the seat, and Bob patted the boy’s knee.

“Mr. Newby?” The receptionist’s window slid open and Anna was smiling at him through the window. “Can I speak with you for a moment? I have a quick question about Billy’s insurance card.”

With a nod, Bob waited for Billy to sit up, and then he made his way to the window. Billy stayed curled up in his seat, watching him closely. “Mr. Newby, Gabby and Dr. Marcus are back in his office, and they want to speak with you for a moment before Billy joins you guys,” Anna dropped her voice low so that the eavesdropping child across the room couldn’t hear. “Is that okay?”

Bob looked back over his shoulder at Billy, then back to Anna. “I’ll come sit with him,” she answered before Bob even had to ask. So Bob turned back to Billy and walked over.

“Hey, kiddo, they need me in the back for a minute, so Ms. Anna’s going to come sit with you a second, okay?” He offered what he hoped was a reassuring smile to Billy, and it seemed to do the trick.

“Okay,” Billy said softly. “I’ll wait for Ms. Gabby.”

“Good plan,” Bob nodded. A moment later, the door opened and Anna stepped out with a smile and a greeting to Billy, and Bob disappeared down the hall, listening to the sound of Anna and Billy’s conversation growing quieter.

Bob entered the now familiar room and saw both Gabby and Dr. Marcus already in the room. “Hey everyone,” he greeted, looking around. Gabby was sitting in the arm chair in the corner, so Bob sat on the edge of the couch opposite Dr. Marcus. “What’s happening?” he asked, cutting right to the chase.

“Well,” Gabby rubbed her hands together and leaned forward so her elbows rested on her knees. “I had a meeting with the judge just a few minutes before I left to come here,” she commented. “He had a case update for me.”

Bob’s heart leapt into his throat. “He did? What did he say?” He looked to Dr. Marcus, who had a frustratingly neutral expression on his face. But then Gabby was speaking, so he turned his head back toward her, noting that she was smiling.

“Your home study was approved, Bob. It’s all official. The court is 100% in favor of you adopting Billy.”

The breath left Bob’s chest as he stared at her, unmoving. “Really?” he finally asked, his voice breaking. It felt like someone had taken a ton of weight off his chest. Billy’s mine. Only for the weight to come back double. Billy’s really mine.

Dr. Marcus nodded. “It was a unanimous decision across Billy’s care team. The other family was great, but Billy has blossomed so much under your care, he’s clearly very attached, and we think this decision will allow him to feel secure and confident because he won’t have to move again.”

Bob nodded mutely, tears gathering in his eyes. “We wanted to tell you first so you could have your moment before we bring Billy back,” Gabby continued with a smile. She was wiping tears off her own cheeks and she laughed wetly. “Damn it, Bob,” she chuckled. “You’re getting me all choked up!”

Bob wanted to apologize, but his own voice wouldn’t work. His vision swam with tears and he dropped his head into his hands, taking in a deep breath. The other adults in the room were quiet, giving him a moment to process the big news.

“What do we do now?” he finally asked, picking his head up and looking between Dr. Marcus and Gabby.

“Now, we make sure Billy’s on the same page,” Gabby explained. “And then I will take Dr. Marcus’s official recommendation to the court and we will schedule the start of the adoption hearings. We should have everything signed and done by mid-September, if all goes well.”

Bob couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “September,” he repeated. “Like…after this summer?”

“That is when September falls on the calendar, yes,” Dr. Marcus’s voice had an amused lift to it, and Bob laughed as he shook his head.

“This is amazing,” he told them before growing a bit more somber. “This is heartbreaking.” It was so…final. Despite how badly Bob wanted to give Billy everything, it still settled heavy in his heart that Billy wouldn’t be going back with his biological family. That was always the goal, until it wasn’t.

“It is, but it’s also amazing,” Gabby pointed out with a practiced ease, like she’d had this conversation before. Probably because she had, Bob realized. “That Billy found you, and has time to get to know you, to trust you, and now gets to stay with you. He no longer has to wonder if he’s going to have another parental figure abandon him. You’re giving him the home, the second chance, the love he deserves.” She sat up a bit straighter and smiled. “He’s been telling us for weeks that he doesn’t want to leave you, we’re just finally telling him that’s what’s going to happen.”

Bob cleared his throat, nodding in agreement as he wiped the last of the tears from his eyes. He had to pull it together. “You’re right.” His voice was still shaky, but he stood up. “Can I go get him?”

Opening the door to the waiting room and keeping a straight face was the hardest thing Bob had ever done. He smiled reassuringly at Billy, who looked up eagerly the second the door opened. Bob gestured for Billy to join him, and Anna followed after Billy to return to her post at the reception desk. “Guess what?” Bob said as Billy walked across the room. “Ms. Gabby’s already here! She snuck in before we got here.”

“She did?!” Billy gasped, leading the way back to Dr. Marcus’s office. “She snuck in!” The boy walked with confidence down the hall to the familiar room, though Bob could see that his shoulders were still tense and Billy was wringing Winslow’s arm in his hands nervously.

“She sure did,” Bob laughed his agreement as he pushed open the office’s door. Billy immediately froze as he studied the room before he walked through the threshold. The boy moved to give Ms. Gabby a hug, and Bob sat back down on the couch where he’d sat previously.

When Billy moved away, he gravitated toward Bob instinctively. While he’d grown comfortable with Dr. Marcus’s office and what happened while he was there, Billy’s pulse raced because of how different this was. Gabby didn’t ever come to his meetings with Dr. Marcus, and Billy was the one to make the call about whether or not Bob stayed.

Not that Billy was complaining – it made Billy feel better to know Bob was right there as he settled between him and Dr. Marcus on the couch. The only sound in the room was that of Billy’s jeans rustling against fabric as he shifted uncomfortably on the couch cushions.

Bob looked between the two professionals, unsure of where to start. Billy was looking at him for guidance, and Bob didn’t quite know what to do. He was afraid that whatever he said would be wrong. It was Gabby that finally broke the silence. “Billy, do you know what the word adopt means?”

Billy’s face scrunched in confusion. “Isn’t that when you bring a dog home from the pound?” Then he gasped and turned to look back at Bob, eyes sparkling. “Are we getting a dog?”

We, Bob echoed in his mind. Like Billy already knew they would be a family.

Gabby laughed before she could stop herself, and even Bob chuckled. “Well, you’re not wrong…I guess that is what it can mean.”

“We’re not getting a dog, pal,” Bob interrupted, shaking his head. Billy grumbled and crossed his arms sadly. “Sorry to disappoint.”

Gabby cleared her throat in an attempt to get the conversation back on track, and Billy looked up at her. “So adopting means that you’re taking something and making it your own. And so Bob, Dr. Marcus, and I wanted to talk to you to see how you felt about Bob adopting you.”

The office went quiet, and Billy could feel all three sets of eyes on him as he processed what Gabby was saying. He studied his hands like they were the most interesting thing in the world for a few moments, unwilling to look up and find out that this was all a dream.

“Billy?” Bob’s voice broke through the ringing in Billy’s ears. Billy felt a hand fall onto his back and he instinctively gravitated toward Bob. The young boy made himself draw in one, two, three deep breaths to calm himself down, and it was only then he slowly looked up at Bob. The man was right there, looking at him with a mixture of concern and something else Billy couldn’t identify.

“You wanna adopt me?” Billy whispered, almost afraid of the words. He didn’t want to be wrong.

His eyes were hopeful, and Bob nodded immediately. “I’d love that, bud. I told you I’d keep you safe and you’d have a home with me as long as you want it. If that’s something you want to do, this is the best way for us to do that.”

Billy couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Hope filled his chest as he asked, “So you’d be my dad? For real?” His eyes were wide, deep blue and blinking up at Bob like the man had all the answers in the world.

Bob swallowed thickly. “Neil is always going to be your father, Billy…” he started, not 100% sure where that sentence was going to end.

Billy abruptly shook his head, pulling away from Bob with a frown. “Nuh-uh.” He looked back down at his lap and hugged Winslow tight to his chest. The adults around him were quiet in the way that he had grown to know they were having a silent conversation with their faces. “Gabby told me that dads are supposed to take care of you. He doesn’t take care of me, but you do.” He shook his head again, feeling tears prick in his eyes. “I don’t want Neil to be my daddy anymore. I want you to.”

Billy’s breath hitched in his throat as Bob reached for him, hugging him tightly. Winslow squished between them, Billy wrapped his tiny arms around Bob’s shoulders and crawled into his lap. Bob didn’t let him go – in fact, the man hugged him harder. Billy’s head burrowed against Bob’s shoulder and he let out the tiniest cry that he couldn’t stop. Billy felt like if Bob hugged him long enough, he’d forget about every bad thing Neil had ever done to him.

His sniffle turned into sobs and Billy didn’t know why. He was happy, wasn’t he? He wanted to stay with Bob! He didn’t want to go back to what it had been like before – anger and yelling and locked doors. But the more he thought about it, the harder he cried until he couldn’t breathe.

Bob was looking over Billy’s head at Dr. Marcus, who seemed to be studying Billy with an infuriating level of calm. Billy was shaking like a leaf in Bob’s grasp, and he could feel the tell-tale warmth that meant Billy was leaving tear and snot stains on the shoulder of his shirt. It wasn’t often that Billy got emotional in therapy, usually he hid it behind building Legos or coloring, but this wasn’t a normal situation, either.

“Billy?” Dr. Marcus eventually called, and Bob shifted so that when Billy lifted his head, he was looking at the counselor. The boy’s face was already red and his eyes swollen, tear tracks forming now that they weren’t being soaked up by Bob’s shirt. “What’s going through your head right now, buddy?” When Billy didn’t immediately answer, Dr. Marcus continued. “It doesn’t have to make sense right now. That’s what we’re here for – to help you understand it.”

Billy sniffled, thinking for a moment. Finally, he brought one hand up to wipe at his cheeks and then mumbled, “I’m happy but I’m still crying.” Dr. Marcus was nodding at him in that way that Billy had learned meant the man wanted him to say more, so Billy searched for something else to add. He took in a deep, shuddering breath, and a second later, Bob’s hand ran up and down Billy’s back reassuringly. It calmed Billy almost immediately, and he turned his head so that he was still looking at Dr. Marcus as he laid back down against Bob’s shoulder.

“I really like it at Mr. Bob’s house, so staying there makes me happy,” Billy finally managed to say. He felt like there were a lot of words swirling around in his brain but he was unsure of how to get them out of his mouth in a way that made sense to everyone. “But I’m still sad that I’m not going back.”

Dr. Marcus continued to nod, but Billy had picked up from the man’s body language that he was satisfied with the answer. “It can be scary to know things are changing, can’t it?” the man asked.

Billy nodded, realizing that was exactly it. “I thought maybe my dad would change his mind,” he whispered, picking at the seam on the shoulder of Bob’s shirt. “That he’d want me afterall.”

It shattered Bob’s heart into a million pieces in his chest; he was surprised Billy didn’t hear it. Billy deserved better than this. He didn’t deserve to feel unwanted – he wasn’t unwanted. But he was unwanted by the person who mattered most to Billy for so long, and Bob could understand why that was so upsetting.

“Billy,” Dr. Marcus paused, obviously choosing his words carefully. “You and I have talked a lot about how your dad is in trouble for what he did to you and some other things, haven’t we?” He waited for a meek nod from Billy. “That’s right. So this isn’t about whether or not Neil wants you back, because he’s in trouble with the police.”

Billy nodded, wiping his nose on his wrist as he mumbled, “It wouldn’t be fair for me to have to go to jail with him.” The sentence was so innocent yet heartfelt that Bob wanted to chuckle. But he refrained, simply offering a thankful smile to Gabby as she passed him a box of Kleenex for Billy.

“It wouldn’t,” Dr. Marcus agreed. “Do you remember that we talked about what parental rights are?”

“That means my daddy is able to take care of me and make decisions for me,” Billy recited, a box of Kleenex appearing in his vision as Bob held them up to him. He obediently took one and blew his nose, laying his head back down. “But he doesn’t have that anymore,” he continued smartly. “He gave them up because he’s in trouble.” He looked around for a trash can but didn’t see one, so he held the crumpled tissue in his sweaty hand instead.

“He did. I’m proud of you for remembering all of that!” Dr. Marcus praised gently. “That’s a lot of information for you to take in, isn’t it?” Billy nodded, then he picked his head back up, eyes wide.

“Can Bob have ‘em?” he asked suddenly, twisting in Bob’s arms so he looked at Ms. Gabby. “The parental rights? Since my dad isn’t using them anymore?”

Gabby smiled, nodding. “That’s what adopting you would do. Bob would get those parental rights so he can keep taking care of you, make all those decisions that a parent makes, and love you just like a dad should.”

Billy looked over his shoulder at Bob, awestruck. “You want those?” he asked. Clearly, this conversation seemed to have clicked the puzzle pieces into place for Billy. He was finally understanding what all this meant – at least as much as his young, still-shocked brain could. “You want the parental rights?”

It was such a clinical, grown-up term that it made Bob want to laugh every time Billy uttered the words. But the question was so sincere that Bob simply nodded, making eye contact with Billy. “I do,” he answered surely. “If you want me to have them, I would love to have them.”

Billy nodded quickly, turning back to look at Gabby once more. “He can have ‘em.” He said it with such finality that the social worker had to laugh.

“Dr. Marcus has a couple more things he wants to tell you about what that means, okay?” Gabby redirected the conversation back toward the counselor, and Billy shifted once more in Bob’s arms, eventually wiggling out of the man’s lap and back onto the couch, though he stayed as close to Bob as he could manage.

Bob was impressed with how well Dr. Marcus navigated the conversation. Billy seemed to listen and understand all the components of what Dr. Marcus was telling him: Neil would no longer legally be Billy’s father; there would be no more visits at the courthouse or otherwise; and this was not a decision that could be undone. “So there’s no need to make this decision today if you’re not ready,” Dr. Marcus concluded. “You can keep staying with Bob even if he doesn’t adopt you yet.”

Billy shook his head. “I want him to adopt me,” he said surely, looking from Dr. Marcus to Gabby and then finally up to Bob. “Mr. Bob?”

“Yeah, pal?” Bob smiled at him.

“Does this mean I get to call you dad now?”

#stranger things #billy hargrove #ao3 #insomniacwriter17 #bob newby #sftf #bob newby deserved better #billy hargrove deserved better #foster care au #cw: child abuse

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devilat-thedoor · 8 months

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AAAH thank you @oliverreedmasterass for the tag🥺

tag 9 people you want to catch up with and/or get to know better !!

last song: Wildflowers and Wine - Marcus King

last movie: The Best of Me(yes, i bawl like a baby everytime)

currently reading: Savages by Don Winslow(it’s one of my comfort books…)

currently watching: rewatching Peaky Blinders bc why wouldn’t i?

current obsession: Tyler Childers??? everytime i get in the car, he’s immediately the first thing i play or when i sit down to write, i’m always reaching for my Purgatory vinyl to put on. his voice puts me in such a state of tranquility and just makes me feel safe idk

Tagging(no pressure obvs): @ageofbajabule @gretavansara @objectsinspvce @losfacedevil @joopsworld @takenbythemadness @gvf23 @bluemeadows77 @literal-dead-leaf

#a bit of my life #🤍

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stoicbreviary · 6 months

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James Vila Blake, Sonnets from Marcus Aurelius 11

11.

Ἄριστος τρόπος τοῦ ἀμύνεσθαι τὸ μὴ ἐξομοιοῦσθαι.

If a man has done me an injury, then to imitate him and act like him, so as to return him the same injury or do him some other hurt, is no way to put him or his behavior to discredit or to effect a reckoning.

—Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 6.6

11.

I met an artist with his paints and brush: What doing? said I. Worshiping, quoth he. I hear no prayers, said I. He answered, Hush! One worships what one fain would make or be. Methought then how the earth adores the flowers And the great trees, and violets love the lily They fain would climb to, and the cloudy hours Lean sunward up, with adoration stilly. So unto what we love we look with praise, And imitation, which is praise the more; But when we love not, we look other ways, And seek not for a likeness in our store. Hark ’e! To breast a wrong, first meanly rate it; Then in the fight ye must not imitate it.

IMAGE: Winslow Homer, Artists Sketching in the White Mountains (1868)

#stoicism #james vila blake #marcus aurelius #philosophy

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wonderlandhour · 6 days

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Guide

Fanfic!!

OCs

Emma Trein

Jaune

Gustav

Thalia D. Marsalis

Charlotte Webber

Magi

NRC - Night Raven College

Ashlynn Jackson

Winslow T. Paulson

Parker

Marcus P.

Sora H. Windy

DRC - Damelle Rouge College

Lady Rosette Petit

Missus Katherine Rocco

Anaya Samedi

Alicia Earl

Jade Al Hamed

Talia Princeton

#twisted wonderland #twst #twst oc #twst art #twst blog

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arcturiusmusic · 7 months

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Rerecorded.

Tracklist:

1. SpectraSoul - Burst ft. Dan Moss (Calibre Remix) 2. Workforce - For What Sustains 3. Redeyes - For The Leaves 4. LSB - Jazz Strings 5. Styke - Oblivion 6. Kray - Beyond The Horizon 7. Sevin - Mess 8. Grinda - Why 9. Joakuim, Anthony Kasper and RoyGreen & Protone - Valley's Breath 10. LSB - About Tonight 11. Lenzman - Grateful (ft. DRS) 12. Submorphics & Satl - Last Goodbye 13. Sevin - Missing 14. Amaning - Satin Keys 15. Marcus Intalex - Step Forward 16. Syncline and Auris - Weather The Storm 17. Durazz - Take Me On 18. Zero T & Onj - Rodeo Drive (ft. Mercy's Cartel) 19. SpectraSoul - Second Chance 20. DRS - The VIew (ft. LSB & Tyler Daley) 21. Qumulus - Brethren 22. Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist - Scottie Beam (ft. Rick Ross) (Styke Edit) 23. Disrupta, Banditt - Sunshine Riddim 24. Alix Perez & SpectraSoul - Synergy 25. Lenzman - Walk On By 26. Mitekiss - Belamour 27. The Mouse Outfit - Feeling High (ft. IAMDDB + KinKai) (Lenzman Remix) 28. Durazz - Unfollow 29. RoyGreen & Protone - Maddie (ft. Monologue) 30. Winslow - Breaking News (ft. T.R.A.C) 31. KILLSWSH - Feels So Good (Zero T Remix) 32. Duoscience - Vila Ede 33. Calibre - Amen Tune (ft. DJ Marky) 34. Channell - An Untitled Summer 35. Mark System - Bass Bend Stutter

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littlewriter19 · 1 year

Link

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rich4a1 · 2 years

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Turn it up with Gerry Casey Show #145

Making a Scene Presents Turn it up with Gerry Casey Show # 145 with his Guest Gwyn Ashton Robert Jon &The Wreck Shes A Fighter The Dead Daisies Radiance Michael Schenker Group A King Has Gone Larkin Poe Bad Spell Marcus King Rescue Me Revival Black See You Again Luke Winslow King Have A Ball Jimmy Coletis Everybody Gets The Blues The Waterboys Passing Through Gwyn Ashton The Road…

View On WordPress

#americana #blues #blues rock #classic rock #indie Blues #making a Scene #Rock #roots #roots rock

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junker-town · 2 years

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NBA Finals Preview Guide: Golden State Warriors vs. Boston Celtics: Ranking Finals MVP candidates

Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Ranking the top-8 Finals MVP candidates in Warriors vs. Celtics.

The 2022 NBA Finals are here, and despite this year’s playoffs being marred by injuries from the very start, there’s a convincing case to be made that the two best teams in the league are still standing.

The Golden State Warriors won the Western Conference to make their sixth trip to the Finals in the last eight years. The Celtics haven’t been to the championship round since 2010 when they lost to the Lakers in seven games, but the franchise has made the conference finals in four of the last six years. With a dramatic Game 7 victory over the Miami Heat, Boston finally has the breakthrough it has been waiting for.

While it isn’t particularly surprising to see these teams in the NBA Finals, both of them definitely had to earn it. The Warriors missed the playoffs in each of the last two years after dealing with the departure of Kevin Durant and consecutive season-ending injuries to Klay Thompson. The Celtics were sitting at No. 9 in the East on Feb. 1 before riding a historically dominant defensive stretch to near the top of the standings.

There are so many great players on both sides in this series. Before it starts, we ranked the eight most likely NBA Finals MVP candidates.

8. Marcus Smart, G, Boston Celtics

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

The Defensive Player of the Year will likely get the assignment against Stephen Curry for long stretches. His long-shot Finals MVP case would start with somehow winning that matchup more often than he loses it. Aside from his outstanding defense, he’s also shooting well enough right now to swing a game or two. Whatever happens in the NBA Finals, Smart will probably be in the center of the action. It was between Smart and Draymond Green for the last spot on this list. While Green is certainly the better overall player, his contributions don’t always show up in the box score, which makes him an unlikely MVP winner.

7. Andrew Wiggins, F, Golden State Warriors

Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images

Andre Iguodala once earned Finals MVP honors for the Warriors for his elite defense on LeBron James back in 2015. Could Wiggins follow a similar path to the award this year? Wiggins is likely going to draw the Jayson Tatum assignment for the majority of the series after thriving against Luka Doncic defensively in the Western Conference Finals. The traits that made Wiggins the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft — length, speed, tremendous explosiveness around the rim — forms the bedrock for his defensive talent now that he’s not expected to be a primary scoring option anymore. Wiggins had an iconic dunk in the Western Conference Finals, and sure seems to be playing the best ball of his career right now. He’s going to have to be a major factor in the series if the Warriors win.

6. Al Horford, F, Boston Celtics

Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images

Horford has two championships to name already, but of course both came when he was in college with the Florida Gators. Now in his 15th NBA season, Horford is making the first NBA Finals appearance of his career, and has been a driving force behind Boston’s midseason surge. Horford looks like he’s found the fountain of youth this season, emerging as an indispensable and versatile defender and a plus rebounder while also shooting a ridiculous 43.2 percent from three in the playoffs. Horford is typically the type of player whose impact goes well beyond the box score, but he could be a sentimental MVP candidate at the end of the series if he has a few hot shooting games and the Celtics’ young stars struggle with their offensive consistency.

5. Klay Thompson, G, Golden State Warriors

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Thompson has understandably lost some athletic juice coming a torn ACL and torn Achilles the last two years, and he’s no longer the lockdown defender he profiled as at the start of the dynasty. None of that should overshadow how remarkable his comeback this season has been. He remains a flamethrower as a deep shooter, entering the Finals 57-of-143 from three-point range in the playoffs — good for exactly 40 percent. Thompson showed he can still takeover games by popping off for 32 points on 8-of-16 shooting from three in Golden State’s series-clinching Game 5 win over Dallas in the conference finals. The narrative pull of his return from injury could be strong enough to earn him some MVP consideration if he catches fire a few times during the series.

4. Jaylen Brown, F, Boston Celtics

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

It wasn’t long ago that there was an audible discourse about whether the Celtics should break up Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Not anymore. As Tatum has fully ascended to Boston’s primary option, Brown has grown into an excellent sidekick. Brown has always won with strength and athleticism, but in this postseason he’s added an extra layer of shot-making touch that has taken his impact to another level. Brown is scoring more efficiently than ever during these playoffs, including a three-point shot that has been falling at about a 40 percent clip. His Finals MVP case starts with the fact that he’s likely to have an easier defensive matchup than Tatum in this series, and he seems locked in as a shooter right now. As long as he can avoid live dribble turnovers, Brown figures to be a problem for the Warriors defense.

3. Jordan Poole, G, Golden State Warriors

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Poole’s ability to stay on the floor might be the biggest swing factor in the series. The Celtics relentlessly hunted Miami’s weakest defenders in the Eastern Conference Finals, and there’s no doubt Poole is Golden State’s biggest liability on that end. If the Warriors can pull off show-and-recover schemes to limit the targeting, Poole’s offense will have a chance to be a deciding factor on the other end. The 28 overall pick in the 2019 draft has blossomed in his third season, turning into an electric off-the-dribble scorer with deep shooting range and elite quickness. He is at once both an excellent fit for Golden State’s system of constant motion and ball movement while also being able to break the system to get the team a bucket in a pinch. The latter could be especially critical against an elite Boston defense in this series.

Poole erupted for 20 or more points seven times in these playoffs on Golden State’s run to the Finals. He feels like he can break any game wide open with his microwave scoring. Poole isn’t the third best player in the series, but his scoring punch feels essential to the Warriors winning the series — as long as he can survive defensively.

2. Jayson Tatum, F, Boston Celtics

Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

Tatum has every attribute the NBA demands out of a superstar wing: a big 6’8 frame, a quick first step, deep shooting range, defensive switchability, and the bounce to finish plays above the rim. If there’s been a missing piece for Tatum, it’s his playmaking, but in these playoffs he’s been making the right read almost every time down the floor. Even if he’s been flustered into some poor shooting nights at times during this run, Tatum has consistently met the moment when his team really needs it. The Celtics’ clearest path to winning the championship starts with Tatum playing like the best player in the series. Expect him to hunt Curry and Poole on the spaced floor when Boston has the ball. His role will be equally essential defensively, where he’s likely to switch onto Steph Curry in ball screens if he defends Draymond Green as his primary matchup. It won’t be easy to outplay Curry, but the truth is Tatum’s life has been building toward this opportunity since his teenage years. He’ll be ready for it.

1. Stephen Curry, G, Golden State Warriors

Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

It’s hard to go too far with hyperbole when describing Stephen Curry’s greatness. He’s obviously the best shooter ever, but reducing him to only that is selling him way short. There’s a case to be made that he’s the top point guard in NBA history. There’s an argument that Michael Jordan is the only guard above him on the NBA’s historic mountaintop. As he prepares for his sixth trip to the NBA Finals, there’s only one thing missing on Curry’s resume: Finals MVP. He should be considered the favorite to win the award heading into the series.

Curry’s shooting has slipped some this year — he hit only 38 percent of his threes both in the regular season and during the first 16 playoff games, down from his career average of near 43 percent — but his gravity remains as immense as ever. Curry demands the upmost attention whenever and wherever he is on the floor, bending the defense with his mere presence like no player before or after him. He feels like one of the league’s best conditioned superstars, and those around the team believe this is the best he’s ever been defensively. There are plenty of reasons why the Warriors are back in the NBA Finals once again even without Durant, but Curry’s ability to maintain his greatness is the biggest one. He feels poised to finally grab the Finals MVP award that’s always eluded him.

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room42 · 2 years

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NBA: Heat star Jimmy Butler questionable for Game 4; Celtics also ailing

Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat handles the ball against Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics in the second quarter in Game Three of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden on May 21, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. Winslow Townson/Getty Images/AFP Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler is listed as questionable for Monday’s Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals after missing…

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#ailing #Butler #Celtics #game #Heat #Jimmy #NBA #questionable #star

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jimbyrondean · 4 years

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A young James Dean with his family in Fairmount, Indiana in the early 1940s.

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insomniacwriter17 · 7 months

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Saved from the Flames - Chapter Fifteen

“When you’re born in a burning house, you think the whole world is on fire. But it’s not.” –Richard Kadrey

AKA: The story of how Bob Newby became a real life superhero for one little boy who needed saving.

Inspired by this post I saw from @connordax

read on ao3

“Well look who it is!” Ms. MacDonald smiled as she opened the backdoor to the red sedan Bob drove. “Hey Bob, how are you?”

“Doing great, Ms. MacDonald! Hey Bills, you have a good day?” Bob greeted, turning in his seat to smile at both of them. Billy nodded eagerly, grinning when he saw Winslow in his seat.

“You remembered him!” Billy gasped happily, quickly scooping the stuffed animal up before he buckled into the seat. He held the bear up toward Ms. MacDonald with a smile. “Look at the toy Mr. Bob bought me!”

“Oh man, what a cool bear!” Ms. MacDonald replied with just the right amount of enthusiasm. “What’s his name?”

“Winslow,” Billy replied easily, hugging the bear back to his chest. “Mr. Bob brought him so he can go with me to therapy. Right?” He looked back toward the front suit where Bob was nodding his agreement.

“Sure did,” Bob smiled. “You ready to head out, kiddo?” Billy nodded from where he was sitting, smiling up at Ms. MacDonald.

“Bye!” he chirped. “I’ll see you tomorrow!” The teacher waved to him and echoed the sentiment before closing the door. In the newfound silence, Billy could hear pop music playing softly over the radio up front.

As Bob pulled out of the school parking lot, the man reached for something in the passenger seat, passing a brown lunch bag back to Billy. “I brought your snack for you,” he offered, and the blonde gasped happily. “No peanut butter for the apple,” Bob said apologetically. “Because you know, car and all,” he laughed. “But I’ve got a water bottle up here for you too, if you want it.”

“Thank you!” Billy replied as he dug into the bag. He pulled out some string cheeses and a bag of sliced up apples. “The white cheese is my favorite!” Billy began to unwrap the snack immediately, suddenly aware that he was starving.

“Oh good!” Bob replied, mentally filing that information away for later. “Because I need to get some more soon, so it’s good to know what kind you want.”

Billy didn’t answer, too busy chomping down on the first apple slice he’d pulled out of the bag. Winslow was still trapped in the crook of the blonde’s elbow, the boy looking out the window as he ate his snack. The sight once more reminded Bob how young Billy truly was, and he fought back a sad smile.

Dr. Marcus’s office wasn’t too far from the school, so it wasn’t long before Bob pulled into the parking lot of an unassuming building. “We have a few minutes still, so don’t start trying to scarf that snack down,” Bob warned. “You’ve got time to eat it.”

“Okay,” Billy mumbled through a mouthful of apple. After swallowing the bite, he held his free hand out toward Bob. “Can I have my water, please?” Bob passed the drink back without issue, and the two of them sat in content silence, listening to the radio while Billy ate his snack.

Unwrapping the string cheese, Billy looked out the windshield at the building. “This is where Dr. Marcus works?” he asked. “This isn’t a doctor’s office.”

“True, it doesn’t look like one,” Bob agreed with a chuckle. “But yeah, this is where Dr. Marcus works. You’ll see, he’s a different type of doctor. He’s not like Dr. Luke. Dr. Marcus will do more stuff like talking and playing, and less examining.”

Nerves began to creep into Billy’s chest at the thought of going in and talking to another adult. “What if I say the wrong thing?” he asked suddenly, blurting the words out before he gave himself the opportunity to stop talking.

Bob turned in his seat so that he could see Billy, shaking his head. “There’s no such thing as the wrong thing, Billy. Dr. Marcus just wants to get to know you a bit.”

Billy frowned, tugging nervously on Winslow’s arm. “Last time I talked to Ms. Diane, that’s when Ms. Gabby came and took me away.”

Oh. The implication of what Billy was saying hit Bob like a ton of bricks. He wanted to tell Billy that wouldn’t happen, because Bob was actually taking care of Billy. He wished he could make Billy understand that he wasn’t placed with Bob because of what Billy said, but because of what his dad had done.

Instead, Bob offered Billy a reassuring smile. “I’ll be in there with you, remember? I’ll make sure Dr. Marcus knows that’s not what you want.”

Billy munched on the last bit of the string cheese in his hand, studying Bob closely. “Promise?” he whispered. Bob didn’t miss the importance of the fact that this was the second time now that Billy had asked Bob to make him a promise.

“I promise,” Bob echoed. “We’ll even tell him that when we get started. Is there anything else you want Dr. Marcus to know?” He waited as Billy seemed to retreat into his own head, thinking for a few moments before the blonde was shrugging.

“I don’t know,” Billy whispered. “I just…” he trailed off, looking back down at Winslow. “I’m scared I’ll say something and mess up.”

Bob shook his head. “You aren’t going to mess anything up.” Billy wouldn’t meet Bob’s eyes, the boy gathering the discarded cheese stick wrappers and dropping them into the brown lunch bag beside him. “We’re going to go in here so you and Dr. Marcus can talk, and then we’ll go buy your calendar and pick up some dinner on the way home. Nothing’s going to change, you aren’t going to mess anything up, and it’ll all be the same as yesterday. Does that make sense?”

Billy nodded and finally peeked up at Bob. “Can we have KFC?” he wondered softly. Bob was smiling at him, his gaze making Billy feel better already. That was new, Billy realized.

“Would that make you happy?”

Billy paused, the silence stretching for a few moments. “Yeah.”

“Then yes, KFC it is,” Bob agreed with a quick nod. “You ready to head inside?”

Swallowing thickly, Billy nodded and hugged Winslow tighter to his chest. With that, Bob turned off the car and hopped out, making his way around to Billy’s door. The boy was just climbing out of his own seat, and he seemed to migrate toward Bob.

By the time they reached the door that read Dr. Vincent Marcus, PhD, Billy had wiggled his hand into Bob’s. Smaller print beneath the name read Pediatric Counselor. Bob reached to open the door, and Billy pressed as close to Bob as he dared.

The waiting room was small but bright. There were a few chairs pushed up against a wall and a door on the other wall. A small window slid open and Bob looked over to see a receptionist smiling at them. “Hey there!” she greeted. “Is this Billy?”

“Sure is,” Bob smiled. “We have a 4:15 with Dr. Marcus.”

“You got it, I’ll get you guys checked in. Give him a few minutes and we’ll have you back in his office.” She smiled at them, the window sliding shut just as quickly as it had opened. Bob led them to the chairs and Billy climbed into a seat with Winslow in his arms.

The two sat in silence for a few minutes, Billy’s arm looped through Bob’s as he played with Winslow. It wasn’t too long before the door across from them swung open, and a tall man stood in the doorway. “Billy Hargrove?” he guessed, dark eyes landing on Billy.

Billy nodded meekly, and the doctor gestured for Billy to follow him. “Nice to meet you, kiddo. I’m Dr. Marcus. You ready to head back?” The man looked nice enough, so Billy stood up off the chair and turned to look at Bob, who was moving to stand as well. “Oh, you can wait out here, Mr. Newby,” the doctor insisted.

Immediately, Billy frowned, fear building in his stomach. His eyes widened as he looked at Bob. “You said you were coming with me!” he whimpered, tears already gathering in his eyes.

“I am, Billy, it’s okay,” Bob soothed, standing and putting his hand on Billy’s shoulder. “We wanted to do this first one together, if that’s alright? Billy’s not a huge fan of doing new things by himself the first time.”

“Oh yeah, of course!” Dr. Marcus agreed, waving them both back. “Not a problem at all. The more the merrier, I say.”

Billy tried to will his heart back down into his chest as he and Bob followed Dr. Marcus to a room that held an armchair and a few couches and tables full of toys. “So, Billy, we’ve got all sorts of toys you can play with while we talk if you’d like, or we can just sit down over here and chat.” The doctor gestured to the couches, but Billy had already locked in on the box of Legos by one of the tables.

Bob sat down on the couch cushion furthest from Billy, allowing Dr. Marcus to settle near Billy. The man picked up some Legos and began to build his own tower while Billy did the same, the room settling into a somewhat uncomfortable silence. “So, Billy,” Dr. Marcus offered after just a minute, “Did you have a good day at school?”

“Yeah,” Billy replied softly, clicking two Legos together before looking up at the man across the table. “I don’t want to leave Mr. Bob’s house.” His voice was stronger, more forceful than normal, and even Bob raised his eyebrow at the sudden change in demeanor.

“Oh yeah?” Dr. Marcus encouraged Billy to say more, but the boy simply gave him a half-hearted glare and didn’t add anything further. “Did somebody tell you you’re going to leave Bob’s house?” Dr. Marcus wondered.

Billy shook his head, finally moving his gaze back down to the toys on the table. “No, but when I talked to Ms. Diane at school, that’s when Ms. Gabby came and told me my dad was in trouble and then I came to live with Mr. Bob.”

“That must’ve been really scary. I can see how you wouldn’t want to do that again,” Dr. Marcus empathized. “Did Ms. Gabby tell you why you had to come live with Bob?”

Billy was quiet for a minute, choosing to instead pick at the Lego tower he was building. A red block disconnected from the yellow one below it, clattering across the table. Billy’s nail pried at the yellow block, separating it from the blue block at the base of the tower. Only then did Billy answer: “Because she said my dad wasn’t taking care of me.”

Then with a precision only found in a kid trying to avoid eye contact, Billy began to click the Legos back together. Dr. Marcus waited patiently, like he knew Billy had more to say. The silence stretched longer and longer, and Bob itched to say something to break the heavy quiet in the room.

Then Billy’s eyes darted up to Dr. Marcus, over to Bob, and then back at the ever-growing Lego tower. “But Mr. Bob takes care of me so I don’t want to leave.” The first part of the sentence was a simple statement, one Bob knew to be true, but it still made him want to cry. To hear Billy recognize it and then sound so scared to lose it was heartbreaking.

Dr. Marcus was still watching Billy closely. “Well since Bob is taking care of you, then there’s no reason for you to need to leave, right?”

Billy paused what he was doing, a Lego forgotten in his grasp as he looked up at Dr. Marcus. “I guess not,” he murmured after a second. Bob watched as Billy’s demeanor seemed to relax, his shoulders loosening and posture straightening.

Dr. Marcus noticed the shift in Billy’s body language as well, and he smiled kindly as he offered Billy another Lego. “And I’m not here to try and make your life harder, Billy. I’m here to help you understand some of the things that are happening around you and the feelings you’re having. Anything you said in here is kept between you, me, and Mr. Bob, if you want him in the room with you. The only time I can tell somebody else, like Ms. Gabby or the police, is if you are hurting someone or someone is hurting you.”

Billy thought through what Dr. Marcus was telling him. “What kind of stuff do we talk about?” he wondered. His Lego tower was fairly tall now, reaching up from the table and up nearly to Billy’s chest. But still he stacked more blocks on top of one another, clicking them together quietly.

“Whatever you want to,” Dr. Marcus replied. “We can talk about school, or Bob’s house, or if you saw a new movie you liked. And even if you don’t know what you want to talk about, I’ll ask you questions, but you can always tell me if you don’t want to talk about that, and I’ll ask you something else instead.”

Billy nodded, then bit at his lip shyly. “I don’t know what I want to talk about,” he admitted. “Can you ask me some questions?”

After that, the rest of the hour passed quickly. Dr. Marcus kept the conversation at surface level for today, asking Billy about school and his favorite movies while they played with different toys in the room. Bob watched proudly as Billy answered the questions with little hesitation, growing a bit more confident as the session went on.

Just as Billy felt like he was getting more comfortable with the idea of this whole therapy thing, Dr. Marcus said, “We’re about out of time for today, Billy. How are you feeling now that we’re wrapping up?”

“That wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be,” Billy admitted, hugging Winslow to his chest as he stood up. He was gravitating toward Bob almost instinctively, and Dr. Marcus was smiling at him.

“You did a great job,” the counselor encouraged. “Would you feel up to doing this again next week?”

Billy thought for a moment and then nodded. “I think so. I can bring Winslow with me?” he confirmed. Dr. Marcus nodded, the trio heading for the front lobby.

“Winslow is always welcome.” As Dr. Marcus held open the door to the lobby, he reached out to shake Billy’s hand. The boy initially flinched away from his hand, but then cautiously reached forward to shake his hand. Dr. Marcus smiled reassuringly and then shook Bob’s hand, offering a quiet, “See you guys next week.”

It wasn’t until they were in the parking lot that Billy looked up at Bob, squinting against the sun setting above them. “Did I do good?” he asked quietly, his voice soft enough that Bob almost missed it in the wind.

“You did incredible, kiddo,” Bob reassured him, reaching out to ruffle Billy’s hair. “I am so proud of you for trying new things so bravely.” He went to pull away his hand, and Bob was surprised when Billy’s hand instead reached for Bob’s as they walked toward the car. Bob tried not to overreact, simply squeezing Billy’s hand in his to reassure him that it was okay.

Billy wasn’t sure why he had reached for Bob’s hand – all he knew was that when Bob had pulled away from messing up his hair, he didn’t want to lose the comforting touch. So he’d reacted before he could think about it and had grabbed at Bob’s hand.

For a second Billy was afraid he’d made the wrong decision, and he thought about pulling his hand out of Bob’s. But then Bob had squeezed his hand, and whatever fear Billy had felt melted away as they approached the car.

Billy had long ago lost count of how many times he’d been asked by teachers or counselors, “Do you feel safe at home, Billy?” He’d never truly understood what they were asking, why they were so worried about him. But now he got it.

For what felt like the first time, Billy knew what to expect. He knew they’d get in the car, they’d go to the store for his calendar and then KFC to get some dinner, and then Billy would get to play outside until it was time to shower and go to bed. He knew that tomorrow morning he’d get up, Bob would drive him to school, and Bob would be there to pick him up at the end of the school day.

As he let go of Bob’s hand to climb into the back seat, Billy knew what safe meant. It was what he felt here and now, and what he’d never felt with his dad. All that time, and he hadn’t even known.

For a split second, Billy let himself wonder what it would be like if he stayed with Bob forever. If that meant he’d feel safe forever. As he looked out the window of the backseat, Billy thought maybe that wouldn’t be so bad.

#stranger things #billy hargrove #ao3 #insomniacwriter17 #fandom #sftf #cw: child abuse #foster care au #billy hargrove deserved better #bob newby #bob newby deserved better

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