Chapter 72: out and about

After bath time, the boys came downstairs, fresh and clean, when Mrs. Faulkner announced, "Alright, everyone, time to go to the store, so get your shoes on."

Tyler, still dressed in his onesie, sat on the couch, assuming he’d be left behind with Jordan. But Mrs. Faulkner turned to him and said, "That means you too, Tyler."

Tyler’s eyes widened. "What? But I'm in just a onesie!"

Miss Harper smirked. "No big deal—you’ll be in a stroller anyway."

Tyler groaned, slumping back into the couch, knowing there was no escape from another day of embarrassment.

Mrs. Faulkner then added, "Now, Tyler, I'd like to get what I have to do today done..."

Jordan walked over, holding Tyler’s shoes. Without a word, Tyler slipped them on, but before he could stand, Jordan knelt down and tied them with a double knot. "Just because you’re gonna be in a stroller doesn’t mean you shouldn’t tie your shoes."

Tyler groaned, but he knew better than to argue. He simply sighed, stood up, and followed the others toward the door, bracing himself for another humiliating outing.

As they got into the car, Tyler's eyes widened when he noticed a car seat in the middle of the back seat. He turned to Jordan, his face filled with dread. "Let me guess... mine?"

Jordan grinned. "Yup. Buckle up, bud."

Tyler sighed, slumping into the car seat. He let Jordan fasten the straps around him, resting his head on his fists in disappointment. The rest of the group climbed into the car and buckled up as well. Mrs. Faulkner started the engine and pulled out of the driveway, heading toward the local Walmart.

Thirty minutes later, they arrived at Walmart. Mrs. Faulkner parked the minivan and turned to the group. "Alright, everybody out—but stay near the vehicle."

Jordan unbuckled Tyler and said, "Come on."

Tyler hesitantly got out, glancing warily as Miss Harper opened the trunk and pulled out a three-seated stroller.

Tyler’s face fell. "Wait… I’m not the only one in the stroller?"

Mrs. Faulkner, Miss Harper, and Jordan all answered in unison, "Nope. But you are front and center."

Jake and Alex eagerly climbed into their seats and buckled in, leaving Tyler standing there, his cheeks burning with embarrassment.

Miss harper hand Jake and Alex each a bottle of apple juice. Jordan than looks at Tyler and shakes a 3rd bottle saying "the sooner you get in the sooner you get yours.

Tyler reluctantly got in. Miss Harper buckled him in, and Jordan handed him his bottle of apple juice. Jordan then pushed the stroller across the parking lot and through Walmart, following Mrs. Faulkner and Miss Harper, each with a cart.

As Jordan pushed the stroller behind Mrs. Faulkner and Miss Harper, the two women methodically filled their carts with groceries, diapers, and other baby supplies. The soft hum of the store surrounded them—beeping registers, idle chatter, and the occasional cry of a fussy toddler.

Meanwhile, the boys sipped their apple juice contentedly. Jake and Alex, used to their routine, were relaxed in their seats. Tyler, on the other hand, sat stiffly, still struggling with the humiliation of his situation. He kept his eyes forward, avoiding glances from passing shoppers.

Then, Jordan heard it—a soft hissing sound coming from the stroller. His eyes widened slightly as he realized what was happening. Not just one, but all three boys were wetting their diapers at the same time.

Jake and Alex, unfazed, quickly shifted in their seats. Their expressions changed as they began to push, their faces scrunching up in familiar concentration. Tyler, already catching on, groaned inwardly. He clenched his fists, but he knew resistance was pointless. His body betrayed him as he, too, filled his diaper, his face burning with shame.

Jordan smirked, shaking his head. "Well, that didn’t take long," he muttered under his breath. He leaned down slightly and whispered, "Enjoy yourselves, boys?"

Jake and Alex giggled, while Tyler shot him a glare.

Jordan straightened up and turned to Miss Harper. "Looks like I’ve got some diapers to change. We’ll be right back."

Miss Harper chuckled. "Alright, take your time. We’ll be in the baby aisle when you're done."

Jordan nodded and steered the stroller toward the family restroom at the back of the store, already preparing himself for another round of diaper duty.

As Jordan pushed the stroller toward the family restroom, he stopped short when he saw a large “OUT OF ORDER” sign taped to the door. He sighed, shaking his head. "Of course," he muttered.

With no other option, he turned the stroller toward the men's restroom. "Alright, guys, looks like we’re doing this the old-fashioned way."

Inside, the restroom was empty except for a faint hum from the fluorescent lights. Jordan locked the stall door behind them and got to work.

One by one, he cleaned up and changed Jake and Alex, who both remained cooperative, giggling as they were powdered and snugly taped into fresh diapers. When it was Tyler’s turn, Jordan could feel the tension radiating off him.

Tyler crossed his arms as he lay back on the changing mat Jordan had set up. His face was twisted in an expression of pure humiliation. "Just hurry up," he mumbled.

Jordan rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I got this."

Just as he was taping up Tyler’s fresh diaper, the restroom door swung open. A man in his forties walked in, his footsteps echoing against the tile floor. He stopped mid-stride when he caught sight of Jordan changing Tyler.

The man’s face curled into a look of pure disgust. "What the hell is this?" he scoffed. "That boy should be ashamed of himself, wearing a diaper at fifteen." He then shook his head in disapproval and sneered, "And you should be ashamed for changing him."

Jordan froze for a second, his fingers tightening on the diaper tab. He inhaled slowly before turning his head to face the man, his eyes dark with fury.

Without warning, Jordan swung his fist, landing a solid punch to the man’s face. The sickening crack of bone echoed in the restroom as the man was sent stumbling backward, his back colliding with the sinks. He let out a sharp cry as blood gushed from his now-broken nose, dripping onto his shirt and the floor.

Tyler’s eyes widened in shock as he sat up, his own humiliation momentarily forgotten.

Jordan stood over the groaning man, shaking his fist slightly from the impact. His voice was calm but deadly. "Maybe mind your own damn business, pal."

The man clutched his face, his breaths ragged. He didn’t respond—he just stared at Jordan, stunned.

Without another word, Jordan turned back to Tyler, finished securing the diaper, then helped him up. He washed his hands calmly, as if nothing had happened, before gesturing for Tyler to follow.

"Come on," Jordan said, pushing the stroller toward the door. "We’ve got shopping to finish."

Still stunned, Tyler mutely followed as they exited the restroom, heading back to the baby aisle, leaving the bleeding man behind.

As they arrived back in the baby aisle, Jordan kept his expression neutral, though his knuckles throbbed from the punch. He flexed his fingers slightly, trying to shake off the sting.

Just then, a crackling announcement echoed through the store:

"Security to the men’s restroom. Security to the men’s restroom immediately."

Miss Harper, who had been browsing the shelves for more wipes and rash cream, paused. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at Jordan, then down at his bruised knuckles.

"Jordan," she said slowly, crossing her arms. "Would you like to explain why security is being called to the restroom… and why your hand looks like you punched a wall?"

Tyler shifted uncomfortably in his seat, unsure if he should say anything. Jake and Alex, oblivious to the tension, played with a stuffed toy they had grabbed off a nearby shelf.

Jordan exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders before casually answering, "Some guy ran his mouth. Said some things he shouldn’t have."

Miss Harper’s eyes narrowed further. "Jordan…"

Jordan sighed. "He saw me changing Tyler and started running his mouth, saying Tyler should be ‘ashamed’ and that I should be too. So, I shut him up."

Miss Harper pinched the bridge of her nose. "Jordan, please tell me you didn’t—"

"I broke his nose," Jordan admitted flatly. "So… yeah."

Tyler gawked at Jordan, a mix of disbelief and hidden admiration flashing in his eyes.

Miss Harper sighed, rubbing her temple. "And did it ever cross your mind to just ignore him?"

Jordan shrugged. "Maybe. But this seemed faster."

Before Miss Harper could respond, a pair of security guards appeared at the end of the aisle, scanning the shoppers. One of them spoke into his radio, while the other locked eyes with Jordan and started walking over.

"Well," Miss Harper muttered under her breath, "here we go…"

Before Miss Harper could say another word, Jordan muttered, "Meet you at the car," then took off running.

"Jordan!" Miss Harper hissed, but it was too late—he was already weaving through aisles, dodging startled shoppers.

The security guards shouted, "Hey! Stop right there!" and took off after him.

Tyler, Jake, and Alex watched wide-eyed from the stroller as Miss Harper sighed and shook her head.

Mrs. Faulkner, who had just turned the corner with her cart, raised an eyebrow. "What in the world is going on?"

Miss Harper gave her a tired look. "Jordan just punched a man in the restroom, and now he’s running from security."

Mrs. Faulkner blinked slowly, then exhaled. "Of course he did."

Tyler, still strapped in the stroller, muttered under his breath, "Man’s got some guts, I’ll give him that."

Miss Harper turned to Mrs. Faulkner. "Should we… do something?"

Mrs. Faulkner shook her head and calmly grabbed a pack of baby wipes off the shelf. "No, we finish shopping. Jordan got himself into this mess, and I have no doubt he’ll get himself out."

Meanwhile, Jordan zigzagged through the store, heart pounding. He could hear the security guards gaining on him, but he knew one thing for sure—there was no way he was getting caught today.

Jordan glanced over his shoulder, spotting the guards closing in. Thinking fast, he reached out and shoved a display case, sending it crashing down in front of one of them.

"Whoa—!" The guard yelped as he tripped over the fallen display, tumbling face-first onto the tile floor.

Jordan didn’t stick around to see the aftermath—he took the chance and bolted toward the exit.

Meanwhile, back in the store, Mrs. Faulkner and Miss Harper continued shopping as if nothing had happened. Jake and Alex giggled in their stroller, sipping on juice, while Tyler sat quietly, shaking his head.

"You think he's gonna make it?" Tyler muttered.

Mrs. Faulkner, unfazed, grabbed another pack of diapers. "Jordan’s a smart boy. He’ll figure it out."

Miss Harper smirked. "And if not, well… I suppose we’ll be picking him up from Walmart security."

Jordan burst through the sliding doors, heart pounding as he scanned the parking lot. His eyes locked onto a row of plastic playhouses on display near the entrance.

Without hesitation, he dove into one, crouching low and pressing his back against the tiny molded wall. He struggled to steady his breathing, listening for the approaching footsteps.

“Where’d he go?” One of the guards called out.

“I don’t know! He was just here!” Another voice responded.

Jordan smirked to himself, peeking through the tiny plastic window. The guards were scanning the lot, looking frustrated. He just needed to wait them out.

Back inside, Mrs. Faulkner, Miss Harper, and the boys had finished their shopping and were heading toward checkout, completely unbothered by the chaos unfolding outside.

Jordan smirked as he heard one of the guards curse in frustration.

"Dammit! He got away!" the guard grumbled, ripping his hat off and throwing it to the ground.

Peeking through the tiny plastic window of the playhouse, Jordan watched as the guards scanned the parking lot one last time before shaking their heads and turning back toward the store.

"Let's just get back inside. Kid's probably long gone by now."

Once the coast was clear, Jordan slipped out of the playhouse and casually strolled toward the van, stuffing his bruised knuckles into his pockets.

By the time he reached the car, Mrs. Faulkner, Miss Harper, and the boys were already loading the groceries into the trunk. Miss Harper spotted him first, raising an eyebrow at his disheveled appearance.

"Everything alright, Jordan?" she asked, her tone knowing.

Mrs. Faulkner followed her gaze, her eyes narrowing at his bruised knuckles.

Jordan cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck. "Uh… yeah. Just figured I’d get some fresh air, y’know?"

Mrs. Faulkner sighed. "We'll talk about that later. Get in the car."

Jordan didn’t argue. He quickly climbed into the passenger seat as the tyler was buckled into his car seat. As Mrs. Faulkner pulled out of the parking lot, Jordan glanced out the window, watching as the security guards stood near the entrance, still looking frustrated.

He smirked. "Better luck next time, fellas."

As the Faulkners' van disappeared down the road, one of the security guards caught a glint of something shiny on the pavement near the store entrance.

"Hey, what's this?" he muttered, bending down to pick it up.

He turned it over in his palm, his eyes widening when he saw the engraving—a key with an address on it.

"Looks like our little troublemaker left us a present," the other guard said, peering over his shoulder.

The first guard clenched his jaw. "This is his house… we know where he lives."

They exchanged glances, a silent understanding passing between them.

"What do you say we pay them a little visit?"

Mrs faulkner and all them arrive back at the faulkner home.

Jordan winced as Mrs. Faulkner carefully wrapped his bruised knuckles, her expression unreadable. The room was quiet except for the distant sounds of Miss Harper and the boys putting away groceries in the kitchen.

She tightened the bandage slightly, making Jordan flinch. "Talk. Now," she said firmly, her eyes locked onto his.

Jordan sighed, avoiding her gaze. "Some guy in the bathroom ran his mouth about Tyler wearing a diaper. Said he should be ashamed of himself… and that I should be ashamed for taking care of him."

Mrs. Faulkner’s expression darkened. "And you hit him?"

Jordan shrugged. "Yeah. Right in the face. Knocked him into the sinks."

She let out a slow breath, shaking her head. "Jordan…"

He braced himself for a lecture, but instead, she simply finished bandaging his hand and sat back.

"I get it," she said finally. "You were defending Tyler. And I appreciate that. But you need to learn to control your temper. There are better ways to handle people like that."

Jordan huffed. "I wasn’t about to just stand there and let him humiliate Tyler."

Mrs. Faulkner nodded. "I know. And I don’t blame you for wanting to protect him. But actions have consequences."

Jordan frowned. "Yeah, yeah, I know. That’s why I ran."

Mrs. Faulkner sighed. "Speaking of which… did anyone see where you went?"

Jordan hesitated. "No… I don’t think so. I lost them before I ducked out."

She studied him for a moment, then leaned forward. "Let’s hope you’re right."

Jordan swallowed hard. "Are we in trouble?"

Tyler than walks up to them and says thanks what you did was awesome!

Jordan smirked, flexing his bandaged hand. "Yeah, well, don’t get used to it."

Tyler grinned. "Still, that guy had it coming. Nobody talks to me like that and gets away with it."

Mrs. Faulkner shot them both a look. "Nobody talks to my boys like that, either. But that doesn’t mean we go around throwing punches in public restrooms."

Jordan sighed. "I know, I know. But he was asking for it."

Mrs. Faulkner shook her head. "What he was asking for was to be ignored. Now, thanks to your little stunt, security has our address, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they keep an eye on us for a while."

Tyler frowned. "So what do we do?"

Mrs. Faulkner sighed. "For now? We lay low. And Jordan?" She gave him a pointed look. "No more punching people in the face. Got it?"

Jordan held up his hands. "Got it."

Tyler smirked. "Still… that was pretty awesome."

Jordan chuckled. "Yeah, yeah. Now go help put away the groceries before Miss Harper finds an excuse to put you in the playpen."

Tyler huffed but ran off, leaving Jordan and Mrs. Faulkner standing there.

A few hrs go by Miss harper had put all 3 boys in the play pen with some knew toys they got at the store today.

The three boys sat in the playpen, each occupied with their new toys. Jake and Alex eagerly played with their action figures, making dramatic battle sounds as they crashed them together. Tyler, however, sat back against the mesh side, lazily rolling a toy car back and forth, still feeling a little humiliated by the day’s events.

Jordan, now fully bandaged and resting on the couch, glanced over at them with an amused smirk. "You guys having fun over there?"

Jake grinned. "Yeah! My guy just totally destroyed Alex’s guy!"

Alex pouted. "Nuh-uh! He’s still got one life left!"

Miss Harper chuckled from the kitchen. "Boys, play nice."

Tyler let out a sigh, staring at the ceiling. "I can’t believe I’m stuck in here."

Miss Harper walked over, placing her hands on her hips. "Oh, you’re not stuck, sweetheart. You’re safe. Big difference."

Tyler rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure."

Before Miss Harper could respond, a sudden knock at the door echoed through the house. Everyone froze.

Mrs. Faulkner stood up from her chair, exchanging a cautious glance with Jordan before walking over to answer it.

The moment she opened the door, a deep voice spoke. "Mrs. Faulkner? This is Officer Daniels with the local police department. May I have a word?"

You said:

She says umm yeah one moment let me just get the chain... she gestures to Jordan to hide

ChatGPT said:

Jordan quickly darted out of sight, slipping into the hallway just as Mrs. Faulkner unlatched the chain and cracked open the door. She forced a polite smile. "Sorry about that, officer. What can I do for you?"

Officer Daniels, a tall man with a stern expression, held up a small metal key. "Ma’am, we received a report of an altercation at Walmart today. During our follow-up, we found this key on the scene. It has your address on it."

Mrs. Faulkner's stomach twisted, but she kept her face neutral. "Oh dear, must’ve been dropped by someone in the family. What exactly happened at Walmart?"

Daniels narrowed his eyes slightly. "A man reported being assaulted in the restroom. Witnesses say the suspect ran from security, knocking over a display case on his way out. We’re following up on any possible leads."

Miss Harper, who had stepped into the entryway, feigned surprise. "My goodness. That sounds awful. We were at Walmart today, but we didn’t see anything like that."

Daniels studied them for a moment before handing over the key. "If you hear anything or if anyone in your household was involved, I strongly advise you to come forward."

Mrs. Faulkner took the key with a practiced smile. "Of course, officer. Thank you for bringing this back."

Daniels nodded, tipping his hat slightly before turning back toward his patrol car. The moment the door shut, Mrs. Faulkner locked it and let out a breath.

"Jordan," she called in a firm voice.

He peeked around the corner. "Yeah?"

She held up the key. "We need to talk. Now."

Jordan comes out of the hallway Mrs faulkner hands him back the key and says you sound check your pockets before thinking you've escaped.

Jordan sighed, taking the key from Mrs. Faulkner’s hand and shoving it deep into his pocket. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. Rookie mistake."

Mrs. Faulkner folded her arms, her expression unreadable. "A mistake that nearly got you caught. You’re lucky they didn’t track you down right then and there."

Miss Harper shook her head. "You’re fast, I’ll give you that. But you need to be smarter. That little stunt of yours could’ve put all of us in a bad spot."

Jordan rubbed the back of his neck, looking away. "I wasn’t gonna just let that guy talk down to Tyler like that. He was way outta line."

Tyler, still in the playpen with Jake and Alex, perked up. "Yeah, but, uh... maybe next time don’t punch a dude in the face in the middle of a public bathroom?"

Jordan let out a short laugh. "Noted."

Mrs. Faulkner sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "We’ll deal with this later. For now, just lay low. No more trouble, understood?"

Jordan nodded. "Got it."

Miss Harper clapped her hands together. "Alright, enough of this. Let’s get dinner started."

As the adults moved toward the kitchen, Tyler leaned toward Jordan and whispered, "Still… that was pretty awesome."

Jordan smirked. "Damn right it was."