Chapter 97: Captains exams and physical therapy

The sun had barely risen when Mrs. Faulkner gently shook Jordan awake.

"Time to get up, sweetheart," she said softly. "Today’s the big day—you get your cast off, remember?"

Jordan groaned, blinking away sleep as he stretched his arms. It had been days since his injury, and while he was relieved to be rid of the cast, the thought of physical therapy loomed over him like a storm cloud.

Meanwhile, in another part of town, Detective Singer was up early as well, preparing for his captain's exam. Noah was still curled up in bed, but Singer had already dressed and was reviewing some notes over a cup of coffee. The exam was scheduled for mid-morning, and he wanted to make sure he was as prepared as possible. Before leaving, he dropped Noah off at the Faulkner home, where Evan decided to stay behind to hang out with him.

Back at the Faulkner house, Mrs. Faulkner loaded Jordan into the van after a quick breakfast. Miss Harper had agreed to stay back with the younger boys, who were still sleeping soundly.

At the doctor’s office, Jordan’s leg was carefully examined before the doctor finally removed the cast. Jordan flexed his ankle slowly, wincing as the stiff muscles protested.

"It’s going to feel weak for a while," the doctor explained. "That’s what physical therapy is for. Take it easy, don’t overdo it, and you’ll be back to full strength before you know it."

Jordan nodded, though he still wasn’t thrilled about the therapy part.

Over at the police station, Detective Singer arrived with a steady confidence. He greeted a few colleagues before heading to the exam room. The written portion was first—hours of detailed questions about procedures, laws, and leadership scenarios. He powered through, his focus unwavering.

Meanwhile, Jordan arrived at the therapy center, where a friendly therapist named Lisa greeted him.

"Alright, Jordan, let’s see what we’re working with," she said, gesturing for him to take a seat. "We’ll start slow, just some light movement to get your muscles working again."

Jordan clenched his jaw but nodded. As he began his exercises, he felt the strain immediately, but he pushed through, determined to regain his strength.

Hours passed, and both Jordan and Singer completed their challenges. Jordan left therapy exhausted but determined, while Detective Singer turned in his final exam with a sense of confidence. Now all he had to do was wait for the results.

As Mrs. Faulkner drove Jordan home, she glanced at her son in the rearview mirror. "How do you feel?"

"Like I got hit by a truck," Jordan admitted. "But... it wasn’t as bad as I thought."

Back at home, Evan and Noah were playing a board game in the living room when Jordan walked in. "How’d it go?" Evan asked.

"Painful," Jordan replied, dropping onto the couch. "But at least the cast is gone."

Later that afternoon, the phone rang, and Mrs. Faulkner answered. A smile spread across her face. "Well, boys, looks like Detective Singer passed his exam. He’s officially Captain Singer now."

Noah’s face lit up with joy. "My uncle’s now a captain! I have to have a conversation with him about my allowance."

The room erupted in cheers, and even Jordan found himself smiling. It had been a long day, but in the end, it was one of progress and victories—both big and small.

As the celebration settled, Tyler, who had been silently observing, suddenly snapped back to his teenage mind. He blinked in confusion. "Wait... weren’t we eating spaghetti?"

Jordan smirked. "Welcome back, Ty-Ty. We missed you."

Tyler looked around, realization dawning on his face. "Missed me? Where did I g—?" His eyes widened as it hit him. "How long was I Baby Tyler?"

Jordan chuckled. "Since your first bite of dinner last night, which was around 8 PM. It’s now 3 PM, so… roughly 19 hours. A new record."

Tyler groaned, burying his face in his hands as the others laughed. "Great. Just great. I need to stop eating things that trigger this."

Evan grinned. "Yeah, but where’s the fun in that?"

Mrs. Faulkner placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Sweetheart, it isn’t the food. You became so accustomed to the treatment during your punishment that your brain regressed your age. You are still 15 like the others, but sometimes you slip into a toddler-like state. There have been many studies on it—it’s nothing to be ashamed of. There may even be a time you never snap back, but we’ll all love you the same."

Tyler took a deep breath, absorbing her words. "Thanks... I guess I just have to deal with it."

Evan grinned. "Yeah, but where’s the fun in that?"

Before Mrs. Faulkner could say anything else, a knock came at the door. She opened it to find Singer standing there, a wide grin on his face, a bottle of champagne in one hand and a bottle of sparkling cider in the other.

"Well," he said, stepping inside. "Who’s ready to celebrate?"

Miss Harper grinned. "You know we wouldn’t miss it, Captain."

Singer popped the champagne while Mrs. Faulkner poured cider for the younger ones. Noah ran up and gave his uncle a tight hug. "I knew you'd pass! You're the best cop ever!"

Evan raised his glass of cider. "To Captain Singer!"

Everyone cheered, clinking glasses. The atmosphere was warm and lively. Miss Harper had whipped up a small cake while Mrs. Faulkner set out snacks. Jordan, stretching his newly freed leg, grinned. "Well, today’s been full of milestones. Guess we should enjoy it."

"Absolutely," Singer agreed. "And don’t worry, Noah. We’ll discuss that allowance later."

Singer leaned over to Mrs faulkner and whispered, "How about we give Jordan a little champagne? I mean, he’s currently the most mature out of the boys and just got out of his cast."

Mrs faulkner nodded. "Only half a glass, though—he’s still on strong painkillers."

As laughter filled the house, it was clear—this was a night worth celebrating.

Here's the continuation of your story:

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Singer handed Jordan a half-glass of champagne with a knowing smile. "Here, kid. You deserve some adult time, even though you're only 15. Just be careful—those painkillers are gonna make this half-glass feel like two full ones."

Jordan took the glass, eyeing the bubbles as they fizzed at the surface. He smirked. "Well, if I'm gonna feel it, might as well enjoy it."

Evan chuckled. "Just don't fall over. I don't think your leg can handle another round in a cast."

Jordan took a small sip, the sharpness of the champagne surprising him. It wasn’t bad—just different from anything he'd had before. He leaned back against the couch, letting the warmth spread through him.

Noah, still riding the excitement of his uncle’s promotion, beamed. "This is the best day ever! Can we have a sleepover this weekend to celebrate?"

Mrs. Faulkner laughed. "I don’t see why not. As long as Captain Singer doesn’t mind a house full of energetic boys."

Singer ruffled Noah’s hair. "I did say I’d host the next one, didn’t I? Consider it official."

The room buzzed with excitement as plans were made for the upcoming sleepover. Miss Harper served slices of cake, while Mrs. Faulkner made sure the younger boys stuck to their cider. Jordan, finishing his small glass of champagne, stretched out and sighed.

"Y’know," he said with a slight smile, "today actually turned out pretty great."

Singer clinked his glass with Jordan’s. "That’s what happens when you surround yourself with good people, kid. Here’s to new beginnings."

And with that, the celebration carried on into the evening, full of laughter, warmth, and the promise of more adventures to come.

Singer paused mid-step, blinking a little as he steadied himself. He wasn’t drunk, but the champagne had definitely given him a light buzz—enough for Miss Harper to call him out.

Miss Harper crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. “You aren’t planning on driving your car—let alone with Noah in the car—while you’re intoxicated, are you, *Captain*?”

Singer let out a short laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, when you put it like that…”

Mrs. Faulkner shook her head with a smirk. “You’re staying here tonight, Captain. No arguments.”

Noah grinned. “Yes! That means the sleepover starts early!”

Singer sighed but couldn’t help smiling. “Alright, alright, you win. I guess I can crash here for the night.”

Miss Harper nudged him playfully. “Good. Wouldn’t want the *newly promoted captain* getting a DUI his first week on the job.”

Evan smirked. “Yeah, that’d be real embarrassing.”

Singer rolled his eyes, flopping back down onto the couch. “You’re all enjoying this a little too much.”

Jordan, feeling the warmth of the champagne himself, leaned back with a lazy grin. “Maybe just a little.”

The night carried on with more laughter and relaxed conversation. Eventually, the boys started to wind down, and Mrs. Faulkner made sure everyone had a place to sleep. As Singer settled onto the couch, he chuckled to himself.

“Guess I should’ve seen this coming,” he muttered, pulling a blanket over himself.

From across the room, Miss Harper smirked. “Goodnight, *Captain*.”

Singer groaned, already knowing he’d never live this down.