Ch. 2 The cards we're delt (Eddie and Ralph)

Eddie got home after getting high with his friends. His parents were standing in the kitchen. His father was holding Pogo firmly by the collar and Ralph sat crying next to thier mother.
"Fuck," he thought.
Eddie! What were you thinking letting Ralph come home by himself! Let alone having Ralph wander around on his own with out suppervision. He can't do anything on his own!" shouted thier mother.
"You seriously don't think he can do anything on his own. He is smart, he is really smart."
"No, he's not, he's special!"
"Mom! He is special but the way your using the word is instead of saying retarded."
"Yyour brother is not retarded!"
"I know he isn't, but I'm the only one spending time with him to realize that he is a genious. He knows how to do my calculous homework."
"you are not the only one who spends time with him."
"YOur a stay at home mom and you have me take him to school on Sundays as daycare."
"But letting him come home alone."
"Mom," said Ralph. "I've been coming home by myself since I was eight."
"You what!"
"Its true," said Eddie. "I went to pick him up and they said he had already left. I ran home and he was there. He said that after watchin me take him there and back he knew how to do it himself."
"So what were you doing during the time you were done tutoring and when you were supose to pick him up?" asked their father.
"I was with my friends."
"You weren't studying?"
"I'm 17, I need my friends, I need to have fun. I'm under enough stress from you guys to get strait As and study all the time."
"Don't you want to have a good carreer? A future?"
"Right now I just want to be a teenager and hang out with my friends. The future can wait." His mother took a deep breath.
"Alright," she said. "You can hang out with your frinds, as long as you maintain your grades."
"And Pogo?" asked Ralph.
"We really can't keep the dog, but you can find it a good home."