SHAZAM!: The Word of Power #13

Billy is as still as the headstones. The frosty drizzle thumps his layered clothes. His tremble is unrelated to his temperature and his thoughts are dark.

The man beneath his feet has a family. He has children. Billy murdered him out of carelessness.

Shazam is no hero. Billy is no hero.

Billy is not Shazam.

RIIIIIIIIIIIING

"Yeah?"

"Why the hell weren't you in class, alborotador?"

"Oh, hi Rosa," luckily Billy has started planning ahead for these conversations.

"Responde mis preguntas! Where are you?"

"Looking for my biological mom."

A beat of silence before she can respond, "Ah, ya veo… She's in the city?"

"Yeah…"

"Pequeño, you want to find her?"

"Yeah."

"I can help you on the weekend, but you have to get back home. Bueno?"

"Yeah."

She's probably too tolerant. Victor will be annoyed for sure.

When he gets home he's greeted with a vibrant living room. Eugene and Pedro play Mortal Koil as Freddy is backseat gaming on the couch sandwiched between them. The boys sitting in height order don't notice Billy until Freddy pipes up.

"Sup! Dinner is almost done."

"Cool," he tries to reach the stairs before he has to talk to anyone else.

"Oh, Billy, check out a meme I made!" Eugene pauses the game, much to Pedro's dismay, and taps his phone around before picking it up again.

Ping!

Billy opens his lock screen to see Sterling Morris in the rain below a poorly superimposed wedding altar with the caption: Poor guy got left at the altar.

Billy replies with an emoji, "Since when do you care about politics?"

"Since it flooded my timeline!"

Pedro tosses the controller to Freddy in frustration, "Cheater..."

"Git gud, salt boy."

Billy turns to the stairs once more when his worst fears come.

"Big brother!!!" The little Tasmanian leaps from a few steps up and is barely caught, "Mary taught me to braid hair! And I did a picture on the fridge! And I drank a whole bunch a milk! But then I puked! And then-"

"I'm glad someone's having a good day! Did you get a gold star?" He walks towards the kitchen with her.

"No, because Sarah said I put boogies in her hair but I didn't and Ms. Rebecca said I was gonna get a red star so I said sorry but I didn't do it!"

He sits her on the chair and looks into her eyes, "You did good. Next time you see Sarah, tell her she's your friend and give her a hug."

He tries again to reach the stairs but Mary is halfway down, "Well, well, well, little Mr. Truant felt it worth his time to come home for dinner."

"Well at least my standards are set somewhere in the realm of reality," with that he squeezes past her.

"Not your grades, though."

"Yeah, yeah, ye-"

"Órale, Billy!" Rosa appears atop the stairs, "Andale! Coat, shoes, dinner! Vamos, pequeño!"

They all rush to the table where Victor is setting plates, "Bill doesn't get dessert, but everyone else gets cheesecake."

"YES!" Darla screams.

They sit, have their meal, and Billy goes to bed as soon as possible.

Freddy flips on the news while they eat the cheesecake.

"Of course I have no hard feelings for our hero! He was busy, and that's fine! He still has the Sterling seal of approval!"