Summer vacations. 8yrs old Brian Littrell ran home from his bus stop as fast as he could. Which was really fast. He was known to be very athletic. That was one thing about himself that he was really proud of. Being sportive meant his only way of being acknowledged by at last some guys in his school. Due to his social status with his single mom and their residence in a district where most of his schoolmates weren’t even allowed to go Brian always had problems finding and keeping friends.

Not even a little bit out of breath, he reached the front entrance of the mean house he and his mom rent a small apartment in the third of 6 floors in. He opened the unlocked front door and did not even try to use the elevator since he knew it would be broken as usual.

Taking two steps at a time he reached their apartment door within seconds. Brian knew at once that something was very wrong. The door was not locked. His mom never forgot to lock the door when she left for work after he had left for school. His mom was working as a dental assistant at a local dentist who was the only dentist in the district having non insured patients two times a week.

Brian hesitated for a moment. Calling the police would help nothing. Policemen weren’t fancying this part of the town. They would come. Sure they would. But when? He knew his mom was still at work. She never came back early.

Brian took a deep breath. He opened the door to find himself in a mess that used to be their living room. He noticed at one that the old TV was missing as well as the small stereo set his mom had given him for his birthday. Dishes and glasses were shattered on the floor, along with papers and documents. Brian carefully walked through the mess trying to avoid stepping onto one of the many broken pieces of glass.

He entered the small kitchen finding the same sight. Everything seemed to be broken. Cupboards had been pulled open so hard that their doors were hanging loosely or were torn off.

Tears build up in Brian’s eyes when he entered his bedroom. It was small, but his mom had done everything to make it Brian’s favourite place in the world. Know his mattress was ripped open. The walls he and his mom had painted together drawing Mickey and Donald onto it was sprayed this red and blue ink saying “You suck”. His toys had been broken and thrown around and his favourite toy of all, and old looking and single-eared stuffed bear named “Chuck” had lost his head and some legs and arms. Brian was not sobbing but tears streamed down his cheeks. He picked up Chuck’s head and cuddled it in his arms sitting down next to what used to be his wardrobe. Chuck was all he had left from his father and brother. Chuck had been a gift from both of them when Brian was just born. Brian could not remember his father of brother. Most time he did not even wanted to.

His parents got divorced when Brian was just 3yrs old. Brian never knew why his parents did not get along anymore and he had hardly ever asked his mother. Every time Brian asked questions about his father or brother, his mom would become really sad and Brian could hear her cry at night when she thought he was asleep. His brother had stayed with his father since he had already been in school, having friends and stuff. His mother took Brian along. They left their home town Lexington in Kentucky for good and settled in Detroit. No contact had been made ever since. Not even when Brian fall seriously ill two years ago. Doctors found a hole in his heart and he had almost died from a infection he had gotten. His mother had stayed with him all the time which caused her to loose her good paid job at a high profile dentist in middle town. They hat to move since their old apartment had been to expensive for his moms now low wages.

Suddenly he heard a noise from the front door of their apartment. Brian held his breath. Were the burglars coming back? What would they do if they found him here? Everything was quiet. For seconds not a single noise could be heard.

Suddenly Brian could hear some sobbing. Then a scream could be heard.

“Briiiiiiiiaaaan, Briiiiiiaaannn!” His mother had returned from work.

Brian tried his hardest to answer his mothers terrified screams but he felt like he was glued to this small spot next to his wardrobe and that his voice had decided to not obey to his brain telling it to make some noise.

“Briiiannn? Honey?” he could tell his mother was crying. He could hear her walking over some broken glass towards the kitchen.

“Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God! Briiiiiiiannn!” her voice was fading more and more as she walked further into their destroyed apartment.

Jackie Littrell entered her sons bedroom. Maybe this had been the most beautiful room in their home. Where was he? Had he already been home when the intruders came? Was he hurt? Jackie could hardly see anything through her tear-swimming eyes.

She saw her little sons bed which was totally destroyed by a knife or something. The mattress had been ripped open and the filling was lying everywhere around the room.

Afraid of what to find she took another step through the mess.

She was shocked to see Brian sitting next to a piece of broken furniture clutching his favourite stuffed animal or what was left of it close looking straight ahead onto the nearest wall.

“Brian. Honey? Are you okay?”

Her small son was now realising somebody was there.

“Mommy?” he asked his voice barely a whisper.

“I’m here honey. Are you okay?” Jackie knelt down next to her son bringing his arms around his small and fragile looking frame.

“No…I….I’m fine. When I came here they were already gone.”

“Thank God” Jackie thought.

“Mommy?” in Brian’s voice now a little more strength could be heard.

“Honey?” she asked trying to make her voice sound clear and free of sorrow.

“What are we going to do now?” Brian asked quietly.


Jackie Littrell had called the police explaining what had happened.

Two hours later two policemen reached their home to take a look at the site of crime.

“Mrs. Littrell, you know this area is not a place to live for a woman and her small son…” the grey haired officer exclaimed after observing the whole damage.

“If you can tell me where else to live with a single income and a child you are welcome.” Jackie almost spat at the officers face.

“Lady, you are talking to a police officer” the other officer hissed in her direction.

“Leave it, Andrew. Mrs. Littrell has enough to cope with. Do you have anywhere to go until this mess has been cleared up?”

“She is staying with me” a voice could be heard from the front door of the apartment.

Lucy Penning silently took a look around the living room until her eyes found these of her friend and further work mate Jackie. She took some quick steps across the room and pulled her friend into a tight hug.

Jackie had called Lucy directly after she had called the police. She had the felling of needing someone grown up around.

“You both are staying with me” she smiled into Jackie’s till teary eyes. Over her friend shoulder she could make out the small frame of Jackie’s son, Brian.

Brian had been sitting silently on what was left of the couch, following the discussion between his mother and the police officers who he had disliked from the moment they had entered their home.

He liked Lucy. She was like an aunt to him and since he had no other family, he was happy that she was around when ever she was needed. He knew his mother loved her like a sister and that she needed her and that Lucy did what ever was necessary to help his mom and him.



About one hour later the three of them where sitting in Lucy’s small living room. She had been working at the same dentist Jackie had before Brian’s illness. When Lucy realized her friend was fired because she had to care for her son who his doctors had told her would die, she quitted instantly.

Now Lucy was working as a waitress in a local coffee shop.

“How long is the police going to take in your apartment?” Lucy asked sipping on a cup of tea she had provided. Brian was watching the TV while sipping some ice tea.

“They said about a week. I can find a hotel room for Brian and me…” Jackie exclaimed at once. She did not want to bother her friend.

“Nonsense. You are staying. Jackie I called…” Lucy was disrupted by the doorbell ringing.

Lucy stood up to open there door and seconds later led a tall and beefy looking man with black hair and a light beard into the living room.

“Jackie Littrell, this is Frank Corey. He is a close friend to my brother and he is a really good repair man. He wants to help you repairing the damage.” Lucy smiled sheepishly. She had he habit of trying to pair Jackie off with someone.

“Lucy, that is really nice of you an Frank, but I can’t affort somebody to work for me.” Jackie felt uncomfortable not taking the nice offer.

“No problem, Mrs Littrell. Lucy told me you are a real great cook. I’ll help you for a warm meal.” Frank offered a warm and charming smile.

“I’ll need help. I can’t do this all by myself.” Jackie thought.

Brian was carefully eying his mother, than that Frank guy. He did not know why, but he disliked him from the moment Lucy had brought him in.

“That should be no problem, but I hope Lucy was not again overdoing her promises on my cooking. Meet my son Brian.” Jackie smiled at the man than pointing towards her son in front of the TV.

“She has a son? Lucy did not tell me” Frank thought angrily but wisely was not showing it. He liked Jackie. She was his type. But a son? He would have to cope with that. He had had a great teacher in his own father.

“Hi, Brian!” He exclaimed looking at the small blond hair boy who was eying him since he had come into the room.

Two weeks later Brian and Jackie were back in their apartment. It had taken the police one week to estimate that the intruders had been drug addictives on their search for money for their next shot.

Frank Corey had helped them a lot. He really knew to repair everything. He repaired the cupboards, the couch and some other damaged furniture and helped to remove all the broken things that could not be repaired by anybody.

Brian appreciated Frank’s help, but still had an uneasy feeling about him. Although he had known him for two weeks now and always having him around the apartment when Frank did not need to work in his firm, Brian was still calling him “Mr. Corey”.

On a Thursday evening after the daily repairing und cleaning up had been done, Jackie asked Brian to come and sit down on their repaired couch. Brian sat down wondering what his mother wanted to talk about. They talked a lot. But Jackie normally wouldn’t ask Brian to sat down and have a serious talk-thingy. They would talk wherever they were, whatever about, no matter the time. Brian loved that fact about his mom. He always had the feeling he could tell her everything.

“Brian, I want to ask you a question…” Jackie’s voice trailed of while she was watching Brian nestling with the new handmade seams Lucy had stitched to repair the ripped pads of their couch.

Brian look up at his mother, not wanting to give her the impression he was not listening.

“Brian…I…” again Jackie did not finish her sentence.

Brian suddenly felt uneasy. They could talk about everything. What was his mothers problem now? What could suddenly be so hard to tell or ask?

“Shot!” Brian grinned, feeling the need to ease up the tension.

“Do you like Frank?” Jackie had to smile at her sons attitude to know when to break a joke to cheer someone up, to ease a situation down. He always had a great feeling intuition about situations. Maybe more than he should at the age of eight. She sometimes got the feeling he understood too much.

“Mr Corey. He was kind to help us. Almost everything is back to normal.” Brian said full well knowing that this wasn’t the answer his mother was looking for.

“Brian…I mean…Do you like him?”

Brian searched in his mothers eyes for her intentions. Did she like him? As in woman like man? Was she maybe even in love with him? The truth was that Brian did not like Frank and that he did not know why this was the case. He’d helped them. He was kind. But still…
Maybe his mom really liked him. It seemed to be important for her to know if he liked Frank as well. That was his mother. Always thinking of others first. Mostly it was him whom she always but on top priority. But it was also Lucy she thought of firt before thinking about herself. Or the patients in her dental practice… That was his mom. He was really proud about her. Maybe this time, he should turn the situation around. But that would mean…

He knew that he had to answer now. Else his mother would know he really had do sort out if he liked Frank or not. So he decided, for the first time in this life, to lie to his mother.

“Yeah, I really think he is cool. I like him!” Brian never thought he could have done that. Lying to his mother. But as he again looked into her eyes he saw joy in them. She bought it. And she liked it.

“I would like to meet him. Tomorrow evening. Lucy would be staying with you. You two could play some games since the TV…” Jackie trailed off.

Their TV had been stolen and had not been replaced yet. They simply did not have the money to buy another one. Not yet.

“Yes, that great. Lucy’s always fun!” Brian grinned, this time really meaning what he said. He liked Lucy.

“So…you are okay with it?” Jackie reassured while looking deep into her sons beautiful deep blue eyes.

“I’m fine!”

Friday on the early afternoon Frank had returned to repair the last few things in the apartment. He had offered to replace the front door lock to make it more save. He told Jackie that he would be gone by 7p.m. to shower and then pick her up exactly at 8.

Brian tried to brush off the red ink from his walls. He could hear his mother talking on the phone while Frank was working at the front door. Surely his mother was talking to Lucy.

“Oh my God. You know…I’m really nervous about tonight.” Her voice was a little shaky.

Then she was giggling reminding Brian of the older girls in his Junior High.

He had to listen carefully now since his mother had intentionally lowed down her voice.

“I talked to him the other day. He really seems to like him. It’s perfect.”

Lucy obviously was giving her opinion because Brian could hear some “uhhuu’s” and some more giggling from his mother.

“I really thing maybe this could work out. But on the other hand….After Harold I never…” it sounded like Lucy had interrupted his mother at that point.

His mom was talking about his father? He knew his father was named Harold. Harold Littrell. They still were named Littrell since his mother somehow never changed it back to her birth name.
She never talked about his father.

“Yeah, you are right. Absolutely. We’ll see. I have to go now. I need to do some shopping. I need some new make up maybe….” Another giggle.

“Bye Lucy!”

Brian tried to focus back on carefully cleaning his Disney wall.

Twenty minutes later Jackie entered Brian’s bedroom telling him that she needed to do some shopping.

“Be a nice boy. Frank is still repairing the front door. Maybe you could help him a little?” she asked while placing a kiss on his forehead. This a quick goodbye she left the room and seconds later he could hear her saying goodbye to Frank at the entrance.

Two minutes later Brian could hear someone walking towards his room. He turned around to find Frank standing in the door.

“I was wondering if you could help me for a second. Someone needs to hold the new handles in place while I build them on.” His voice was demanding making clear that it was more an order than a request.

“Sure, Mr Corey!” Brian jumped off his bed to follow Frank to the front door.

He found him still leaning at the door frame to his room not moving.

“I want you to call me Frank!” again, this was an order. Brian did not like the way Frank was talking to him. He was not used to this. Jackie hardly ever ordered him to do something and he always tried to keep it that way in doing everything he should before being ordered to. Maybe he shouldn’t have lied to his mom.

“I asked you something boy!” Frank made a quick big step towards Brian, placing one hand on the small boys left shoulder.

“I…” Brian was shocked by this sudden chance of situation. He could feel Frank’s gripping down firmly on his shoulder. It was really painful. Tears welled up in Brian’s eyes. But he was not willing to show Frank.

“Okay, Frank. I will!” he pressed out still trying not to show how much pain Frank was putting him in.

“Good. And one more thing. I like your mother, and I think she likes me to. I will date her tonight and if everything works out as planed, I’ll date her some more times. I don’t think that will be a problem for you, boy?” Frank hissed into Brian’s face still pressing his fingers hard into Brian’s shoulder.

Brian felt the urge to scream out in pain but he had the feeling that would not do him any good. Hardly any feeling was left in his left arm since Frank was pressing down so hard.

“No Sir. Not at all!” a single tear had escaped his eyes rolling down his cheek. He hoped that Frank had not seen it.

Frank released his grip after a deep look in the boys eyes. He was satisfied to finally see a tear escape these eyes and he was sure the boy now was afraid enough to obey his orders and that he would keep silent about what just had happened. He would make sure to remind Jackie’s son on another day.

“Okay Brian. Let’s go repair you mother’s front door. She will be very happy!” suddenly Frank’s voice was nice and comforting.

While finally following Frank to the to be repaired door, Brian quickly wiped off that stupid tear.

Jackie had asked Lucy to come early since she wanted her best friend to check out her styling. She was really nervous about the date with Lucy's brothers best friend. It had been a while since she had been seeing some guy. In fact, the last guy she dated was her later husband and the father of her two sons. Her sons. Again she was wondering how her oldest son Harold jr. was doing. She often regretted that she had to left him with her former husband although deep inside she knew that she could not have risen both child on her own. It was hard enough to pull Brian through. His disease had caught her off guard, setting her back somewhat further.

Fortunately when she came back from shopping she met Frank and Brian at the front door. They where just finishing to repair the lock. Brian really seemed to like Frank. That was great, because she liked him too.

"You look fantastic" Lucy exclaimed when Jackie entered the living room where she and Brian had just started a game of Parcheesi.

Brian did not say anything. He thought that his mother look really great and happier than he had seen her for quite some time.

"Bri? What do you think as a man?" Jackie smiled at Brian.

Brian took a deep breath. He did not like the fact that her mother was dating "that guy", but she was so happy. She looked younger and her eyes shone brightly.

"I think you look just great Mom. Maybe I should date you!" Brian said beaming at her tying not to show how uncomfortable he was. His left arm was still numb from Frank's nice treatment this afternoon. When he had been to the restroom he had been checking out his shoulder in the mirror and carefully touched the already blueish bruises. It was more painful than he had thought a hard grip on the shoulder could be. He knew he should put some ice on he bruises but then his mother might have noticed. He did not know what to tell her.

Some minutes later Frank had knocked on the door to pick up his date.

When Jackie left she turned in the doorway.

"Be a good boy, Brian. I love you."

"Yes Brian, be a good boy!" Frank had jokingly repeated Jackie as to mock her mother hen behavior. But Brian knew better. He meant it. It was a last reminder not to spill anything to Lucy that evening.

Jackie playfully punched Frank's arm and with a last wave, they were gone.

Lucy and Brian continued their game. For some hours Brian totally forgot what had happened between Frank and him. This arm wasn't hurting since he did not move it much while playing the board game. He had just won third time in a row.

"I want some last revenge!" Lucy cried out after she realized she had lost yet again.

Brian laughed but instantly started to rebuild the game for a new match.

Lucy smiled and reached for the bottle of orange juice they had shared. She poured herself half a glass of the juice before the bottle was empty.

"Oh I guess we just ran out of orange juice..." she exclaimed.

"No problem. There is more in the fridge. I'll get it." Brian said while rushing to get the juice quickly so they could continue their game. Brian did not realize he was pushing himself up putting his body weight on this left arm and shoulder. He could not suppress crying out in pain.

"Are you okay?" Lucy asked although she could tell her best friends son was not okay. She could see that he was in pain and that tears had build up in his eyes.

"Yes I'm fine. Just a little sore from sitting the whole time.

"Brian, you are like what...eight years old? You are not getting sore that easy. What's up with that arm?"

"Shoulder."

"Okay, what's up with it?" Lucy pressed while she got up and moved closer towards Brian.

Brian tried his hardest to come up with some lie that Lucy might buy. He could not tell her waht happened that evening. But maybe he should. What if next time his mother was Frank's victim? What if Lucy would not believe him, tell his Mom that he was jealous or something? But Lucy
would not do that, right?

„Tell her! Tell her!“ his mind was screaming.

“You would ruin your mothers happiness. Remember how happy she looked when they left?” another voice in his head said firmly.

“Brian!” Lucy snapped her fingers in front of Brian’s face.

He still hesitated. He looked into Lucy’s worried face. He knew he had to come up with something, or simply tell the truth.

“You won’t tell mom, okay?” he noticed his voice was barely more than a whisper. He was sure he shouldn’t do this, but in his head, a decision had been made.

Now Lucy seemed to be really concerned. “Please Bri. Tell me.”

“I…I was running around here playing Batman when I slammed into the door with my shoulder. I can’t tell mom. Please. She’ll phone ten doctors and will put me in bed for the rest of my holidays.” He was crying by now.

“Show me your shoulder please, Bri.” Lucy was relieved that nothing too serious was wrong with Brian. On the other hand she wasn’t sure whether she really shouldn’t tell Jackie about Brian’s accident.

“It happens” she thought and Brian was right. Ever since Brian had been that sick some years ago Jackie was over protective with her son. Okay, she had her reasons. The doctors had been telling her to make funeral arrangements since her son had a zero percent chance of living.

Brian had removed his shirt. Judy gasped when she saw the big blue and purple bruise on the small boys shoulder.

“Don’t tell her!” Judy looked into those deep blue eyes of her best friends son.

“It’s just a bruise. Okay, it is a big bruise. But nevertheless.“ Judy thought and smoothed the blond hair. “I won’t tell her.”

Brian was not yet satisfied with her answer. “Promise.” he plead.

“I promise that I’m not going to tell her!” Judy smiled and got up from her space on the couch.

“I’ll get some ice for you. It’ll help.”


They played another round of their board game until Brian couldn’t suppress a yawn and Judy made him go to bed.

Brian did not want to, but he never argued with his mom or Judy about something he should do. He normally just did it. And he was quite sure Judy hadn’t totally bought his shoulder story, so he did not want to make her any more suspicious about him.

So Brian brushed his teeth, chanced into his pyjamas and lied down. He could hear Judy sitting in the living room reading when she turned a page of her book or drank something. He felt save having her around. She was nice, although she had brought Frank around.

Frank. He knew he was save here with Judy around. But his mother? What if Frank hurt his mother? He did not have a father or any other family.

He would wait until Frank and his mother would be back. He wanted to be sure she was alright.

While he was waiting for their return lying there in his bed in the dark room, the room where Frank had shown him what he was able to do, he made a promise to himself.

Frank could do whatever he wanted to with him. But Brian would make sure that Frank would never harm his mother.

He slipped into a light sleep after two hours. A dreamless and restless sleep that did not prevent him from waking up in an instant when he heard a key entering the newly build on door lock.

Brian did not even notice he was holding his breath while he carefully was listening how many foots where entering their apartment. Two persons. Frank was still with her but on the other hand, his mother was home.

He tried to overhear what was said in the living room.

“Hey Jackie. Hey Frank!” Lucy greeted the new arrivals.

“Hey Judy, everything went okay?” Jackie asked.

“Sure Jackie. Brian is in bed. He was tired. And he gave me not chance to beat him in any game we played.”

Laughing. His mom and Frank were laughing.

“Don’t be offended, but I’m going home now. I’m tired as well!” Lucy announced. “Shell I drop you at you home, Frank?”

“I have my car here.”

“Of course. I forgot!”

“Bye Frank. Good night Jackie.”

“Thank you for watching Brian, Luce.” his mother said.

“No problem, I know I love that little guy. Goodbye you two!”

Brian could hear the front door open and close some seconds later. Lucy was gone. Gone? That meant his mother was all alone with ‘that Frank guy. Something needed to be done. He had made a promise.

Quietly Brian got out of his bed. He slowly opened the door of his room and crossed the kitchen.

He saw his mother sitting on the couch, Frank next to her. Close. Too close for Brian’s liking.

“Mommy?” Brian asked rubbing his eyes as if he had just woken up from a deep sleep.

“Brian. Honey. Why are you up? Did we wake you?” Jackie stood up from the couch walking towards her son with her arms wide open to embrace him. She never like leaving him somewhere, but Lucy had been with him. And he was eight years old, not a infant anymore.

While his mother was hugging him closely, rubbing his back, he could see Frank on the couch watching them . He did not look too happy about Brian’s interruption.

“No mommy, I had a bad dream! You left me and did not come back!” Brian cried in this mothers shoulder. Lying was easily today. He never thought he could lie to her like this, but he had his reasons to do so.

“I’m here, babyduck. I’m never going to leave you!” she comforted him still rubbing his back. Brian continued to sniffle and snob on her shoulder as if he could not calm down this easy.

Jackie sighed. She would have liked to spent some more time with Frank. On the other hand, Brian’s bad dream might save her from some things she wasn’t ready for yet. Her last relationship was so long ago.

Jackie picked Brian up from the ground. He was small for his age, therefore she could still manage to carry him. She turned around facing Frank.

“I’m sorry. Maybe you should leave. Brian is really upset and I need to comfort him. He is not used to me being gone in the evening. Is that okay for you?”

Frank smiled at her and at the boy on her arms.

“This fucking kid. I knew he would be a pain in the ass. But maybe he’ll learn to cope with a night without his mother. I will make sure to teach him!”

“Sure Jackie. No problem. It was a nice evening. I hope we are going to redo it soon” he smiled while getting up and putting on his jacket.

“I guess we will!” Jackie smiled happily.

Frank turned to the door to leave. Brian was happy that guy would be gone soon. He knew Frank was not happy about his behaviour.

Jackie watched Frank open the door, then turned around to bring Brian back to his room.

On the threshold Frank turned around one last time.

“Good night Brian. Have a nice sleep.”

Some days had passed and Frank had not shown up again yet. On the third day after Jackie’s and Frank’s date Brian walked in on his mother talking to someone on the phone. Judged by the look on her face and the girlish way she talked, Frank was on the opponent.

Brian greeted his mom while he walked by to his room. He shut the door and laid down on his already made bed.

His mother had always been very religious. They used to went to church almost every Sunday if Jackie did not have to work at the dentist who had an emergency service running some Sundays a month. Brian used to sing in the choir, but stopped since some bullies at school living in this odd neighbourhood he lived in had shown him that it was better to stop. Life was hard enough in Junior High.

His mother had told him that if it wasn’t for God, he might have been dead. HE saved him. HE worked that miracle. A miracle. That was what Brian needed to have Frank leaving his mother and him alone without being hurt. Maybe praying would do.

He closed his eyes a said a silent prayer pleading to God to make Frank stay away from his mother and him and that, if Frank was really the man to make his mother happy again, for the strength he needed to endure whatever Frank did to him. As usual his last wish to God was to keep his real father and brother save.

No, he did not really know them. He wasn’t sure if he really cared about them. But they were relatives. His father, who had once loved his mother. And his brother. The son he knew his mother missed much. And he was sure it was as hard to grow up without a mother to his brother as it was to grow up without a father to him.


“Hey Dad! Guess what?” eleven years old Harry shouted as he entered the kitchen of the nice one family house he and his father lived in.

“Harry, boy. You gave me a shock here. I did not hear you coming” Harold Littrell turned around from the cooker.

“Sorry. What’s for lunch?” Harry sat down at the already set table.

“Pancakes!”

“Why did I even ask?” Harry rolled his eyes at the back of his father when he had turned back to his pan. “Why don’t you do some cooking classes?”

“Harry! If you want to eat something that I can’t cook you might have to do some cooking classes yourself!” his father turned around once again facing his son. His oldest son. He watched him sitting there, at the table on his favourite place next to the window, legs stretched out and crossed, his hands behind his head with the dark brown hair smirking at him and his inability to cook something more than pancakes, sausages or steaks.

“How will Brian be looking now?” Five years had passed since he and his wife divorced. Jackie. Brian. God he missed them. Every day.

Harold turned back to the pan.
“Dad? You know I was just kidding? I love your pancakes!” Harry had noticed his fathers eyes narrows while he looked at him.

“Yeah I know.”



“Brian? Come eat. Lunch is ready!” Jackie called from the kitchen towards the door of her sons room.

“Brian!” still no response from the boy.

Jackie set the last plate down to the small kitchen table wondering what took Brian so long to obey.

She knocked softly at his door and opened it slightly when she got no response.

What she saw made her smile. Brian laid on his bed fast asleep. Some of his blond hair hat fallen to his face. Carefully she sat down and brushed the strand away eying her sons lovely face. He was cute. Sure, she was his mother. But even when she looked at Brian though the eyes of a woman, she knew he would be a handsome man someday. Just like his father had.

Silently Jackie stood up and left her son sleeping to his bed. The pancakes she had prepared for lunch would have to wait.