"Where's Davy?" he asked.
"Still asleep." Mike replied strumming lightly on his guitar.
Grinning Peter entered his and Davy's room. He gently shook him.
"Wake up." he said softly.
"Pete, I have a really bad headache. Can't it wait until later." Davy groaned.
Peter bounced next to him. "Nope. I gotcha something."
Davy sat up and Peter handed him a deck of cards and two photographs.
"Where did you get these?" Davy asked.
"The retirement center. Nurse Jackson gave them to me."
Davy smiled as he looked at the two photographs of him and Charlie.
"I don't know what to say."
Peter smiled. "This way you have something to remember him by."
Davy sat the items down and gave Peter a warm hug. "Thank you Peter."
Peter warmly returned the hug. "Anytime. What's with the deck of cards?"
"We used to play cards all the time. He was terrible at chess. Last time I saw him we were supposed to work on his chess moves. But I canceled. I had a date." Davy scoffed.
Peter squeezed his shoulder. "Don't blame yourself about what happened to Charlie. You didn't know Charlie would...pass on. He told you it was okay."
"He said he'd never let me hear the end of it." Davy chuckled.
"He was a great guy."
"Yeah, he was. I still can't believe he's gone. I felt like I knew him my whole life." Davy said sadly.
"It's okay to cry you know. I mean you did yesterday. Everybody cries. We all cried when your grandfather tried to take you back to England."
"You guys did?" Davy asked.
"Yes. You're our friend. Remember the time we worked on that one thousand pieced puzzle, and we worked on it for like six hours and when we finished we realized we still had one piece missing. We all cried then." Peter let out a light laugh. Then turned serious. "Go ahead let it out."
Davy sighed and rested his head on Peter's shoulder. Peter slipped an arm across Davy's shoulders. Mike picked his head in the room.
"You guys okay?"
Peter nodded. "I went to the retirement home. Got a deck of cards and photos."
Mike grabbed the photos and laughed. "What's with the fish face Davy?"
Davy shrugged with a smile. He sat up and Peter grabbed some tissues.
"You okay?" Mike asked.
"I'm getting there." Davy again smiled.
The next day Micky awoke and went downstairs. He seen Peter and Mike
in the kitchen munching on a bowl of corn flakes.
"Davy's still asleep?" Micky asked surprised.
"I think keeping all his emotions inside wore him out." Peter said.
"Well he's talking now. That's what matters right?" Mike asked.
Micky laughed. Mike and Peter shot him alook.
"Sorry. I was just picturing Babbit again running out of the pad." Micky explained.
Mike laughed. "That was funny. And Peter I gotta tell ya, what you said must have really helped Davy. I say we make a toast to Peter."
"To Peter." Micky grinned. "Great friend, and miracle worker."
"I didn't do anything." Peter frowned.
"Yes, you did. You made him listen to you. That's something." Micky winked.
"So what do you guys want to do today?" Mike asked.
"Go swimming?" Micky suggested.
"How 'bout we go to the retirement center."
They turned and seen Davy.
"Are you sure you're ready?" Peter asked sounding concerned.
"I have to do it sometime." Davy said.
"Well if you're sure." Mike nodded.
"Are you really sure?" Peter asked.
"Pete, I know it's going to be different without Charlie, but I have to do this."
Peter nodded.
"We'll go after you eat breakfast." Mike said with a smile.
"I'm not hungery." Davy replied.
Mike frowned. "Tough. You need to eat or else you'll make yourself sick again."
Davy sighed. "You're right. I'll have cornflakes."
"Excellent choice." Peter grinned.
"Nope. Rice krispies are better." Micky also grinned.
Davy took a bite of cornflakes. "I gotta warn you guys. Watch out for Betty. She loves to pinch cheeks."
"I think I can handle it." Micky laughed.
Davy shrugged. "Don't say I didn't warn you."
Mike winced in pain. Betty had cornered him and gave his cheeks a
tight squeeze. Micky also walked by holding one of his cheeks.
"I thought you said you could handle it?" Davy tauted.
Micky laughed. "Okay. I was wrong. Sue me."
"Oh, I missed those cheeks!" Betty cooed. She gave Davy's cheeks a tight pinch.
"I've missed you too Betty." Davy winced.
"Hey. Um Danny?" a man called.
Davy walked towards him. "It's Davy." he told him politely.
"Sorry. I seen you and Charlie playing chess before and well you're quite good. Do you think you could teach me?"
Davy thought for a moment. He wanted to come back and keep people company but was he ready to get close to someone again?
He remembered the conversation he and Charlie had. About Charlie's fear of letting people in. If Charlie taught him anything it was not to repeat people's mistakes.
Davy smiled. "Sure. I'll teach you."