"Are you okay?" Peter asked Davy as Davy was entering the room.
"Fine." Davy said forcing a smile.
"Then why do you have tears in your eyes?"
"I don't."
"Davy." Peter said gently.
Davy sighed. Peter sat next to him.
"I hate when people drink and do stupid things. Things they can't take back."
"Like beating your kids." Peter sighed.
"Or getting behind the wheel." Davy added quietly.
Peter looked at him with wide eyes.
"The person who hit my parents was drunk. Now I'm without my parents, and those kids are without a childhood."
"Davy. That's not true. We can help them." Peter said.
"How?"
"By making them feel safe." Peter smiled.
"Proubly the first time in their lives too." Mike sighed as he entered the room.
"I'm going to check on Heather." Peter said.
"I'll come with ya." Mike said.
Peter turned to Davy. "Are you going to be okay?"
"Yeah."
Peter gave Davy's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Be right back." Mike and Peter entered the downstairs bedroom.
"Is Davy mad at me?" Heather asked sounding sad.
Peter smiled. "No honey. He's just upset."
"What's the matter?" Mike asked.
"I miss Jesse."
"He'll be back before you know it." Peter assured her.
"And I'm scared."
"Here. Take this." Mike said taking off his green wool hat. "It's uh a magical hat."
"Magical?" Heather asked.
"Yeah, it'll uh keep the monsters away." Mike said.
Heather began to close her eyes. "Goodnight Peter. Goodnight Mike." she yawned.
"Goodnight Heather." Mike smiled.
Peter gave her a kiss on top of her head. The two left the room quietly.
"It's amazing how drinking can change a life. I now know three people whose lives will never be the same because someone drank." Peter sighed.
"Three?" Mike asked.
"Jesse, Heather, and Davy."
"Davy?! I thought he said his parents were wonderful!"
"They were Mike. They were killed because someone drank and got behind the wheel. He kinda let that secret slip out tonight."
Mike drew an angry breath.
"Are you okay?" Peter asked.
"I want to go find every drunken idiot, who is going to either get behind the wheel or take their anger out on their kids or wife, and smack some sense into them." Mike replied angryly.
"That's a lot of people Mike. You'd be out there for days." Peter said sadly.
"Wanna go back upstairs?"
"Yeah. Let's go." Peter said drawing a quiet sigh.
The next day everyone awoke to the smell of food cooking and Peter's
yelling.
"Food's done! Come and get it!"
Everyone quickly entered the room.
"Hey. After breakfast do you guys wanna go to the park?" Davy asked.
"Please!" Heather begged.
"Sure Dave. We can do that." Mike smiled.
After the park the four came home and seen a woman heading towards them.
"Hi. My name is Carol Jackson. I'd like to talk with one of you. I understand that you have Jesse and Heather Slater staying with you. Is that correct?"
"Yes, that's correct." Peter said.
"Why don't you guys go take Heather to the beach. I'll stay here and talk with Ms. Jackson." Mike said.
"Okay." Micky said. He took Heather's hand.
Mike was growing more nervous with each new question. He was
beginning to think he and his friends weren't as ready for this as
they thought.
"What would you do if one of the children got hurt?" Carol asked.
"Well..." Mike started to say.
"Ow." he heard Davy groan.
"Gosh, I'm sorry Davy! Are you okay?!" Peter asked sounding worried.
Mike turned to them. He seen Davy with his head down. A hand was over his forehead.
"What happened?!" Mike asked.
"Peter and I was playing the swinging game. I had Davy's wrists, Peter had his ankles. You know, and we were swinging him and tossing him in the ocean. He uh hit his head on a rock." Micky explained.
"Davy, man. Sit down." Mike said gently helping him in a chair.
"Ow."
"Peter get me the bottle of peroxide. Micky get me two washcloths. One damp and one dry. We'll be right back." Mike said patting Davy's knee.
"Alright. Who's idea was it to have Davy come in and act like he was hurt?" Mike asked with a light laugh.
"Uh Mike. He's not faking. He really did smack his forehead on a rock." Micky said.
Mike winced. "Man, I told you guys to quit doing that! I better get back out."
He sat in front of Davy. "Let's see Dave."
Davy removed his hand and Mike winced again.
"You broke the skin." Mike said wiping the blood from Davy's forehead.
He began to clean Davy's cut. Then was about to begin dabbing Davy's forehead with peroxide when Heather yanked on Mike's arm. "I know how to help Davy."
"You do?" Mike asked.
"Yes." she brushed Davy's bangs back and kissed his forehead.
"Did that help?" she asked.
"Very much. Thanks love." Davy smiled.
Heather grinned.
"Heather. My name is Carol Jackson. I'd like to ask you some questions."
The two walked in the living room area. Mike began to dab Davy's forehead with perxoide.
"Why is she here?" Micky asked.
"To check on us." Mike replied with a sigh.
"Well you can't blame her. After what those poor kids have been through. She just wants to find a safe home for those kids." Peter explained.
A few minutes passed when Heather and Carol walked towards the young men.
"Well I like what I've seen and heard. Heather adores you four very much. So I'll be on my way. If you have any questions please call."
Carol handed Mike a card.
"Thanks Ms. Jackson."
Later that afternoon they recieved a phone call from a doctor saying
it was okay to take Jesse home, but he had to take it easy. Jesse
and Heather ended up falling asleep in the car.
"They're both asleep huh?" Peter asked with a smile.
"Yep." Mike smiled.
"My head hurts." Davy groaned.
"Oh you big baby. It's just a scrape!" Micky said.
"I'm a baby? Who's the man who cries everytime he gets a papercut?"
"Those hurt!"
"More than rocks?"
"Cool it you two." Mike said in a warning tone.
"I am sorry Davy about earlier." Micky said sounding sincere.
"It's okay Mick. We're here." Davy said.
"Alright. I'll carry Jesse in. Peter why don't you carry Heather in." Mike suggested.
"Okay."
The four entered the pad. Peter and Mike carried the kids in the downstairs bedroom.
"What's for lunch Peter? I'm famished." Davy said.
"We can hear." Peter laughed as he heard Davy's stomach growling loudly.
"Why don't we get takeout?" Micky suggested.
"There's an idea. Why don't we pick up some cheeseburgers. Peter you stay here and we'll go to the store and then pick up some lunch." Mike suggested.
Peter laughed at Davy's "You must be joking." look.
"I'm starving!" Davy cried.
"You won't starve to death if you wait a little longer to eat. Come on." Mike said grabbing Davy's arm. Davy stuck his tongue out behind Mike's back.
Shortly after Mike, Micky, and Davy had left both kids awoke.
"I wanna go to the beach." Heather whined.
The doctors allowed Jesse to come home, but he had to stay in bed and take it easy for a few days.
"You guys go. I'll stay here." Jesse smiled.
"Okay. You stay right here. Heather and I will be back in a few minutes." Peter said.
But Jesse didn't stay right where he was supposed to. He was bored. He walked over by the bandstand and began to play with the instruments. The instrument that caught his eye the most was Peter's bass guitar. He began to strum it roughly. A string popped.
"Oh no!" Jesse cried thinking he had broken the guitar.
He sat the guitar down and ran to Peter and Davy's room in tears.
I'm going to get it now! Peter's going to whip me for sure!
Jesse grabbed a belt from the dresser and sat in on his lap. He sat on Peter's bed with his knees to his chest. He felt his heart break yet again.