Evan "Buck" Buckley-Nash

9. The Next Step

Athena finally confronted Bobby on the night he invited her to dinner at his apartment. The dull rather empty space was now consumed with color, pictures, and toys. She was happy he's been pushed to improve for the better.

He tucked little Evan into bed and sat back on the couch with Athena.

"So I know we spoke about our relationship pace very briefly when you first took Evan in." Bobby turned to her to give the topic all of his attention. "What are we doing now?"

"Well what do you want? He's been having a hard time, I don't want to add more stress onto you."

"No Bobby I was thinking," She looked at him and glanced to the boys bedroom door. "If we're going to be together together now, that boy should be more used to seeing me. What sense does it make for him to not think of me as a mother."

Bobby smiled softly. "You want to be Buck's mother?"

"Somebody's got to be knowing that boy." She joked and the two of them chuckled together before returning back to serious. "But for real, yes. I am an important part of your life, we were going to move in together. I think we should get back on that track. Instead of leaving Evan at aftercare on days I'm off work I'll pick me up. He can adjust to my house a bit because-and sorry again. I am not moving my house into this tiny apartment."

"Okay." Bobby said with a smile. "Let's do it."

The pattern of Athena picking the boy up 3 days a week from school started. It was overall going well, after the first 2 weeks it stopped being awkward and she could even get the child to laugh at her jokes. She thought he was a beautiful bright light that needed to shine and he was yet to reach his potential.

On the third week she noticed immediately the energy in the car was different on that Monday. She didn't say anything, everybody has a bad day. When they got to her home he went to the bathroom as she made them some snacks being sure to give the kid what she learned to be his favorite, but he didn't come out of the bathroom.

After a few more minutes passed her worry consumed her so she knocked on the doors "Hey Buck, I got some snacks out here for you." She heard a sniffle and frowned. "Are you doing okay? Can you open the door for me?"

After a bit more coaxing Buck opened the door for her. "What's wrong Buckaroo?" The child just moved past her open arms and threw his book bag off onto the floor and made his way to the couch.

Athena picked up the bag. "Did something happen at school today?" The boys cries continued and grew harder. "Whatever happened you can tell me about. I promise you I'm good at listening and solving problems."

"But you can't find Maddie." He said to her flatly.

"Is this about Maddie?"

"Leave me alone!" He shot back turning his face into his pillow.

Athena sighed and sat down at the dining table to look at the boys homework so they could finish it before Bobby arrived like they did everyday.

She opened the folder and the first sheet of paper informed her on the issue. Each kid had to make a timeline on themself and present it and Buck had no pictures of his family, well his original family.

"Hey Buck can we talk about this?" She approached him with the paper. "I'm sure Bobby could tell your teacher why you can't do it."

"I hate my life." He was angry again. "Why is it different. Why are my Mom and Dad mean? Why don't I have parents?"

"You do. Bobby and I are your parents, even if we didn't know you as a baby."

"I told my friend at school that I don't have a Mom or Dad and he didn't understand. I showed him my scars, he ran away and told his friends and now everybody knows." He started crying again.

"Oh Buck I'm so sorry honey." She wrapped the frail boy in her arms comforting him. "I'll let Bobby know for you."

She struggled with trying to help the child remain emotionally stable until Bobby came to pick him up. As soon as Bobby saw Evan's face he knew something was wrong and as soon as Bobby approached Evan, he broke down in sobs again clinging onto Bobby.

"What's wrong? What happened?" He asked full of sorrow and concern. He hated hearing his boy cry.

Athena explained the situation and Bobby shook his head not knowing what to do.

He took off work the next day and after school met with the teacher.

"So we're having a bit of a predicament." Bobby started looking over at Evan who was mindlessly playing with toys. "See last night was full of a lot of tears and anger at home. The timeline assignment really hit hard for him. We don't have any photos of him before a few months ago when he came into my apartment, and I would say we could find a way around that issue, expect he's still processing the trauma of what happened to him. I don't think he should be going in front of the class and talking about it."

"Alright." The teacher paused. "Well first I apologize about causing such a stress, the thought completely slipped my mind. The teacher took out a sheet of copy paper and a pen. "How about I give an assignment about him doing a timeline with you?"

"He's only been with me for a few months, most we've done is go out to eat and a trip to the zoo. He was very injured when and in the Intensive Care Unit when I met him."

"Right, and that's okay. The idea of the timeline is just to have the kid understand how time passes and what a timeline is to recall events. It's basically how to read and create one. So even if he did a step by step timeline of his week it would get the job done."

"Okay." Bobby said nodding as Evan walked over to him and the teacher was writing out some instructions.

"Can we see Athena today?"

Bobby smiled. "Well she's working but she'll pick you up tomorrow." The boys face lit up like a firework, which was a good sign to Bobby. "She'll also be talking you to see Dr. Wood tomorrow, so please don't give her a hard time."

"I don't give hard times." The boy said seriously making Bobby laugh and the teacher chuckle.

"I love you kid."