For Want of Change

C0: Exhibit A

" Rilen, baby, where are you, we have to go home soon!"

Rilen giggled as he and his mama played hide and seek, she'd never find him here, he chose the best hiding spot ever! He giggled once more before holding his breath as she passed over his hiding spot once more. This time though, she just happened to look down and catch sight of glowing green eyes and raven black hair as the boy scurried away, not wanting to be found just yet. Mrs. Morse let out a gasp as she watched her son bolt down the empty rain drain. How did he get down there? Mrs. Morse sighed before calling her husband and telling him they'd be home a little late.

" Rilen, how did you get down there? Can you come back up so we can go home, Daddy is almost done making dinner, and he made meatballs! Doesn't that sound good?"

" Nope, can't make me come out Mama, we're not done playing!"

" Don't you want cake though?"

Rilen thought about it, he liked cake a lot, but this was so much fun! He didn't wanna just lose, but maybe if he made it easier for mama to find him, they could go home and have cake! Rilen shimmied his way out of the hole he had used and went and hid in some bushes. Mrs. Morse heard the bushes rustling and smiled, knowing what was happening. She crept her way over to the bush before pouncing and initiating a tickle attack on her youngest child. They laughed a little before Mrs. Morse picked her son up and carried him back to their house from the park.

When they made it back into the house Mrs. Morse let Rilen down to go play with his older brother while she checked on the stuff in the kitchen. When she walked in her oldest was hanging streamers around the room and her husband was pulling the last of the food out of the oven. She gave her girl a kiss on the forehead in greeting and thanks before moving over to her husband and greeting him with a kiss on the lips. Mrs. Morse went about pilling out the dishes and setting the table as the other two finished setting up. Once everything was done she went out to find her boys playing a fighting game on the PS4. She called them into the kitchen and watched as Rilen's eyes lit up in joy, there were swords and pirates everywhere! He ran over to the table and crawled up into the chair, excited about everything he saw on the table, so much yummy food! His family sang happy birthday to him, and then he blew out his candles and they ate all the yummy food, well, not all of it cause his tummy started to hurt after his second slice of cake, but he was close! He went to bed that night really happy, and the next day they went to the doctor, though he didn't know why. He played with his batman action figure as they waited, and it was really cool cause some of the other kids who also had toys played with him too. They had to go back and see the doctor though, so he waved by to the other kids and followed his daddy. They did a lot of different things with a lot of different machines and they even poked him with a needle, but he was a big boy now so he didn't even cry, well, just a little, but he got a sticker, so everything was ok! The doctor came back really fast and said a bunch of big words he didn't understand, but daddy said he was strong and healthy like he was supposed to be when he asked. After the doctor's appointment, daddy kept looking at him funny, but that was ok cause he wasn't being mean or anything, he even took Rilen to get ice cream! When they got home Rilen told Andrew, his bigger brother, all about what he did that day, but he had to go cause daddy called him into the kitchen where he and mama were talking. Rilen gave Andrew a big hug before he ran into the kitchen and crawled into one of the chairs, Rilen didn't like being small. Mama looked sad when he looked at her and daddy still had that funny look, so Rilen smiled at them to cheer them up, it was a good day, so no being sad! Mama smiled back but it still looked kinda sad so Rilen smiled even wider, which kinda hurted his cheeks but it was ok cause mama smiled a not sad smile this time!

" Rilen, bud, you know we love you right?"

" uhuh!"

" And you know you can tell us anything?"