Like Stars in the sky

Season 1 Episode 2

"What's the key to being a good dad? That's a tough one" You can see jay and Gloria pritchett sitting on the couch in their living room.

"Giving them freedom to be whatever they want to be" says cameron Tucker, while sitting next to his boyfriend Mitchel Pritchett. "Right exactly...." "Whether that's a painter, a poet, a pilot, a president...." "And for us, we're gonna...." "of a company or of a country" "patience" says Mitchell while looking at Cameron to see if he is done talking.

Phil is sitting on the yellow couch before the chimney:" Well, be their buddy" says Phil. Claire comes out behind the wall and looks at Phil. "That's your answer?" She ask while looking at Phil. "And stay in school" "No" "And don't do drugs" "Nooo" "Just give me the answer" says Phil while he looks at his wife which turns around with the words "Oh, God"

At last you can see jay, sitting on the couch without Gloria. "Still thinking" he says.

For many people the answer to this question is "play baseball with your child" or "be there for him when your child has his first crush or his first heartbreak". For me the answer to this question would be to have a Dad. I grew up in a Orphanage. I didn't had the typical family. I didn't have all of the family experiences a normal kid my age would have. For me it was normal to celebrate my birthday alone, don't get any presents or have any kind of love to give and to get. So when I met Luke Dunphy the first Time I didn't know how to act. He was a kinda dump child who was nice to her without wanting something from me.

I first met Luke when he almost ran me over with his new bike and I must say, it wasn't Love or even friendship at first sign. I didn't hate him, I just also didn't like him. But he stuck with me. In the holidays when I was ten years old that was the year for me when everything changed.

I was just stepping out of the little bakery right by the corner when this idiot came and almost ran me over.

"Hey, can't you look with your own eyes? You almost ran me over, you idiot" I said while the boy that drove the bike was just standing there and looking at me. He wasn't doing something else, just standing there and looking. I know I didn't look really nice. My clothes were dirty because the washday in the orphanage would be tomorrow, so I had to wear my old clothes, but did I look so dirty that he wouldn't stop looking? I just rolled my eyes and continued walking down the road. Behind me I heard something getting dropped on the ground before I could hear running steps. The Boy was walking right beside me now, his bike left behind and just lying in the middle of the sidewalk.

"Hi, I'm Luke"

"Max" I said while I hoped that he would just turn around and walk in the other direction.

"Where are you going?" he asked while he started messing with his t-shirt.

"Home"

"And where is your home?" he asked again. I didn't wanted to answer him so i just told him the first thing that came into my mind

"You left your bike behind" I said without looking at him. I heard him curse under his breath before he ran back to get his bike. I think he expected me to stop and wait for him, but I wouldn't do this. I don't want him to find out where I live. It's not bad at the orphanage but everybody that knows where I live gets this guilty look in their eyes and they always betitle me by saying: "really? Oh, you poor thing" I didn't want to hear the same words from Luke.

"Hey, wait for me" Luke shouted after me while I was walking around the corner and just hoping that he would get the silent hint.

"How old are you?" Luke asked when he got back to me and I couldn't help myself but to roll my eyes at him.

"ten"

"Really? Me too. I think we're going to be in the same school." He said

"Really?" I don't care. Now leave me alone" why was he still talking to me?.

"You know, you kinda remind me of my older sister hayley? She also always doesn't want to talk to me or do stuff with me, but that's ok. She is really pretty, even prettier than you are. I mean, not that you're pretty..."

"Are you saying that I am ugly?" Now he had my attention. I'm standing now right before him, my arms are crossed before my chest and the buns from the bakery are hanging from my hand. I really need to hurry up if I don't want to get in any trouble. Kids my age only get four hours of time to go outside in the holidays and mine are almost over.

"You know what, I don't care what kind of person you are to think that I wanna talk to you while i definitely don't want to talk to you, but still keep talking. I don't care if you have a good relationship with your sister hayley and I also don't care how her name is. I also didn't want to know your name or if you think I am pretty or not. So please, just leave me alone and go back home to your sister Hayley who also can't stand you." I think I said everything. Luke is just standing there, his mouth a little bit open, but when I'm a few meters away I hear his bike driving away.

I let a few puffs of air out of my mouth while my shoulders sink down a little bit. I continue walking and around the next two corners is the orphanage. You can see and hear the smaller children playing on the playground we have. When I go through the gates I see all the children running around playing catch or hide and seek. Mrs. McConnel was waiting for me by the door and all of the other older kids who need to come home. She's looking at my bag where I hid the things from the bakery. She is really strict with baking stuff and doesn't like it when we bring candy and sweet stuff into the orphanage. I've been here since I was a baby, so I know a few tricks to get a few things in and out without anybody seeing it.

When i got into my room i put my backpack in my closet and went downstairs to have dinner with the other kids in the dining hall.

"Okay, the key to being a good dad? Look sometimes things work out just the way you want".

You can see Luke and Phil riding up a Hill with Luke's new bike."Race you to the end" "That is not a good idea...... for you" says Phil to Luke with a proud smile on his face.

" Sometimes they don't. You gotta hang in there." Mitchel and Cam are sitting on the ground with a crying Lilly crawling away from them.

"Because when all is said and done," Gloria and jay are sitting with manny in a Limo, happy and tired, "90% of being a dad is just showing up" says Jay to the camera, while sitting on the couch again

I didn't have a dad so I didn't have a father figure but I must say Jay Pritchett is the first person that I would be happy to call my dad. Manny is really lucky to have him as his stepfather and I am really lucky to be a part of Luke's family. So even If i didn't think it at the beginning and even on the day I first met Luke, I'm gonna be grateful for that for the rest of my life.