Theo And Reed's Family Secrets

Chapter Two

                   Sweet Flower, Texas
                   Years Ago

Seven year old Theodore Walton stomped into the cozy kitchen of his family home. His small skinny face was red with all the childish fury he could muster up. He kicked the leg of the kitchen table.

" Ouch ! ," he muttered as he bent down to rub at his aching foot.

His father Malcolm turned from the stove where he had been stirring his world famous spicy chilli. He glanced over at his young son with a hint of amusement on his long lean face.

" Bad day, son ? ," he asked wryly.

Theo screwed up his face. " I hate school. I absolutely hate Sweet Flower Grade School. "

" No you don't, Theodore. You love school and your grades prove it. Aren't you Student of the Week again ?"

" Yeah but. I hate the kids there. All of them make fun of me. Except Reed Fisher and he keeps hanging around Todd Deets. They make fun of me all the time. They call me Four Eyes. Grace doesn't even help me. She calls me an embarrassment. I wish I had a brother. A brother to kick all their butts. Including Grace! "

His father paled. He dropped the big wooden spoon onto the counter top. He suddenly raked his shaking hands over his attractive face. You do have a brother, he wanted to tell his son. His only son instead of the youngest son. You just never got a chance to know him. To love him. Because they stole him.

Micah.

His heart broke whenever he thought of that small innocent young baby boy he had only held once. He dearly loved his wife and their children. He would do anything for them all. He would sacrifice his life for them and what they held dear in life. But after they lost Micah there was a missing hole in the family. And he didn't know how to fix it.

Theo looked at his suddenly too quiet father and felt guilty as only he could. " Are you ok , Father? I'm sorry. I don't mean to be a baby but ......"

Malcolm snatched up his young son. His only son. His remaining son. He hugged him tightly. He loved this boy so much. He loved his daughter so much. How could he keep them safe? Would one day he lose them like he had lost Micah?

" You're fine, Theo. You did nothing wrong. Ignore the other children. And Grace loves you. She really does. She's just being...... Grace. I'll talk to her. I will. "

" I'd still rather have a brother instead of her ," Theo muttered against his father's shoulder.

Malcolm's heart kept breaking.