Kevin Richardson was one of the most famous bakers in his town. Before him, there was his dad. Kevin started baking right after his dad passed away. He wanted to quit but he knew that this was the only way he could keep his father, or the spirit of his father, alive. Whenever he baked, he could feel his father watching over him to check if he was doing the right thing, just like old times.
It was just another normal day for Kevin. Business was slow, but he wasn't surprised. It was still early in the morning and people were still most likely to be asleep.
"Oh stupid" Kevin mumbled to himself when he saw that he forgot to open the shop's windows.
As he opened the windows his attention was suddenly outside on a man who was slumped next to the lamppost.
"A beggar?" Kevin thought. He didn't know what to do, there were barely any beggars in their town-in fact, he had never even seen a beggar in their town before today.
He was about to close the windows when he had a thought.
"If that were me, I wouldn't want anyone ignoring me"
Kevin then grabbed two loaves of bread and made his way outside.
He was walking over slowly to the lamppost. When he was next to the man, he observed him. The man had his back to Kevin, but he saw the man had blonde hair and his clothes were so dirty, you could no longer see its color.
Kevin knelt next to the man and began shaking his shoulders.
"Hey, sir? Wake up"
The man was woke up and was shocked, he jumped, so now he was face to face with Kevin and Kevin was shocked by what he saw. This was no man, this man was just a boy.
Kevin suddenly felt protective of him.
"Hey there's no need to be scared, it's okay" Kevin said while he was rubbing the boy's back.
Once Kevin noticed that the boy has calmed he thought the it would be a good time to ask his questions, but he'd decided to take it slow as this boy looks like he had seen a ghost.
"What's your name?"
The boy took a while to answer but when he did he whispered "Nickolas"
Kevin smiled "Well that's a lovely name, do you mind if I call you Nick?"
Nick nodded his head no.
"So do you live here?"
"No"
"What are you doing here then?"
Nick suddenly started whimpering and crying "I'm sorry sir, I promise I won't stay for long, my feet were just so tired from walking and I decided to take a rest, I promise I'll be gone in a few moments" Nick then covered his face with his arms.
"No, no, I don't want you to go, I was just....curious, you can stay as long as you want Nick"
He held Nick's arms and put them down to his side "You don't need to be scared, I'm not gonna hurt you, so" Kevin decided to rephrase his question "What brings you here, you seem like you're a long way from home"
"I don't have a home sir"
"Don't call me sir, please, call me Kevin"
Nick nodded and stayed silent.
"Where are your parents?"
"Dead"
"Do you have an siblings-or any other relative?"
"Yes, but none who will actually take me in"
Kevin then remembered he had been holding on to two loaves of bread. He then gave them to Nick.
"I brought these for you"
Nick just stared at Kevin
"No sir, I couldn't possibly take these from you"
"They were mine, but I'm giving them to you, so please, take them"
Nick grabbed the bread and started slowly biting into a piece.
"This is the best bread I've ever tasted sir"
"I told you to call me Kevin"
"Sorry-Kevin"
"And thank you, you're very nice Nick" Kevin involuntarily swept away a stray hair from Nick's face.
But then he had an idea.
"Why don't you come live with me Nick?"
"That would be impossible sir"
"And why would it?"
"You have a family, I don't want to be a bother"
"I live alone"
"I couldn't repay such a thing"
"Work for me, in my bakery, I could use the extra hands"
Kevin could see that Nick was actually thinking about it.
"But si-Kevin, I don't know anything about bread or baking"
"Well, I can teach you, you can always teach an old dog new tricks right?"
"I think it's can't, not can" Nick laughed a bit.
Kevin stood up and held his hand out for Nick
"Well, let's prove that old saying wrong shall we?"
Nick took his hand and stood up
"I guess we can try"
"That's a good boy" Kevin slung his arm around Nick "Now let's go inside, it's a bit chilly out here"
