The Face on the Milk Carton

Chapter 5

A few months passed, and the Fishers began to adjust to their new life with Caleb. He's very easy going for the most part, but as he got more comfortable his real personality started to show.

"Caleb lets go! You're gonna be late" Carrie yelled up to him for the 3rd time this morning. She sighed as he finally came down looking like he got hit by a truck. Mike shook his head and chuckled as his son sat down to shovel food down his throat.

Andrea and Caroline sat at the counter watching their stressed out mom try to appease their brother. Ever since he came home, Caleb has caused a lot of strain on the family. They couldn't figure out how to deal with the teenaged angst. 

Each member has taken to him differently. Mike has just tried to be his friend, trying to make up for his mistake so many years ago. Caroline and Caleb have absolutely nothing in common, their relationship is a work in progress. As for Andrea, she and Caleb have become great friends. They practice together on the ice, and Caleb has enjoyed helping her become a better player. Carrie, on the other hand, has had a really tough time reaching her son. He's been very bitter towards her and she can't figure out why.

"Bye mama, love you" Caroline said as she kissed her mom good-bye before running out to catch the bus. Andrea and Caleb followed behind, leaving Carrie and Mike alone in the kitchen.

They sat in silence, Carrie doing dishes and Mike reading over some paper work. Carrie looked out the window at their estate, and before she knew it a few tears escaped her eyes. She hadn't realized how hard this all was hitting her.

She walked away so Mike wouldn't notice how awful she felt. Carrie scurried up the stairs and curled up under the blankets of their king sized bed and cried. The pressure of being the perfect mom for Caleb was getting to her, and not to mention the fact that he didn't want to be called Isaiah made it even harder.

Before long Mike noticed his wife gone and went upstairs to the bedroom. "Aww princess, what's wrong?" he asked as he got in bed with her. "I'm so stressed out Mike! I can't even get my own son to love me and everything I do isn't good enough. He gives me so much attitude lately, of course you don't notice cause he loves you" said getting more and more worked up.

Mike listened as she spilled her bottled up emotions. He didn't even realize how burdened she became. He held her tight knowing damn well he had to make things right.

Carrie went off to the studio to do some recording and Mike hung back at the house waiting for the kids to get back.

3:00 came around and Mike had an idea of how to get Caleb to spill the beans on why he's been the biggest jerk on the planet.

"Hey slugger, how was your day?" Mike asked since Caleb still looked like mad man. The boy shrugged and grabbed a snack before plopping on he couch.

Mike turned the TV off, causing a whole lotta anger out of Caleb. "What the hell!!" he yelled. "Number one, we don't swear in this house so you better nip that in the butt now" Mikes said raising his voice, and Caleb sank down in the couch, knowing he would probably get beat for that. "And number two, you need to tell me now what this attitude is all about. Carrie has been running ramped trying to make things easy for you, and you're being impossible! Caleb you better tell me right now what the heck is up with you man" Mike wasn't intending on playing bad cop, but the kid was starting to tick him off.

Caleb was shaking in his boots, Mikes voice was scary when he was mad. "I'm just afraid, you guys were being so nice and I thought that maybe this was all fake and that I would have to go back...there. It's dumb...I know. This all feels like a dream" the young boy said with the most sincerity Mikes seen since he first came home.

"Aww buddy, you have nothing to worry about" Mike pulled him into a warm hug. "Carrie and I love you so much. You are our little guy, you're stuck with us until the day we die"

Caleb has never felt that much love before. His parents never loved him like that. It made him feel so good. "I should probably apologize to Carrie...shouldn't I" Mike nodded, and they sat together watching old game tapes.

Later that night Carrie was sitting at the dining room table at her computer, and Caleb came over and sat next to her.

"I'm sorry mama" he said, causing a tear to form in her eye. Apparently she looked shocked because Caleb started to laugh. She laughed along with him "I'm sorry honey, that just shocked me I was starting to think you'd never call me mom again. What's with the change of heart?" Carrie questioned knowing her husband had something to do with this.

"Dad came to me today, and smacked the sense into me. I'm really sorry I acted so rudely. I didn't think this was real, I didn't want to get to close to have to leave again" Caleb explained as he rested his head on her shoulder.

Carrie smiled and hugged him tight. And just as her husband told him, she told their son of how much she loved him. The mother and son began to bond as they hand 16 years ago when he was born. Carrie was so happy, she loved her monkey more then anything and she was glad to have him back to normal!