Dungo's Lullaby

Guiless son I'll shape your belief & you'll always know your mother's a whore...

As Arnold grew, he had often seen his mother with 'other men'. The other brothers had ignored it and found it acceptable. Rimmer often thought of this as strange; always learning at school that a family consisted of a mother, father and their children, nothing about the mother seeing other men. His mother, whenever Arnold had taken notice, had told Arnold to keep it a secret otherwise he would get hurt more. After an argument with his father, Arnold decided to go and see Dungo. He knew it was against his fathers 'law' but he had had enough of him. He went to Dungo's shed and knocked on the door, worried the shed would fall if he hit it too hard.

"Aah Arnold, come in." Dungo answered smiling at him.
Arnold walked in timid, worried about why he seemed so happy with him being around; the older brothers saying he was a 'weirdo'.
"Erm, Dungo, I'm here to ask a question." Arnold asked, looking around the shed.
"Fire away." Dungo said, preparing some flowers for potting,
"Well, why does mother always see other men?"
Dungo had longed for Arnold to notice and ask him this,
"Well , Arnold, it is because your mother is a whore."
"A whore?"
"Yes, a person who pays others to have sex with her."
"But why?" Arnold asked, wondering why. True she had never loved him, but wondered why it was happening,
"Because," Dungo said, unable to keep in anger, "Because she is a selfish bitch. She doesn't just want 'Mr Rimmer' but everyone who has a..." he stopped, knowing Arnold, being aged 10, wouldn't understand. He had his limits.
"But why?"
"She's selfish Arnold. She just is." He sighed, looking at Arnold. Why wasn't he classed as his son? She didn't want him and he bet he could look after him better than her. He had done that one time he'd seen him.
"Oh." Arnold sighed,
Dungo stood beside him, "I, I just hope she treats you okay."
"She doesn't really show me any affection. She hates me."
Dungo hurt inside, this was his son, "Oh, well, Im sorry. I wish I could help."
"You can."
"How, I'm only a gardener Arnold."
"But, somehow?"
"No." Dungo said, "No, no one listens to me."
"Me neither." Arnold said, sighing,
The two of them heard the calls of Father Rimmer; Rimmer was late to revision.
"I best go." Arnold said, running from the shed, "Thanks Dungo."
"Stay happy Arnold." Dungo said, somehow wanting Arnold to be with him. He knew he could never have the rights to him, so had given up on the idea of asking Arnold to ask. He was amazed that Arnold had come to him to ask a question; the other sons never wanting to be anywhere near him. He planted some plants in their pots and wondered, how would Arnold be if Dungo had taken him that one evening as a baby?