Lonely Boy(by dyjonn)

Part 14 The way to go

Mia was thunderstruck, "this can't be happening," she said, "this boy, what's his name again?" "Sawyer" he replied in a broken voice. "How far away does he live?" she demanded. "I would imagine I could walk it from here in about 15 minutes,"  he said, trying to hold back his tears. "What are you going to do mum?" His mum drew him to her and hugging him tightly she said "don't worry, nothing bad, I don't know yet, something though. Go to bed boy, you look done in, tomorrow is a new day. I promise you it will be alright," She ruffled his hair as she led him upstairs to his bedroom." Once he was in bed she came into his room and tucked him in as though he was a little boy again and tenderly kissed him on his cheek. Looking at his mum in wonder, he whispered,  "I love you so much,  mum."

Next morning Karen woke up early and gently shook Brad awake... "Whats going on " he asked, " sorry to drop this on you but I want you to drive Finn to school this morning, make some excuse for getting to work late, I'll explain later." sighing he said, "it's okay love, I know things are strange with the boys at the moment and I'm as concerned as you are."  She kissed him affectionately and climbed out of bed to get ready for work.   Finn was amazed to see his dad still at home when he got up, usually, it was just his mum there.  "I didn't have to get to work so early today son,"  he said, "so I thought that as you've been through the wars a bit lately I'll give you a ride to school." Once Finn and his dad had left the house Karen called up to Sawyer, "I'm off to work now love, try to keep out of trouble 'til I get back ."

She drove off for work, but just along the road, she spotted Madge walking towards the shops. Pulling over she honked at her and gestured for her to get in. Bemused as this was a first, Madge climbed in and looked questioningly at Karen. "I know nothing much escapes you Madge, and I like to think we are friends. You know I wouldn't ask unless it was important, but between you and me I am having some problems with the boys. Sawyer is more secretive than usual and behaving strangely, and I have a suspicion that Finn has been playing truant from school. I cant get any more time off from work. Do you think I could impose on you and ask that you keep a bit of an eye on Sawyer today and if you see anything untoward could you give me a call and tip me off, I wouldn't ask but I'm so worried." Frowning Madge said "I knew something was up when I saw Finn creeping around when he should have been at school the other day, and then not a half hour later he was running full pelt back home and looking like he had just taken a dive into the duck pond. You came home from work then so I realized things were not good. I was going to knock, I wish I had now."  Karen was shaken rigid, the accident had been staged and she had fallen for it hook line and sinker. Sawyer was at the bottom of this! the unheard of bonding with his brother, the map she had found, him telling her how much he loved her. Suddenly the penny dropped, her boys were planning on running away from home. What on earth had she done to push them to this, she had always prided herself on being a good mum as well. She couldn't do anything about it today, somehow she was going to have to put it on a back burner and concentrate on her work. It wouldn't be easy but she needed this job. Turning to Madge she said, "you have helped me and the boys more than you know.  I have to go to work, I have already messed them about as much as I dare, can you do me a huge favour and keep an eye out for Sawyer?,  if you should see him on your travels would you mind just shouting a hello to him, just so that he knows he can't fly under the radar today." Madge told her not to worry and said she would make sure to spot him if he so much as put one foot out of the door. She could tell her friend was really anxious and she had the whole day free anyway. Alfie was going to be getting a lot of walks today.

Mia had spent a restless night and was relieved when it was finally a decent time to be getting up. Every time she had drifted off to sleep she had awakened with a start. She went to the pantry and cooked up a nice breakfast for them both, then she gently woke her son and asked him if he wanted to come down for breakfast, or have it in bed on a tray. Biro said that he would come down and eat it, although he was deeply touched by his mum's gesture, and he realized how concerned she was. After they had eaten his mum said to him "I know you are scared and feeling lost, but if you are worried that I'm going to wash my hands of you, think again son. I love you, more than anybody in the whole world, and my intention is to help you, not stand in your way. I guess that means I will be gaining another son eh!  seriously though I need to meet this boy,  I need to meet his family too, they need to know what's going on."   Biro leaped to his feet in alarm, "no mum they mustn't find out, they will wreck our lives." "Not a nice thought is it son!" his mum admonished. "You think it's okay to wreck theirs though?" he shook his head miserably. " They are his parents and if they love him, they will want him to be happy and they will want to meet the person that he loves. You both owe them that much. Now you meet up with this lad and you tell him that you and I will be at the pond at nine in the morning, their time. And you tell him that all of his family come, and if they don't then you and I will turn up at their front door." Biro said resignedly "you won't be able to cross mum, and neither will his family." Fixing him with a look that he found unnerving, she said, just do as I say, honey! and now I have things I need to do, and so do you.   I'm going to excuse you from your chores today so that you can make all of the arrangements for tomorrow. You can give me a hand later if there is time." She gave her son an affectionate cuddle and kissed him on the cheek and whispered to him, "It's going to be alright, I promise."