Life Is Changin'

The Orca Family

"Jacob,what are we gonna do with him?"
"I...I don't know what you m-"
"Oh shut the hell up,you know exactly what I mean!"
"Fine,it's about Marcus,but I don't see anything wrong with him."
As he said this,he peered into their new living room,where they had just installed a couch that could hold three people.On the red carpet was the bundle of joy that classified him as a father almost two months ago, playing with toys as the golden sunshine painted his young skin.The little boy didn't look up from his only form of entertainment,even when the head of a middle-aged man appeared and stared at him.
"Isabelle,I don't see anything wrong with him,he looks fine to me."
"That's cause you don't spend a lot of time with him.I've seen him depressed,Jacob,at this time of age he needs to be talking to people."
"Hey,just cause your a psychologist doesn't mean you'd know that."
"I'm also his mother."
Just by that,Jacob stayed quiet,then nodded in defeat and apologized.
"So how are you gonna fix that?"
"That's the damn problem...there are no parents near us that are able to schedule some sort of play date with him...I've tried the park,my co-workers,friends I still keep in touch with...I have tried everything to-"
The fragile new mother who gave birth to her first son broke down in tears and fell upon her husband's arms, hugged her in warm comfort.
With the same gentle voice he had ever since they met when they were barely in high school(Isabelle being the shy one in the early friendship/relationship),
Jacob soothed the stress of one parent.In just a few minutes she was back to her stable position,balanced and mentally healthy.
"I-I just-"
"Yes,I know,I love him too,but don't worry,sooner or later we'll find friends for him.Better yet, he might find some of his own."
She thought for a bit,almost making Jacob worry too,and smiled with sighing eyes.
"Maybe...Maybe at least one...just one friend's okay"

Three Weeks Later
It took Isabelle by great shock that their house,which was barely bought by them a month before Marcus' birth, was actually starting to look like a proper furnished one-story home fit for a family of three.With the pleasing help of Jacob,the husband and wife managed to bring two shelves,a queen-sized bed,a crib,a few toys,and of course the metallic,silver fridge that no magnet would ever resist. Although it blew the mind of their son,introducing this new territory of unfamiliar objects and tools,not to mention a sweet bundle of stuffed animals(one of his favorites was a panda),it didn't satisfy the brain of a two month old toddler.
One day,when Jacob had gone away for two days because of a job interview as an architect rookie,Isabelle took up the urging courage to go onto their living room,open the closet door that was located in the corner,stick her arms into a void of jackets and shoes,and take out a black guitar case.
Dust had accumulated it's soft surface,and when she blew the dirty particles off her beloved case,she'd cringe at the words stitched by white yarn that screamed:
PROPERTY OF ISABELLE
LEE-YOUR MOTHER
LOVES YOU ALWAYS.
Just looking at those large words made her wish she didn't even look inside the closest and forget she ever owned an instrument,but her woman's curiosity she had kept hidden all these years suddenly came into instinct like a firework that was ignited in a dead silent night.When she unzipped the case that had been forgotten since she left her home to raise her own family,an acoustic guitar revealed itself with a clean,
polished body of brown that was the same the day she was gifted it.Isabelle eagerly took the present given from her mother...wherever she was,and made the first strum.The strings were in tune,lovely sound six open strings had created just by the owner's fingers.
"Gene," Isabelle said,"I missed you-"
She paused when her son was right in front of her,barely waddling but able to get to point A to point B.
Marcus pointed at her old music-making friend and cocked his head.
"Oh,this is my old pal Gene,Marky,he...he's a special one I met when I turned 13 years old.Wanna hear me play?"

One Year Later
"Jacob,I still worry about him."
"Don't tell me that again,it's been almost a year since we talked about that."
"B-but we haven't found anybody he could be with."
"Marcus is turning one today,
why panic when he's barely this young?Belle,there'll be that one day where he will meet a companion to be with forever,I know that."
"Will that ever happen?"
"He has yet to see the outside world,where he'll soon speak words to people instead of the people he only knows."
He pointed his fingers at the two of them.
"Right now it's not the time to worry so much,today should be the most happiest time of his life."
Jacob took the hand of his wife and led her to the kitchen table where they normally ate the average breakfast,lunch,and dinner as a complete family.
Standing sweet and short on the surface was a cube chocolate cake with one candle lit with a tiny flame.
In white icing,the little cursive words HAPPY BIRTHDAY cheered happily at the one year old boy sitting next to it with his jaw dropped and eyes widen.His parents could easily tell he was smiling,but it broke Isabelle's heart to see that Marcus was trying so hard to hide his joy from the world
"Happy birthday Marky," Jacob greeted,"Now blow the candle like this...yeah that's it...and make a wish!"
Thirty minutes past from their miniature party set for the boy,Jacob was sleeping on the couch inside the living room,but Isabelle and the birthday boy were still wide awake.It was almost 9 o' clock,the latest time their son was still awake,and the worried mother finally spoke
to Marcus after her silence during the celebration.In her hand was a little square box wrapped with a red ribbon shaped into a small bow.
"Here you go,Marcus,I hope you like it."
The kid tore open his gift,opened the lid,and took out a compass.It had a silver surface,sturdy glass on top that showed the old north,east,south,and west.
Carved on the back was the memorable words that Marcus had kept in his mind throughout his life and was read to him by his mom when he asked what they meant on his birthday.
"What it says," she explained,
"'You were made to be nomadic,so use those legs of yours,and make an adventure while your at it!'"
To her shock,Marcus had nodded in confirmation as if he understood every word she said and hugged her in full thanks.She hugged back,holding back the obvious tear of happiness,and parted from his arms.
"Marcus,what did you wish for when you blew the candle of your birthday cake?"
One-year old Marcus never answered the question ever since,rather he kept it secret from anyone he knew,even to the people he trusted dearly.

Two Years Later
"Jacob,come into the living room quick!"
"Belle,what's wrong,are you hurt!"
His wife was not in pain,but instead she was covering her mouth,hiding a smile,and tearing up as if she were chopping onions next to her.
In her other hand was a paper just printed today with the words SWAN LANDING HOSPITAL.
"Look-look at this-!!"
After peering at the results printed by the officials, doctors, and professionals at their nearest medical center.
"Belle,holy crap are you sure this is real?!"
"Uh,I'm positive it is!"
"Well...wow...Belle,this is incredible!Quick,we gotta get ready-"
"Jacob,we just found out today,why panic when we have about nine months to wait."
She turned to her two year old Marcus,who was walking everyday with a great amount of success and mumbling words with a lisp.
Face to face with him by kneeling down on two knees,Isabelle told him the exciting news that would live by him his entire life.
"Marcus,you're gonna big a big brother!"