I do NOT own any of the characters except Stefanie Wiggins.
All the other characters belong to Dr. Seuss

Chapter 1
I am only 4 -(Ted's POV)-

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." Dr. Seuss

I got home with my shirt covered in blue, yellow and red paint. I had been playing with Audrey all morning. It was strange, since mom always asked Stef to take care of me in the morning while our parents were at work. I was expecting my big sister to be home from school for lunch break any minute. She should have been in the kitchen.

"Are you sure she's home?" Audrey asked as she was walking into the house with me.

"She should be. See the little arrow is pointing to the number 30, so she should be." I said proudly. Dad had started to teach me how to count.

"That's the number 12, Ted." Audrey laughed.

All I could do was pout. After all, I am just 4 and I can only count to 8. Audrey was only 1 year older than me, yet she was very smart. She could even write her full name without looking! She would for sure be a doctor. I lead us to the kitchen, as I suspected my sister was there.

"Hey, what did I tell you about wandering off like that?" Stef looked at us with a frown, but just as quickly as it came, it was gone, and she smiled again. "Hello Ted… and Audrey. Are you hungry?"

"Hello." Audrey smiled.

"Yes, I am starving. What did you make?" I asked, climbing onto the chair.

"Mom left some food in the fridge. But before any of you get to eat, you must wash up. Look at the two of you!" My sister chuckled.

I looked at Audrey and giggled at the sight of her shirt covered in paint.

"Sorry, Ted and I were painting." Audrey explained.

"I would like to se-" Stef was cut off by mom walking in alongside my dad.

"Ted, go take Audrey to her house please." Mom asked me. Her eyes were red and her voice was shaky, I knew she'd been crying. She was always crying. Always.

"Okay mommy. Come on Audrey." I held my friend's hand and led her out of the house and across the road. Our street was very quiet and cars hardly passed by. If they did, though, they'd drive past very slowly, that's why everyone always played on the street.

When I got back home, Dad was already walking out. He stopped at my sight and kneeled down to look at me.

"Listened up Theodore. I know you and your sister have been through a lot. I know me and your mum haven't been… well …in good terms. What am I saying is, you are only 4. Ted, I love you. I will always love you. You are my son and I wish there were another way, but this is what's best for you kids. I hope when you grow up, you find the strength to forgive me and understand that in this world, things aren't always perfect. Some things will never turn out the way you want." He wiped a tear from the corner of his eye and took a deep breath "And if they do, it will take a lot of determination and hard work for it to happen." He added.

All I could do was nod. I couldn't understand what he meant, but I had a bad feeling in my tummy that told me something very bad was about to happen. Dad got up at walked in to grab a suitcase.

"Are you going on a trip, daddy?" I asked, following him to the car.

"I..I guess so," he mumbled. Dad quietly shoved the bag in the backseat, and turned around to look at me. "I'm sorry son." He patted my head.

"Sorry for what?" I asked, staring at the odd look in his expression. A heavy silence filled the air around us; it was so thick it was almost hard to breath.

"I wont be coming back," he finally spoke. He then looked at the door and sighed. "I am sorry," he repeated it.

"W-what? Why?...What do you mean not coming back? Daddy?" I began to freak out, I turned to follow his gaze and I saw mom standing at the door with 2 pink bags.

"I am going to live in another house." Dad replied, and walked toward Mom to get the bags from her. When she turned her head to the side, I knew she was mad.

"It's the only way." Dad whispered to me.

"NO ITS NOT! How do you think your son is going to react to this?" Mom yelled.

"He is a young man, he will grow up." Dad glanced at me, and suddenly I began to realise what was happening. Those pink bags belonged to my sister. Was she going to a new house, too? Was I coming as well? I walked into the house and began looking for Stef.

"Stef? Stef?" I cried. Maybe dad was going to take us camping to the other side of town where there was a big park and plastic tents for rent. He had promised to take us out and maybe this trip was it.

"Ted…."

I turned to find Stef standing in front of her room. She was carrying a small picture, one I had made for her with pasta at Audrey's house for her 10th birthday last year. She looked almost sad. Almost numb. Why would she look like that if we were going on a trip with dad?

"Whats wrong? Are you scared of sleeping in the park? It will be fun, you can sleep next to me." I smiled. Whenever I was scared she would always sleep with me, this time it would be my turn to make my sure my big sister was not scared. I could finally be a big boy. After all I am 4!

"No…Ted…It's…it's.." She stopped and took a deep breath, then smiled. "I am going to go live with dad at the southern part of town. I will be able to go to college there."

"South…? Isn't that really far?" I asked, remembering all those pictures books I saw at the library about Thneedvile.

"Yes, it's in the furthest part of town…. But its also very popular for its schools." She kept the smile on her lips.

"You and dad… what about me and mom?" I asked as reality began to kick in. Dad's speech… How he kept saying sorry… the bags… "You're leaving me and Mom behind?" I asked nervously.

"Y-Yes." Stef looked down at the picture. "Well I must go. Dad wants to leave before 1." She walked past me, still smiling.

Was she mocking me? Was she making fun of me? She had to be, it had to be a prank. It had to be.

She never once cried. Never. She was always smiling. It's so hard to tell when she's sad because she is always smiling. Always. Always. ALWAYS!

I fell to the ground, feeling as the tears ran down my cheeks. I was, and still am, a crybaby. Maybe that was the reason why they were leaving. Maybe they didn't like me anymore. And Stef? Maybe she is tired of having to take care of me or maybe she is mad because I keep waking her up.

But she couldn't leave, she promised everything was going to be okay, and that smile, it always made me feel better. Why was she doing this? Why?

I got back up on my feet and ran out of the door, bumping past mom, who was crying against the wall entrance.

"Why? WHY ARE YOU LEAVING ME?" I yelled. "Why are you breaking your promi-" In my rush, I tripped on the last step, falling flat on my face. I was in pain, but the agonizing heartache within me was stoping the whines form escaping.

"Why are you leaving? You said you wou-" Again, I was cut off, but this time it was by the familiar strong arms around me; my sister's familiar embrace.

"Listen, you can't cry. Now that I am leaving, you have to step in and be there for mom, you need to smile for her when she is crying, you have to hug her when she sleeps and is scared. Okay Ted? I will come back to see you again someday. But until then Ted, try not to cry, because if you smile, it's a way of saying 'its alright, I am here with you.'" She smiled and then leaned back to look at me. I was still crying, but I managed to nod and a small smile began to form on my lips. "She will need you. She is going to be very alone, so please, take good care of her. Also, take care of Audrey. Even though she is older than, she is just a girl and just as scared as you will be." Stef kissed my forehead and helped me up.

"I-I will. I promise." I smiled, determined to keep this promise not only to my sister, but to all those that would be looking to me for support. I am just 4, but now I would have to act much older, and I won't cry. I will save all my tears for when Stef and Dad come back. I will save every last drop for their return.

"Good boy. I love you and I am counting on you to keep things in order around here." She smiled and began to walk toward the car.

I saw them drive off until they were gone. I took a deep breath and wiped my tears. Across the road, I saw Audrey standing on the sidewalk, tears in her eyes. She must have heard. She must be scared.

When she finally looked up, her orange hair was the only colour on her face. She was so white… Like a ghost. I sighed, held out my hand, and waited for her to walk to me. She began to cry harder. I hugged her, and when she finally calmed down enough to look at me, I did what my sister did best. I smiled. A reassuring, faithful smile. The best one I could pull. Yes, I might not have 2 teeth, but it worked because she smiled back.

I held her hand and we walked into the house. Mom was there, staring into space, leaning against the wall.

"I am sorry Ted, I am so, so sorry." She mumbled.

"Its okay."

Her eyes snapped up to look at me standing in front of her. She was surprised, even if I couldn't tell why, I could still see she had seen something in me. I smiled. I smiled so wide, my cheeks began to hurt. I held my one empty hand out and took hers in it.

"Everything will be okay. " I added.

My Dad and sister might be gone, but I couldn't be selfish to think that I was alone and that this world was the worse place I could be in. I couldn't make my Mom feel guilty, nor Audrey feel like she'd lost both her closest friends. I had to stand my ground and smile. Because a smile is worth a lot of words, and with all the other people around me, I will learn to count just how many words a smile is worth.

And the day Stef and Dad come back, I will cry happy tears, I will cry and then smile so my sister can finally cry for once. I will be older so then I will be able to understand.

After all, right now, I am only 4.