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Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Rated: T

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Chapter 4

Florida

Dear Nancy Drew,

I never thought about being a teacher before. I guess I could do something like that even though almost every other kid in the world says that they want to be a teacher when they grow up. Teaching surfing would be a lot of fun. I already taught Scout how to surf this past summer. She's a natural at it, but then she should be because everybody in her family surfs, even Mrs. Miller.

Scout is Eddie's younger sister. Mr. and Mrs. Miller named her after the main character in To Kill A Mockingbird. At least that's what Eddie told me.

We had an enjoyable night on Friday. I wound up sleeping over their house after the movie because it was too late to go home. They're the best substitute family anybody could ask for; I hope I have them forever too.

I'm happy you have me too; I hope that I can be a good friend to you. I hope I can be worthy of your friendship. You really do deserve a good friend.

We have a history test today. My best subject. I am almost certain I'll get an A, but I don't want to be too cocky about it.

I'll write you soon.

Sincerely,

Patrick

Patrick folded his letter into fours and put it in his envelope, Eddie had stopped writing Stella completely, so he was doodling on his notebook paper and chewing on his eraser in between drawing pictures of surfboards and stick figures. He looked at him and grinned goofily, he smiled back and then licked the envelope before sealing it shut and delivering it to the front of the room.

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Later that day, Patrick was at home reading a Hardy Boys book and listening to one of his classical music albums when his father, Alex came into the living room.

"Patrick, I have a job for you," he said, rubbing his hands together and looking at him like he was the goose that laid the golden egg.

Patrick frowned and looked up from his book. "Another job?"

"Come on Patrick, you know I haven't had you do any jobs since you started school in August. But we need the money and this is a good paycheck."

Patrick released a long sigh. "I have homework."

"I'll have you home long before nine," Alex promised. "Come on, if you help me out, we can even go out to eat where you'd like. You know we haven't eaten out in a long time and those new sandals you've been nagging me about, we can get those tonight as well."

Patrick looked down at his sandals; they were falling apart on his feet. But every single time he as much as mentioned it to his father, he quickly shut him down using the excuse there wasn't enough money for an extra expense like footwear.

He bookmarked his place and nodded. "Okay, I'll go with you," he said. "But I get to hold on to the money until we get the new sandals and have dinner."

There was no way he was going to let his father keep it because it would quickly disappear at the bar and on prostitutes.

"But Patrick, I'm your father!" Alex protested. "Don't you trust me at all?"

Patrick didn't answer. "I'll go and change," he said instead.

A few minutes later, he came back with his hair combed and in a white button-down dress shirt with a striped blue tie; he ignored his father and went to the little closet to get his suit coat. It was his typical look for readings; it was his father way of having him fit in with a circle of people that usually didn't want anything to do with him.

"Well?" He asked. "Are you ready to go?"

"Aren't you forgetting your shoes?" Alex asked looking pointedly at his son's feet.

"I told you, I grew out of them in August."

"Wear them anyways," Alex replied. "You can't just go to a client's house in sandals. They have standards, we can't disappoint them."

Patrick almost asked him why he wasn't the one going then, but he bit back his reply and went to get dress socks to go with the shoes that would most likely give him blisters by the end of the night.

Five minutes later, he was in his father's smelly old truck and driving down the highway, trying to sit perfectly still so he wouldn't break out into a sweat or get oil stains on his suit. His father would be so angry with him if he didn't look like a million bucks in front of this wealthy new client.

The reading went by in a blur; he held hands with her and told her everything that she wanted to hear. The next thing he knew, he was asking for cash and she was handing a wad of bills over to him.

He got back into the truck and insisted his father drive him to the mall right away to get his new sandals. He knew if he didn't, he would never see his new sandals. After he made his purchase, he made his father take him to the food court for dinner. There wasn't exactly a place he liked to eat there, but he wasn't going to take any chances and ask his father to take him to where he really wanted to go.

Patrick's father dropped him off at the trailer by eight and drove off without a word or asking for the rest of the money.

Patrick shrugged and untucked his shirt as he walked up to the trailer, fingering the remaining money and wondering if he could persuade Ethel to take him to get some groceries after school the next day.

He should have asked her to do it sooner; he had just started his math homework when his father came into the trailer with a woman in tight leather, tacky make up, ripped fishnets and boots up to her chin.

"Where's the rest of the money Paddy?" He asked, holding his hand out expectantly.

"In the coffee tin under the porch," Patrick answered. "But dad, you can't have it! We need food. . ."

"You can't tell me what I can't and can do!" Alex replied. "Now go and get the money like a good boy, then go to Ethel and Fred's for the rest of the night. I need the trailer to myself."

"Dad. . ."

Alex rolled his eyes. "You can bring your homework. It's not like you need it though, you're not going to amount to much outside of your readings."

Patrick glanced at his lady friend, expecting her to laugh like all the other women he dragged home did when his father belittled him, but she looked down at the toes of her pointy boots and tried to run her fingers through her hair sprayed and teased locks.

"Go now Patrick!" Alex ordered, stomping his foot on the floor to show that he meant business.

Patrick sighed and gathered up his school books. "Okay, fine. I'll just get my clothes for tomorrow and your money, and then I'll go."

Alex smiled. "That's my boy!"

Patrick felt a little hollow. He didn't really want to be Alex Jane's boy.

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Chicago

Dear Patrick,

I've never read To Kill a Mockingbird before. Mom says I'm too young, I did watch the movie with my grandfather last summer. We were up at the lake and Grandpa took me into town to see a movie. That was the only one showing that afternoon, so we saw it. But my mom doesn't know. It's our little secret.

I hope you passed your test! I hate tests but I'm sure you're pretty good at them.

Guess what! I made a new friend. Her name is Leah, she just moved here from the Philippines because her father got a really good job with a law firm. Mom says as soon as she meets Leah's mother and they have coffee, we can have her over for dinner. And maybe a sleepover if they're really comfortable with us.

I've never had a sleepover before, except with my cousins. But that doesn't count, not really. I mean, Stella wasn't allowed to have sleepovers because her father was afraid that she'd get kidnapped, and I wasn't allowed to sleepover her house because my mom was afraid I would decide to play baseball in their front hall and then I'd break a vase or something else that my parents couldn't afford to replace.

I think it will be nice to have a friend who I can actually have over.

I hope you're doing well. I'm thinking about you and saying prayers for you.

Sincerely,

Teresa

P.S

I LOVE the Little Prince!

"Do you want to eat lunch with me this afternoon?" Teresa asked Leah, wrapping her scarf around her neck and pulling her dark braids out. "My mom packed extra chocolate chip cookies today."

Leah smiled. "I would love to eat with you! Thanks for asking Teresa!"

Teresa smiled back and grabbed her plastic lunchbox then took Leah's hand. "Come on, we can eat outside today. It's one of the last nice days of fall; we won't have many more days like this. Winter will be here before we know it."

They found a spot in the sun and opened their lunchboxes; they ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches while Teresa read the Little Prince aloud to Leah between bites of her sandwich and chocolate chip cookies. It was one of the most contented lunches she had had since school started. And she realized she didn't miss Stella's voice constant chatter buzzing in her ear. It was nice to have somebody listen to her for a change, to have a little give and a little take.

Afterwards, they spent the remaining lunch period talking about how Leah felt moving to the United States. Teresa asked Leah if she was afraid and Leah told her that since she had met her, she wasn't anymore.

"Good, I'm glad!" Teresa said, taking Leah's hand and squeezing it tightly.

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Florida

Dear Teresa,

I'm fine. . . thank you for asking. I hope you're doing fine too.

I'm glad you're enjoying the Little Prince; it makes me happy to hear that.

And I'm glad you found a new friend at your school. You deserve it.

Sincerely,

Patrick

He tapped his pencil on the table and swallowed. The truth was he wasn't fine. But he couldn't trouble Teresa with his problems. She was too young; he didn't want her to worry about him. She didn't deserve to worry at all and if he told her about his own worries, he knew she would. If he told her that his father was making him go to readings and taking most of the money, she wouldn't understand.

He sighed and tossed the pencil down, ignoring Eddie's look in his direction. He hadn't even told Eddie what was going on, even though his friend was starting to guess what was going on because he had turned down several invitations for dinner.

He couldn't tell Eddie either though, because Eddie would tell his parents and his parents would call a meeting with his father. It would only cause problems. Problems that Patrick just didn't want to face. Problems he couldn't face.

And really, he was fine with going to stay with Ethel and Fred's on the nights his father had a little too much to drink or wanted to "entertain" a woman.

"Patrick?" Miss Perkins said, coming up to him. "Are you finished writing your letter?"

"Um, yes," Patrick answered, handing the envelope over to his teacher.

"Edward?" Miss Perkins asked.

Eddie held his hands up. "You know I stopped writing her a month ago."

"Oh yes," Miss Perkins answered. "Well, I heard from their teacher. There's a new student there, her name is Leah. I want you to spend the rest of the school year writing to her. No arguments! And Patrick, I want to talk to you after school is over today."

Patrick's stomach dropped and he swallowed hard as Eddie watched him expectantly. Then he nodded. "Yes Miss Perkins."

"What did you do?" Eddie asked as they walked to the lunchroom together.

"I didn't do anything!" Patrick answered. "At least not that I know of. . . maybe I got a bad grade on a test or something."

"You? Bad grade?" Eddie said. "I doubt it! You haven't looked so hot lately, is everything okay? Have you been feeling alright?"

"I've been feeling fine!" Patrick replied.

"You haven't come around in a while. My parents are starting to wonder what's going on," Eddie told him.

"Tell them to stop worrying," Patrick said.

"Tell them yourself," Eddie answered. "Come over on Friday night and have mac & cheese with us, come to the drive-in and have a good time. You can worry about school on Sunday."

"You think I'm worried about school?"

"No," Eddie admitted. "But I know you aren't going to tell me what's really going on. Even though I know."

"You do?" Patrick asked. "Then tell me, tell me what you think is going on."

Eddie looked around and then lowered his voice. "Your father is having you see clients again. Like he did this past summer."

"We need the money."

"He needs to get a job," Eddie said.

"You've been listening to your parents again," Patrick retorted.

"So what if I have been?" Eddie answered. "They're right. You don't need to be earning money, that's your father's job. You're still a kid. Besides, we both know your father doesn't let you keep any of the money you earn."

"He let me buy new sandals."

"And that's about it."

Patrick flushed, feeling guilty about sharing with Eddie what his father really did with the money.

"Listen, man, you know I'm on your side!" Eddie said. "I'm just worried about you. And I miss you."

"I miss you too," Patrick said. "I'll try and come over this weekend. But I'm not making any promises."

"That's fine, I'll tell my mom that you're thinking about coming," Eddie answered, smiling at him.

"Thanks," Patrick replied, giving him half-a-smile.

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The day passed by too quickly and before he knew what was happening, Patrick was standing in front of Miss Perkins. She smiled at him and told him to sit down, trying to make him feel comfortable with root beer barrels

"Did I do something wrong?" Patrick asked bluntly after he had finished his first piece of candy.

"Not at all," Miss Perkins assured him. "I just wanted to see if you were doing alright. You've seemed distant and unengaged during class. I'm worried about you Patrick. Is everything okay at home?"

"You're only asking because you're supposed to," Patrick answered.

"No, I'm asking because I care about you," Miss Perkins told him. "If there's something wrong, I want to try and help you fix it."

"You can't help me fix anything Miss Perkins," Patrick said, shaking his head slightly. '

"Are you protecting somebody?" Miss Perkins inquired. "Like your father?"

"I'm not trying to protect anybody!" Patrick denied.

"Okay," Miss Perkins answered, smiling at him. "If you decide you want to talk to me, I'll be here for you."

Like he was going to tell her anything, she'd report her father directly to child services and they'd probably take him away from his home. He wouldn't leave his friends or his school; they'd have to take him fighting.

"Okay," he said.

"And Patrick, maybe you should rewrite this," Miss Perkins said, taking his letter to Teresa out from the larger envelope she sent the class letters to. "I know how much you enjoy writing to each other, I would hate for her to miss out on a real letter from you."

"Right," Patrick answered, pocketing the letter. "I'll bring you my new letter first thing in the morning."

Miss Perkins smiled at him again. "Okay. You have a good night dear."

"You too," Patrick replied, smiling too and pocketing the letter along with the handful of root beer barrels she had given to him. "See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow."

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Dear Teresa,

I am doing fine. Thank you for asking and thank you for praying for me. And yes, I passed my test. I got the best score out of the whole entire class, aside from Eddie of course.

I am glad you are enjoying the Little Prince and that you've made a new friend. I hope the two of you can have a sleepover soon and that you are both really good to each other, the way friends are supposed to be good to each other.

I've been keeping pretty busy and spending a lot of time with Ethel and Fred. Don't worry though, I prefer it that way.

I might go to Eddie's this weekend. You know to have mac & cheese and see a movie at the drive-in. I wish you could be here with us. I think it would be a lot of fun to hang out in a group. Even if you are a kid.

Oh! Did you hear? Eddie has to write Leah for the rest of the school year. I think that it will be a lot better for him this time around.

Thinking of you.

Sincerely,

Patrick

TBC. . .

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Author's Note:

My life just got about ten times crazier. But I am going to try and do weekly updates, I'm hoping this craziness is just temporary. But I'm not holding my breath, but I am not going to trouble my faithful readers with it. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, none of it came out of left field. I planned it the whole time. Leave a review and tell me what you thought about it, if you have the time!

Love,

Holly, 9/5/2014_