NOTE: This chapter contains some adult language and is rated T for teen.

Sam is now ten, and has an idea of how bis perfect birthday will be. Sadly, his actual birthday is about as far from what he expected as possible.

Sam couldn't help but smile as he woke up. The air smelled sweet and warm. Instantly he knew that his father was baking his birthday cake. It was Sam's tenth birthday, and ever since John and Mary got divorced two years earlier, Sam had the feeling that his father was trying to win Sam over. He already loved his father, and didn't understand why he did what he did, but John had agreed to let Sam have a party with six people over, and he was making Sam's birthday cake. In Sam's mind, today was going to be the best day ever.

Sam quickly got dressed and made his way to the kitchen, stopping in the doorway so he wouldn't be in his father's way. "Where's Dean?" he asked. "I don't see him." John turned around when he heard Sam. "Dean's at a friend's house. He didn't want to be surrounded by ten year olds. You know how fourteen year olds are." Sam didn't, but he wasn't going to say so. He lightly scratched his head as he moved into the kitchen a little more to look at the cake that John had just pulled out of the oven. Sam smiled again when he saw it. "We're still having the party?" he asked. John sighed softly and nodded. "Yes Sam. I have told you at least ten times before. We are having a party, and something like five of your friends are coming over." "Six" Sam said absentmindedly as he looked to the clock. "When will they be here?" John grabbed the note on which he had written down the plan for the day for just this occasion. Sam looked down at the list and saw that his guests should arrive at 10:30. Sam checked the time and seeing that it was only 8:45 he decided to make breakfast.

While Sam was eating his breakfast, John's phone rang. "Hello?" he answered it as he worked on making the frosting. After a few seconds he nodded and said "Alright, I'll tell him. Thank you for calling me." Sam perked up as John hung up the phone. "Who was that?" he asked. "That was Tyler's mom. Tyler isn't feeling well, and won't be able to come." Sam nodded, and lowered his head as he continued to eat. "Well, five friends being here is still good" He thought to himself.

After breakfast Sam went to the living room to watch TV. He had just situated himself on the couch when he heard John's phone ring again, and frowned when it was the exact same conversation. John poked his head into the living room. "Ryan has a family emergency, and won't be able to show up" Sam nodded slightly. "Thanks, Dad" he said. At 10:15, Sam went and stood by the door to greet the remaining party guests. After about ten minutes John came in to find him. "Michael and David's little sister is sick" John told Sam. Sam's face fell. That left only two friends. "So they aren't coming?" he asked sadly. John shook his head. "Their mom doesn't want to leave her alone to drop them off." He said. Sam sighed but nodded, starting to have a bad feeling about his party.

By 10:45, Sam came back into the kitchen to find John. "Did you get a call from either Erik or Zach?" John raised an eyebrow. "No, I'm surprised they haven't shown up." John pulled out Sam's school directory to find the phone numbers for the two boys, and upon calling their parents he learned that Zach's family had forgotten and was out of town, and Erik was grounded, and not allowed to attend. Sam turned to go to his room when he heard that none of his guests would be showing up even though all of them had called to confirm. John stopped him. "It'll be ok, Sam" he said. "You and I will still have a good day." Sam smiled half-heartedly when John said that. There wasn't much that he would rather do, but spending his birthday at home with just his dad who was prone to extreme mood swings wasn't how he wanted to spend his tenth birthday. Sam and John watched a movie together and Sam went to his room to reed. While he was in his room, John came and knocked on the door before immediately opening it. "Tyler's mom came by to drop this off" John said and handed Sam a present. Sam opened it slowly being careful not to tear the paper. He smiled when he saw a copy of Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit by Daniel Quinn. "Thanks, Dad. I'll start writing a letter soon." He said as he looked up at John. John shook his head with a fond smile on his face. "You have a weird taste in books, Sam." He chuckled softly. Sam shrugged. "We've talked about it, and Tyler knows I wanted to read it." John smiled down at Sam. "He sounds like a good friend. Try not to get too lost in the book before writing the letter." Sam nodded. "I won't, Dad. I promise." John smiled at Sam before closing the door again. Sam got up to grab some paper and start writing Tyler a thank you letter and a get well soon card.

Sam came out from his room a few hours later when his stomach started growling and found John in the hallway. "I was just about to come get you for dinner" John said. "I ordered pizza. I figured you'd be upset after none of your friends could come. After pizza you can open your presents from Dean and me, and then we can have cake this evening." Sam nodded and again absentmindedly scratched his head in the same spot as earlier. He washed his hands in the kitchen before taking a plate and grabbing a slice of pizza. Sam jumped when Dean came in. "Are they gone?" John shot Dean a look as he saw Sam's eyes go down to the table. "All of them were unfortunately able to make it." Dean nodded and eyed Sam before washing his hands and also taking a plate of pizza. "Sorry Sam." Sam nodded softly as he waited for John to join them at the table.

After dinner, Sam opened his presents. John had given him a new jigsaw puzzle and Dean had given Sam a pair of roller skates. Sam took his gifts to his room and carefully put them away. He went to shower and change into his pajamas. As he came out of the bathroom, he noticed himself scratching at his head. "Hey Dad, after we have cake can you look at my head? It itches." John frowned and looked up from the cake he was cutting. "Sure Sam." Sam took his piece of cake and slowly ate it. When he finished, he went to the stool that John pointed him towards. John grabbed some Q-tips to easily part Sam's hair. "Fuck" he muttered loudly. "You have lice." Sam frowned as John went storming out of the room to strip Sam's bedding off his bed. When he came back, he handed Sam the bottle of lice shampoo that they had. "You know the drill." Sam sighed and nodded and went back to shower with it while John washed Sam's sheets and pillow cases.

When Sam got out of the shower this time, he noticed that the house seemed oddly quiet. He went and found Dean sitting on the couch watching cartoons. "Where's Dad" he asked as he sat beside Dean. Dean shrugged and moved further away from Sam. "I don't know." He said. "Dad just took off without saying anything." Sam sighed and wrapped his arms around himself, hoping that he didn't drive their father away.

When John came home, he was carrying several large garbage bags. "Your mother doesn't know how to fucking take care of shit." He muttered to himself. As John walked past him, Sam saw what was inside the bags. It was Sam's bedding and toys from his mom's house, and he felt a knot instantly form in his stomach. He knew his mom was at work. He knew that no one had been their to let John in. He knew that Mary didn't know what had just happened. As the realization set in that John had just broken into Mary's house and removed Sam's bedding set in, Sam ran to his bedroom and slammed the door before he started crying. He knew that his father had broken the law. Not only had John broken into Mary's house, but he had stolen things from the house too, because they disagreed about the best way to take care of lice. Sam wrapped his arms around his stomach as he curled up in bed with the covers up over his head. As he cried, he thought about what he should do or what he was supposed to do. His father had broken the law. Sam didn't want his father to be arrested, but he knew that what John did was wrong too. Sam didn't sleep at all that night as he feared the police would come in the early morning and arrest John when Mary got home and realized John had been in her house. Sam had just managed to stop crying when he realized that if Mary didn't notify the police, that might be his job or at the very least he might be forced to go to court and testify against his father. This was definitely not how he had imagined his tenth birthday.

For his book, I just chose a book off of this list. I haven't read it, but I could see Sam reading it.

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