Chapter 3

Wesley's first birthday was looming and Mark had volunteered to pick the main gift up. It was raining heavily, Austin and Isaac were in bed with flu, Wesley was taking most of Jerry's time and Jerry had to keep the other boys entertained while Emma looked after the sick children. He drove through the streets, the rain coating his windshield constantly. As he waited for the traffic lights to change he saw something small, but human run into an alley. Years of parenting making him know better than to ignore his gut he stepped into the rain, locked his car and followed into the alley. "Hello?" Now, Mark was a big guy and could take care of himself but even he got nervous when going into dark alleys. "Hello? Is anyone there? I promise; I won't hurt you." He said clearly. Hearing a whimper he whipped his head around to the sound as a garbage can lid clattered and splashed in the puddles. Using the dim light from his phone he identified a small child, a boy who's brown hair lay plastered to his face which was terror-struck as he shivered. A sneeze came from behind him and another small boy with darker skin and hair with big eyes stood beside him. "Hey, are you guys OK?" The smaller first boy shrank back into the other. "Come here, I won't hurt you. I want to help, look, I help kids," he showed them a photo of the whole family from Christmas just past. "I can help you, me and my friends there, Emma and Jerry, but the boys call him 'Mama' I think you'll like it there. You'll get fed and you won't sneeze or be cold." The smaller boy edged forward but the taller held tightly. "I promise," he said softly. The smaller boy looked to the other who stared at Mark, eventually nodding his head. Smiling Mark held out a hand which both boys just stared at. Sighing Mark took off his jacket, placing it around the two boys, taking them to his car. In the back seat they fell asleep.

At the house Mark woke the older seeming boy before realizing the smaller was out cold. Picking him up he extended a hand to the other who blankly stared. On the porch he dug in his pocket for his key before deciding he'd left it in the car and knocking. Brad answered. "Whoa, here, Mark," he took the smaller boy and the other looked horrified until Mark laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on, the spare room beside mine, let's set it up, get them some dry clothes, some food and sleep. Can you clean them up?"

"Sure." Mark set up the room while Brad bathed the two small boys. They were more wet then dirty from the rain so it didn't take long. Seeing how small they were Mark found some of Isaac and Austin's older clothes for them to wear and a new pair of pjs each from the emergency stock they had at hand. Despite it being late he took them to the kitchen with Brad, heated up some milk and made the two boys toast with jam. It was better than nothing and if anything the boys needed sleep. They had yet to say a word as Mark and Brad tucked the pair into the same bed as they refused to be separated. Mark did his nightly rounds to check all the boys were in their rooms and the younger ones in bed. When he came to Austin and Isaac's room he couldn't suppress a smile. Emma was lounging back against the headboard, sleeping, with the two small boys curled up to her sides, an open book of Pippi Longstocking a book series she had from her childhood in Sweden. She'd been reading it to them since they finished Alice in Wonderland. Smiling he moved her so her neck would not ache, ruffled the boy's hair and covered them with the blanket. Closing the door he checked next door for Jerry to find him asleep, Wesley curled up on his chest. Taking the baby he pressed a kiss to his thick dark hair and laid him in the crib where he began to happily but sleepily suck on his thumb and fist.

The following morning Mark woke at five to find the two boys from the night before awake and staring at the wall in their room. He spent an hour trying to get them dressed before leading them downstairs. They needed medical attention but they looked ready to drop if they didn't eat.

"What do you two like to eat?" He asked them. "Pancakes?" They shared a blank look. "Cereal?" Again nothing. "Do you two know what that is?" They shook their heads. "OK, let's try pancakes." As he cooked the two little boys watched with dark and tired eyes. Around 6:15 he heard Jerry stumble through the house, Wesley gurgling happily in his arms. He walked into the kitchen and began heating the baby porridge, sitting Wesley in his chair. It took his tired mind roughly five minutes to register the attendance of the two other children. A further 2 to realize, it wasn't anybody he knew.

"Mark," he said staring. "Who's this?"

"I found them last night, in the rain, in an alley, they need a Dr if anything but I think some decent food could do them the world of good." Mark said.

"OK then," Jerry said a little freaked out. Mark usually kept his distance with new arrivals and rarely if ever cooked. As far as he was concerned, whoever these boys were, they could stay. Mark took them to the hospital to be checked over at a decent hour and Jerry made breakfast for the other boys with help from Brad and Bastian. Bastian dropped breakfast and medicine for Emma, Isaac and Austin before getting ready for school. It was his Senior year and he had applied to the Philadelphia College of Arts. He loved art, music and acting. But at the same time he didn't want to leave, he loved helping look after the kids and Wesley especially. The kid had grown on him. But the one he'd miss most would be Scott. His little brother. All of his brothers.

Jerry placed Wesley in his playpen in his and Mark's office turning on his laptop and checking his email. Nothing. Bastian had driven the older kids to school, Emma and the two smaller boys were quarantined, Mark was at the hospital and they were between albums. Leaning back he swiveled his chair and face the baby. "Know who we haven't seen in a while?"

"Mama."

Jerry rolled his eyes. "Ma, come on, let's pay a visit." Scooping the child into his arms he settled him in the stroller, texting Emma to see if she wanted anything he set off out of the door.

The door of the coffee shop hit the bell and the woman behind the counter looked up with a smiled. "There's two of my boys," she said, running straight by Jerry she picked up the giggling baby who cried out with glee.

"Ma! Ma!"

"Upstaged by a kid," Jerry muttered playfully.

"Jerry, I did not see you there," she placed a kiss on his cheek. Smiling he shook his head as Ma took the baby with her. "Now where is your papa today?"

"Hey!"

"Jerry, you know you'll always be-"

"Mama!"

"The cutie knows and where's Emma?"

"Austin and Isaac are sick."

"My poor babies," she said sadly. Jerry sat and read while Ma cooed over Wesley until he tired out from playing. Placing him back in stroller he fell willingly to sleep and Jerry enjoyed a final coffee before getting Emma's favourite pastry and cookies for the boys and Mark. Back in his office, Wesley again awake and active in the playpen Jerry found himself looking at the wall that referred to him and Mark as a couple. Something about one of the articles caught his eye.

A man on a mission Jerry loaded up the internet on his laptop, searching for the newspaper date and edition the clipping had come from. There, just below them in the next article, from six months ago were pictures of the two children from the kitchen this morning. He searched for anything about their disappearance he could find. To start with he wanted their names. The taller one, with tanned skin was apparently name Nathan Newland and the other smaller boy Mitch Magnuson. Their parents had left them with a sitter to go on a weekend away then never came back. The sitter had been arrested on suspicion of murder but bodies were never found and she was released. He waited for Mark to return, not wanting to call in case he was driving. He sat in the lounge, playing with Wesley when the front door opened, but it was just Bastian and the kids. Bastian sat on the floor, tickling Wesley. "Mark back yet?"

"Not yet, I need to get dinner started, can yo-"

"Watch the kids, make sure homework gets done and babysit?"

"You're good kid."

"I know, just, don't call me a kid Jerry."

"Fine, Bas."

"Thanks."