Chapter Three



Snow crunched underneath's Will's feet as he continued to toss the football up in the air. His mom was working and his dad was inside, basically doing nothing. His dad would usually just sit in his wheelchair, staring into space. Sometimes he would read and sometimes he would do paperwork for Tony Dimera or watch TV but other than that, he just sat there. Will didn't understand why his dad was acting so different lately. He seemed angry and distant. His mom was just always tired from the long hours she put in at Basic Black.

Will tossed the football up really high in the air and watched as it landed in a compost pile near the back of the yard. The football had landed next to a large cardboard box. Will trotted over to retrieve his football. When he leaned down to pick it up, he felt icy fingers encircle his arm. Before he could scream, another cold hand clamped around his mouth and he was yanked into the cardboard box.

Will looked up at the person who had grabbed him with wide eyes. The man wasn't that old, just really dirty and in desperate need of a good shave. Ripped sleeves of a tattered jacket moved down to reveal scarred hands and long, dirty fingernails. The man was probably about Lucas' age.

"Sorry I scared you." the man apologized.

"Who are you?" Will demanded angrily, "What are you doing in my backyard?"

"My name is Joe. You can call me Hobo Joe, everyone does." Hobo Joe answered, "And I live here."

Will stared at him, "Don't you have a house?" he asked bluntly.

"I have this cardboard box." Hobo Joe gestured to the large box that he and Will were sitting in, "It's all I really need." Except that I need food and some clothes. Would you mind?"

"You just want me to go in and steal some of my dad's clothes and some food?" Will inquired and Hobo Joe nodded, "What do I get if I do that for you?" Will enjoyed using the barter system, just as his mother did.

"I'll be your friend." Hobo Joe replied smoothly, "You're always out here, playing with that football and I figured you could use one."

"I guess I could." Will agreed, somewhat reluctantly, "My dad is acting really grouchy lately and my mom is hardly ever here and when she is, she spends all her time with my dad."

"Well, if your mom is always gone, then it makes sense that she'd want to spend time with her husband when she is home." Hobo Joe said reasonably. Will shook his head.

"It's not like that. They're not married, my dad is only living with us because he can't walk." Will explained, sighing loudly, "I wish they would get together though."

Cold wind shot into the cardboard box and Hobo Joe wrapped his ratty jacket tighter around him, "How about getting me a new jacket or something?" he asked. Will crawled out of box and headed for the back door of his new house. He hoped it would be easy to get the stuff for Hobo Joe without his dad seeing. But then again, his dad was so out of it lately, he probably wouldn't even notice that Will had come back inside.


"Please, sit down, Ms. Brady." the counsellor at Will's school said and Sami sunk into one of the chairs in the office. The chairs were made for children in elementary school and Sami squirmed uncomfortably on it. The counsellor eyed her inquisitively.

"I've been seeing Will for a while now." she explained, "And I think that he needs to have more stability in his life."

"What are you talking about?" Sami stammered, "He has plenty of stability in his life."

"That's not what I'm seeing." the counsellor leaned back in her chair, "His father has just lost the use of his legs. And from what I hear, you aren't around very much."

Sami felt herself growing defensive, "I have a lot of things to do. Lucas can't do very much work anymore, so I have to work overtime at Basic Black. I also have to drive Lucas to physical therapy twice a week. The medical system is horrible up here and I have to help pay for medical bills too. It's been really hard on me."

"Your son's father moved in with you both, right?" the counsellor watched Sami closely behind thick glasses.

"Yes, he did. Which is why there is plenty of stability in Will's life. His mother and father living in the same house together. What could be more stable than that?"

"I don't think your son is getting the parental attention he needs. I mean, since there isn't much Will's father is able to do for himself, wouldn't it be like having another child for you?" Sami felt her face grow hot at the counsellor's words.

"How can you even say that? I might have to help Lucas do a lot things he can't do at the moment but that does not mean I am neglecting Will. I'm not a bad mother. Besides, these physical classes must be helping Lucas. He's going to be back on his feet any day now." Sami said the last part with forced cheerfulness.

The counsellor shook her head, "All I can see here is a child being neglected. Did you know he has an imaginary hobo friend he thinks he goes out into the yard and talks to?"

"My son is very grounded in reality!" Sami cried furiously, "There is no way he would need to make up imaginary friends. And if he did, they certainly wouldn't be hobos!"

"Ms. Brady, I think that you and Will's father need to make a decision. Until you both can get your priorities straight, I think it would be best if Will moved in with a close friend or relative. Just for the time being." the counsellor said.

"What are you going to do if we don't?" Sami challenged the woman.

"If you don't, then I'll be forced to take legal action. I'm very upset about what I see happening to Will and I want what is best for him. I'm sure you do as well."

"I don't have to take this." Sami abruptly got off the chair, "Lucas has to be at the hospital in an hour." she started walking towards the door but the counsellor called after her.

"I'll be checking up on you." Sami hurried out of the school and headed for her car.

"Bitch." she mumbled to herself. She was going to have a long talk with Will and tell him that he shouldn't go see that counsellor anymore. Because all the counsellor did was stick her nose where it didn't belong.


Lucas and Sami talked it over with Will and let him choose who he wanted to stay with. They promised it would only be for a little while. Sami knew he really wouldn't have to be gone long, just long enough to keep that turbo-bitch from calling social services. Will had wanted to go stay with his Aunt Jennifer and his cousin, Abby. Jennifer had agreed to let Will stay with her without hesitation.

Will packed his things and before he left, he turned to his mom, "I know you're busy with work and taking care of dad and everything. But could you just leave some food outside the cardboard box in the back every now and then? Hobo Joe said he really liked the cookies you made that time, so maybe you could make him some of those again."

Sami kissed Will on the top of the head quickly, "Don't worry, sweetie. I'll take good care of your friend."Sami couldn't believe that the counsellor had been telling the truth about Will's imaginary friend. Maybe it was for the best that Will stayed with Jennifer and Abby for a while.

"Bye, dad." Will quickly hugged his father and then dashed out the door. Sami watched as he got into Jennifer's car. Once the car was out of sight, she shut the front door and turned to Lucas.

"I guess it's just you and me." Sami often felt uncomfortable around him now. He acted so cold around her, actually, he acted cold around almost everyone. But Sami almost couldn't blame him. She thought about how horrible it would be to think you were condemned to being an invalid for the rest of your life. But he wouldn't be an invalid for much longer. All the physical therapy he had been doing would start taking effect any day now. And the sooner the better. Even though Roman and Kate were helping pay for the classes, it was still a lot of money that she had to come up with.
"Unfortunately." he muttered and Sami winced at the acid tone in his voice. She couldn't remember the last time he had acted like this, so self-pitying and angry at the world. He reminded her of they way she used to act. Before he got stuck in a wheelchair and before she had found more important things to worry about other than how rotten her life was.

She watched as he leaned back in his chair and tried to stretch, like he had a cramp, "Are you okay?"

"Other than the fact that I'm never going to walk again, I'm just great." he said sarcastically.

"Lucas!" Sami glared at him.

He looked at her with disgust flashing in his eyes, "Just leave me alone." he mumbled and Sami stared after him. Even if had been acting like an incredibly big jerk lately, she didn't want him to be so miserable. But she didn't know what to do that would help him, so she went into the kitchen and started getting dinner ready.